The Gossip: Classic or Dud?

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http://www.meirion.lewis.btinternet.co.uk/pics/ladyfestbristol/barefootbeth.jpg

I know it's a bit early to say, but classic I think. I've only heard Movement and seen them live once, but that's enough for me.

Barefoot Beth has a great voice and the fairly raw music is great too. Retro is fine by me because I've not heard the old stuff.

http://www.meirion.lewis.btinternet.co.uk/pics/ladyfestbristol/bethandguit.jpg

Who else likes 'em?

― mei (mei), Monday, 1 September 2003 15:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't heard the new album but I really dug the first EP and album a bit. Good fun and the objectifier in me would like to see the drummer get some photo action too. Hell, the guy looks cool too!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 1 September 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

The guy is the best looking man in the world right now. I heart the Gossip, I think. They can dance. They can sing. They play mean.

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 1 September 2003 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

http://homer.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/esoup/esvol10/essays/gossip.jpg

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Monday, 1 September 2003 16:11 (twenty-two years ago)

That was a google image search result, by the way.. I wanted to see the best looking man in the world.. Somebody post images please!

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Monday, 1 September 2003 16:13 (twenty-two years ago)

He has the best hair. Better than everyone else's.

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 1 September 2003 16:20 (twenty-two years ago)

He may be a handsome guy, but he sat right at the back of the stage.

Humpf! TYPICAL DRUMMERS!

― mei (mei), Monday, 1 September 2003 16:36 (twenty-two years ago)

The drummer is a woman?

The man is a (foregrounded) guitarist whose hair is a brown mop with a twist of blond?

― Cozen (Cozen), Monday, 1 September 2003 17:05 (twenty-two years ago)

i saw them a few months ago and i have to say that they are phenomenal live.

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Monday, 1 September 2003 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry, yes I was forgetting, the drummer is a woman.

That would explain why she was so handsome ;-)

― mei (mei), Monday, 1 September 2003 21:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't get it, how come the singer, this "Barefoot Beth" isn't wearing any shoes in that photo? I feel as though I'm mising something . . .

They can dance, but can they "Mod-SKA" dance?

Nothing is classic next to TELEPHONE FREE LANDSLIDE VICTORY.

I don't mean that. Not even a little.

What's with this confining classic/dud dichotomy? Derrida says knock you out!

― Jimmy Kropotkin, Monday, 1 September 2003 21:51 (twenty-two years ago)

beth needs a better backing band. perhaps the bellrays

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 1 September 2003 22:55 (twenty-two years ago)

i think everyone wants to like them because of the image they project. when i saw them it was the same song 9 times over. chain wallets, ugh!

― keith (keithmcl), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 01:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I like them 'cause of the way they sound.

I reckon she goes barefoot to give her a more solid connection to the ground when she sings.
And 'cause her chubby feet hurt in girlshoes.

― mei (mei), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 05:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, they're a real band.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 12:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, the fact is that live they sound just whole, like they are a band and nothing more or less. I can imagine the album didn't take very long to record, just play throughs.

In this case that's a good thing.

― mei (mei), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 12:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Their live show is startling and great. Just a real out-of-nowhere bitchsmack. The records are OK and all, but they don't really move me.

― Tom Breihan (Tom Breihan), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

Pulling this one out of the vaults just to say "Classic." People are right that their records have never QUITE nailed it, or maybe the records do nail it but it's not music that really lends itself to listening to on a record. The Gossip were the first band I ever danced to, and I owe them something for that even if these days I never pull out That's Not What I Heard and I never got into "Movement" as much as I meant to. Also, all their promotional/album art has pretty much always annoyed me. BUT... Arkansas Heat is fantastic. Everything capturable on record about them, captured on record. They're usually about beat and sound, but on this they also produce consistently memorable hooks. "Ain't It The Truth" is definitely their finest hour. I didn't get the live album, but I'm still looking forward sorta to their next studio record, due in January. Anybody heard them with their new drummer?

― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 07:50 (twenty years ago)

the live album was *dreadful. but the new album is blistering.

― foxy boxer (stevie), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 10:53 (twenty years ago)

They're great to see live, but That's Not What I Heard is a dud. Can't speak to their other albums.

― js (honestengine), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 13:53 (twenty years ago)

pretty classic. saw em on their first tour opening for sleater-kinney and owned the show. talked to them after the show and they were the goddamn sweetest people ever, and the guitarist and i chatted about the germs for a while. movement is really good, the first ep is really good, the others are ok.

