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good tunes and appeals largely to teenaged kids or those who don't release that their taste in music is now hopelessly outdated.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)

Skipping 139 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

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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