A group for contestants and lovers of the Channel 4 game show 'Countdown'.
http://c4countdown.co.uk/
Excellent. Here's the B-side.Andy Wilson wrote:hehe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf7RI4Ka ... dded#at=41
I think there's probably a similar amount of editing going on in both, but the Gaga track is rhythmically much simpler than the Beyonce one, so it's easier to edit the footage to fit.Andy Wilson wrote:Cool! Yeah, the one I posted is quite edited right?
I like that song and I'm not even black.Jennifer Steadman wrote:'I Need A Dollar' is the first time I've been able to do the hipster thing of "I liked that before it was popular!"
Thank you! Hopefully a national magazine/newspaper Ed-in-Chief will one day stumble across it and see fit to hire me, but until then it's something to keep me busyRyan Taylor wrote:It was only today I noticed the link to your blog in your sig. Cool blog, particularly the recent Countdown post and the university life post.
I don't mind the verses, excellent use of Stylophone. The chorus is absolute shite though and she in general is annoying. In conclusion, I've heard far worse.Jennifer Steadman wrote:This has got to be one of the biggest musical turds in chart history. Belief-defyingly dire.
Jennifer Steadman wrote:This has got to be one of the biggest musical turds in chart history. Belief-defyingly dire.
I heard this a couple of weeks ago for the first time and thought it was awful, without really paying that much attention. As I respect Jim's opinion on a lot of things, I thought I should give it another listen. I'm totally with Jennifer, it's an absolute abomination.JimBentley wrote:I don't mind the verses, excellent use of Stylophone. The chorus is absolute shite though and she in general is annoying. In conclusion, I've heard far worse.Jennifer Steadman wrote:This has got to be one of the biggest musical turds in chart history. Belief-defyingly dire.
Yeah, I was probably a bit hasty previously, it is absolute shit, and I know that if I listened to a radio station that played it I would become seriously enraged if it was played more than once a day. But I stand by my comment about having heard worse.Jon Corby wrote:I heard this a couple of weeks ago for the first time and thought it was awful, without really paying that much attention. As I respect Jim's opinion on a lot of things, I thought I should give it another listen. I'm totally with Jennifer, it's an absolute abomination.JimBentley wrote:I don't mind the verses, excellent use of Stylophone. The chorus is absolute shite though and she in general is annoying. In conclusion, I've heard far worse.Jennifer Steadman wrote:This has got to be one of the biggest musical turds in chart history. Belief-defyingly dire.
Even if she just farted and shat over the microphone you'd have probably still "heard worse". The song is total garbage, it doesn't deserve any kind of defence. It's a real shame, because the terrible execution means that the lyrics' message - which is a very powerful, moving and thought-provoking one - gets somewhat lost.JimBentley wrote:Yeah, I was probably a bit hasty previously, it is absolute shit, and I know that if I listened to a radio station that played it I would become seriously enraged if it was played more than once a day. But I stand by my comment about having heard worse.
She was executed? Not so terrible.Jon Corby wrote:the terrible execution
Well, of course I fucking would, I've heard records by Nickelback.Jon Corby wrote:Even if she just farted and shat over the microphone you'd have probably still "heard worse".
If only I could 'like' this comment. I now see where you're coming from; 'Swagger Jagger' is a turd but 'Rock Star' is chronic diarrhoea.JimBentley wrote:Well, of course I fucking would, I've heard records by Nickelback.Jon Corby wrote:Even if she just farted and shat over the microphone you'd have probably still "heard worse".
Hmm, tough question to answer.Jennifer Steadman wrote:If only I could 'like' this comment. I now see where you're coming from; 'Swagger Jagger' is a turd but 'Rock Star' is chronic diarrhoea.JimBentley wrote:Well, of course I fucking would, I've heard records by Nickelback.Jon Corby wrote:Even if she just farted and shat over the microphone you'd have probably still "heard worse".