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

saw them live two weeks ago and they were pretty amazing.

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 18:13 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

So, the new record's been out for like a month or something and I haven't really felt motivated to check it out beyond "Standing in the Way of Control," which hasn't managed to get stuck in my head though it's neat to hear them doing a slightly different sound or whatever. Anyone heard the whole LP? How is it? Better than the sleeve art?

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Monday, 6 March 2006 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

I'm listening to the new album now, it's not radically different to their other albums, but it's consistently good so far (up to track 8).

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

much better drummer than previous records.

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah she's from some other band on KRS right? I forgot who.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

― ai lien (kold_krush), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

Holy FUCK. I just got home from the show (Middle East, Cambridge Mass). I'm speechless. Have seen them before, in DC, but this time.... They rocked the house down to the earth's molten core.

And my god. Nobody dances across a stage like Beth Ditto. I'm in love.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Monday, 27 March 2006 04:34 (nineteen years ago)

They're growin on me.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 27 March 2006 04:55 (nineteen years ago)

I concur with the love for this band in general, their new drummer, and their live show in particular. If there is any justice in the world they will be selling out stadiums in five years...

― sleeve (sleeve), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

By the way, the Barefoot Beth (as the original post puts it) has turned into Spikeheels Beth.

Accentuates the oomph!

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Monday, 27 March 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

two months pass...

a touch of class remix of "listen up" is RAD.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 24 June 2006 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't give it a glowing review, and I don't think "Standing" is as consistent in sound or quality as "Movement". But it reaches greater heights for sure, especially "Listen Up." Probably the best single song I've heard all year.

New drummer is from the Chromatics, btw.

― bendy (bendy), Saturday, 24 June 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

I got the Listen Up 10" on Thursday, listened to it this afternoon :)

Anyway, still classic. They've been playing in London a lot this year, only been to see them once though.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Saturday, 24 June 2006 21:07 (nineteen years ago)

eight months pass...

http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/11489421.html

― Dandy Don Weiner, Thursday, 22 March 2007 17:51 (eighteen years ago)

i only have the new one....went to see them cuz erase errata was opening up and i thought the gossip was fun as hell.....sorta white stripes stripped down vers. of disco diva action. she can really sing, too.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, 22 March 2007 17:58 (eighteen years ago)

Beth is awesome. I'm not digging her fashion in that link, but I'd never hold it against her.

― Dandy Don Weiner, Thursday, 22 March 2007 19:24 (eighteen years ago)

Definitely NOT classic.

― zeus, Thursday, 22 March 2007 20:01 (eighteen years ago)

love the gossip. have not actually bothered to listen to album beyond SITWOC but that song is unstoppable, would be 100x classic for it alone.

― lex pretend, Thursday, 22 March 2007 20:52 (eighteen years ago)

Was getting ready to say "Whoa, whoa slow down there Tex. It's a bit early."

Then I noticed the thread was 3 years old. Fuck I'm old.

― MC, Thursday, 22 March 2007 21:15 (eighteen years ago)

Classic, and only getting classic-er. Standing In the Way is the best thing they've ever done (by a long shot), and the early stuff ain't no slouch.

― Pye Poudre, Thursday, 22 March 2007 21:18 (eighteen years ago)

was unconvinced by the nme-style hype.

am way convinced by the music. love 'em. A+++ would listen again.

― grimly fiendish, Thursday, 22 March 2007 23:31 (eighteen years ago)

I got the "Standing" album as a free 'introductory' d/l off emusic.

Don't look for it, it's not there anymore.

― Mark G, Thursday, 22 March 2007 23:41 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

[img][Removed Illegal Link]

"..."

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 22:05 (eighteen years ago)

it was picture of overly confident morbidly obese woman

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 22:06 (eighteen years ago)

http://myspace-689.vo.llnwd.net/00790/98/66/790756689_m.jpg

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 22:07 (eighteen years ago)

was unconvinced by the nme-style hype.

?? did they get big in england or something? they've been around for awhile

― M@tt He1ges0n, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 22:11 (eighteen years ago)

yes, "Standing in the way of control" almost made top 5 earlier this year, even though it is years old.

― danzig, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 22:23 (eighteen years ago)

huh that's cool good for them!

