An honest review.

[Rofl Harris]

last night, i sat through an entire Blackbud set, feeling that i have hated them since their robotic flame posts on all of the forums, and heard but 2 songs recorded and about 5 minutes live from a safe distance previously, i felt that i should see them all the way through one of their sets.

last night, SJ Esau, and Bucky were great, which is no surprise, and new ground smoking palace were really great, it seemed to work for some reason, but blackbud had me trapped in an eternity of musical limbo, surrounded by gawping and whooping dead-eyed fans.
I sat on a flight case at the start of the set and their managerdad (cunt) took it upon himself to undermine my confidence the whole way through, stealing all of my seat space and asking me awkward questions inbetween songs. Anyway, shall we get on to the music? right... ok... let's see... nope. funny that, It's near impossible to remember any of their self congratulatory, bland, uhh..... , and not surprising when it doesn't even seem like they're paying attention; the bass player was too wrapped up in his busted haircut, the guitarist was clearly far too lost in trying to illustrate his fetish for guitar notes, and the drummer was paying more attention to the reverb on his snare than anything else.
I'm getting a bit angry here and may start to (if i haven't already) lose my point. Ok.. right.
here is the main point of my rant.
Proficiency does not equal good musicianship.
Headfall - hardly great at playing their instruments in time, but damn do they make a fine racket. SJ esau admits he's not the best guitarist, but it's got much more to it than most.
so basically blackbud, you can have the prominent bass, well mixed drums and "that" guitar sound, you can play all the right notes on your jimi hendrix xopy n paste guitar solo, you can have the 13 year old fans swooning for you and disembowling anyone who doesn't with a glance. what you can't have is integrity, a good song (or more than one for that matter), or the slightest bit of warmth to your music.
I hate blackbud because of their self-hype, the lack of anything but dim praise from sweaty, almost ovulating early teen girls on their website, their arrogance, and most of all, all of that combined with their opinion that they are the bestest band ever.
if they were just another dull band i'd ignore them.
they are everything evil about music.
also, to the Moderately attractive in a wouldn't-mind-fucking-you-then-throwing-you-off-a-cliff-into-a-sea-of-corrosive-acid kind of way publicist - How dare you call me a twat for having an opinion that i feel i have a right to defend, i hope you fall under the wheels of their tourbus.



Thanks for staying and sorry, i'm trying to be coherent as possible at 10am in the morningAM.

[Old Father Disc]

Cor blimey, Brick!

That's the most vicious torrent of bile I've read on here for ages.

Nice one for actually going to watch them and confronting your prejudice, even if it was only to have it reinforced!

I still haven't seen them but I might have to now just to make my own mind up.

Real hatred. Quality stuff.

[MPEGATRON]

That's class Bricky!

[Rofl Harris]

i love music.
i hate assholes.

[Chipper]

i love music.
i hate assholes.

I'm sure there's a fart joke in there somewhere.

[Marty]

http://www.blackbud.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... 0&start=15

check it!

[Old Father Disc]

Looks like a popular forum (unlike, say, the desperately unloved MusicApp). These lads are doing well for themselves aren't they? You've give 'em that even if you don't like their music.

[Snoo Gliffer]

Cor blimey, Brick!

That's the most vicious torrent of bile I've read on here for ages.
.

Cor Blimey Brick!

That's the most coherrant sentence I've ever seen you write in my life.

well done.

Good read too.

[Rofl Harris]

that's coherent you halffuck.

[Daishi]

Bricky you shoulda gone to see Blue in their secret gig at the Empire and Commonwealth museum, I'm sure that would have been more to your tastes!

Click if you don't believe me

I'm afraid NGSP lost me after a couple of songs... heard it all before and didn't like it when all those other bands did it... Bucky were awesome and entertaining, SJ Esau were great as usual (tho I still think his Epiphany at your brithday gig was the best version I've heard), and Rose Kemp was good too, even though I couldn't hear what she was singing about.

I didn't stay for BlackBud even though they sounded so good... coz some of us have jobs to go too.

[Chipper]

Bricky you shoulda gone to see Blue in their secret gig at the Empire and Commonwealth museum, I'm sure that would have been more to your tastes!

Blue are a bit crap live.
They're all smarmy gits and it just oozes out of their performance.
It's not nice.

[Snoo Gliffer]

that's coherent you halffuck.

Spell checked by Matt.

