Article Response: Focus Group IX

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There's a load of other stuff up too but its mostly not about music - see ILE thread for details.

Anyway - the 9th focus group is at

http://www.freakytrigger.co.uk/focus9_1.html

The 10th one will take place sometime in January and will cover Oct-Dec releases - if you want to be involved get in touch here or via email (the freakytrigger one).

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 11:43 (twenty-one years ago)

dave q to thread.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 11:52 (twenty-one years ago)

What's so shocking about the Darkness being No. 1? Good choice (though Kelis woz better, and Rachel Stevens didn't deserve to be on the list).

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 11:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Kelis also wasn't out in the time period (July-September 03)

It's SCIENCE FACT that it's controversial - controversy rating of almost 4, very high indeed < /stats boy>

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 11:59 (twenty-one years ago)

i'd like to give this a go ta

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Shit! I though Kelis was August. Blargh. 'Finest Dreams' -- Oh, xwires, ignore post. I initially meant she deserved 2 be higher.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah I'd agree with that actually but that's market research for you.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

The page heading is for Focus Group 8.

I'm still mildly amazed that I gave Frontin' its highest score.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh bollocks, theres always something I get wrong.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and apologies to contributors who were promised a link - it will go up when I add a link to Anthony's votes.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 14:34 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm not sure what shocks me more: girls aloud placing way low at #12 or mark owen placing way high at #9!

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

In the live group Little Mark was #2!

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I WANT TO BE IN THE NEXT FOCUS GROUP

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)

(as an aside, this contains the funniest description of "House OF Jealous Lovers" I've ever read)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

so tom is there some sort of longstanding british affinity for owen that extends far beyond this song? cause it's really terrible!

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

No not at all I dont think, everyone just really liked it on the day (me included!)

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

i see.

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 15:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Blimey! Such low scores. Was everyone feeling grumpy that day / week?

I am still banned from Focus Groups for giving Scooter null points and playing my joker. Allegedly.

― Jeff W (zebedee), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 16:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I was a little hungover.

― Sarah (BA. Hons in Understatement Studies) (starry), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 16:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Low scores because

- not the best crop of singles to have ever been in an FG to be frank

- club night jury packed with pop-haters celebrating the birthday of King of Anti-Fun Tim H

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I ended up unable to get it together to contribute, bleah (being sick most of last week didn't help, I wasn't in the mood for systematic listening!). Should have done to prevent that number one folly! ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 16:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I definitely want to be in the next Focus Group, Tom.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 16:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Yay, it's up. One quick note: SeC is me throughout though I'm also listed as SC (along with Sarah) in the credits. Tom, is it possible to fix that up?

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 16:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes it is Sean, I need to tweak the credits anyway.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Hooray, tis up! I know I gave most of the songs lower scores than the last Focus Group I did - just a weaker batch this time around.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom for the next focus group you should have a four minute entry window (fnur) in tribute to poor old shunned Mark Owen.

― Sarah (starry), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and if you're changing the credits Tom, do you mind changing me to Vinnie instead of Vinod? It's the name I use more frequently.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I guess I also gave generally low scores this round. My only regret is not giving The Darkness a lower one.

― dleone (dleone), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I've posted a brief bit of S Club 8 apologia here on my blog. Contains a little bit of background information on the writing of "Sundown" which might be interesting to those who like a glimpse into the pop machine, but probably not.

Mark Owen was robbed.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 20:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I gave the darkness a jokered zero and still they win - sheesh. I honestly think that it's the worst song I've ever heard, and that includes Russians by Sting.

― chris (chris), Thursday, 11 December 2003 09:23 (twenty-one years ago)

The Darkness got an unprecedented 14 jokers - 11 were 10, 2 were 0, and one was a 7 (!)

They also are (I think) the lowest scoring winner yet, though I'd have to check what Sisqo got.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 11 December 2003 09:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Focus Group Winners Roll Call

1 - Eminem - My Name Is...
2 - Sisqo - The Thong Song
3 - Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad
4 - Missy Elliot - Get Ur Freak On
5 - Basement Jaxx - Rooty
6 - Sugababes - Freak Like Me
7 - Missy Elliot - Work It
8 - Girls Aloud - No Good Advice
9 - The Darkness - I Believe In A Thing Called Love

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 11 December 2003 09:45 (twenty-one years ago)

rank em!

