it can make a nice change from Radiohead. I used to love Bentley Rhythm Ace, for example - they were properly silly but they still made music you could dance to...

And they very much have a point.

funny band but can also make serious points as well!

There's another example for you.

are the funnest band ever, and also brilliant

It is opinion whether or not they have excelled...

I like bands who write songs about life and 'the human experience' and who can strike a chord with me about this.

Now quite often 'the human experience' includes a fair old share of pain and anger and that's where converge etc strike a chord. But the human experience also includes moments of joy (sigur ros), introspection (smog) or, indeed - humour. Actually I love bands like Sparklehorse because they can make me laugh and cry.

and we're all from barcelona!

i win thread

done

What do you mean by excel?
Why can't bands have a laugh, while simultaneously being dedicated?
What do you listen to when you're in a good mood?
What do you mean by dead serious?

Too many questions! I'm going to listen to Be Your Own Pet.

And it totally, totally, totally depends on the quality of their tunes... if they can have a laugh and produce fookin' brilliant songs, then fair play. Havin' a laugh could produce somethin' like "I Am the Walrus", which I think is genii.

As long as there's quality tuneage comin' out then, who gives a shit?

who of course famously split up in 2006

to have a sense of humour in your work whilst also being deadly serious, in fact I wish more music was like that. It seems to work best if the humour is a bit dark or warped.

I buy a lot of Norton reissues and one of my recent favourites is 'I Hear Voices' by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, which is a very very funny record, but a very serious one too. Err, I think.

BAD IDEA

Possibly the least serious band i've ever heard, but still firmly on the right side of awesome.

If only there were more bands who had songs about terminators and dinosaurs.

Monty Python hilarious decked in formitable folksy rags...oh, and angel wings. :)

Urgh, you're so completely wrong. If you're not doing music because it's fun and you love it, you're very likely to be making shit music.

Life isn't serious. Even the hardest things are deflected with humour. That's what human beings do. Music should be playful and fun. It can be completely serious at the same time. Billy Bragg is a prime example of someone who lyrically covers the full spectrum of human emotion whilst also being playful with it.

"Hot can you lay back and think of England when you don't even know who's in the team" etc

I

DEVO

yes.

Richard Cheese!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=U0wmYJ3yj0c&feature=related

arguably the greatest live rock act in the uk at the moment, and their music, which has hooked both hardcore fans and the masses, is self-confessedly ridiculously ott.

i think the context of "dead serious" is ambiguous. the flaming lips are very light hearted. and therefore not "dead serious". but they are dead serious musicians aiming to achieve what they achieve and push their boundaries.

what about primus? who are dead serious about being idiots, and were an incredibly unique and talented band.

finally, what about the all time great innovators. sure jimi was serious about his music. but i dont think any of them would have been doing it if it wasnt for a laugh. enjoyment has to come first. and in a lot of cases enjoyment is integral to the brilliance. listen to band of gypsies. its a hugely acclaimed live album, and the overwhelming feeling i get throughout is of a band totally relaxed and having fun. and that, is part of the essence of what makes the music so affluent and brilliant.

I've seen Radiohead and I've seen Rocket From The Crypt, the latter win.

I've seen Mercury Rev and I've seen Weezer, the latter win.

There's too much po-faced music around at the moment. Sure, there's a market for everything, but who do you think you'd have more fun watching Battles or Atari Teenage Riot?

Is the answer to this thread.

needs to appear to suggest 'depth' and 'originality' even if it is a simple facade. Many bands keep their audiences happy by being a bit 'dark' or using a bit of weird noise while essentially peddling straight forward, tried and tested formulae. Indie audiences tend to interpret noise and 'dark' things as intellectually credible and as opposing artifice. This is all part of indie mythology.

If Radiohead did an LP of cocktail music or Line Dancing tunes, it would genuinely challenge their audience. Of course, their audience wouldn't enjoy such a challenge. They only enjoy simulated challenges arising from noisy things and weird noises which signify artistry and originality.

In my opinion, music is made for the fun of playing and listening. Even if the band are fucking about it can still cause enjoyment, for example i saw Gay for Johnny Depp supporting 65dos and really enjoyed their set, even though their lyrics are far from serious. Music doesn't always have a message, its just about having a good time :D

The answer is simple... if the music's good, what does it matter if it's fun or serious.

I declare this discussion closed.

Scott Walker another.

Obviously bands can have a sense of humour and be great. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just silly.

Talking Heads?

well quite a few of them - have intentional humour lyrically, and some bands which have started up as a joke are maybe even better thsn the serious bands
the only bands whose songs have made me laugh are probably the smiths and the young knives, they also are some of my faourite