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As the year draws to an end it's that time again, time for the music press to find new darling to hype after getting bored writing about the likes of Coldplay. Already a name has emerged, many of you will not know them but believe me after months of force fed media you will.
I turned up to watch Angelica innocent to what would happen later and I had only been in the queue for a few minutes before the hype took hold. I was told by someone in the queue that support act Starsailor were realy good and had just landed a record deal. He also told me that he had come just to see this band. Intrigued I asked what they sounded like..... His reply chilled me to the bone - they were Coldplay clones. Already I was imagining the board room of their new label and conversations that may have taken place.
"That Coldplay band is really popular and is selling loads of records, why haven't we got a Coldplay to make us lots of money? Get me a Coldplay NOW!"
I can be cynical at times but I thought I would give them the benefit of the doubt and see what they were like. Oh dear, if I hadn't heard all the pre gig hype this band would have passed me by as just another local band supporting the main act. They had no redeeming qualities just songs merging into a tedious musical monologue. Only the last song had something to lift it from the camouflaged background noise of the other tunes. In a word boring.
After they finished a rumour drifted around that they had allegedly signed to EMI for 1/2 million pounds.
Yes, you did read that right.
This is a new band that hasn't released any records or done that many gigs but have managed to get signed to a major label for a ridiculous amount of money. They have also managed to land a slot on the NME award tour with JJ72, Alfie and Amen. We all know what will happen, if they don't sell enough units and become the new Coldplay then they will be dropped with no hesitation. Gone are the days (even if they were truly here at all) when bands took 1 or more albums to develop, labels now want instant success. Second is for losers and in the night of long knives these bands are cut and thrown away.
Is this what we have to expect now in the Q and Mojo and NME led music band wagon? A succession of MOR bands to constantly build up and knock down? Are we heading for another decade like the 80's where the major labels slaver over their precious stadium rock, pop puppet, handbag dance and nu-metal bands while the indie labels in the old sense of the word release great records to the ignorance of most of the public. Or is this time already upon us?
This is a warning. Starsailor - don't believe the hype.