1 - romeo
2 - bombs over baghdad
3 - get ur freak on
4 - no good advice
5 - my name is
6 - freak like me
7 - the thong song
8 - work it
9 - i believe in a thing called love

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 December 2003 09:49 (twenty-one years ago)

After we've done the next one we will naturally be running a ballot for the Group of Groups for the fifth birthday issue (unless I realise it's a lame idea).

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 11 December 2003 09:53 (twenty-one years ago)

history is bunk tom

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 December 2003 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)

1 - get ur freak on
2 - the thong song
3 - romeo
3 - freak like me
4 - my name is
5 - bombs over baghdad
6 - no good advice
7 - i believe in a thing called love
8 - work it

― minna (minna), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:12 (twenty-one years ago)

in the next focus group, use newer songs! why wasnt 'slow' in the latest one for instance?

― minna (minna), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:13 (twenty-one years ago)

oh ok i read the thread now

― minna (minna), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:14 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, newer songs tom - 30% of boring focus group snark = 'blimey im sick of hearing this one wot wot'. embrace the information superhighway, feiler faster thesis, etc.!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Er yes but for people without information superhighway access the focus group will suffer from the typical comments of earlier groups "I've never heard this I guess its OK blah". Viz US chart hits that hadn't been released over here to unaminous BLAH from UK jury and endless pages of prose from the US.

Even so, I'd never heard Hey Ya! before the focus group! Or Jameela!

― Sarah (starry), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey Ya! hasn't been in the focus group yet!

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:21 (twenty-one years ago)

it had better be in the next one!

― chris (chris), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Hasn't it? Oh, the othe Outkast song then! Gosh I am so unconnected. Will someone do me a "CDR" of the Outkast album then cos both of the songs were grebt! I was idly pondering how come Hey Ya was in the charts seeing as you said the one in the focus group never charted!

Doh.

― Lost Track Of The Pop Parade And No Mistake (starry), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Sarah I can do you a CDR of the Outkast album highlights, what would you like on the other 55 minutes?

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Then again I'm still trying to figure out why everyone was wetting their pants so much over the LCD Soundsystem track. Surely they all need to listen to Belfast by Boney M which is far better.

Perhaps my sincerity is not entirely truthful.

― Sarah (starry), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:24 (twenty-one years ago)

THE ELECTROCLASH CD!

― Sarah (starry), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:25 (twenty-one years ago)

All the songs you'd think would be in the next one will be in the next one.

Gosh yes the electroclash CD.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)

1. Bombs Over Baghdad
2. I Believe In A Thing Called Love
3. Romeo
4. No Good Advice
5. Get Ur Freak On
6. Work It
7. Freak Like Me
8. My Name Is
9. Thong Song (the only Focus Group winner think is genuinely shit)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll volunteer for the next focus group, number allowing.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 11 December 2003 10:40 (twenty-one years ago)

1 - Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad
2 - Eminem - My Name Is...
3 - Missy Elliot - Get Ur Freak On
4 - The Darkness - I Believe In A Thing Called Love
5 - Missy Elliot - Work It
6 - Sugababes - Freak Like Me
7 - Basement Jaxx - Rooty
8 - Sisqo - The Thong Song
9 - Girls Aloud - No Good Advice

also yes please for the next FG.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 11 December 2003 11:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 69 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I'm not entirely clear on how the joker works?

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 22 February 2004 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

The marks are worked out as an average of the marks everyone gives. So if you give a joker to something you've given 10, it's like a second invisible person giving it 10 as well. Same with a zero joker or anything in between.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Sunday, 22 February 2004 22:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think I got one either, Tom, though with AOL being crazy fucked I've been losing a lot of mail lately.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 22 February 2004 22:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Can anyone get one? If so, please, me.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Sunday, 22 February 2004 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah thanks.

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 22 February 2004 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh I sent it to another address Mike.

EK - sure.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Sunday, 22 February 2004 22:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I got mine. Hooray!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:03 (twenty-one years ago)

tom gimme one plz

― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 23 February 2004 03:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think I got one either, Tom, though with AOL being crazy fucked I've been losing a lot of mail lately.
-- Michael Daddino (epicharmu...), February 22nd, 2004. (later)

daddino- sometime ago I emailed my home address for the 1984 CDR. did you get it?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 23 February 2004 11:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom - will e-mail FT in a few seconds...

