You might see this as an indication of my increasing anal-retentiveness but sometimes it gets to me when I see a band being referred to with the 'The' word put in front of when in fact their actual name contains no such word. Pluralisation of a word does not necessarily mean that a the pre-fix should be added. For instance: Rabbits. In sentence: Rabbits are all around us. Can also be used as: The Rabbits are all around us. Depending on the context entirely. So whether a band has a 'The' at their start of the name depends entirely on what context the band themselves want to present themselves in.
To wit I bring you a list of bands that aren't a 'The' band but that most people think are and a few bands that actually are 'The' bands but that you didn't know.
Click down for more
'The' Ramones
Forerunners of US punk movement. Made same variation of song 100 million billion times. Members largely dead. Surviving members now selling condoms.
'The' or 'Not The':
'Not the'. Album covers figure largely in the evidence for this piece. If a band is not choosing to call themselves 'The' on the album then you can be damned sure that they don't want a 'The' in their name. Ramones had 14 albums. One featured 'The' on the cover. Not in the band name. In the title End of the Century.
'The' Red Hot Chili Peppers
Former funkmeisters who wore socks on their cocks. Currently stadium-filling, virtual soft-rock writing dullest band on the planet. I say dull because they were fucking awesome circa 1991 and now they're like watching paint dry. On your balls. Which is uncomfortable as well as boring.
'The' or 'Not The':
'Not the'. They ARE Red Hot Chili Peppers. They're not THE Red Hot Chili Peppersm for one can only assume that there are many red-hot chili peppers.
'The' Smashing Pumpkins
Grungers turned psychedelic rockers turned double-album-writing-art-rock wannabee's turned gothic-industrial types turned broken up turned reformed who-knows-what types.
'The' or 'Not the':
'The'. They are THE Smashing Pumpkins. Smashing in this case is used the way that the Brits use it, as in 'Amazing' or 'Wonderful'. No Pumpkins are being harmed in the making of this band.
'The' Pixies
Punky grungey whatevery Nirvana-inspiring tunesters, once defunct now-reformed (supposedly). Frontman plays spontaneous performances in Dublin city parks before being moved on by Gardaí like common busker.
'The' or 'Not THe':
'Not The'. It actually sounds cooler if you say it as 'Pixies' rather than 'The Pixies'.
'The' Sonic Youth
New York avant-garde noiseniks turned New York avant-garde noiseniks turned...well...New York avant-garde noiseniks.
'The' or 'Not The':
'Not The'. Never been much debate over this except with the release of their arguably greatest (in my opinion) album Sister which included the 'The' on the front cover. All albums before and since have not.
'The' Pink Floyd
60's psychedlic masters turned 70's and 80's Prog-rock masters turned band that people want to see reformed the most.
'The' or 'Not the':
Both. The band started life as 'The Pink Floyd Sound' before dropping the 'Sound' but retaining the definite article. The 'The' didn't just go with the Syd Barrett era either as two albums in the new 'Gilmour' era (More and Ummagumma) also included the word on their original releases. By the time of Atom Heart Mother in 1970, however, the word was gone.
'The' Beastie Boys
1980's comedy rappers turned 90's and 00's serious musicians/rappers. Currently trying to excise their rap sound by playing Jazz oddysseys on stage which, as anyone who has seen This is Spinal Tap can attest to, can result in playing second fiddle to a puppet show.
'The' or 'Not The':
'Not The'. They are Beastie Boys and are never THE Beastie Boys. Presumably to escape from the ire of all the other beastie boys that are out there.
'The' Eels
Late 90's alternative type band who...ah fuck it can't think of a description really. They make music and its good (except when they play at Oxegen).
'The' or 'Not The':
'Not The'. Album cover evidence aside, the one second ad for the superbowl should be evidence enough.
'The' Verve
Early 90's Brit Rock, turned broke up, turned reformed, late 90's Brit Oasisalikes, turned broken up, turned biggest prick in the world, turned reformed Brit Oasisalikes.
'The' or 'Not The':
'Both'. Started life as just plain and simple Verve, named after the hangover cure. Added the definite article just in time for their last album before they broke up for the first time: A Northern Soul.
Other ones that I thought of but couldn't be bothered with are Wu-Tang Clan, Editors, Manic Street Preachers, Mc5, Kings of Leon, Queens of the Stone Age, Kaiser Chiefs, Deftones, The KLF.
Cases of people adding 'The' when there shouldn't be one are more common than people taking away a 'The' when there should be one. Let me know if you notice any glaring omissions of either case.
When is a band 'THE' and when is it 'NOT THE'?