Oh the shame... :oops:

[Decode]

How dare you call me a twat for having an opinion that i feel i have a right to defend, i hope you fall under the wheels of their tourbus.

she called you a twat because you stole all her cigs and whiskey at J's party....

respect to your opinion bricky. I completely disagree with you (obviously) but cheers for coming and sticking around... I had such fun

[Dumpsterland…]

That's one of the best reviews I've ever read Bricky. Send it into the Venue letters page now so that the horrid machine that is Black Bud - who scour every page weekly for even the tiniest mention of their name - can see it.

It's their arrogance and sheer disbelief that anyone can even possibly deign to dislike them that gets me. There was I, trying to watch the band before them at Ashton Court, when their little gaggle start pointing and me in a distainful manner. Then Grant the managerdad comes over to me and tries to crack a funny about 'enjoying my work', although I got in there with it first that seemed to miff him mildly and then points to Theo saying something like "look, there's a friendly journo - someone who likes music". I couldn't resist saying "Oh, I love music, I just can't stand Blackbud".

He disappears for a bit, and then all of a sudden kiddy little messages start turning up on the big texty message boards like "Roy Delaney stinks" and "Oi Delaney get your hair cut". Quite chuffed I were!

He came back a bit later, and I think I annoyed him by being perfectly nice and civil. Not sure how they knew who I was, but it's nice to be recognised!

The thing is, if they can't handle this, how are they going to cope when the preoper music press start laying into them - as they inevitably will? They're going to off themselves!

I've been trying to think how they're going to get sold - they're not hip enough to be the next 22-20s and they're not cute enough to be the kids version called Rooster that's kicking about right now.

Oh, and when Independiente sack the bassist for not having the right look and ship in a renta-muso, what's managerdad going to do then?

Fairplay to him for all his hard work in polishing a turd, mind. But little else.

RDH

[north sea navigator]

That review was the modern day equivalent of being Bricked up alive.

[Willie D]

Looks like a popular forum (unlike, say, the desperately unloved MusicApp). These lads are doing well for themselves aren't they? You've give 'em that even if you don't like their music.

Or, like Roy and Bricky, you not only hate their music but also hate them as individuals and loathe everything they stand for.

Actually, you haven't got to give them anything. I just thought I'd be nice for once. They do seem to have their fans though.

[.panic]

They do seem to have their fans
though.

Yeah, that they do have. The croft was full of very young girls
admiring the boys on stage with glazy eyes. I had to leave half way into their set as
they'd already played their one tune, and saw no pint in listening to it
over and over again.

but respect for having a a pussy of teen fans, must be the sugar daddy
they take to gigs with them ;)

[Samuel Realname]

It's their arrogance and sheer disbelief that anyone can even possibly deign to dislike them that gets me. There was I, trying to watch the band before them at Ashton Court, when their little gaggle start pointing and me in a distainful manner. Then Grant the managerdad comes over to me and tries to crack a funny about 'enjoying my work', although I got in there with it first that seemed to miff him mildly and then points to Theo saying something like "look, there's a friendly journo - someone who likes music". I couldn't resist saying "Oh, I love music, I just can't stand Blackbud".

He disappears for a bit, and then all of a sudden kiddy little messages start turning up on the big texty message boards like "Roy Delaney stinks" and "Oi Delaney get your hair cut". Quite chuffed I were!

He came back a bit later, and I think I annoyed him by being perfectly nice and civil. Not sure how they knew who I was, but it's nice to be recognised!

RDH

Jesus! Thats pathetic!
I gotta say, no I've seen them I am a bit confused about all the rara surrounding them. While they're obviously 'not my sort of thing' I was expecting some decent hooks or something.

[Samuel Realname]

They do seem to have their fans
though.

Yeah, that they do have. The croft was full of very young girls
admiring the boys on stage with glazy eyes. I had to leave half way into their set as
they'd already played their one tune, and saw no pint in listening to it
over and over again.

but respect for having a a pussy of teen fans, must be the sugar daddy
they take to gigs with them ;)

Spot the two freudian slips in that post.

[Dumpsterland…]

They do seem to have their fans though.

So do the BNP.

RDH

[Old Father Disc]

They do seem to have their fans though.

So do the BNP.

RDH

Yeah, you've got me there.

[.panic]

[/quote]
Spot the two freudian slips in that post.[/quote]

couldn't help fall in luve with black bud, u see !

[photex]

that should go in Choke issue 15, please.

[Decode]

Dumpsterland… wrote:

Willie D wrote:
They do seem to have their fans though.

So do the BNP.

RDH


Yeah, you've got me there.

so do hacksaw... arf!! arf!! :lol:

willie the disc wrote:
They do seem to have their fans
though.

Yeah, that they do have. The croft was full of very young girls
admiring the boys on stage with glazy eyes.