― Jeff W (zebedee), Monday, 23 February 2004 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Could you send it again, Julio?

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Monday, 23 February 2004 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

email sent.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 23 February 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Have ballot, will travel.

― Barima (Barima), Monday, 23 February 2004 12:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Where's Mine?

Please!

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 23 February 2004 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah might I add where is mine?

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 23 February 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry Starry, forgot you weren't at the live group!

I have 2 slides to finish on a powerpoint thing and then I will sort out the remaining ballots.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Monday, 23 February 2004 13:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah I forgot for a minute too harhar. I don't suppose there's any chance of lending me the cd with the songs on it else I ph34r I will have to miss out some comments on unheard traxx0r :)

(Actually dinnae be feart if not, I will just make stuff up)

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 23 February 2004 13:10 (twenty-one years ago)

There IS no CD but there are WAYS AND MEANS of hearing some of them if you have interweb access.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Monday, 23 February 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Second batch sent.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Monday, 23 February 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Well um yes I do at werk but not at home where I will probably be doing the old ballot you see :(

Ta Tico.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 23 February 2004 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay, my FGX was just sent, Tom. Is the deadline for this still tomorrow?

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 8 March 2004 01:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Bump bump, bump ya ballots.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm in, chief.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 00:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Two blurbs to do, you'll get it in the morning.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 00:18 (twenty-one years ago)

My ballot should be there by tomorrow afternoon... long fortnight.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 00:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Mailed it in today (thanks again, Sean!), let me know if it got through!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 00:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Hi - yeah it did. Deadline today still seems like a good idea but I've got a job interview tomorrow so it's not like I'll be getting straight to work on them.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 09:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Just done all the points inputs for ballots received so far. It's much closer than I thought it would be, at both ends. If you got a ballot and do still want to send it in, feel free to do it by the end of tomorrow. After that I start sorting the coding out so your points won't count.

As is traditional I think I've lost Anthony's.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 19:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I hope mine made it through okay! I think I had the wrong version of at least one song, but I don't think it affects my ultimate rating or commentary anyhoo.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom, if you get a chance, could you post the names of people whose ballots you *have* received -- just so we'll know for sure that the ballots did reach you.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 00:28 (twenty-one years ago)

God, I think i did mine the day I got the email. Which is just as well as I've gone mad now.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 00:30 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

Tom, is this still pending? On edge of seat and all that.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 19 April 2004 20:23 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah!

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 19 April 2004 20:31 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

So...songs are good.

― dleone (dleone), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Lies lies lies (yeah)!

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

must hassle more for the results of this to go up

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

This is an FT tradition, isn't it? Tom asks for Focus Group participants, a handful of folks pony up, 50% of the ballots come in late, Tom loses Anthony's ballot, wait 3 months, original Focus Group solitication thread turns into thread where FG fans & participants politely harangue Tom about the tardiness of the FG results.

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

well yeah!

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd change about half of my scores if I sent my ballot today.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd burn my ballot (because of the smug factor) (and what Barry said).

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Take that, rewind it back.

― Barima (Barima), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I will stand by my more scores forever more.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 21 May 2004 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

It's August. This is taking the piss now, yeah?

― R.I.M.A. (Barima), Monday, 9 August 2004 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Other stuff Tom has not finished:

His Top 100 tracks of last year on NYLPM
Popular - the 60s
War & Peace
12ft hogie

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Monday, 9 August 2004 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

BRING BACK DADDINO!!

seriously, I think the last two Focus Groups are "officially abandoned" now, aren't they? Especially now that the Square Table e-mail forum thing on NYLPM is well-established.

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 9 August 2004 14:33 (twenty-one years ago)

In which case, from what we've been able to work out from other threads, "Mandy" by Westlife wins, with Busted as runner-up.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 9 August 2004 14:35 (twenty-one years ago)

no, 'Hey Ya' won by a mile (Kelis second I think). 'Hey Ya' wins everything by a mile. Sadly.

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Monday, 9 August 2004 14:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Life is crap.

― R.I.M.A. (Barima), Monday, 9 August 2004 14:42 (twenty-one years ago)

everything? wot even the kinda official half decade poll? say it ain't so :-(

― pete b. (pete b.), Monday, 9 August 2004 14:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Were the votes actually added up? Does anyone know anything more?

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Monday, 9 August 2004 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

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