On a different, non-faecal subject, what are c4cians' favourite albums? Mine are Dog Man Star by Suede, Modern Life Is Rubbish and 13 by Blur and Definitely Maybe by Oasis. Not too much variety chronologically, but marvellous albums nonetheless
Not fair; that choon has its usesJennifer Steadman wrote:'Rock Star' is chronic diarrhoea.JimBentley wrote:Well, of course I fucking would, I've heard records by Nickelback.Jon Corby wrote:Even if she just farted and shat over the microphone you'd have probably still "heard worse".
That At The Gates album is on our jukebox at the moment, what I've heard from it is quite impressive. Definitely seems to be a latter-day extreme classic, I'll get round to buying it at some point.Mark James wrote:For a good few years now I've been trying to compile a Top 10 Ten Albums I'd give 10/10 to list .This is what I've got so far.
Forever Changes - love
Leviathan - Mastodon
Slaughter of the Soul - At The Gates
Blind Melon - Blind Melon
Most of the other albums I really like still only get a 9.
There's a special edition that comes with a making of dvd. Keep an eye out for that one. And get their other three albums too.Ian Volante wrote:That At The Gates album is on our jukebox at the moment, what I've heard from it is quite impressive. Definitely seems to be a latter-day extreme classic, I'll get round to buying it at some point.
There is a bunch of theories about this, I don't know which one is currently popular, but my guess is that you have a pattern-recognition system in the brain, which obviously does confer a survival advantage, and therefore the pleasure system is hooked up to reward successful identification of patterns. Music tickles that part of the brain with artificial patterns, leading to pleasure, even while actually short-circuiting the purpose of the system. So it's completely analogous to masturbation. And arguably in both cases, they're actually not pointless, but rather serve as a kind of mental practice environment for the real thing.Jon O'Neill wrote: It confers no genetic selection advantage on any level I can think of, unless it's just a really obtuse social construct.
So all those years I spent listening to Kid A with the lights off wanking myself into a sweaty stupour should have paid off by now then right?Charlie Reams wrote:There is a bunch of theories about this, I don't know which one is currently popular, but my guess is that you have a pattern-recognition system in the brain, which obviously does confer a survival advantage, and therefore the pleasure system is hooked up to reward successful identification of patterns. Music tickles that part of the brain with artificial patterns, leading to pleasure, even while actually short-circuiting the purpose of the system. So it's completely analogous to masturbation. And arguably in both cases, they're actually not pointless, but rather serve as a kind of mental practice environment for the real thing.Jon O'Neill wrote: It confers no genetic selection advantage on any level I can think of, unless it's just a really obtuse social construct.
Huh, could be. Fits with lipstick and things like that. On the other hand it could just be a sort of arbitrary task, and the objective is to show that you have the time and resources to undertake it.Jon O'Neill wrote:That sounds quite plausible. I know this isn't music-related, but I had a theory about ironing today, which is to all intents and purposes, a completely fucking retarded social convention. OR IS IT? Perhaps it is the case that ironed clothes simulate young, taut, fertile skin, whilst wrinkled clothes bring to the subconscious mind saggy old unchildgiving wrinkles. And that's why we find ironed clothes more aesthetically appealing.
Yeah, maybe. I prefer my sexual one though.Charlie Reams wrote:Huh, could be. Fits with lipstick and things like that. On the other hand it could just be a sort of arbitrary task, and the objective is to show that you have the time and resources to undertake it.Jon O'Neill wrote:That sounds quite plausible. I know this isn't music-related, but I had a theory about ironing today, which is to all intents and purposes, a completely fucking retarded social convention. OR IS IT? Perhaps it is the case that ironed clothes simulate young, taut, fertile skin, whilst wrinkled clothes bring to the subconscious mind saggy old unchildgiving wrinkles. And that's why we find ironed clothes more aesthetically appealing.
http://alonetone.com/dn0619Jon O'Neill wrote: I'm redoing my mp3 player, so any suggestions for new stuff to download and put on there are very welcome.
