RATM vs X-Factor

[system11]

Do your bit for the righteous battle ahead!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2228594104

(probably UK only..)

[MX7]

Ha ha, yeah. It would be great if it happened. Though I can't seem to access the page at the moment, not even from my own FB

[neorichieb1971]

I don't see the point. Cowell will make shit loads of cash either way. no1 no2 or no10.. He's already got 10 related acts in the charts, one or more will be top 10.

[Specineff]

Bah, I thought it was going to be some sort of comic book cross-over featuring government-hired mutants VS some mercenaries.

The mislead ever.

[system11]

Current standings: 175000 vs 110000 in favour of RATM. Unfortunately this will change when the physical single is on shop shelves for that X Factor crap. I bought 3 copies of RATM personally, at this point it'll be top 10 and played on TV/radio regardless.

[Khan]

yea I heard about this on facebook, in all honesty I only watched the first episode of the x factor but had been reading in the paper of it, theres been so much drama this time around with some annoying twins to booting out people with good singing talents and keeping those with poor singing skill it even made the 6 'o clock news :/

what worries me is how a man like cowell can become such an influence to itv and become so filthy stinking rich criticising and belittling people and making millions doing it I feel like the show has become stale and lost the plot its all about mainstream crap now and no longer about finding real talent but just what will sell........i really want that job!

[Lordstar]

this decade has been the worst decade for tv since BBC first went on air, and its all down to reality TV.

[system11]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/de ... ger-swears

Haha.

Amusing /and/ clever, never would have made the news sites otherwise.

[Stormwatch]

Hey, why is everybody dissing X-Factor? I loved it when I was a kid.

[Damocles]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/de ... ger-swears

Haha.

Amusing /and/ clever, never would have made the news sites otherwise.

I'll never understand why everyone gets so antsy with cursing on the radio. I realize it's a free medium and, as such, runs on ads and is open to everyone. I also realize that stations don't want to piss off sponsors. But, really, who gives a fuck?

[Taylor]

I think it's doubly great because they asked them not to swear, and the lyric is "fuck you, I won't do what you tell me." Act surprised!

I'll never understand why everyone gets so antsy with cursing on the radio. I realize it's a free medium and, as such, runs on ads and is open to everyone. I also realize that stations don't want to piss off sponsors. But, really, who gives a fuck?

They're still playing it safe after Russell Brand's antics over a year ago.

[Damocles]

I think it's doubly great because they asked them not to swear, and the lyric is "fuck you, I won't do what you tell me." Act surprised!

Obviously someone didn't realize that's what Rage does. Asking them not to just assured that.

[Magic Knight]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/de ... ger-swears

Haha.

Amusing /and/ clever, never would have made the news sites otherwise.

I'll never understand why everyone gets so antsy with cursing on the radio. I realize it's a free medium and, as such, runs on ads and is open to everyone. I also realize that stations don't want to piss off sponsors. But, really, who gives a fuck?

As an aside, the BBC doesn't run on ads (no ads in the middle of films or sports), it's main source of revenue is from television licenses, which are compulsory if you have a television. There's no fee just for having a radio though.

[Damocles]

Ahhh...I just assumed it worked like it does over here. Color me informed.

[cools]

As an aside, the BBC doesn't run on ads (no ads in the middle of films or sports), it's main source of revenue is from television licenses, which are compulsory if you have a television. There's no fee just for having a radio though.

I need to correct you here - you only need a license for watching broadcast television.

The device itself does not require a license.

[Magic Knight]

As an aside, the BBC doesn't run on ads (no ads in the middle of films or sports), it's main source of revenue is from television licenses, which are compulsory if you have a television. There's no fee just for having a radio though.

I need to correct you here - you only need a license for watching broadcast television.

The device itself does not require a license.

Yes, I knew that, I didn't think it particularly pertinent to the conversation though. When I lived in Carmarthen just before coming to Japan I thought about getting a television just for PCBs, then decided to just stick with the radio.

[system11]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8423340.stm

"One retailer said it was a "truly remarkable outcome - possibly the greatest chart upset ever". "

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

[DJ Incompetent]

I can't believe your area pulled that off. Something that cool would never happen in U.S.

Cheers to your scene.

[RGC]

.

[sjewkestheloon]

Highly entertaining, proves the purchasing power of those interested in music. Unfortunately people interested in music tend to purchase a huge range of things which results in a thin spread between all the hard working artists. The cretins that flock to purchase Pop Idol singles do so as a gaggle with this single and album as their only musical purchase in the year.

As for the criticism of people buying RATM because 'someone told them to', do you have a grasp of politics and strike action? People didn't purchase a RATM track because they were told to, they identified with a proposed statement and used their buying power to express their distaste with the current musical climate. Many good things have happened when a person has presented a possible protest action and others have followed. This is also far from zombie like conditioning and consumption a la TV overload of X Factor.

