Taking Sides: The Pixies Vs Placebo

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Let's see, one of these bands stares at their feet on stage, has no presence, very few good tunes and appeals largely to teenaged kids or those who don't release that their taste in music is now hopelessly outdated.

The other, of course, has released such fabbo great pop tunes as "Nancy Boy", "Every You and Every Me" and "Slave to the Wage". Placebo also sing about SOMETHING, unlike those darn overrated Pixies. Personally speaking, Placebo win this one hands down and only an NME writer desperate to sell copy would disagree.

― CRW (CRW), Thursday, 15 April 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

please don't reply to this thread.

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 15 April 2004 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a valid thread.

― CRW (CRW), Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd take the five worst tracks on the worst Placebo album over the Pixies entire catalogue.

― minolta (minolta), Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Thankyou sir!

― CRW (CRW), Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:05 (twenty-one years ago)

You said that if I preferred the Pixies to the Smiths, that you had nothing to say, but you keep blathering on.

― Magic City (ano ano), Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, I didn't mean that. I like the Smiths a lot, too. But I have to side with the Pixies here.

― Magic City (ano ano), Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm not a raving fan of either, but to suggest that Placebo are in any way in the same league as the Pixies is ludicrous.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Singing about "something" is overrated and stupid.

― David Allen (David Allen), Thursday, 15 April 2004 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Like The Pixies then.

― Eric Morecambe (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 April 2004 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Dom Passantino

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 15 April 2004 17:48 (twenty-one years ago)

They're both good bands, but I don't see what's comparable between them.

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Thursday, 15 April 2004 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, this is funny...

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 15 April 2004 18:03 (twenty-one years ago)

No it ain't, Nic - can we please not engage this guy again? His whole schtick boils down to "UK rules, US drools!" and is sadder than sad

― Musical Bear, Thursday, 15 April 2004 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, he's not funny. It was something else that struck me as being funny.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 15 April 2004 18:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Was it the fact that Kim Deal's left ear is cooler than both Placebo and The Pixies? I officially side with Kim Deal's left ear.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Thursday, 15 April 2004 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Just the ear on its own? Wouldn't she need it?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 15 April 2004 19:36 (twenty-one years ago)

"I'd take the five worst tracks on the worst Placebo album over the Pixies entire catalogue."

So would I, quite possibly. I mean, the Placebo albums are basically interchangeable, maybe, but any one of them is better than the best Pixies album I've heard. They have a better singer, and they rock harder, for one thing. And way prettier melodies. Not a hard choice.

― chuck, Thursday, 15 April 2004 19:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll make a point of looking directly into KD's ear TONIGHT!!! in 5 hours!!!

― The Huckle-Buck (Horace Mann), Thursday, 15 April 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

CRW - you git. I just sneezed tea all over my keyboard thinking you were actually serious.

Such a card.

― ___ (___), Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Chuck Eddy - you git. I just sneezed tea all over my keyboard thinking you were actually serious.

Such a card.

― ..., Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm listening to a live Pixies "Where is My Mind?" now, thinking back to when I saw Placebo do the same song live back in November, reflecting on how Brian Molko called the Pixies one of the best bands ever right before they started the song, and idly smiling.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Of all of the Pixies songs that I've ever heard--and this includes once buying a copy of Doolittle for two dollars or something and then selling it--I think "This Monkey's Gone to Heaven" was the only one that I ever that was sort of OK.

Don't get them AT ALL. (Never heard Placebo.)

― Tim Ellison, Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:43 (twenty-one years ago)

(Never heard Placebo.

Imagine a more fabulous Rush.a

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

The Pixies are just kinda... well shit. I hate bands where if I read the lyrics I think, "look - what the FUCK are you saying?" If I think that then, unless in exceptional circumstances, they won't get a second listen. I can tolerate "here comes your man" and "gigantic". They're kinda good.

Echobelly are better though.

― CRW (CRW), Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Echobelly are better though.

Better looking, maybe.u

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

fuck. why do letters keep appearing at the ends of my posts?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:54 (twenty-one years ago)

"Imagine a more fabulous Rush"

I'm all for a more fabulous Rush! I see, however, that Placebo are described on amazon.com as being neo-glam, post-Suede.

― Tim Ellison, Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

They're what you get when you cross transgendered hobbits with warped Big Flame records.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, that makes Placebo sound sort of cool!

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I hate bands where if I read the lyrics I think, "look - what the FUCK are you saying?"

"And so Sally can wait -
she knows it's too late as she's walking on by.
Her soul slides away,
but 'don't look back in anger,' I heard you say."

are these the sorts of great meaning-bearing lyrics you're talking about?

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Thursday, 15 April 2004 21:58 (twenty-one years ago)

They are the exceptional circumstance.

― CRW (CRW), Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I hate bands where if I read the lyrics I think, "look - what the FUCK are you saying?"

More greats from the Placebo stable -

"A friend in need is a friend indeed
A friend with weed is better
A friend with breasts and all the rest
A friend who's dressed in leather"

Really changed the way I view the world.

Or maybe the one where some rapper rips off the White Panther Party for a chorus?

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:12 (twenty-one years ago)

And I like Placebo, or at least a half-dozen of their songs. But coke-fuelled bad poetry != "saying something, man."

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:13 (twenty-one years ago)

placebo = good singles band. his voice grates over an album. very one-dimensional (well, maybe two-dimensional) but that's ok. they have two songs but they've made some good variations on them.

pixies are better, but may be filed under "stuff i love but would never feel the need to play again." surfer rosa in particular does it for me.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:20 (twenty-one years ago)

pixies rule, placebo drool. well...just coz placebo are louder and rockier doesnt mean they're better...obviously....i dont understand any of the pixies lyrics but what the hell?! their bass lines are pretty damn good.

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

you irish killian?

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:27 (twenty-one years ago)

yes. are you? from the dublin area?

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Asking an individual named Killian if he's Irish is a bit like asking a Great White Shark if he's a carnivore.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Woo-Hoo! You beat it!

