Manics on X Factor NZ - thoughts?

[allisvanity]

Originally Posted by sculptureofabloke

maybe if Some Kind Of Nothingness were released in 1998 that could've been a hit.

It doesn't bear thinking about does it?

[James1985]

thought it was amazing...singing to a country though the box "if you tolerate this then your children will be next" on mainstream

[MSPlover]

Did the Manics really played on their instrumentals or it was a music back ground like in Top Of The Top?

[A Design For Manic]

Originally Posted by MSPlover

Did the Manics really played on their instrumentals or it was a music back ground like in Top Of The Top?

They really play

[denton83]

Can't stand the X Factor, but it got them coverage in NZ so good on them.

[Abstract Unknown Girl]

Originally Posted by MSPlover

Did the Manics really played on their instrumentals or it was a music back ground like in Top Of The Top?

Originally Posted by A Design For Manic

They really play

Only James' vocals were live, the rest was a backing track.

[A Design For Manic]

Originally Posted by Abstract Unknown Girl

Only James' vocals were live, the rest was a backing track.

Really?! I didn't know that...

[Frozendiva]

I would assume that they were playing their instruments but that nothing was really plugged in/much sound came out to interfere with the 'perfect' mix.

[Mr.Selfdestruct]

Meh. Normally I'd be disgusted if one of my favourite bands appeared in one of Simon Cowells business ventures, but not really too bothered as the manics have appeared on cheesy shows right throughout their career to promote their stuff. Although, some are a lot worse than others.

That they actually played a decent song of theirs - with good lyrics - made it easier to take. At least they didn't play Your Love Alone. Maybe it would have made more business sense though. The morons that watch that show would probably have it at number 1 by now.

[Dancing Kirby]

I see no irony in the choice of song. X Factor contestants are given the opportunity to follow a dream. I doubt too many parents mind if their children are next.

They played their most famous single. A song they pretend is about the Spanish Civil War but whose lyrics teach listeners next to nothing about the Spanish Civil War beyond vaguely quoting some lines Nicky once read in a book alongside such non sequiturs as "Gravity keeps my head down / Or is it maybe shame". Unlike Spanish Bombs, which is a song about the Spanish Civil War.

It's also 15 years old and last taken from a compilation that came out two years ago. Every guest I've previously seen on the (UK) X Factor has played a current hit. The irony is on them.

PS. I don't dislike Tolerate.

[Porco]

Originally Posted by Dancing Kirby

It's also 15 years old and last taken from a compilation that came out two years ago. Every guest I've previously seen on the (UK) X Factor has played a current hit. The irony is on them.

Well, Paul McCartney played 'Drive My Car'(1965) and 'Live And Let Die'(1973) on the X Factor in 2009 so I'm not sure that means much really.

[Bathtub]

What is the irony of playing Tolerate? I don't get it.

I don't really see what the "statement" is either?

Beyond stating "we're playing a gig in New Zealand." Is it subversive in any way? Huggy Bear playing "Her Jazz" on the Word, and, as almost quaint as it seems now, Sex Pistols on Grundy, were. This was surely just a bit of promo wasn't it? Nothing wrong with that if you're into that kind of thing, I'm not as I said before, but it takes all kinds to make a world.

[Porco]

Really? I shall attempt to explain, as far a I see it at least.

First let's re-cap:

irony 1 |ˈʌɪrəni| noun
the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect

The lyric is 'if you tolerate this then your children will be next' and the context of its performance here was a show well known for featuring children on, presumably being tolerated by those watching it, hence irony from being 'warned' of something being "next" that it is too late to warn about as it has already happened, as it is safe to assume the band are aware of all these facts.

Additionally, to Dancing Kirby's point, if there are parents who wouldn't mind / would quite like their kids being on it it's all the more ironic to be listening to a performance of a song called 'If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next' when the vast majority of their children will almost certainly not be next. That part is just maths.

As for the "statement" element… well, they are on a show that is regularly accused of being a shallow, industry-leeching impediment to 'serious' music with meaningful 'real' roots, of being manufactured to create empty pop hits with very little to say. So unless you're like DK and scoff at the person who wrote the lyrics' suggestion that the song is about what he said it is about, one might well say the "statement" comes from having a popular hit song about something more meaningful than that which is perceived to be typically formed from the winning (and sometimes not even those) entries into the X Factor competition.

Apart from all that one might also contend that merely having performances from successful artists who made it 'the old fashioned way' composing their own music and playing gigs until they built up a following, rather than appearing on TV competitions before they were even famous for the music they are given by others to perform is, in itself, somewhat ironic and subversive given the central purpose of the competition element of the TV shows. Ironic in signifying the opposite route to success, subversive in undermining the X Factor TV show as an established route to success in the music industry, by appearing upon it, all the more by doing so whilst singing lyrics that can be thought of as ironic and subversive themselves.

That's how I see it anyway, other opinions will be available.

[LA ex]

Two somewhat related questions:

How popular are the Manics in NZ? Have they ever had what would constitute a hit single there? Did Tolerate even chart out there originally?

What sort of acts does NZ X-factor normally manage to attract? Is it Rhianna followed by Britney, etc. Or do they generally have to scrape the barrel with local acts? (Possibly Rusel Crowe's 'band')

[burnleybassman]

Out of nowhere, 'Tolerate' is up to #46 in New Zealand iTunes chart at the moment. Impressive.