Roll up! Roll up! We have a rumble of epic proportions for
today’s Music Monday! Forget beliebers and directioners, today is all about
scones, tea, powerful old women and colonialism. In other words: Britain. In
more specific terms: Britpop. It was a rebellion from the dominance of of
homogenous American music. We’ll be pitting the two major forces of Britpop:
Blur and Oasis against each other to determine who reigns supreme.
Round 1: North v South
One major aspect that differentiates Oasis and Blur is the
geographical and cultural divide between Northerners and Southerners. Oasis,
hailing from Manchester flew the flag for working class Britons and the ebb and
flow of their lives whereas Blur represented middle class Londoners. Many
commentators hyped up the rivalry as a class war.
Round 2: Biggest Hits
Oasis is probably best known for their 1995 hit “Wonderwall”
which singled their transformation into a worldwide Britpop phenomenon. A
staple of open mic nights, it is a true hallmark of the height of Britpop.
Sadly, this means that it has been played to death and no matter how ground breaking
it was at the time, even Oasis’ lead singer loathes the song.
Blur’s greatest hit is arguably their 1994 Britpop classic “Parklife”.
Weighed down with accusation of pomposity and a privileged upbringing they
touched base with this Phil Daniels narrated song. Daniels starred in “Quadrophenia”,
the movie based on the Who’s album of the same name. Try listening to this song
without shouting along, PARKLIFE!
Round 3: Where Are
They Now?
The Gallagher brothers are almost as famous for their
bickering as they are for their music. With an extensive history of fighting,
words exchanged and periods of no communication, their relationship has always
been a bit rocky. They’ve branched off now to do their own thing and Noel has
even started a new band but whispers of an Oasis reunion are kept alive in the
British media. In hope of happier Gallagher relations, let's reflect on better times.
On the other hand we’ve got the posh intellectuals of Blur
who have forayed into such a diverse variety of careers. Damon continues musical
collaboration with Gorillaz, who are currently on hiatus, Graham is pursuing
artistic endeavours and Dave had an unsuccessful stint in politics. They’ve
recently reunited and released a new album! Good news is, they’ll be heading to
our shores for Splendour in the Grass!
P.s. I didn’t mention Alex! I was saving him for last, check
out this prophetic gif from the 90s:
And now, believe it or not, he’s achieved his dreams and is
making cheese now!
Verdict:
Drumroll please!
As a way of apologising, here’s a dog playing the drums!
WOW!
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