gram_caxton

Why did he leave NME? I remember he suddenly left in the early 00s with no mention of why.

was indeed very good. Fond memories of that...

Kazaa always seemed a bit tacky and was riddled with spyware.

I remember Napster being an absolute treasure trove! Obviously dial-up was a pain and I remember it usually taking about 20 minutes per song to download. At the time, though, it was pretty amazing.

It didn't shut down in December 1999, though. I remember it running well into 2001 as an illegal p2p. I remember that anyone who had downloaded 'Know Your Enemy' by Manic Street Preachers was blocked from using it.

Twice I rang up and placed a phone order with these sloppy fools. Both times, my stuff didn't turn up. I rang and asked where it was and they said "Oh you gave us the wrong card number". This was a blatant lie as they repeated the number to me once I had given it to them. Also, why didn't they ring me back to say they couldn't process the payment? I tell you why, they're a bunch of jerks. No wonder they're going into administration.

They weren't overpriced, I'll give them that, but neither were they bargainsville by any stretch.

And it's very good. The only slight criticism I have is that the 'orchestral backing' sounds somewhat similar on each track.

and they sound like they've got a lot of potential. I parted with the £5 for the EP quite easily.....

I made an old man happy by buying him a bottle of malt whisky. Oh and I quite liked Flux.

Why the devil are Shady Bard not on there?!!!

I think he's in the first or second episode of Peep Show series 4. He plays Sophie's brother. He was quite funny in Peep Show, but his band are beyond a fucking joke. They're 2007's version of Menswear - fucking scenester template scum.

If you honestly think that there's a chance Blur would come back all Britpop, then I think you must be mildly retarded. They're a bit too intelligent to do that.

I've seen them twice now and their set at Field Day was fucking ace. I can't wait til Random Flirl comes out!

And, you Mike, are of course not entitled to agree with any criticism of the site.

You won't catch me complaining though. This is probably my no.1 source of music news and reviews. It shows NME.com up for the immature hype machine that it is.

I saw them as a support act once and they were pretty fun! The 'Ahhh Song' was one of their standouts actually.

I used to like Steve Lamacq's evening session, but the only radio I really listen to these days are the downloads of 'The Opie and Anthony' show which is broadcast from New York. No music on the show though; its all just chat.

I checked this record out on the strength of this review and it's certainly worth a listen. A refreshing change to the NME/MTV2 sponsored nonsense that's usually forced down our necks. It's a joy to listen too. Great indie folk pop.

I like 'See This Through..." a lot when it first came out, but I hardly listen to it now. I must say that I find 'Kick Up The Flames' a much better listen.

someone remembers them! I just remember 'so young' and thats it!

That NME feature on the 'midlands scene' was pretty toe curling. The main bands they all covered were just the usual scally looking, feather cut, leather coat wearing 'voice of britain' types. Does anyone remember Hoggboy?

p.s. I don't mind the Ripchord song, but it't nothing new. Why can't the UK produce a band like The Arcade Fire?

I actually quite like this EP; I've never been overly impressed with anything pete did post-libs, but I do like this. Sedative is probably my favourite track on it and was surprised to hear them doing a song that wasn't either trashy punk or trashy ska.

Well I saw them live and they were pretty good, but it did feel as though the crowd were going mental simply due to the hype built up by various magazine. They have some catchy songs, but I can't help but think they're just another in a long line of libertines-alike bands.

I only saw them once, at the NEC for the 1999 singles tour, and I thought they were very good live. I've heard several bootlegs of their gigs and I've never been disappointed

I think they got so much press and hype in 2002 because they were being touted as the poppier side of garage rock. I think their early singles are still great to stick on every now and then, but they were really just a band of their time. They've barely evolved since 2002 and unfortunately haven't kept the standards of the first album going. However, I fucking love 'Ride' and 'Winning Days' off the 2nd album

I quite like this song, but prefer 'Edwould'

I was going to mention 'Original Pirate Material'! That's probably the first time I'd heard any 'bedroom music' music, but I'm not trying to say he was the innovator or anything........

The last album certainly wasn't much cop. The first album is still one of my favourite albums of the 00's.

Regardless of whether or not they have any talent, he is now in the public consciousness and that will bring him at least some success, albeit short lived. I expect the band will just be one big 'rock 'n' roll circus' cliche, but I have yet to encounter any of their 'tunes' so far.

they aren't from oxford! They hail from ashby de la zouche

I kinda liked a few tracks by Muse from the first album and I bought the second album on the strength of the 'Newborn' single, but I only really started listening to Muse about a month or so ago. I've only just bought Absolution! I shall be going out and buying the new album first thing tomorrow; the tracks I've heard so far have been cracking. Invincible in particular stood out

Its a matey and relaxed interview. I really can't wait to hear Jamie T's album as his wordplay is magnificent.