― de, Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Nope, from cork

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:50 (twenty-one years ago)

not everyone's from dublin ya know!

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Are you Russian then alex, or a citizen of whatever country your name originated from? theres such thing as relatives dear.

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, that makes Placebo sound sort of cool!

Well yes. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought it was the dcu.ie that was the giveaway.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 15 April 2004 22:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Thats true, but alex referred to the name Killian being Irish, not his e-mail address.

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:00 (twenty-one years ago)

How many, say, Israelis named Killian have you met, JOL? t

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Unfortunately alex, I havent had the opportunity to meet any Israelis. I have however, met American people named Pádraig and Aoife. Does Pádraig's name mean Pádraig is Irish? Not necessarily. As in my case.

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:05 (twenty-one years ago)

"Of all of the Pixies songs that I've ever heard--and this includes once buying a copy of Doolittle for two dollars or something and then selling it--I think "This Monkey's Gone to Heaven" was the only one that I ever that was sort of OK."

Funny -- I can't stand that monkey hitting him in the head one. I kinda like the marijuana if you got some gouge away one, and the here comes my man one. But damn, what a horrid singer and songwriter that guy is. Taking them over a glam-rock Geddy Lee whose rhythm section can turn "pepper" by the butthole surfers into zeppelin is just silly.

― chuck, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:08 (twenty-one years ago)

(Much as I love both bands, Chuck is winning with the Placebo descriptions.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Every name isn't confined to a particular country. Take for example, the name Alex.

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:12 (twenty-one years ago)

While this is certainly true, JOL, the name "Killian" is rather ESPECIALLY Irish.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:15 (twenty-one years ago)

i prefer placebo out of the two choices

― the surface noise (electricsound), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:19 (twenty-one years ago)

'Asking an individual named Killian if he's Irish is a bit like asking a Great White Shark if he's a carnivore.' Surely there isn't a guaranteed 'yes' for an answer seeing as Great White Sharks can't talk. Just like the name Killian isn't guaranteed to be christened on an Irish person.

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I think part of the problem here is that Alex is American so more inclined to think of Irish-Americans as 'Irish'.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Exactly! thank you nick! People with Irish relatives arent actually Irish!

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Well they can be if they want to be. Irish can be an ethnicity as well as a nationality, even it can get a bit embarrassing.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, if they want to be, they're not necessarily official Irish citizens though.

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Placebo are poo.

― Sasha (sgh), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, but you didn't ask if he's from Ireland, you asked if he was Irish.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Someone from Ireland isn't necessarily an Irish citizen. An Irish person is a citizen of Ireland.

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:45 (twenty-one years ago)

THIS THREAD IS GAY!

― Lil' Fancy Kpants (The K is Silent) (ex machina), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:45 (twenty-one years ago)

You didn't discuss citizenship either, Jol. You just said "Irish". Give it up.Æ’

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I had to bring citizenship into it because of your pointless ramblings.

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:49 (twenty-one years ago)

It wasn't a pointless ramble, it was merely an observation. In much the same way I'd imagine a young woman named Tomoko was Japanese, or a gent named Schlomo was Jewish, I'd assume a Killian was Irish. It just sorta goes without saying.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't much care for the pixies, but placebo are much worse!! I mean brian molko's lyrics? Gawd, ugh! splutter!!

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

'sorta' 'assume'....your favourite words, eh?

― JOL, Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, you're just uppity because you know I'm right.p

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 15 April 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, sure you're right, especially when you use words like that to convince me.

― JOL, Friday, 16 April 2004 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Who said I was trying to convince you? I

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 16 April 2004 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I said. Remember?! 2 lines ago..............!

― JOL, Friday, 16 April 2004 00:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Alex In NYC and JOL Are Dead

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 00:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Dead? Why? I don't believe I am. Feeling quite alright.

― JOL, Friday, 16 April 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

You follow up every joke ever told to you with the words 'And then what happened?,' don't you.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 00:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, sadly I never get jokes coz they're so sad in the first place. Hey, Will you set up a question thingy asking people for GOOD jokes?!

― JOL, Friday, 16 April 2004 00:11 (twenty-one years ago)

That stumped me too. But in regards to your point, JOL, you're quite correct...people do indeed have names that aren't necessarily associated with their ethnicity/nationality (my wife and I almost named our daughter Zoe, and we're not Greek in the slighte st), but once again, the name Killian is SO Irish, that it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to jump to the conclusion that the individual in question was Irish. But, yes, I concede that it's possible that someone could name their child "Killian" and not be Irish. A silly debate, ultimately..1

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 16 April 2004 00:11 (twenty-one years ago)

That stumped me too.

It really is a wonderful play.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 00:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Hurrah! So it comes to an end! Now, what else is there to rant about....?

― JOL, Friday, 16 April 2004 00:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I heard that Francis and the gang are threatening to pull out of Manchester's Move festival if they have to play on the same day as Stereophonics. Not sure if it's true but if so, what an admirable (albeit petty) gesture.

― Affectian (Affectian), Friday, 16 April 2004 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I think I'll just re-affirm my opinion that Frank Black's lyrics are brilliant.

― David Allen (David Allen), Friday, 16 April 2004 03:55 (twenty-one years ago)

How was the last Placebo album?