― M@tt He1ges0n, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 22:25 (eighteen years ago)

Dom in "I'm a fucking assface" shockah!

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 22:29 (eighteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Hey, I hope they get more and more and more famous! I just flogged a split single we did with them years ago for a ridiculous amount of money!

― Masonic Boom, Monday, 21 May 2007 17:27 (eighteen years ago)

five months pass...

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_212114346.shtml

― Dandy Don Weiner, Monday, 12 November 2007 18:32 (eighteen years ago)

WTF? I mean, homophobia isn't cool, obvs, but is that acceptable? Like, it seems indicative of psychological issues that that would even occur to her as a response. That's way beyond punk.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 00:06 (eighteen years ago)

some chick was voted off australian idol for doing a gossip song

― electricsound, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 00:15 (eighteen years ago)

man she needs to go the fuck away.

― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 13 November 2007 00:31 (eighteen years ago)

i actually like their music, but fuck.

― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 13 November 2007 00:31 (eighteen years ago)

I did this once, to some dude's jeep. Had a considerable amount of booze to help me along. Beth is showing all the signs of being a long-term star- emerging as the White Stripes understudy with credible southern roots, now as disco superdyke. Next phase should be coming along in about 24 months.

― bendy, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 00:59 (eighteen years ago)

That's fucking hilarious!

― Mister Craig, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 02:02 (eighteen years ago)

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― Tape Store, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 02:46 (eighteen years ago)

I think it's perfectly acceptable and funny as fuck, personally.

― Colonel Poo, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 09:28 (eighteen years ago)

I'm totally sure this didn't happen, Bditto isn't the sort of person who'd make up self-aggrandising stories with teenage "look at me i'm shocking" rhetoric to get herself into the gossip columns.

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 09:32 (eighteen years ago)

What's more offensive: Beth Ditto puking over young people or people puking over the sight of Beth Ditto's vagina?

Personally, both these scenarios cause me to lose the will to live.

― King Boy Pato, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 10:59 (eighteen years ago)

classic

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:35 (eighteen years ago)

King Boy i'm pretty sure you and Jordan S are exactly the kinds of people this behavior is intended to drive away

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:36 (eighteen years ago)

Missed headline: "Standing in the way of my lunch..."

― Mark G, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:45 (eighteen years ago)

King Boy i'm pretty sure you and Jordan S are exactly the kinds of people this behavior is intended to drive away

-- Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:36 (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

^^^People who hate dumb attention whoring?

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:47 (eighteen years ago)

Beth Ditto is basically Calum with a gunt.

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:49 (eighteen years ago)

it sounds like a made-up story.

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:50 (eighteen years ago)

beth d has made homophobic comments herself, no?

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:50 (eighteen years ago)

She was on some "bun dem chi chi man" shit last year, yeah.

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:52 (eighteen years ago)

"If there's anyone to blame for size zero, it's not women. Blame gay men who work in the fashion industry and want these women as dolls. Men don't know what it feels like to be a woman and be expected to look a particular way."

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:53 (eighteen years ago)

but y'know, whatever.

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:53 (eighteen years ago)

Dumb attention whoring is what makes rock great!

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:55 (eighteen years ago)

^^^the reason nu rave happened

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 11:56 (eighteen years ago)

I hung out w/her for an hour or so. She was v annoying.

― Raw Patrick, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 12:04 (eighteen years ago)

Nu-rave happened? I think that's something of an overstatement

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 12:05 (eighteen years ago)

Current TV had a mini-documentary last night about nu rave, and I've never hated the idea of music more.

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 12:06 (eighteen years ago)

Raw Patrick, when are you gonna get a gig as an indie 3AM Girl?

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 12:08 (eighteen years ago)

King Boy i'm pretty sure you and Jordan S are exactly the kinds of people this behavior is intended to drive away

Why the world doesn't want a fey synthpop fetishist like me, I'll never know.

― King Boy Pato, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 12:13 (eighteen years ago)

You had your chance with nu-rave, stop complaining

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 12:19 (eighteen years ago)

No pretentious early 20th Century ideals of European triumphalism, no credibility

― King Boy Pato, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 12:52 (eighteen years ago)

Raw Patrick, when are you gonna get a gig as an indie 3AM Girl?

I am having a game of Scrabulous w/the feller who invented the term nu rave. I'm winning.