I've got two of his records and they're really good. I remember hearing 'Halloween' late at night on Radio 1 last autumn and being highly impressed by it. The last picture that I saw of him (in nme) he looked like carl barat, but now he looks albarn-esque....

I'm not overly impressed with this album, but when I saw them the other night in Norwich they were fantastic live

The second album by embrace? You mean the one with kazoo's on it?

HOTS were on some channel 4 thing the other evening and they played 4 of the new songs; I thought they sounded really good

The problems I have with a band like The Specials reforming are:
- Things like Thatcher and race riots aren't as relevant anymore, so would they be playing as passionately?
- Their songs are so full of energy and most of the band are nearing their 50's now; the bands energy may have faded as they become old men. Can you see Lynval Golding leaping about still?
Saying all that though, I would still go see them

That damn song was on the radio as I was driving home. I usually turn it off as soon as I hear that tosser whining on about places in the US that I'm never going too. For some reason, probably the gin, I left the song playing and I heard that terrible sub-hendrix outro to the song. What the hell kind of a name is 'Flea' as well? Its probably the equivalent of being called 'Squeaky' in the UK

Does anyone else dream about The House of Lords and his brother having fights on the tourbus?

Y'know, I liked 'Suzie', but then I heard a few more songs. I was disappointed; the band sound like a turgid version of The Killers to me. I'm sure the songs sound ok in an indie club, but they're not as much fun as a Kaiser Chiefs track

I agree with you computerman; several up and coming yorkshire bands are nothing more than monkeys derivatives. The only good bands from the so called 'Yorkshire Scene' are The Long Blondes and Bromheads Jacket. Oh and theres barely any yorkshiremen/women in those two bands. Now I think about it, We Start Fires aren't that bad either.

I don't think they sound anything like Oasis in their interviews; they just sound like any other band

"A mark of a great song is that it splits a band's fanbase right down the middle"

I've never understood statements like that

I got into The Coopers because they were part of that wave of exciting new brit bands from the early 00's. I saw them at the Brighton Concorde about 4 years ago; it was the start of my gig going I suppose, for which they'll always have a special place in my heart. Perhaps that's why I associate them with the later years of my teenage life.

'Lets Kill Music' though....The message that the song conveys...Its the sort of thing that would grab a teenagers imagination, not someone older. Then theres Panzer Attack. A song about getting beaten up for being different! Now don't tell me that theres not a whiff of teenage angst about that one!! Regardless of that, they're still two of my favourite songs by TCTC. I quite like the new single too!

I was 18 when I first heard the coopers and thought "great! a uk band who aren't just crying over their acoustic guitar". There was some real venom in the first album. I can't help but think though, that perhaps I wouldn't have got into the first album had it come out when I was a little older. I remember everyone else at the gigs being sorta 16-20. Was it just teenage rebellion music?

what makes me laugh the most about the arctic monkeys, that one lyric. 'get off the band wagon', they're the wet dream of any nme editor. A paradox? Irony? I just don't know anymore

The evidence is that they bore me and countless others. The law of averages suggest that one or more people can't stand you, my friend

I cant stand the arctic monkeys, but I heard one of the tracks off here, it was an acousticy thing which sounded a little john lennony/beatlesy and I didn't mind it. I couldn't give two fucks about anything else by them though. And another thing, the monkeys will never be 'inventive'. I mean all they are is an amalgamation of all the bands that the nme have wet themselves over for the last 5 years. Retro Adidas jacket? Check! Choppy punky guitars? Check! Alledged 'band of the people' claim? Check! But fucking hell kids, people on council estates couldn't give a flying monkeys about them! ahem!

they're just a band for the 18-35 market to listen too whilst driving their car or being reflective about life while supping on a glass of wine. I live in 'office space' hell and all the girls like them!

Yeah I saw them at the met, was busy, but then it was the 'homecoming' gig. The first two songs I didn't mind, but then I got increasingly bored. but ah mate, the rifles! Just another one of the endless jam rip-off bands that have been coming out over the last coupla years!

I remember NME gave away a cd in 2004 celebrating Domino's releases over the years. I discovered a few bands through that.

You think they would have added a track by the wonky genius, Unpoc

I saw this band last night, I wasn't overly impressed. Just seemed like the usual indie rock by numbers. Every song seemed to sound the same, but hey, maybe I wasn't paying any attention