I refer you to: Cepeda MS, Carr DB, Lau J, Alvarez H. Music for pain relief. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD004843. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004843.pub2Mark James wrote:I don't know if it holds true for music, but on the recent QI Stephen Fry said that, during experiments of pain tolerance, people could endure more pain in rooms that had works of art on the wall, as though the works of art had pain killing properties. It wouldn't surprise me if listening to music you enjoy could have a similar effect on your brain.
Interesting... you're definitely an anomoly in that regard. I only know one other person like you, but I'm almost certain he has Schizoid or Borderline Personality Disorder.Adam Gillard wrote:But 99.9% of music IS painful. I feel like I have to like 0.1% else I'll be excommunicated by society as "the weirdo who doesn't 'get' music". I saw on some TV show a while ago that someone (Chris Evans I think) quoted a person they'd met as saying that they don't like music, so he asked them "what music?" and they said "all music" and he was stunned. It's just a completely foreign concept to most people. Conversation would go like this:
A: So, what kind of music do you like?
Me: I don't
A: What do you mean?
Me: I don't like music
A: You mean you don't like the music on the radio?
Me: Yes, but other music too
A: Huh? So what kind of music do you like then?
Me (giving up): I once had an iPod (a gift) with a handful of songs that I "liked" on it. I also like the sound of my own (singing) voice - does that count?
*A gives me a quizzical look and never speaks to me again*
Then again, I'm thinking of 'music' here mostly in the narrow sense of the stuff that's released into the charts. People singing / playing musical instruments can be OK as long as it's not too loud. Here's the big controversial no-no though: (I think) I could live without it (sorry ABBA).
I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the only person on this forum who feels this way about music, as it seems to be an extremely rare standpoint (it is possible to like other things without liking music; I'm not a completely miserable sod). Does anyone else feel this way or even understand this viewpoint?
Not in the slightest, ya weirdo.Adam Gillard wrote:Does anyone else feel this way or even understand this viewpoint?
You're not meant to do this before I say {{citation-needed}}, you spoilsport.Phil Reynolds wrote:I refer you to: Cepeda MS, Carr DB, Lau J, Alvarez H. Music for pain relief. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD004843. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004843.pub2Mark James wrote:I don't know if it holds true for music, but on the recent QI Stephen Fry said that, during experiments of pain tolerance, people could endure more pain in rooms that had works of art on the wall, as though the works of art had pain killing properties. It wouldn't surprise me if listening to music you enjoy could have a similar effect on your brain.
Not liking chart music isn't that unusual. It sounds like you just haven't found your niche yet.Adam Gillard wrote: Then again, I'm thinking of 'music' here mostly in the narrow sense of the stuff that's released into the charts. People singing / playing musical instruments can be OK as long as it's not too loud. Here's the big controversial no-no though: (I think) I could live without it (sorry ABBA).
I picked some songs from the collections that my family had, lots of random stuff basically. The only recurring theme in a handful of songs was Sinatra and stuff like that. I also had a bunch of Travis songs on it because I got a Travis album as a present when I was younger. Not liking music in general means that I also don't really have a genre and it's just the odd song that I thought was worth including, but still on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. I remember I had a bit of Elvis, Al Green and older stuff, Football's Coming Home and a few 2000s songs too - certainly not a collection that really made any sense.Jon O'Neill wrote:What were the few songs you had, out of interest?
I love music but would probably have to agree that 99.9% of it is pure shite. Fortunately there's so much music that that .1% is enough for me. I still don't get how people couldn't like any though. The same for sport. If you say you don't like say, football, I could understand that but to say you don't like all sport? I can't fathom it.Jon O'Neill wrote:Adam Gillard wrote:But 99.9% of music IS painful.
Who says I have to have a niche? It could be that I like performing music (playing/singing) but dislike listening to music. Listening to performance music probably falls somewhere in the middle.Charlie Reams wrote: Not liking chart music isn't that unusual. It sounds like you just haven't found your niche yet.