Give The People What WE Want: Islands Review
When Eels played at Oxegen in 2006, the audience was presented with thrashy versions of delicate pop songs, and a security guard performing dance & kung-fu moves on stage for the duration of the show. My disbelief was summed up perfectly at the time by Bob: "I've never seen a band perform with such contempt for their own fans".
In an eerie foreshadowing of things to come, Eels 'Beautiful Freak' was playing over the PA when I arrived at Whelans last night to watch Islands. While their performance did not reach the lows of Eels Oxegen set, it was clear from the beginning who Islands were out to please- themselves.
Continues after the jump..
After a prolonged delay in taking the stage, the band finally appeared and started off with a slow, quiet number which had much of the (fairly substantial) crowd heading to the bar. This unknown quiet opener was followed by an instrumental track, and then a new song. It was an uphill struggle for the band. They needed to start winning over the crowd- but with tracks such as Rough Gem & Where There's a Will, There's a Whalebone in their repertoire, this should not have been a problem.
When the horn playing started (I think it was a bass clarinet), things started looking up. The band cracked out a sort of rag-time number that did something towards getting the crowd behind them. Finally, five or six songs in we hear a song from their album, Return to the Sea (their only record, might I add. The new album isn't out til April). It's one that could be considered filler, but at least we're on the right track. Then, rather than build on this momentum, one gets the feeling of 'that should hold em for a while' as the band lash in to another run of new and obscure material.
Some of the crowd are visibly disappointed, the bulk of the revelers being more mopey than jumpy. The band are clearly saving all their crowd-pleasers for the end of the show. The entire performance must be building towards an inspired crescendo.
Then singer, Nick Diamonds announces that the next song will be the band's last.
What??
I, like others, am not impressed. Diamonds notices this. "You know we'll really be playing more, right", he offers. "You'd want to be..", the crowd collectively mumbles. "Play Whalebone!", begs one punter. Diamonds' response: "Yeh... maybe".
Sensing the discontent, Islands play Don't call me Whitney, Bobby, one of the album's more popular offerings, raising some hopes for the encore- but after their minute or two offstage, the band return with another unheard track- so quiet that Diamonds takes it upon himself to shush the crowd. They finish with Return to the Sea's nine-and-a-half-minute opener, Swans, but they've already lost me.
What's the problem with giving the people what they want? I'm reminded of Radiohead's brief stint of refusing to play Creep, but (a) I sincerely doubt Islands have had as many requests for their popular songs, and (b) Radiohead had a huge back-catalog of material to chose from- Islands have one album.
I left the show with a bitter taste in my mouth. When I first heard Return to the Sea in 2006, I was resigned to the fact that I'd more than likely never see these amazing songs live. Unfortunately, even after seeing the band play.. that still seems to be the case.
Gig Roundup
So there's a bunch of new Irish shows that've been announced in the last week or so. Here's a roundup:
Editors: The Olympia Theatre, Feb 21st 08. Tickets are 30 euro. On sale now.
Despite good press and about a million very reliable reccommendations, I still just don't give a damn about the Editors. It might float your boat though. Here's one of their songs that's not so bad- 'An End Has A Start':
Eels: Vicar Street, March 17th 08. Tickets 40.20, on sale this thursday.
I used to be quite fond of Eels, and this inspired me to go along to watch their set at Oxegen last year, despite my unfamiliarity with their recent album or two. For the first couple of songs I genuinely thought I had caught the wrong band. They in no way resembled the Eels of the earlier, melodic... good albums. They were some weird grunge-core band, with an odd security guy (part of the band, apparently) doing kung fu moves on stage. Bob, in his wisdom put it the best: "I have never seen a band with such sheer comtempt for it's audience". Here's something from the good ol days, 'Cancer For The Cure':
Los Campesinos: The Village, Feb 11th 08. Tickets 18 euro, on sale friday.
Missed them in Whelans due to influx of gigs, hopefully by February I'll have the money to check em out.
Jimmy Eat World: Olympia Theatre, 27th Feb 08. Tickets 33.60, on sale now.
Another band that comes highly reccommended, but I'm not too bothered about myself. Shining lights of the 'Screamo' genre. What I have heard from them is pretty good, but the only thing I considered particularly great was their first big un, 'Bleed American' (which incidentally had to be re-named as it was due for release just when the sep 11th attacks took place). Here it is:
Explosions In The Sky: Tripod, Jan 26th 08. Tickets 19.50, on sale now.
This is one of those bands I know I should love, just haven't given them the time yet. In fact, just watching this video has made me decide that this is what I'm gonna be listening to this week. Pretty good. Looks like they were due to play the Village and it's been moved (upgraded, I guess) to Tripod. So I reckon we can take that as meaning that it'll sell out. You've been warned. Here's 'Your Hand In Mine':