― Raw Patrick, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 13:54 (eighteen years ago)

beth needs a better backing band. perhaps the bellrays
-- electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 1 September 2003 22:55 (4 years ago) Bookmark Link

lol i remember that band

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 13:57 (eighteen years ago)

Raw Patrick, when are you gonna get a gig as an indie 3AM Girl?

Which chubby singer carries around a bag of processed white sugar to snack from?

― Raw Patrick, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 14:02 (eighteen years ago)

I can't speak for present-day rock superstar Beth, but I went up and talked to her after a show in 2003 or so and told her how much the band had meant to me personally, etc., and she was totally nice/polite/sweet about it. That's about all I ask out of my rock idols. So fuck the haters!

― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 15:09 (eighteen years ago)

This sounds good:

Beth Ditto, Andy Rourke from The Smiths, Graham Coxon, Paul Weller and The Enemy are amongst the acts who have formed an indie supergroup called Crisis.

The charity of the same name has joined forces with Drinkaware to raise money to fight homelessness and alcoholism.

Also in the group are New Young Pony Club, Supergrass, Drew from Babyshambles, Ed Harcourt and Pearl Lowe.

― everything, Wednesday, 14 November 2007 01:38 (eighteen years ago)

that lineup makes me want to drink

― electricsound, Wednesday, 14 November 2007 01:44 (eighteen years ago)

The long awaited return of Pearl Lowe to music. Can we not get Daisy on it as well?

― Raw Patrick, Wednesday, 14 November 2007 08:51 (eighteen years ago)

I'd like to (insert innuendo about drinking) Daisy Lowe, amirite guyz?

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 14 November 2007 09:26 (eighteen years ago)

I heard her sing "Son of a Preacher Man" at karaoke once. She was good.

― HI DERE, Wednesday, 14 November 2007 15:39 (eighteen years ago)

Daisy Lowe or Beth Ditto?

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 14 November 2007 15:39 (eighteen years ago)

Beth Ditto.

― HI DERE, Wednesday, 14 November 2007 16:55 (eighteen years ago)

i dig the gossip okay. they were good live. its so weird that guy from fugazi produced that record and its all big in england and shit.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Wednesday, 14 November 2007 17:38 (eighteen years ago)

it makes the six degrees of separation between like agnostic front and perez hilton really easy.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Wednesday, 14 November 2007 17:44 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

Just saw them here. Most enthusiastic audience of any show I've seen here, massive screaming and armwaving. BD had a bad cold and could hardly sing -- crowd pitched in, knowing all words to all songs.

Not as good as the room-melting show they put on two years ago (when BD didn't have a cold) and the sound was somehow wrong (so that e.g. the bass was lost in "Listen Up") but still worth leaving the house for.

Ditto seems like a very nice young woman.

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Sunday, 18 October 2009 05:03 (sixteen years ago)

two years pass...

New single "Perfect World" is out today. Currently listening on super crappy headphones, so I can't really decide whether I like it or not. New album in May.

― daavid, Tuesday, 13 March 2012 20:24 (thirteen years ago)

It's a Xenomania production, BTW. Maybe I'm biased but it reminds me a bit of the stuff they did for Frank, only with more punch, perhaps? Definitely the "rockiest" thing they've ever done.

― daavid, Tuesday, 13 March 2012 20:26 (thirteen years ago)

http://soundcloud.com/gossip_music/perfect-world

― daavid, Tuesday, 13 March 2012 20:30 (thirteen years ago)

Just now heard this. Beth's voice sounds weirdly shaky during the verses, but I think it's a great song!

― Johnny Fever, Friday, 16 March 2012 04:33 (thirteen years ago)

one month passes...

christ the new album's great.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/may/04/gossip-joyful-noise-album-stream

― piscesx, Sunday, 13 May 2012 21:25 (thirteen years ago)

ten months pass...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/mar/19/beth-ditto-arrested

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Tuesday, 19 March 2013 10:58 (twelve years ago)

Looool. Beth ditto thinks she's on American google.

― how's life, Tuesday, 19 March 2013 12:39 (twelve years ago)

i'm all for ditto ruining the nights of redditors

― that would be a fecal matter (electricsound), Tuesday, 19 March 2013 12:48 (twelve years ago)

This advert always made me lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdFiFGh2uDI

― 'Separate Lives', by Phil Collins & Marilyn Manson (PaulTMA), Tuesday, 19 March 2013 13:10 (twelve years ago)

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