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Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 15:22
by Bent Fabric
I'm always happy to pile on.

This story goes back about twenty years, but an acquaintance made a record with Bragg on which both men sang a fair number of leads - the "not Bragg guy" was playing the work in progress at home regularly during production (approving performances, mixes, etc.) and every time Bragg started singing, the guy's little toddler started crying hysterically "DADDY, NO!!!!"

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 15:32
by naughty boy
:lol:

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 18:16
by Polishgirl
I fucking hate Billy Bragg. I hate his voice, his music, and him.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 18:35
by Count Machuki
Bent Fabric wrote:I'm always happy to pile on.

This story goes back about twenty years, but an acquaintance made a record with Bragg on which both men sang a fair number of leads - the "not Bragg guy" was playing the work in progress at home regularly during production (approving performances, mixes, etc.) and every time Bragg started singing, the guy's little toddler started crying hysterically "DADDY, NO!!!!"



:lol:

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 18:57
by The Modernist
Polishgirl wrote:I fucking hate Billy Bragg. I hate his voice, his music, and him.


Have you seen the size of his gaff?

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 20:50
by Polishgirl
The Modernist wrote:
Polishgirl wrote:I fucking hate Billy Bragg. I hate his voice, his music, and him.


Have you seen the size of his gaff?


I have . :evil:

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 20:52
by Deebank
How dare a socialist have a big house!

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 21:05
by Polishgirl
Deebank wrote:How dare a socialist have a big house!


One of the Billy Bragg things I particularly dislike is the assumption that if you're a lefty, you have to adore him.

It's ok for socialists to have money - that's not the problem. The problem is Bragg himself; smug, clichéd and very, very tedious.

Edit: and he's got a stupid face.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 22:32
by The Modernist
He got where he is through a mixture of brazen Essex front and right place, right time (he sort of capitalised on the post Smiths vogue for whimsical, vaguely right on indie, as did The Housemartins). There's not really any real talent there, apart from a knack for writing the odd pun laden one liner. But that suggests to me his true vocation was writing limericks for Christmas crackers rather than professional singer/songwriter.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 22:35
by clive gash
His initial deal was a ‘one man, one guitar, one truth’ back to basics reaction to ideas-above-it’s-station New Pop. Keepin’ it real for student wankers.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 22:43
by naughty boy
Blame your mates The Clash.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 01 Jul 2018, 22:46
by clive gash
He wasn’t listening properly then.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 02 Jul 2018, 18:51
by bobzilla77
Prince, Cameo and Janet Jackson are standing pretty tall as I see it.

I really liked REM and Peter Gabriel's albums, and hit singles, that year. LL Cool J and Beastie Boys were pretty hot too.

I wish Huskers had put forth a winning album in the year they finally got some attention, but Candy Apple Gray was largely a saddening bore. "Don't Want To Know" was a worthwhile single though.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 02 Jul 2018, 18:53
by bobzilla77
I also remember liking the Violent Femmes' Blind Leading The Naked pretty well when it came out, though I haven't wanted to hear it for at least thirty years.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 02 Jul 2018, 19:30
by Sneelock
"word up"!!!!

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 02 Jul 2018, 20:00
by sloopjohnc
Bent Fabric wrote:I'm always happy to pile on.

This story goes back about twenty years, but an acquaintance made a record with Bragg on which both men sang a fair number of leads - the "not Bragg guy" was playing the work in progress at home regularly during production (approving performances, mixes, etc.) and every time Bragg started singing, the guy's little toddler started crying hysterically "DADDY, NO!!!!"


Another good reason to remove sharp objects around small children.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 02 Jul 2018, 22:07
by Ranking Ted
I picked Prince, Cameo and Run DMC. I also dig the Gwen Guthrie.

On the Bragg, full disclosure - I bought it and the Talking With The Taxman... album at the time (I was 16!) and think LST is still very definitely one where he reined in his natural clunkiness and produced something with a rough grace. Obvious now, but that was really the high water mark... his unlovely yowl and mix of hectoring and sentimentality have not worn well.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 05 Dec 2018, 00:56
by Sneelock
that IS a long list. I've only now finished reading it.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 05 Dec 2018, 10:12
by Deebank
NME were trying a bit too hard in 1986 weren't they.

Re: NME Top Singles of 1986

Posted: 15 Dec 2018, 12:26
by Silent Bob
BLT not even on the list. Good God.