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www.stack.net.au
COOL BRITANNIA REVISITED
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Noel Gallagher told me hoped
they’d become “a proper band, like
U2” and be able to tour America
(fat chance, with volatile brother
Liam), but when I came home and
tried to talk about Ocean Colour
Scene, Shed Seven, Cast, Boo
Radleys and even Suede, few
people wanted to know.
Black Grape were acceptable
because they were mad stoners
(I’d seen them in NY and can
confirm that, brilliant too) but you couldn’t
mention Ash in a pub conversation without
being laughed at by those who’d neither
seen nor heard them. The hype around
Britpop was so great it took good bands
down with it. Many groups stumbled on
– nice to hear the Gallaghers may have
buried their differences,
they must need the
money – but for every Blur
(who have a new album
The Magic Whip
out with
guitarist Graham Coxon
back on board) there were
a dozen like Gene, James,
Mansun (really good live)
and the Longpigs who
got no traction beyond a
homeland fanbase.
The smart ones – Radiohead, Ride, the
excellent Teenage Fanclub and World Party
(whose Karl Wallinger was one of the most
cynical and smart men I’d ever met) –
put distance between themselves and the
archetypal Britpop sound grounded in the
zone between Bowie, The Beatles, The
Kinks and The Who.
But -- if we don’t look back in anger, or
indifference – great pop came from that
scene which celebrated itself.
Above:
Pulp
Left:
Suede
Bottom Left:
Supergrass