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 16 April 2004 05:26 (twenty-one years ago)

how do you know it'll be their last? look what happened w/ pixies.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 16 April 2004 10:50 (twenty-one years ago)

the biggest irony of all is that my name is kilian [one l] not killian [two l's] as it has been referred to here ;-)

fwiw kilin/killian are popular names in germany cos st.kilian was the bishop of wurzburg

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 16 April 2004 10:56 (twenty-one years ago)

shit i left an "a" out of my own name in the last post. anyway - pixies rool, placebo are ok.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 16 April 2004 10:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I've heard lots of Placebo songs, but Nancy Boy is the only one that was at all memorable. This must count for something. The Pxies on the other hand had numerous memorable songs - Debaser, Gigantic, Here Comes Your Man, Where is My Mind, Velouria, Monkey Gone to Heaven...the list goes on. For this reason I have to side with the Pixies.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 16 April 2004 11:54 (twenty-one years ago)

People seem to talk about Placebo as if they're the best or worst thing ever when they're basically a solid craftsmanlike tuneful hard rock band, very classicist in an anti-rockist rockist way. I imagine that if you're a person who firmly believe:

a) Rock music is still a vital force, the music that connects most. It is the voice of teenaged sex, drugs, rebellion, and angst, all of which are really important things. Hip-hop and electronica are exciting and interesting, fun to dabble with, but rock is still 'my' music, you know. Rock music should be loud, hard-edged, and energetic but also highly catchy and fun and short, to-the-point, and song-oriented. Rock bands should put on a show for the people who come to see them.

but also

b) Rock was more or less born in 1976. The most important rock bands ever are Joy Division, PiL, Sonic Youth, the Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, (though the latter two would have been better off without all that passe American metal stuff) Pulp, MBV, and maybe Morrissey and Bauhaus. Not only are the Pixies more than a novelty act but they are veritable *heroes*, nay *pioneers* of rock music. The only meaningful rock music made pre-'76 was by Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Brian Eno.

Well, then, you are very likely to form a band that sounds like Placebo. Which makes them a, well, solid and craftsmanlike enjoyable little pop-rock group. I'll take this opportunity to agree with Chuck about the rhythm sections and melodies this time around. The Rush comparisons come because they have a shrill and nasal singer over loud guitars and spacey synths. His voice is a bit more fey and gothy than Geddy Lee's, a bit more of a whine than a declamation. They have a really good guitar sound, very . . . like a couple layers of buzz in separate timbres.

(Of course, I'm just going by Black Market Music and their excellent Kool Haus gig last year, which was long enough to give a pretty good cross-section. And my housemate listened to them all the time. "Special K" and "Haemoglobin" are my favourites. No, their lyrics aren't great.)

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Great post, Sundar, and great descriptions, though I'm actually stumped by the beginning, since I've definitely never met a single person who thought Placebo were either the best OR worst thing ever. Maybe that's because I'm in the USA, where they're basically just another British band (even though, to me, they sound way better than "just another" implies)? I dunno...

― chuck, Friday, 16 April 2004 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know any absolute hardcore best-thing-ever fans myself but no question the folks all around me upfront at the November show were total and complete fanatics. They're connecting hard with somebody. And yes, Sundar's post is really grand!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

They're connecting hard with somebody.

I could make a Perry-esque comment, but I already feel like I would just gross myself out.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I will say this about Stefan the bassist, he is possibly the most erotic stick insect in existence for some.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:30 (twenty-one years ago)

As for the reason why people might hate them, they're one of those bands that seem to be made for a certain type of teenager, and so when you're not one of those teenagers (either because you're just not, or because you were once and thought it was better done the first time around) are very ripe for dismissal. The first band this happened to me with was Suede.

I have a kind of frustrated, bemused, grudging admiration for aging rock critics who can still get off on that type of thing.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I somehow doubt that.

x-post

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I *did* say 'for some,' not all.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, I think I just object to erotic being used to describe anything Placebo related.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:34 (twenty-one years ago)

The hordes o' goth girls throwing themselves at Brian and Stefan at the show would protest!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I rest my case!

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, there were hordes of goth guys too. It was quite equal opportunity. And about half the crowd was Chicano/a or Asian-American.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Nicole is like my evil, unreconstructed alter ego sometimes.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, okay, so yeah, some people love them and some people hate them, but are they really anybody's very favorite or least favorite band, in the United States, I mean? Do they actually stand for something, here? I'm really curious. I saw them live, and they were real good, and their little singer was the girliest frontman in recent memory (a compliment in my book), and I love how they SOUND, but they don't really MEAN anything to me. Are there people who like swishy music usually but who think Placebo rock too hard? Are there rock people who like the band but hate the singer (like used to happen more than you'd guess with bands like Zep and Rush)? Or does none of that matter? In England, do they have the same audience that Suede and Mansun (both of whom I also liked, though not as much) had? Or are they just some standalone cult band? I'm suddenly very curious. I remember somebody telling me once on this forum that Placebo don't count as Brit pop, and I was actually very surprised; I think I had said that they were probably my favorite Brit pop band...So if not, what makes them NOT Brit pop? Their singer? Their rockitude? What??

― chuck, Friday, 16 April 2004 18:49 (twenty-one years ago)

They're only a 1/3 British for a start...

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I think what you probably miss over there Chuck is that Placebo fans are the most devoted of any rock (possibly full stop) fans of the past ten years. When someone becomes a Placebo fan, they buy into a whole mindstate, look, ethos, etc etc etc. It's not too surprising that they toured with Marilyn Manson, really.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

They formed in 1994 or something, got signed to Hut/Virgin in 1995, so in a sense they were lumped in with everything of their time, and the Suede connections/comparisons flew thick and fast, especially when Placebo opened for them in 1996 in the UK on a tour. I suppose because they weren't playing guitars with Union Jacks on them or Fred Perry shirts and the like is why they're not Britpop...er.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I always thought they were American, I have to say.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Do they actually stand for something, here?

Actually, does any band need to stand for anything?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Placebo were the first guitar band to break big commercially after the fall of Britpop, though. "Nancy Boy" was absolutely huge.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 April 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

"Pure Morning" (my favorite song by them) was their only song to get commercial airplay in the US, I believe, and I was very surprised that it did. The way is Dom is talking, they almost sound like they're the UK's answer to the Insane Clown Posse, which is a total surprise; I had no idea! And I don't care personally, obviously, whether they're thought to "stand for" anything, but that doesn't mean that none of their fans care. To me they always seemed closer to Mansun (the '90s British band, who I know NOTHING about besides the fact that their records sound good) than to Marilyn Manson. And also, I never even knew there WAS a "fall of Brit pop". I am obviously completely out of it. When exactly did *that* tragedy happen?