[DEL]

Well I'm very glad Rage won.
My personal tastes are way harder than pop music (pop music being very well described as; "Music watered down for the masses".)
But I still appreciate the sentiment. Independant bands haven't had a look-in for years now. The power of EMI etc has ensured that only the stuff they want to promote (pay for) gets played on air. For decades now I've been sick of listening to the same 5 or so tunes played over and over all day on most radio stations.
The output at Night is different, thank God.

I've mentioned it a couple of times, but a similar situation exists with western produced 3D video games in depressing shades of grey and brown. The public can consume only what is fed to it.

[oli_lar]

As for the criticism of people buying RATM because 'someone told them to', do you have a grasp of politics and strike action? People didn't purchase a RATM track because they were told to, they identified with a proposed statement and used their buying power to express their distaste with the current musical climate. Many good things have happened when a person has presented a possible protest action and others have followed. This is also far from zombie like conditioning and consumption a la TV overload of X Factor.

Problem is some people purchased it multiple times (as in i've heard multiple people say 'done my bit, bought it 3 times'), which imo voids any purpose to their argument of 'power to the people'. Why not spend that money on other artist's singles, support them? Stupid plebs. IMO this thing has just proved people are as easily led by someone on facebook as they are by Simon Cowell etc. Its proved the vast majority of people still don't have any actual interest in music, rather the aesthetics they use from it to associate themselves to. A la consumers. At least the people buying the X-factor single were buying it out of liking the tune rather than as a protest.

The protest only worked because its easier for people to spunk money up the wall than to go and do something about it. Don't like the shit in the charts? Get involved in the genre's scene, make some bloody music yourself etc.

[oli_lar]

The public can consume only what is fed to it.

Or they can make it themselves? Anyway artists should be producing what they themselves like, not what 'the public likes'. Otherwise its not art, its product with purely monetary intentions. This is why chart music is generally shit.

[DJ Incompetent]

Problem is some people purchased it multiple times (as in i've heard multiple people say 'done my bit, bought it 3 times'), which imo voids any purpose to their argument of 'power to the people'. Why not spend that money on other artist's singles, support them? Stupid plebs. IMO this thing has just proved people are as easily led by someone on facebook as they are by Simon Cowell etc. Its proved the vast majority of people still don't have any actual interest in music, rather the aesthetics they use from it to associate themselves to. A la consumers. At least the people buying the X-factor single were buying it out of liking the tune rather than as a protest.

The protest only worked because its easier for people to spunk money up the wall than to go and do something about it. Don't like the shit in the charts? Get involved in the genre's scene, make some bloody music yourself etc.

'Pretty sure it was about the message, not the method.

[oli_lar]

If that was so then they're cheating their own message by buying it multiple times. Multiple voting is illegal in democracy. If people had only bought it once and it had gotten to number 1 then yes, the protest and message would be valid. As it stands its very possible that it only got to no. 1 because of the multiple purchases. I can see where they are coming from, that there has been a message has got awareness, but its still not (probably) the majority of people who want it. If you want to send a message then get more involved with music, as I say. And support a UK band, nuture the local music scene, one that you can see and is tangable - that would be much more rewarding.

Still, at least a lot of money was raised for charity. Can't argue with that.

[Taylor]

So, it's okay if you convince a few tens of thousands of people to buy a single to rig the charts, many of whom have no interest in RATM and just want to see X-Factor rubbish out of the top spot. But, if they buy it twice, then the message of the uprising is lost with scrupulous methods and the only solution is to form lots of bands that will all somehow beat the X-Factor song while simultaneously rewriting the charts and redefining music as we know it.

[oli_lar]

I'm not saying the solution for people to find better music is to 'beat' the X-factor, rather if they get themselves involved and will find the more they do so, the more they will appreciate music and the more music they will like. Write a zine, put on a gig, put up a band for the night etc. Likewise with forming their own band/producing music, they will appreciate music more. Anyone that has been involved in a music scene (or any hobby/interest in general tbh) will tell you the more you put in, the more you will get out.

If thats what you were saying? I'm not sure I got you.

[system11]

Record companies have been artificially 'influencing' sales for decades. Fight fire with fire.

The ends are more important than the means in this case. As for people being 'sheep' for joining the campaign - where does that stupidity end exactly? Following a political party? Giving to charity? Are those people all sheep too? A sheep is someone going along with what is fed to them because they don't know any better, or because they're too stupid to know they've been fed a load of rubbish.

To actively spend money in a protest vote is something else entirely. The only real shame is that Cowell will be back next year, but hopefully some people will release a good single that's worth buying. Pretty unlikely given the quality of the charts to be honest, but it's a hope. My vote was against X-Factor (just a gameshow at the end of the day) and all the similar 'reality TV' which plagues television these days.

As for going out and creating new music as you suggested in an earlier reply - not everyone is musically talented. A man should know his limitations.

[RGC]

.

[system11]

Doing what you suggested is very anonymous. There's no point protesting if nobody sees it, it would be like me driving out into a deserted forest with a 'save the trees' sign. Very noble, but really - why bother?

Additionally, and this is important: it was very, very funny.