smoe.org mailing lists
ivan@stellysee.de
From | bob_hutton@standardlife.com |
Subject | The Darkness: a theory (by Prof. Bob C Hutton) |
Date | Wed, 4 Feb 2004 10:05:16 +0000 |
[Part 1 text/plain us-ascii (1.0 kilobytes)]
(View Text in a separate window)
Here's my theory on why the Darkness are so popular in the UK:
Heavy metal/hard rock is not currently popular in Britain at present (maybe
even as marginalised as power-pop!). We in Britain are cynical people and
we enjoy entertainers that take the p*ss out of things we don't like. The
Darkness, in our opinion, take the p*ss out of heavy metal/hard rock by
playing toe-curlingly awful music with embarassing lyrics. So we like
them. If they were serious they wouldn't have sold diddly in UK.
In the USA, punching the air and shouting "Woo-Hoo" while watching heavy
metal/hard rock bands is as popular as ever (if not more so). Hence, The
Darkness are taking the p*ss out of something a lot of Americans cherish -
and Americans don't like that. This is why the USA will only warm to The
Darkness if Americans somehow don't get the joke and believe the band is
serious.
Just a theory. Personally I preferred Spinal Tap, both for the sharper wit
AND for the better songs.
B^)
For assistance, please contact
the smoe.org administrators.