― chuck, Friday, 16 April 2004 19:05 (twenty-one years ago)

And, um...what ARE the mindstate and ethos? Are they, well, BAD???

― chuck, Friday, 16 April 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Nah, it's just wearing lots of black and eyeliner and being louche. Personally I think it's a fine place to be!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

They're just so...hobbity. That explains the Ned-love, I suppose.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Friday, 16 April 2004 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Since when are hobbits goths?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 19:24 (twenty-one years ago)

When they wear eyeliner and start a band called Placebo.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Friday, 16 April 2004 19:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Average post on a Placebo message board.

OMG I THINK I MITE B TEH BISEXUAL LIKE BRIAN IS !!!!!!1

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 April 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

When they wear eyeliner and start a band called Placebo.

Now I'm envisioning a bunch of hobbits who look like Jack Sparrow starting Adam and the Ants cover bands.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Just become a pop svengali already.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Tempting idea, actually.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:46 (twenty-one years ago)

There's some really good stuff on Sleeping With Ghosts. I'm curious to dig deeper into their discography.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:47 (twenty-one years ago)

but oh man, the Pixies win big time.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Using the happily sad fan standard of the B-sides, I think Placebo managed more good ones of those, but the Pixies comp is pretty spiff regardless.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:49 (twenty-one years ago)

While the covers themselves didn't totally knock me out, any band that would decide to cover "Cloudbursting," "Bigmouth Strikes Again," whatever Surfer Rosa song they covered AND "Johnny & Mary" is AOK with me.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah they did "Where Is My Mind." Forgot.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

While CRW has horrific taste in music, it's funny how the contrarianism of his taste is very ILM

― Sym (shmuel), Saturday, 17 April 2004 05:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree with Chuck that the best thing about Placebo is their guitar sound. I only have the first two albums but I always thought that they could do both grunt guitar and shivery guitar really well and often simultaneously (if not to such dramatic effect as, say, Puressence).

Brian's lyrics are better the more submerged/indecipherable his vocals are. The biggest problem with "Pure Morning" in that sense is that the vocals are pushed further into the front than they need to be and so the whole declamatory non-sequitur thing he's got going is a bit glaring (great groove though I always thought!). On stuff like "Nancy Boy" or "Brick Shithouse" the same approach works much better because the lyrics are mostly ignorable except for a few key hooks.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Saturday, 17 April 2004 06:28 (twenty-one years ago)

"Burger Queen" had the worst lyrics by far though, as I recall.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Saturday, 17 April 2004 06:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Of the singles, yeah (the French language release of it goes a long way to eradicating that problem, though). However, take a look at this beauty: "Blue American" off of "Black Market Music".

I wrote this novel just for you
It sounds pretentious but it's true
I wrote this novel just for you
That's why it's vulgar
That's why it's blue
And I say, thank you
And I say, thank you
I wrote this novel just for Mom
For all the mommy things she's done
For all the times she showed me wrong
For all the time she sang god's song
And I say thank you Mom
Hello Mom
Thank you Mom
Hi Mom
I read a book about Uncle Tom
Where a whitey bastard made a bomb
But now Ebonics rule our song
Those motherfuckers got it wrong
And I ask
Who is uncle Tom?
Who is uncle Tom?
Who is uncle Tom?
You are
I read a book about the self
Said I should get expensive help
Go fix my head
Create some wealth
Put my neurosis on the shelf
But I don't care for myself
I don't care for myself
I don't care for myself
I don't care
I wrote this novel just for you
I'm so pretentious, yes it's true
I wrote this novel just for you
Just for you
Just for you

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 April 2004 10:34 (twenty-one years ago)

And also, I never even knew there WAS a "fall of Brit pop". I am obviously completely out of it. When exactly did *that* tragedy happen?

Well, you know: Oasis' "Be Here Now" disaster, Blur going Amerindie for their self titled record, Tony Blair/laddism/etc making more and more ppl uncomfortable with the whole brit pride thing, etc. What made you think Placebo were Britpop, btw? I mean, you do know that to a lot of (primairly) british and european ppl, "Britpop" means a very specific mid 90's movement, not just British bands w/ guitars?

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Saturday, 17 April 2004 12:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Placebo do have a cool guitar sound, I find this mostly down to the OUTRAGEOUS tuning for most of their songs. I tend to find that the fanbase puts me off bands like this though.

The Pixies win hands down.

Daniel_Rf, I think there's a tendancy to lump every British person who even looked at a guitar during the mid nineties as Britpop, and I agree that this is a poor way to look at it--I prefer to view Britpop as a social movement rather than a purely musical movement.

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Saturday, 17 April 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I prefer to look at it as a bowel movement.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 17 April 2004 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

That is really the only acceptable way to look at it.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Saturday, 17 April 2004 14:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Name one well-known band Placebo influenced.

― bimble (bimble), Monday, 19 April 2004 00:24 (twenty-one years ago)

If that's the measure of success a good chunk of my collection goes out the door. And I can't say I'd want to see that happen.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 April 2004 00:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Name one well-known band Placebo influenced.

21st Century Girls.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 19 April 2004 00:39 (twenty-one years ago)

'If that's the measure of success a good chunk of my collection goes out the door. And I can't say I'd want to see that happen.'

What, we don't get a say in this?

― ILX, Monday, 19 April 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

DEMON.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 April 2004 00:41 (twenty-one years ago)

outrageous tuning? explain!!

― the surface noise (electricsound), Monday, 19 April 2004 00:45 (twenty-one years ago)

(i.e. give me ideas i can rip off)

― the surface noise (electricsound), Monday, 19 April 2004 00:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Saw "Velvet Goldmine" on Friday night. That's whatshisface from Placebo in there, innit!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 19 April 2004 02:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Yup! Actually all three of them are in there. Brian M does play the lead singer of the one glam band that does the cover of "20th Century Boy," but that's also drummer Steve Hewitt in the band. Bassist Stefan Olsdal is performing with Elastica's Donna Matthews in the NYC/"Personality Crisis" bit.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 April 2004 02:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Pixies, of course!

