Girls "better off not" Aloud.

[RGuk]

Dear, dear, dear.
I watched last night's X-factor (recorded) as a mate of mine was in the band for Girls Aloud.
It's a great song.....no doubt.....and it was fair entertainment.....but the more I have to stomach this nauseating "spin", the more I realise why I get frustrated by the pop industry.
This record was written and produced by a top notch chap (Brian Higgins) who has penned some truly unique and catchy 3 minute masterpieces.
But the singing was so AVERAGE, only one if them was genuinely in tune with a pleasing short solo and somehow it was another desperate effort of style over substance. And what annoys me is that searching on t'internet the girls really want to be credited for co-writing! Give me a bucket.
I'd rather listen to some of the contestants....at least they don't pretend to be so bloomin' special and give all the "I am". I doubt any of them could sit in a room and produce anything other than some daft and musically inept nonsense.....but we're sold these "artists" on absolutely NO substance. Cheryl was terrible, 3 others were so-so and I reckon only Sarah can actually sing.

Oh well, at least my friend gets the TV fee!

Give me some real bands and some real talent....not just eye-candy....yuk....

 

[haplesshacker]

Okay, but no-one actually gave Girls Aloud any credit for being able to sing. Well they can't as a general rule. They've riden a wave of catchy pop tunes, Something kinda ohh, Biology etc. That's what they do best. Even if it is all in the production. Cherly was defo out last night.

Some can write, some can sing, and some can be manipulated to look as though they can sing. Very few can write and sing.

But how would Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Ian Astbury, Morrisey, Bono et al, do in a contest like X Factor, if they weren't already 'stars'. Probably slated as rubbish by the self promoting Simon Cowell. Thank god he wasn't around in the 60's and 70's.

As far as this latest X Factor lot are concerned, the little blonde lass is quirky and probably has a future with a band. The lad, Austin I think his name is has done well so far, and Laura has a belter of a soul voice in the same vein as Sam Brown. Other than that, tosh.

Back to GA, wouldn't kick any of them out ..........

 

[Basher]

Girls Aloud in the new century, Spice Girls in the 90's. All the same, a bunch of talentless bimbos who strugle to sing solo.

Remember the Spice Girls?
Out of the five I would say there were only 2 to 3 who had a semblence of a singing voice.

Take a selection of attractive girls (except the ginger one in Girls Aloud!) Put them in a recording studio and play around and edit their vocal offerings and you have a hit single. I think they proved last night that they are not very good singing live and solo.

 

[birdieman]

Shameless promotion of their new single but they should have mimed! It's a shame for the ginger one as she gets so much stick but she does look like an Austin Allegro in a row of Maseratis!!
Cowell is raking in the $$$, I don't mind him, tend to agree with his comments on the acts.
Was pleasantly surprised that after Austin sang Billie Jean in a strange arrangement it was Cowell who pointed out Chris Cornell(one of my favourite musicians) sang it that way first so at least Cowell does listen to music other than cheesy pop.
X Factor is one of those shows that is cringeworthy yet mildly addictive at the same time.

 

[haplesshacker]

Without gettin to analytical about this.

Spice Girls were about 'girl power', ie we're better than you, we're tougher than you, and all damn attitude. Girls aloud are just a bunch of girls trying to be to be a combination of chav, glam chav and sexy temptress. No attitude, no pretence.

Am I defending them too much

Sorry but 'Something Kinda Ohh' video with TVRs sold it to me.

It's pop, not politics. Enjoy it for what it is and move on.

 

[RGuk]

Um....I didn't know how the OP would go down, but so far, so good.
The thing is....Cheryl is on a panel judging young and mostly talented singers trying to get their break.....and what? The show holds up G_A as a model group...why not bring on a genuine solo artist with merit?
Interestingly, the best singer won't win, never does.
Simon's laughing all the way to a bigger desert island (which doesn't bother me, because he's not up on the stage singing!). Danni (and Kylie) and G_A and sugababes are all in exactly the same "stable" so it's not really about promoting talent, it's about the program, the cash and the feeding of already large egos.
I took a lad to the X-factor auditions who was more or less laughed off the stage.....a few months later he was offered a scholarship to study singing at a world famous music college.
I reckon the comment about "Girls aloud are just a bunch of girls trying to be to be a combination of chav, glam chav and sexy temptress." is just about spot on.....it's just a shame that the knock on effect is that young people (mainly girls) aspire to this??? Why can't they aspire to be Rebecca Adlington or Loren Ochoa.....it's such a pity that in music and entertainment, as opposed to sport, the cream often never rises to the top. Surely aspiring to fame and success through talent/hard work/brains is better than being famous for being famous?
Celebrity culture.....what a load of tosh.

I don't know.....

 

[SS2]

she does look like an Austin Allegro in a row of Maseratis

Never has there been a more apt metaphor.

They should have got AC/DC on to play new single Rock n Roll Train instead. Ugly as sin but they know how to play.

(small footnote: in the 8 years since their last album, AC/DC have on average sold 70,000 albums from their back catalogue every week. 10,000 a day. I bet Gorillas Aloud are not shifting those kind of units in a few years time.)