May have more to do the fact that I have a lot of female friends... although there were loads of blokes there last night to. but certainly more women than you would find at a gig normally...

funny you compared then to The 22-20s Roy - I interviewed them recently and thought they were well up themselves, whereas in all the many conversations I have had with Blackbud I've never got the barest wiff of a smugness or complacency. If in fact they are pretty fucking grateful for their lot and luck. Joe does clearly live on another planet, but the fact that you need to retune your brainwaves to connect with the guy doesn't make him arrogant (well in my view)

gotta run... see you all later!!

[Rofl Harris]

Yes. to venue that is getting CC'd

[Rofl Harris]

i do hope the fans over at the blackbud website enjoy my hyperlinking abilities.

it's about time i let my latent complete bastard qualities out.

[130db]

I have to say i agree with team brick's original rant. Blackbud are Dadrock, playing tired hendrix rock, and pushed by the middleage circus of dad's that surround them. Wonder if they'll go the same way as the other local independiente signings Crashland? (who were far superior a band)

[miles the munter]

It's not just that Blackbud are dull, they seem to be making a calculated attempt at making middle of the road music for the middle brow middle classes. It's product and it has no heart.

[Rofl Harris]

It's not just that Blackbud are dull, they seem to be making a calculated attempt at making middle of the road music for the middle brow middle classes. It's product and it has no heart.

BAM!



exactly, like i said, if they were just dull, then they'd be of no consequence.

[Cartilage]

Bollocks to all of that. By any measure there were points when they were fantastic last night. Proficiency certainly isn't the same thing as good music and there are plenty of bands that can play but don't have anything behind it: to me (and I've been quietly sceptical) they proved there that they weren't among them. And I'm not even particularly a fan, I can't ever see myself putting their music on at home or anything, but I did think they were excellent... not in a jerkoff "ooh what's he doing with his guitar" way but a straightforward "this feels ace being here" way.

I can see that Joe can come across as arrogant and... well, he's a bit of a poser with his guitar, isn't he? That is very annoying, that is, at times. I have no idea if arrogant is a fair perception though, I don't know the guy. But Adam and Sam (at least) seem perfectly modest and down to earth to me, I'm sure they don't think they're the best band ever any more than any of you have to believe in what you're doing for it to be worth getting on stage in the first place. I keep seeing them at other gigs I go to, too, which has to be a good thing.

You didn't really stand a chance of anything other than hating them if the people around them were making a determined effort to dig at you all night, though. So, that was unfair, given that you were making a point of staying and seeing them. Dedicating that track to you should've been enough ribbing really.

Half of you want them to fall flat on their faces, suffer mass critical humiliation in the next year and never be heard of again. Funnily enough (and again, I might be wrong), but I don't get the feeling they'd wish the same thing for any of you. Who's arrogant, then?

And that's not that I don't think you should express your opinions, I just disagree with them.

[Rofl Harris]

do you remember the days when the flamed message boards with adverts?
did you see them dance around to their music at a party?

[Cartilage]

do you remember the days when the flamed message boards with adverts?
did you see them dance around to their music at a party?

To be fair, no. I did some pretty embarrassing things at their age too though.

[Decode]

do you remember the days when the flamed message boards with adverts?
did you see them dance around to their music at a party?

to be fair I think most posters have been guiltly of the first sin, and, while mabye not dancing, the second as well.... is it such a crime to feel pride in the music that you produce? isn't them dancing to their EP the same as Sean playing Geisha at his party?

[Decode]

i do hope the fans over at the blackbud website enjoy my hyperlinking abilities.

it's about time i let my latent complete bastard qualities out.

just had a look and they didn't give a shit did they? you got more of a rise from me and Cartilage over here (which isn't saying much as it was hardly unexpected) than the hardcore fans over there.... no matter how much you tried!! :lol: :lol:

[TB]

ahhh it was all fun though.
but to be fair, geisha are good and sean wasn't dancing, and we did all want to hear it.

[Decode]

but to be fair, geisha are good and sean wasn't dancing, and we did all want to hear it.

good point, but it was J's party and she wanted to hear them.... and you still stole all of L's cigs and whiskey

[tb]

it was bad whiskey.
oh the blackbud fans are making me laugh. like i said, i was only posting there for the day, and i got what i wanted, a backlash of defencive comments. i'm still the closest they have to a new jesuses!

all i did was write a review! maybe not a good review, but a review nonetheless!

[Decode]

like i said, i was only posting there for the day, and i got what i wanted, a backlash of defencive comments.

well congrats, I'm sure you feel very proud...

and you had to try fucking hard for it, because they weren't having any of it for ages. Stupid really Bricky - you and Roy had a fantastic bit of moral high ground talking about the pettiness of the BB fans at Ashton Court (Roy, it was a bunch of teenage girls in the crowd sending the text messages I'm sorry to say... they were so proud of themselves as well!) and then you go and spend a day trying to goad the BB fans on the forum just because you can.