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Monday, 19 April 2004 02:57 (twenty-one years ago)

So who will we compare next then, Loretta Lynn and Ozzy Osbourne?

― bimble (bimble), Monday, 19 April 2004 05:19 (twenty-one years ago)

"What made you think Placebo were Britpop, btw? I mean, you do know that to a lot of (primairly) british and european ppl, "Britpop" means a very specific mid 90's movement, not just British bands w/ guitars? "

Well, I wouldn't call Motorhead, who are also a British band with guitars, "Brit pop." I guess I figured Britpop meant British post-new-wave bands from the the mid-'90s and later who have guitars, and um, a jangly, pretty, somewhat glammy, but not macho-as-in-metal sound, and I dunno, poetic lyrics of some sort or other. (The Smiths may well be a common denominator influence, or maybe not; maybe the Kinks, too, also, powerpop figures in there somewhere). Or something like that. Except I guess British people still think of those nancy boys in Oasis as macho, right? Ha ha. And Placebo's guitars (which, actually, are possibly NOT my favorite thing about them - -I really like the guy's voice, honest!) do verge on metal. Plus somebody said upthread that Placebo aren't actually all Brits, which I didn't know.

― chuck, Monday, 19 April 2004 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Britpop was about down to earthness and parochialism. Placebo were about glammy tarting around with glam. Almost the opposite of Britpop, in my mind.

Plus somebody said upthread that Placebo aren't actually all Brits, which I didn't know.

Have you ever heard Brian Molko speak. Or.. sing?

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:15 (twenty-one years ago)

The Smiths may well be a common denominator influence

Pretty much so, I think.

Have you ever heard Brian Molko speak. Or.. sing?

Many singers don't sound like they talk, though.

I was listening to the covers collection that came with Sleeping With Ghosts yesterday and I have to say that the cover of "Running Up That Hill" was a lot better than I ever would have guessed it to be, even with me already being a fan.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:18 (twenty-one years ago)

"I mean, you do know that to a lot of (primairly) british and european ppl, "Britpop" means a very specific mid 90's movement,"

Actually, I didn't know this. So bands who sound like Oasis and Blur but came out a couple years AFTER Oasis and Blur are NOT Britpop?? Again, I had no idea. So what *are* they, then? And are Oasis's later records still called Britpop? Or are they called something else? (In America, as I've pointed out on other threads, Oasis "flopping" meant nothing at all, since the band meant nothing here in the first place!)

Also: Were Elastica Brit-pop? I forget.

― chuck, Monday, 19 April 2004 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Catatonia and (maybe) Embrace were Britpop and they got big in 97/ 98. I'm not so sure when Britpop officially died. Common verdict is that "Be Here Now" or Blur going crap, ahem, American/ experimental killed it. I'd instead say "This is Hardcore" was the final nail on the coffin.

― CRW (CRW), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Britpop died when England were knocked out of Euro 96.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:22 (twenty-one years ago)

"Have you ever heard Brian Molko speak."

I saw them live, but I forget if he talked between songs..

"Or.. sing?"

He sounds something like Geddy Lee doing an early Bowie thing, I always thought. And if Geddy wasn't a Limey, Bowie sure was.

Oasis and Blur never struck me as especially down to earth. They had artsy lyrics! (i.e.: what the hell is a wonderwall again?) And people used to say Oasis sounded like Mott and T. Rex - who were glam bands!

― chuck, Monday, 19 April 2004 14:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Arsty lyrics may well = British slang I don't understand, though!

― chuck, Monday, 19 April 2004 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Pulp were a VERY artsy band. But they were Brit-pop fops too right??

― chuck, Monday, 19 April 2004 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

A different kind of arty. You must know what I mean. Kitchen sink arty.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)

To be honest, I (and others) never really thought of Oasis along with the others at the time. They lacked the pop sensibility that Pulp and Blur were busy mining.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

(Britpop started to mean something else when it got tied up with some supposed new confidence in Britishness, New Labour etc.)

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Oasis displayed a pretty strong pop sensibility on "Wonderwall", IMO.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't mean any old pop sensibility. I meant one that played with non-trad '4-piece guitar band' ideas.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't put that godawful song in my head, please.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Today is gonna be the day it will be in your head.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

If you take into consideration that Pulp went for almost 20 years and never released a duff album (and actually got better and better) that may well scientifically prove them to be the best band that ever lived.

― CRW (CRW), Monday, 19 April 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

the problem there is that almost everything prior to his-n-hers was not so good. and we love life was dull as well.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 19 April 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

We Love Life is spectacular. "Trees" is luverly, "Sunrise" is awesome and "Birds" and "Minnie Timberly" are as catchy as anything they ever did. Second best album of their career IMO.

― CRW (CRW), Monday, 19 April 2004 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

ok "birds in your garden" was great. but kind of a dour album. the end, creatively speaking.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 19 April 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

No, no - I swear they could keep going. I love that album soooo much, it always finds it way into my CD player. Pulp have never disappointed me. The pre-His and Hers stuff has some really good moments too - the "Sisters" LP, the acoustic debut album, "I Want You" and "They Suffocate at Night" from "Freaks" are incredible, "My Legendary Girlfriend" and "She's Dead" from "Seperations" and "Dogs are Everywhere" which is mega. So many greats songs in their back catalogue.

― CRW (CRW), Monday, 19 April 2004 15:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Sisters was an EP and it came out after 'His n Hers'. Maybe you mean the original Babies single.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 19 April 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

Britpop was about down to earthness and parochialism. Placebo were about glammy tarting around with glam. Almost the opposite of Britpop, in my mind.