There are two that have lodged in my mind (no citations, but could dig them out eventually) - both of them using as evidence (as I recall) on the universality of both music and spoken language.Charlie Reams wrote:There is a bunch of theories about this, I don't know which one is currently popularJon O'Neill wrote: It confers no genetic selection advantage on any level I can think of, unless it's just a really obtuse social construct.
It's still annoying most of the time. The rest of the time it's so samey that it's cringeworthy (e.g. the music for a love scene or a farewell scene). Sometimes it's cool, but I wouldn't like the music on its own (i.e., if there weren't a similarly cool action sequence going on in the foreground).Jennifer Steadman wrote:Out of interest, what do you think of music in films - do you find it annoying/not conducive for adding to the mood of a scene?
What about, say, the Star Wars theme tune? Does the opening minute or so not fill you with joy? (I'm guessing the answer'll be no, but it's so glorious and iconic, etc.)Adam Gillard wrote:It's still annoying most of the time. The rest of the time it's so samey that it's cringeworthy (e.g. the music for a love scene or a farewell scene). Sometimes it's cool, but I wouldn't like the music on its own (i.e., if there weren't a similarly cool action sequence going on in the foreground).Jennifer Steadman wrote:Out of interest, what do you think of music in films - do you find it annoying/not conducive for adding to the mood of a scene?
I thought I couched that gently enough that it would be obvious I wasn't making an absolute statement of fact. If someone announced they didn't like food but then mentioned that they'd only ever eaten Ryvitas then we'd probably be justified in guessing that they should try some other foods, right? It could be that you really don't like any music, but still the balance of probabilities is against it.Adam Gillard wrote:Who says I have to have a niche? It could be that I like performing music (playing/singing) but dislike listening to music. Listening to performance music probably falls somewhere in the middle.Charlie Reams wrote: Not liking chart music isn't that unusual. It sounds like you just haven't found your niche yet.
It's certainly nothing like your brain not being able to "get" music anyway.Adam Gillard wrote:It's still annoying most of the time. The rest of the time it's so samey that it's cringeworthy (e.g. the music for a love scene or a farewell scene). Sometimes it's cool, but I wouldn't like the music on its own (i.e., if there weren't a similarly cool action sequence going on in the foreground).Jennifer Steadman wrote:Out of interest, what do you think of music in films - do you find it annoying/not conducive for adding to the mood of a scene?
I was definitely the odd one out when I was at school. Never listened to pop music (Dad watched Top of the Pops with the sound turned down so he could see Pan's People every week), Radio 3 was on the whole time at home, and I got my parents' prejudices ("what a horrible noise!" when anything rock-ish came on TV). I only got into jazz & big band in my thirties from playing the stuff. Still don't get most rock or pop, though the odd song sticks in my mind. I had to get over the fact that I had very abnormal tastes in music (for my peer group) early on. The compensation for the fact that I didn't 'get' the stuff that everyone else seemed to was that I had an appreciation and understanding of something most of 'everyone else' didn't.Adam Gillard wrote:I don't follow the normal culture and views that come along with it.
This sounds like a really interesting theory. I looked up Amazon and found: Music and the Ineffable by Vladimir Jankelevitch. Perhaps this is the book you read. Knowing nothing about music theory, it may be way over my head but the philosophical aspects of it appeal to me.Brian Moore wrote: The other (I can't remember off the top of my head whether this was a Sloboda-related suggestion, or one more specific to my jazz/big band studies) is that music communicates something, and that that something is something we can't communicate in another way (verbal or visual), therefore music must exist to communicate that (and is why music is present in some form in all cultures on the planet). A phrase that comes to mind (I thought it was the title of a book I'd read, but can't find it now) is "expressing the ineffable", but I like the positive vibe of this idea, rather than the 'happy by-product' basis of Pinker's. I realise than my 'liking' one theory won't be generally accepted as a proof of its correctness.
).Jon Corby wrote: Satan has taken music and he has counterfeited it, convoluted it, twisted it, exploited it and now he's using it to hammer, hammer, hammer, hammer, hammer a message into the minds and the lifestyles of this generation.