Has Nick Leeson just been arrested for his part in the downfall of Barings bank? Has eBay just been founded? Has Rose West just been sentenced for the killing of 10 women and children?
No, that’s because it’s not 1995 any more (sorry, mid-90s fans). But looking at some headlines you might be forgiven for thinking that it’s 1995, because the WAR between Oasis and Blur is back ON. Apparently.
After Blur had critical and fan adoration heaped on them in big hot dollops for their reunion gigs at Glastonbury and Hyde Park, its now been decided by someone that the classic Britpop feud is to resume.
Oasis are playing Wembley this week, and it’s reported they have to do ‘something special’ in order to make Blur look like a bunch of Fred Perry sponsored pony-bummers.
Despite Oasis’seses three dates at the London stadium selling out, many tickets have apparently gone on sale online for as little as £25 – which is almost half the face value. Or, just 51p less than the 12 jar wooden revolving spice rack you can buy in Argos.
Back in ‘95 it was Blur’s Country House which won the battle of Britpop, outselling Oasis’ Roll With It. Although that’s a bit like asking “Which is the best? Solid, but really smelly poo – or sloppy, but smell-free poo?”
14 years has passed - Damon has developed an ape comfort zone with his involvement in the Gorillaz and the opera Monkey: Journey To The West – whilst Liam has launched his own clothing range and Noel currently appears in a promo on Sky News saying how much he likes Sky News. Oh, they also released some albums as well.
Whether or not you give a shit about either band, it’s not really about the music, or north versus south, or even knees-up versus fook-off. It’s a series of headline friendly soundbites between the two that we can all enjoy.
In 1995 Noel famously told The Observer that he hoped Albarn would catch AIDS and die. But it was to be another four years before Albarn made this equally shocking statement about the Gallaghers: “I just think it was a shame when they started appearing in Hello and OK magazines”.
ZING! Couple that searing, pithy wit with the fact that Damon Albarn has the world’s most boring speaking voice and 2009 will clearly be the year of Britpopageddon 2: This Time They’re All A Bit Older And Probably Go To Bed Earlier. It is on. Or not.
This was a guest blog by the insultingly talented Simon Swatman from Mediapill, which you should all look at now because it is phenomenal.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Team Blur.
Although the Gorillaz makes me want to wretch and die.
Does anyone younger than 30 even know who these bands are? OR are they just neat songs during a retro party?
My vote is for Stone Roses (first album). Early Blur is ok, but they became kinda “light in the loafers”. Never was a big Oasis fan, always found that they were full of themselves.
Blur vs Oasis was always a ridiculous conflict but time has conclusively shown us the winner. That winner is Blur because they actually managed to identify that their music was a gratefully forgotten relic of the 90s and packed it all in while they still had some credibility. Oasis, on the other hand, are still putting out the same shit to this day.
Blur is more original.
I’m still in the era of Guns N Roses v Poison. What decade was that, again?
Floyd or Zep?
Beatles or stones?
duran or spandau?
the inkspots or the legendary pink dots?
We can enjoy them all. Both are have their own trademark. They’re better than Lady GaGa.. LOL