Whaaaa?? Britpop was totally *not* about down-to-earthness! I mean, sure, a certain "we luv the common folk" pretension was there, and loads of nationalism, but the main attitude was "WA HA HEY, WE'RE HERE AND WE RULE!!", no? Like, the whole thang of the UK finaly having another new movement*, the reaction against all things gloomy and Grunge (I don't know exactly how much this one's true, btw, am I buying into a certain revisionism here?), and well the general flashyness of the music certainly don't make me think of it being very down-to-earth, especially when compared to what came afterwards (the Travis/Coldplay/Starsailor sk00l) Also, considering that one of the biggest bands from that scene were SUEDE, and also the Damon/Justine gender inversion thing, I don't think "tarting around with glam" was totally frowned upon.

* I don't want to give it more cred than it deserves by calling it a "movement" - I just mean, you know, a scene, even if it was partially or totally a media hype.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Saturday, 8 May 2004 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

also, since Chuck Eddy noted in another thread that he still doesn't know what Britpop means, and is interested, here's the best definition I can muster:

Britpop = Traditional Rock bands playing short, poppy tunes ("classic pop song" format); usually either cheerful, sarcastic or "anthemic" lyrics, often to do with everyday life in the UK. A certain pride and cockyness about one's britishness, as well as an extremely reverential attitude towards successfull, canonical british bands of the pst (Beatles, Kinks, Smiths, Stone Roses, Who). 60's "swinging London" fetichism. According to some, a backlash against Grunge and mopeyness. Supposedly ironical "ladism", infatuation with unsavoury aspects of british tradition. Very very *very* occasional flirtations with Dance music (but also a backlash against it, according to many.) The whole thing then got caught up with UK politics, which according to some ppl is what killed it (others say the Spice Girls did; others still say the Spice Girls *were* Britpop, in a way.)

Oasis represent the most traditionalist, rootsy side of Britpop (which might be why N & others didn't count them in at the time); Pulp and (to a lesser degree) Blur represent the artsier side. Oasis' last few albums are more likely to be deemed Dadrock (which is Britpop's most traditionalist elements brought to their farthest extreme, and w/o the quirkyness/chirpyness) than Britpop, tho there's not much difference between their records musically. Placebo aren't Britpop because their influences were mostly American and they embraced gloomyness to a very high degree. Britpop's dead, so no new bands get the term, tho many still sound it a lot (maybe because it was never all that original musically speaking anyway), but a good contrast would be the sort of bands that sprung up around 1999/2000, like Travis and Coldplay...extremley humble, dealing mostly with the personal (as opposed to "HEY IT'S A MOVEMENT!"), a lot quieter, a lot less sure of themselves, gentleness as opposed to quirkyness.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Saturday, 8 May 2004 22:48 (twenty-one years ago)

(should I have posted this to the other thread?)

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Sunday, 9 May 2004 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)

This is probably the last time I will post to this thread: I agree with those who say the whole Brit Pop idea was a merely superfically manufactured one by the British music press. I always felt the whole point was not to categorize a bona fide definable new movement in British music, but to make up for the fact that when Nirvana broke, suddenly they were all that mattered, and it was high time the U.K. offered something proud of their own in response.

― bimble (bimble), Sunday, 9 May 2004 09:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, sorry. Thinking about it, 'down to earthness' was totally the wrong phrase to use. I think my distaste for the whole Britpop thing addled my brain. '"We're here and we rule", yes, but in such an embarrassingly uninspired art school mod rehash way.

"Oh, is it time for a new wave of confidence again? Wake me up when something else happens."

― Eeyore (nickdastoor), Sunday, 9 May 2004 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

bump

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Monday, 10 May 2004 00:12 (twenty-one years ago)

i never really got the pixies..my friend loved them..but then again she was a huge Bush fan..there is no accounting for taste..i like placebo but don't love them..i really like every you every me and could listen to that over and over but that's really it. i do like the smith's please please please let me get what i want..

― jubietube, Monday, 10 May 2004 04:59 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

Wow I got to this thread a bit late, but I suppose that means I'll have the final word, considering it's been over a year since anyone's posted here.

Bluntly: I've never even heard of the Pixies before. I've never heard anything of theirs. They may as well be non-existent.

I don't understand all of these people who have said that Placebo is a middle status holding band. The comments about how they can't be favorite or least favorite.

I'm from Minnesota, okay. I'm heartland of America here, and Placebo is BY FAR my favorite band. EVER.

And as for Placebo's lyrics? They're beautiful.

Everything about the band is just amazing.

Placebo wins.

― Mary Beth, Monday, 29 August 2005 15:38 (twenty years ago)

I'm not a raving fan of either, but to suggest that Placebo are in any way in the same league as the Pixies is ludicrous.

-- Alex in NYC, April 15th, 2004 6:04 PM.

Alex, OTM. Why the thread needed to continue after this statement is beyond me.

― Edward Bax (EdBax), Monday, 29 August 2005 16:53 (twenty years ago)

i didnt think anyone liked placebo. that ocean is huuuuuge.

― petesmith (plsmith), Monday, 29 August 2005 17:42 (twenty years ago)

Hah, in the UK, Placebo are so much more popular than the Pixies it isn't even funny.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 17:45 (twenty years ago)

are they any good?

― petesmith (plsmith), Monday, 29 August 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

First two albums are pretty essential slices of post-Britpop glam/indie. Third album is a mixed bag, and everything since has been horrid. Basically, when they switched from indie to rock, they lost all purpose.

Famous for having one of the most annoying frontmen ever.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

i didnt think anyone liked placebo. that ocean is huuuuuge.

pete - i think you're forgetting a certain dj kook

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Monday, 29 August 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

"Hah, in the UK, Placebo are so much more popular than the Pixies it isn't even funny."

Yeh uh remind me who headlined the long sold out Leeds festival this weekend please Dom?

― elwisty, Monday, 29 August 2005 18:09 (twenty years ago)

IRON FUCKING MAIDEN. Oh wait.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 August 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

Pixies' recently released greatest hits album: #16
Placebo's recently released greatest hits album: #8

Pixies' biggest single: Debaser (#23)
Placebo's biggest single: Nancy Boy (#4)

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 18:15 (twenty years ago)

debaser was the pixies' highest chart position in the UK?

