New Pop Backlash

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

A qn for the oldsters and archivists:

I have - or had - a 12" by a band called The Room, called "Jackpot Jack". I have no idea when it is from - soundwise 83 or so, it sounds heavily Bunnymen-indebted. The chorus goes

You pulled the lever back
You hit the Jackpot, Jack
And all the radios
Are blaring new pop cack

I was reminded of this cos i) it suggests the "new pop" meme was more widespread than just the NME (or, OK, more likely that The Room were big NME readers), ii) it suggests that "new pop" was not immune from people hating it.

How many people hated it at the time? What did they say about it? What did they think people should be listening to instead?

Comments

NB

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

"Jackpot Jack" is a terrible record so don't try to hear it.

Re: NB

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

From 1984, produced by Tom Verlaine, so that may give clue re "who ppl should listen to instead". Sections of UK music press also went big for REM around this time.

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

BARNEY HOSKYNS reacted against it -- as did the BIRTHDAY PARTY, just arrived in the UK and disgusted by everything (inc.a lot of HOSKYNS-ish rockism like the bunnymen) -- BHd wrote his mentalist PLEASUREHEADS MUST BURN pro-rock piece, which is the nietzschean ur-text for reynoldsian blissedoutism

THE S*W*P faction reacted against it -- x.moore of the redskins, attila the stockbroker ect ect -- and did much DENOUNCING of people who drank out of pint glass with handles etc

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

important thing to remember about morley = he is NOT FRIGHTENED OF "NAFFNESS"

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

This would be my #1 requirement for any critic I think.

[(Anonymous)]

The Room (partially) turned into Benny Profane, who may have grazed the outer edges of your life at some point a few years later, Tom. I recall they (The Room) had a few good singles, "New Dreams For Old" in particular is a kind of midpoint between new pop and anthemic indie. OK, OK I like it for nostalgic reasons mostly, but THOSE ARE REASONS TOO.

There were plenty of PUNKERS and GOFFS (probably still protogoths ath this stage) and PSYCHOBILLIES and SUCHLIKE around who thought new pop was rub, obv. Also musos.

I don't recall talking about "new pop" in '82 or whatever, even though I read the NME (in truth, I probably ignored most of the commentary stuff and got on with reading the Clare Grogan and JoBoxers interviews). I was 12, it was just pop.

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

anonymous is trying to repress memory of POZPUNK

[(Anonymous)]

I KNOW THEM WELL MY FRIEND.

I thought it was too blindingly obvious who I was to even bother signing that message, but it was me, thebopkids, obv.

My memory of Positive Punk is very sketchy, truthfully, even given the know your enemy rule. I never quite undertand how somethign caled Positive Punk evolved into GOFF. Was it just a personnel thing?

[miss-newham.livejournal.com]

Thank you - last night I dreamed that Paul Morley had died, and now I realise that it didn't really happen!

[thenipper.livejournal.com]

I remember THE LONE GROOVER (or whatever he was called) + Ray Lowry - ie the two cartoons in NME around that the time - being incredibly anti-New Pop - which they characterised as all tossers in zoot suits drinking cocktails.

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

bah i cannot find my file of morley singles columns -- clearly i have piled them up in some doomed "must work on this now" project which has since silted up, i am sure i quoted from them on ilm at some point

marcello will know of course!

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

um, like METAL, obv...

interesting to see joe elliott from out of def leppard claiming "there's always been a pop elephant to our music" in today's graun (http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1792603,00.html)

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

haha, sorry, that is the answer to all three of yr questions ;)