 

[haplesshacker]

It's pop, not politics. Enjoy it for what it is and move on.

Now, I'm not going to disagree with the attributes of bands like AC/DC, often have them on when the Mrs is out. But X factor / Girls Aloud etc are what they are. Generally talentless here and nows. Mind you, isn't that what our parents said about Duran Duran, Tears For Fears, ABC, the new wave and punk bands of the 70's etc. and look at how their music is 'popular' now with our generation, even if we didn't like it first time around on medium wave Radio 1.

It's just forgetful, ear and eye candy. That's all.

BTW if Kimberly is reading this, I'm not playing golf next weekend, so if you're around the area...........

 

[medwayjon]

Whilst not my preferred genre I have a lot of time for girls aloud.

Yes they may not be the finest of live singers but you cant knock their achievements.

Some of their songs are damn catchy too such as wake me up, classic catchy pop tune.

In my eyes they are very talented young women and deserve a lot of credit for it.

With reference to cheryl cole (what a waste with that ***) I think she warrants her place as a judge on x-factor where as minogue is a never was let alone a has-been old boot desperately trying to cling to her youth. She is a talentless twit to be honest and were it not for her sister, she would probably be a stripper or something.

 

[theeaglehunter]

She is a talentless twit to be honest and were it not for her sister, she would probably be a stripper or something.

something else Cheryl would be more deserving of / better at !

 

[Imurg]

[Interestingly, the best singer won't win, never does.]


Thats because the XFactor is all about finding and act that will make the most money and has very little to do with the quality of the singing.

Jeez - where's Lemmy when you need him??

 

[EchtLoon]

Mind you, isn't that what our parents said about Duran Duran, Tears For Fears, ABC, the new wave and punk bands of the 70's etc. and look at how their music is 'popular' now with our generation, even if we didn't like it first time around on medium wave Radio 1.

It's just forgetful, ear and eye candy. That's all.

Didn't like most of the 80s drivel then, nor now. ABC, LEvel42, HEaven17, Wham. Jesus, beam me up.

 

[haplesshacker]

Is that you dad??

 

[forefortheday]

There were some awful bands around in the 80's SAW ruled the world for a few years remember JiveBunny????

And how are Duran Duran better than GA it's still just pop music the only difference now is Pop is aimed at 6yr old's and above.

We all listen to it and only remember the cool bits of our musical history.

My proudest musical achievement is my dad storming into my bedroom to rip NWA's Straight Outa Compton off my record player the year before that I bought a T'Pau album

 

[RGuk]

And how are Duran Duran better than GA it's still just pop music the only difference now is Pop is aimed at 6yr old's and above.

Well, there we go. The whole "fake" element of the pop industry is revealed in just one innocent question.
Duran Duran were in fact a "band". They played instruments, got together and wrote songs before being signed up by a record label. OK, so they weren't great, but they were actually real. They were signed up in a genuine battle between two labels and once signed got sent the way of some talented song writers and producers. Much of the basic work behind songs like Hungry like the wolf, Rio, et al. was done by Nick and Simon. Interestingly, they went on to make an album "seven and the ragged tiger" which, although almost ridiculed by the music press contained some inspirational melody and harmonic structure, most of which was fashioned by Nick Rhodes and the Taylor that played guitar. The words were rotten, but there was some clever and inventive music.
Rhodes then went on (after the "end" of the big time era) to write "A View to a Kill", "Come Undone" and "Ordinary World" which are universaly regarded as top notch pop songs. "Come Undone" and "Ordinary World" are both superbly crafted songs....so even if the band started out a little make-believe, there's little denying the trade was learned and some of the band are proper musicians.

There we go.....a small essay for me to hand in should I need to re-take my Music Degree.

Should we pick on Nick Kershaw or Howard Jones next?....both proven musicians, singers and song-writers.

 

[forefortheday]

They were signed up in a genuine battle between two labels and once signed got sent the way of some talented song writers and producers

So basically they were eye candy who had some limited talent that was improved by professionals (mmm sounds familiar)

There are plenty of bands that play their own instruments but are still manufactured.

 

[RGuk]

No....I don't know the full percentage of their input on any given song but every band (real or not) goes to a producer, and gets given SOME songs which they had nothing to do with....it's an issue of credibility. You named a band that you felt were no more deserving than Girls Aloud for their place in pop history. I argued that some of their songs and some of their members deserve a little more credit.

If you read under the quote (which you no doubt did) you'll notice I'm presenting a case for them to get a little more credit.

 

[OldWindy]

My missus pointed out the set GA did on X-Factor where Cheryl was blurting out her lyrics. Really laughable; Cowell thought so too, although he must have wondered how much that was going to devalue his production.

I don't understand how the girl/boy bands who can't even read music can consider themselves in any way celebrated. The only ones doing the celebrating are the chumps cashing in who in turn are doing the industry no favours.

 

[forefortheday]

That's a fair point RG.

I guess the fact I who still thinks there is nothing better for waking you up than California Uber Alles makes me treat all pop music the same

 

[haplesshacker]

Andy Taylor (Duran Duran) went off to do some producing and guest guitaring on a couple of Thunder albums. He was a frustrated rock guitarist locked behind the pop facade then.