― petesmith (plsmith), Monday, 29 August 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, they only had three hits over here (other ones being "Velouria" at #28 and "Planet Of Sound" at #27). You hear "Debaser" a lot more than "Where Is My Mind?" and "Monkey Gone To Heaven" as well.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)

Dom: By that measure, Mariah Carey is the greatest female musician ever.
Not saying she's not, just that you should be careful what you argue...

― js (honestengine), Monday, 29 August 2005 18:51 (twenty years ago)

i would say that The Pixies at this moment in time are a far, far bigger draw than the Placebo's but if it was still 1998 then you might have had a point.

― jive session (elwisty), Monday, 29 August 2005 21:46 (twenty years ago)

i would say that The Pixies at this moment in time are a far, far bigger draw than the Placebo's but if it was still 1998 then you might have had a point.

Well of course you'd have had a bloody point as only one of the bands existed in 1998.

I actually quite like Placebo, but this AlexNYC post from the top of the thread is still utterly, completely OTM.

I'm not a raving fan of either, but to suggest that Placebo are in any way in the same league as the Pixies is ludicrous.

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:05 (twenty years ago)

look it was a rhetorical point but if you wanna chase it yes in 1997 - 1998 in the UK Placebo was the future of music; Brian Molko was on the cover of Vogue, played wembley stadium six times and had 8 number 1 singles whilst Franck "Black" Francis was relegated to skits on tv's adam and joe show talking about cognac with Badd Dadd. FACT.

― jive session (elwisty), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:14 (twenty years ago)

B-b-b-b-ut Brian Molko was on the Adam and Joe show talking to Baaaaadaaad as well!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:16 (twenty years ago)

i wouldn't martyr myself for the placebo cause, but fuck the pixies.

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:17 (twenty years ago)

TS: obesity vs male pattern baldness?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:18 (twenty years ago)

i never saw that one. what did Baaaaaaadaad make of his gnder mashery?

actually the Frank Black skit was never shown (it's an extra on the DVD) thus showing in 1998 Blanck Frack was not even of interest to late night cult studenty cult tv watchers but in 2004 was worth a DVD purchase.

― jive session (elwisty), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:21 (twenty years ago)

in the UK Placebo was the future of music; Brian Molko was on the cover of Vogue, played wembley stadium six times and had 8 number 1 singles whilst Franck "Black" Francis was relegated to skits on tv's adam and joe show talking about cognac with Badd Dadd. FACT.

Indeed a fact, however if you look at the thread title it does not appear to read Frank Black solo vs Placebo.

In the real world, it's 2005, the Pixies have just headlined Reading/Leeds and have sold out Ally Pally two nights running in a matter of hours.

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:22 (twenty years ago)

Hang on a sec, I can only remember 7 Placebo No.1's. Which one am I missing?

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:25 (twenty years ago)

In the real world, it's 2005, the Pixies have just headlined Reading/Leeds and have sold out Ally Pally two nights running in a matter of hours.

But in 2004 both bands released a greatest hits compilation and the Placbeo one charted 8 places higher! And their's was released nearer Christmas when more CDs were in the charts! It's the only level comparison for the two bands we've recently had.

http://www.bionic-club.com/fotos/bioband20.jpg
http://www.krack.org/dreamless/pixies.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:27 (twenty years ago)

Hang on a sec, I can only remember 7 Placebo No.1's. Which one am I missing?

Their cover of "1 In 10" by UB40.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:27 (twenty years ago)

You gotta admit, Frank Black's got shit on Molko when it comes to incisive political commentary.

"I read a book about Uncle Tom
Where a whitey bastard made a bomb
But now Ebonics rule our song
Those motherfuckers got it wrong
And I ask
Who is uncle Tom?
Who is uncle Tom?
Who is uncle Tom?
You are"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:28 (twenty years ago)

Ah, but it wasn't the Pixies first hits compilation. *cough* 4AD cash-in *cough* crap tracklisting *cough* did I say that?

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:28 (twenty years ago)

now they are more popular but back in 1998 no one cared, they were just some mildly indie popular group from the eighties that my english teachers liked. in the uk Placebo were bigger in 1998 than the pixies in 1988.

i'm not saying they were better mind just that you can't argue with FACTS.

― jive session (elwisty), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:29 (twenty years ago)

October 1997- Death To The Pixies: highest chart position #20
February 1997- Placebo S/T: highest chart position: #5

We all suck for having this discussion, you do realise?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:31 (twenty years ago)

4 Placebo Teenage Angst Sep 1996
1 Placebo Nancy Boy Feb 1997
1 Placebo Bruise Pristine May 1997
1 Placebo One In Ten Dec 1997
1 Placebo Pure Morning Aug 1998
1 Placebo You Don't Care About Us Oct 1998
1 Placebo Every You Every Me Feb 1999
2 Placebo Taste In Men Jul 2000
1 Placebo Slave To The Wage Oct 2000
1 Placebo Bitter End Mar 2003
2 Placebo This Picture Jun 2003
2 Placebo Special Needs Sep 2003
3 Placebo English Summer Rain Mar 2004
8 Placebo Twenty Years Oct 2004

28 Pixies Velouria Jul 1990
27 Pixies Planet Of Sound Jun 1991
23 Pixies Debaser Oct 1997

― jive session (elwisty), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:34 (twenty years ago)

B-b-but In 1995 Cast were bigger in the UK than Nirvana were in 1988! *new ILM meme alert*

(and I don't teach English, but that's, er, neither here nor there)

We all suck for having this discussion, you do realise?

Yeah, but what else is there to do in the Midlands at half midnight?

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:36 (twenty years ago)

Hmmm, Cast vs Nirvana.

November 1994: Nirvana- Unplugged In New York #1
October 1995: Cast- All Change #7
October 1996: Nirvana- From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah #4

I hereby rule that at no point were Cast bigger than Nirvana.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:39 (twenty years ago)

when Daphne and Celeste suggested Brian Molko was ugly it was the biggest pop rumble since Rob Halford said Stephen Pastel was a bit of a numpty way back in '89. In comparison with this Kim Deal's spat with David Banner pales into insignificance.