Now that's fucking petty.






Come see Team Brick at Decode Unplugged at Bar Unlimited on Thurs 21st!! yay!!


see, we're all friends here :roll:

[Cartilage]

you got more of a rise from me and Cartilage over here (which isn't saying much as it was hardly unexpected)

:cough: actually, it is to me : p

[tb]

ahhh it was all a bit of fun.
i did have an alterior motive, i was also trying to show that i did have a sense of humour too, and wasn't a complete cunt. I don't think it worked very well

[Rofl Harris]

yo! theo, check the BB forum, i have realised my angerjunkiness and have made a formal apology for my behaviour but not for my rant.
thank.

[Cartilage]

Mr. Brick, do you have any tracks online I can download or anything as I've never heard what you do?

Sorry I didn't introduce myself at the gig, I was the very balding bloke in the decepticon t-shirt...

[Cartilage]

... I :do: hope I wasn't the template for your glazed-eyed dullard comment ;)

[tb]

No, it was actually a glazed eyed dullard behind me.

[Cartilage]

I was behind you! :o

[Old Father Disc]

Half of you want them to fall flat on their faces, suffer mass critical humiliation in the next year and never be heard of again.

Is this fair?

It seems to me that the only people with any personal against Blackbud are Roy and Bricky. Everyone else who has criticised them has been talking about their music, performance etc. I'm a neutral as I'm the only person in Bristol who hasn't heard them.

In future I will use this thread as documentary proof that the Choke forum does not possess a hive mind.

[Daishi]

'Tis true actually, all the things I've heard about BB has been related to the medoicreness of the MUSIC and the first I've heard about smugness and arrogance and managerdad was in Bricky's 'review'.

I have never heard them either, I would have stayed to form my own opinions (I'm partial to a certain amount of guitar wanking), but twas the witching hour and I had some Iced Earth to listen to to help me look menacing down Jamaica Street on the way home...

[Anonymous]

In future I will use this thread as documentary proof that the Choke forum does not possess a hive mind.

Quite right too. Personally I wouldn't take a pop at anyone I hadn't met, an appraisal of music is all that matters. I disagree totally with Miles that they are deliberately playing middle-of-the-road music, they seem to be enjoying it too much and are therefore in my mind, just doing what they want to do. Notwithstanding that it won't stop me saying hello to Miles. Likewise disagreements happen all the time, you only have to see the way in which Theo consistently plays broker to both sides of the argument to see that. Blackbud's forum is a love-in but then it is ostensibly a fan site, no different to any other band, whereas Choke is more of a breeding ground to my mind.

I think most of us would like a legion of dewey-eyed female fans if we were being honest about it.

[Mr Siegal]

In future I will use this thread as documentary proof that the Choke forum does not possess a hive mind.

Quite right too. Personally I wouldn't take a pop at anyone I hadn't met, an appraisal of music is all that matters. I disagree totally with Miles that they are deliberately playing middle-of-the-road music, they seem to be enjoying it too much and are therefore in my mind, just doing what they want to do. Notwithstanding that it won't stop me saying hello to Miles. Likewise disagreements happen all the time, you only have to see the way in which Theo consistently plays broker to both sides of the argument to see that. Blackbud's forum is a love-in but then it is ostensibly a fan site, no different to any other band, whereas Choke is more of a breeding ground to my mind.

I think most of us would like a legion of dewey-eyed female fans if we were being honest about it.

t'was me

[Cartilage]

Half of you want them to fall flat on their faces, suffer mass critical humiliation in the next year and never be heard of again.

Is this fair?

It seems to me that the only people with any personal against Blackbud are Roy and Bricky.

I took a rough stab at that being about half the people criticising them on the thread... I didn't mean to accused half the forum of feeling that way. I certainly wouldn't complain about anyone just criticising their music, I can entirely understand many peoples objections/reservations/dislike of what they do... although I've seen live performances (Monday was one of them) where I thought it would be hard to come away not at least thinking there were points of brilliance, it would be rather stupid to tell people they have to enjoy something they don't.

Actually, tell you what, I've said before I understand both their detractors and their fans. I don't. I don't understand either. I can't understand how anyone can come away from their gigs not being really stunned by parts of what they do, but I can't understand how anyone can come away not being really annoyed by others, either. They are deserving at present neither of absolute adoration nor of absolute hatred. What I dispute is the assumption that they themselves think otherwise.