The Yeah You's - '15 Minutes'
Isn't it strange how long a quote about the transient nature of fame and celebrity has lasted? Andy Warhol first said that thing about everyone eventually taking turns at being world-famous for 15 minutes back in 1968, that's over 40 years ago. Since then - and this is just within the field of music - we've had an astonishing turnover of ideas - prog rock, funk, glam rock, metal, reggae, punk, hip hop, new wave, electropop, indie, acid house, techno, Madchester, trip hop, britpop, nu rave...
And the one constant is that people are still trotting out this one silly line. Heck, this isn't even the first song about it.
This is largely because it gives back as much as it takes away. Unless you're one of the people whose 15 minutes has been and gone, Andy Warhol has basically promised that you will be world-famous. Never mind that you'll be forgotten quicker than last year's Britain's Got Talent finalists, you will at least get to experience fame for a little while, maybe just long enough to launch a perfume range or get some free designer socks.
( It does exactly what it says on the tin...which is another quote that isn't going anywhere)
As far as the Yeah You's are concerned, this means they can write a love song in which they go off and become famous, then blow it all in time to come back for the second date. AND they get to throw in references to Andy Warhol as if they know him personally. It's Mr Warhol to you, oiks.
The irony being that the Hoosiers were doing this kind of pop culture pop a year ago, but who remembers them these days, eh? OH THE CLEVERNESS!
Once you get past the multiple layers of irony, past the Same Difference bounce, past the twisted piles of music critics, tied in knots as to whether they're allowed to like a song this brazen, glossy and self-aware, what have you actually got?
Well, it's a decent slice of the same '70s powerpop gateau that the Feeling, Mika and Take That have all already gorged themselves on. Occasionally it seems a bit dry, like the jam was all up at Mark Owen's end, and it is hard to fall in love with something which is so transparently in love with itself. There again, they do say confidence is the key to attractiveness. The trick is to not tip over into being overly pleased with yourself.
And if that seems a little unfair, well, as my dad always used to say...no-one likes a smarty-pants.
Download: June 14th
CD Released: June 22nd
(Fraser McAlpine)
"Music that could appeal to fans of the Feeling and is targeted straight at the radio."
"All my friends who know nothing about music will love them, and hopefully they'll forget all about Scouting For Girls in the process."
"The music is good, better than good"
Comment number 1.
At 1st Jun 2009, thranjax wrote:More pertinently, "in the future everyone will be famous for 15 people" a predictive statement about blogs and the like. Apparently first coined by Momus. Who I keep mentioning.
As for the song and video, myeh, very bouncy, a bit too much like Alphabeat and the Hoosiers etc, and reminds me a bit of Airhead (remember them!)
Thranjax
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Comment number 2.
At 1st Jun 2009, spirit wrote:Oh Fraser ....
" Never mind that you will be forgotten quicker than last years Britain's got talent finalists.... "
Have you seen the album chart today ?
A group of girls who have played around the world and enjoyed success...
New entry at number 2 and selling thousands of copies !
That's right Escala !
Exactly a year after being in the final of Britain's got talent !
Seems that thousands have not forgotten...
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Comment number 3.
At 2nd Jun 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:And the OTHER finalists? Did Cheeky Monkeys get a No.1 while I was off? ;-)
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