― jive session (elwisty), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:40 (twenty years ago)

Thankfully, it's not just ILM where this battle has raged:

http://noortekas.delfi.ee/foorum/read.php?f=58&i=33989&t=33989

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

Pixies. Klassika ikkagi. Aga Placebo on ka päris tore.

http://www.stovecentre.co.uk/Sale/aga.JPG
http://www.murphy.com.au/images/ka.jpg
http://album.idt.cz/albums/vip/DonScan_023_Paris_Hilton_Maxim_1203-4.jpg
http://www.soccernet.com/images/england/20020902/toure_mh.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

biggest pop rumble since Rob Halford said Stephen Pastel was a bit of a numpty way back in '89

Aye, but Halford soon learnt not to piss around with the Pastels when Steven wrote "Sit on It Mother" about him. Er, where was I?

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:46 (twenty years ago)

Oh aye.

http://www.tearusapart.com/toosane/too%20sane%20images/pixies-12.18-black.jpg

http://circus.joueb.com/images/Placebo%202.JPG

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:48 (twenty years ago)

I thought he was meant to be the straight one?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:49 (twenty years ago)

"....and that ees six of your inches, yes?"

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:51 (twenty years ago)

no americans want a say then? too busy on the pitchfork thread i guess to worry about Placebo...

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah joke in 3,2...

― jive session (elwisty), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

This bear is dancing to CYHSY:

http://hjem.get2net.dk/petermad2/cartoons/bjoern.gif

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:57 (twenty years ago)

is he somewhat ashamed of his indie dancing antics?

― jive session (elwisty), Monday, 29 August 2005 22:59 (twenty years ago)

I like the way he occasionally does the arms-folded-student-dancing-to-the-Smiths-circa-1985 bit.

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 29 August 2005 23:04 (twenty years ago)

i'm trying to figure out the uh cultural pathways that led to a girl from minnesota having placebo as her favorite band, who also never heard of the pixies at all.

are you from the cities, mary beth? did you hear rev105, or drive or whatever the fuck it was in the late 90s? (was there ever a radio station that would play that "friend with weed in leather" song that wouldn't also play "debaser" every now and again?) did placebo get play on 93x somehow? chalk it up to the internet.

― geoff (gcannon), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 00:45 (twenty years ago)

http://hjem.get2net.dk/petermad2/cartoons/bjoern.gif
"I wanna be, be a debaser..."

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 00:46 (twenty years ago)

(That "Chart archive" for Placebo is wayyyy suspect, you do realise?)

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 07:36 (twenty years ago)

yes. not least because they never released a single called "one in ten"

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 07:37 (twenty years ago)

People forget that one because it was from Red, Red Wine; A Gothic Tribute To UB40 rather than one of there stand alone albums. As I remember it featured guest spots from Nate Dogg, Method Man and Steve Vai.

― jive session (elwisty), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 07:48 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

it is kind of silly to debate over which one is better, it has been said before. i think placebo has something more mainstream in them to make them popular, but the pixies have the edge of being more deep. the lyrics of both are quite cool, but all in all i'd say they are non comparable. like you cannot compare anything with the smiths, i think.

― kelk seep, Tuesday, 4 October 2005 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

haha, pixies v placebo? seriously? like t/s having sex vs taking out the trash.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 5 October 2005 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

having sex with your mother

― jive session (elwisty), Wednesday, 5 October 2005 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, this thread can never top its "Why do you assume all people named Killian are Irish?" stretch.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Wednesday, 5 October 2005 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

But we've had a good go.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 5 October 2005 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

Red, Red Wine; A Gothic Tribute To UB40

Wait, is that for real?!

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Wednesday, 5 October 2005 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

well, ive heard both bands, n i have the whole discography of pixies and placebo, and all that i can say, both bands are really good

― javier, Friday, 28 October 2005 20:13 (nineteen years ago)

sit on the fence why don'tcha

― john p. irrelevant (electricsound), Saturday, 29 October 2005 01:01 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

all i have to say is PLACEBO RULE AND THE PIXIES SUCK LOL

― paul david, Wednesday, 30 November 2005 09:11 (nineteen years ago)

Placebo is one of those bands like Travis, Keane or Echobelly that I have no idea who they are and what they sound like. The only thing I know is that they are somewhat popular in the UK.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

This thread still baffles me.

― login name (fandango), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

as do people...

― login name (fandango), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

I think it's a great example of intelligent music debate on ILM.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

everytime this thread re appears i know there is some greater good in the world. thou shamefully a num,ber of ilx big guns have been to scared to joi in, this is still the most significant thread in ilx history amirite?

― pscott (elwisty), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

Man this was a great thread.

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 17:14 (eighteen years ago)

This was the least rewarding thread I've read at this site.

― Faisal Shennib, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 17:44 (eighteen years ago)

see why ILX now has a "started by" tag?

― grimly fiendish, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 18:35 (eighteen years ago)

still trying to wrap my head around how Placebo are in any conceivable way better than the Pixies. maybe i need to be a British.

― circa1916, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 21:18 (eighteen years ago)

Blah blah bald men blah blah comb blah blah

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 21:49 (eighteen years ago)

I pick Pixes because their singers are just technically bad whereas Brian Molko has a completely insufferable voice.

― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 8 March 2007 01:02 (eighteen years ago)

six months pass...

we scoffed at the time but look who's laughing now.

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 13:12 (eighteen years ago)

Without this thread, ILX would have crumbled to dust. It was threads like this that showed the world that we could deal with intelligent critical commentary.

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 13:16 (eighteen years ago)

I think it's a great example of intelligent music debate on ILM.

-- Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:41 (1 year ago) Bookmark Link

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 13:17 (eighteen years ago)

ten months pass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnYESenjoGY

― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 13:20 (seventeen years ago)

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