Biggest Manic Folly?

[pingu]

Originally Posted by tuckedaway

[The Mercury/Stipe comment] was going to be my pick too, just because it's such an immediate turn-off. And while some of these other mis-steps can be partially attributed to their label (single choices, overpriced box sets, whatever) this one was totally on Nicky.

Of course I've forgiven it, but I can understand why a lot of people wouldn't, especially if it's the first impression they got of the band.

I haven't. Nicky talks a lot of rubbish sometimes, and fair enough, that's his thing, but this was cruel, homophobic garbage that still makes me cringe when I see it referenced.

[Midlands_Junk]

Originally Posted by pingu

I haven't. Nicky talks a lot of rubbish sometimes, and fair enough, that's his thing, but this was cruel, homophobic garbage that still makes me cringe when I see it referenced.

Aye, how did the NME respond at the time?
My guess is that they didn't quite crucify him to the extent that have Morrissey over 'racism'?

[Inglorious]

Originally Posted by Midlands_Junk

Aye, how did the NME respond at the time?
My guess is that they didn't quite crucify him to the extent that have Morrissey over 'racism'?

There was a lot of people at the time making the point that it was particularly disheartening because their whole image up to that point had been very homoerotic/androgynous and this was a homophobic statement, I remember.Though to be honest, the NME just used to make fun of them for wearing make-up all the time so I'm not sure how they could feel as self-righteous as they always did
The only person who liked them at the NME was Steven Wells anyway. And he was the only decent journalist they had.

[yanushka]

I voted for PFYM after the Journal. I think Postcards was a nice, a bit over polished album, that was so desperately aimed at charts, and a bit non necessary after the Journal.
And there's another thing that could be on the list. Nicky's moaning. I love the man, but seriously, if you wanna complain, complain about something people can relate to - not about missing the top 40 or not being relevant to younger audience. if you want to be relevant, then go with the flow - release some dubstep material, or remixes. [speaking of that, it would be sort of interesting to hear]
**y-you sto-ole t-t-the s-sun f-f-f-rrr-om my h-e-e-a-rrr-t**

[Rasgard]

1985 should have been a single!

[hummingbird]

Originally Posted by Midlands_Junk

Aye, how did the NME respond at the time?
My guess is that they didn't quite crucify him to the extent that have Morrissey over 'racism'?

is this about the michael stipe comment? I didnt see it as homophobic at all. Freddie mercury had died just months before and it was all over the media. He probably just picked him because it was so high profile. Not much different to the current fashion of telling someone to go die in a fire. Stupid comment obviously

[Flint]

Wire said the Stipe comment around the time when AIDS rumours had began to circulate around Stipe. Even if it wasn't homophobic per se, it was a bit... stupidly insensitive in a way.

[hummingbird]

Originally Posted by Flint

Wire said the Stipe comment around the time when AIDS rumours had began to circulate around Stipe. Even if it wasn't homophobic per se, it was a bit... stupidly insensitive in a way.

oh i thought it was a random comment. Pretty spiteful then People judging him now 20 yrs later is a bit silly tho'

[Nature's Discontent]

Only three CORs have voted then

[hummingbird]

someone else voted for lifeblood. STOP DOING THAT

[pingu]

Originally Posted by Flint

Wire said the Stipe comment around the time when AIDS rumours had began to circulate around Stipe. Even if it wasn't homophobic per se, it was a bit... stupidly insensitive in a way.

it was totally homophobic :/

wishing death on a gay man, in the same way as another gay man, from a disease that had been the scourge of the gay community for the previous decade? disgusting.

argh. I'm getting angry just thinking about it. I know people say Nicky was young and stupid when he said it, but he was roughly the age I am now, and that's a grown adult, not a mouthy teenager. he should've known better.

[Midlands_Junk]

Originally Posted by pingu

it was totally homophobic :/

wishing death on a gay man, in the same way as another gay man, from a disease that had been the scourge of the gay community for the previous decade? disgusting.

argh. I'm getting angry just thinking about it. I know people say Nicky was young and stupid when he said it, but he was roughly the age I am now, and that's a grown adult, not a mouthy teenager. he should've known better.

Aye, just smacks of hypocrisy too. On the Butt Naked interview in 94 Nicky had a go at Bowie and Morrissey for trying to seem controversial and 'wanting to be misunderstood'.

[Manic Street Mike]

It was a terrible thing to say but it wasn't homophobic. Nicky has said that what he meant (in a round about way) was that you had all these rock stars like David Bowie at the Mercury memorial concert going on about how people shouldn't do drugs and should practise abstinence and it's just the most hypocritical thing ever because, well, we all know what rockstars are like. He said it's this he was referring to and was probably going OTT with not liking R.E.M.

Also, it's dangerous to say that AIDS is primarily a homosexual disease - it's not, studies show it's actually more prevalent in heterosexual people. It's a common misconception that homosexual sex between two men can lead to AIDS. This is totally false.

[tzb]

Originally Posted by Manic Street Mike

It's a common misconception that homosexual sex between two men can lead to AIDS. This is totally false.

Er what? If we're talking dangerous then surely unqualified comments like that are pretty high on the list - if one of the participants has HIV then it can lead to AIDS, same as with heterosexual sex. Transmission rates are higher with anal intercourse than vaginal as rectal mucous membranes make for easier transmission.

[sculptureofabloke]

Originally Posted by Midlands_Junk

Aye, just smacks of hypocrisy too. On the Butt Naked interview in 94 Nicky had a go at Bowie and Morrissey for trying to seem controversial and 'wanting to be misunderstood'.

Yeah, I think the Stipe thing was much more about wanting to shock people rather than any stupid prejudice.

Originally Posted by Manic Street Mike

Also, it's dangerous to say that AIDS is primarily a homosexual disease - it's not, studies show it's actually more prevalent in heterosexual people. It's a common misconception that homosexual sex between two men can lead to AIDS. This is totally false.

Do you mean it's a misconception that homosexual sex between two men will lead to AIDS?