Sunday, November 30, 2008

2008 Festive Fifty and albums...advance warning



Just to let you know folks, as well as the Christmas posts I've been doing over the last few weeks, I will be posting my annual Festive Fifty and lists of all the best albums of the year, including this year - for the first time -another list for re-issues and compilations. I'm still trying to finalise both lists, as well as worrying about all the albums I haven't heard this year. But as I have heard over 160 new albums this year, hopefully the list will be pretty comprehensive, as comprehensive as one person's list can be.

Two things I want to say now:

1. Glasvegas are not featuring.

You heard. I've thought long and heard about this, and have decided that as they refused to comment on the mp3 debacle back in October that I won't feature them. I haven't been able to bring myself to listen to them since then, anyway. Is this being childish? Um, no, I think their behaviour, smacking as it does of the outsider kid who suddenly negelcts all they're old friends once they're accepted, is unacceptable. So if you can't deal with this, umm, too bad.

And if you think that a professional magazine wouldn't do this...GET REAL!

There's a wonderful article here which I was consulted on.

2. Aberfeldy won't be featuring either.

This is for completely different reasons - as I have helped put the record out, I think it would be a little biased to do so. Obviously I think the 'Claire' single is fantastic, but it might seem like favouritism, and as a teacher, that's something I try to avoid.

Obviously, I am not for one moment suggesting that anyone else follows suit. It would be great if anyone chose to include the Aberfeldy single in their list!

2007's Festive Fifty topping entry:

Emma Pollock -'Adrenaline.' mp3

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good man for sticking to your guns.
Bit excited to see whats gonna be in the list as i've not really paid attention to whats came out this year.
SW

Ed said...

Cheers, SW! hope other readers will be supportive too...Ed

Anonymous said...

Totally fair enough. It would be different if the band had had the decency to comment, but to ignore it completely is wicked.

À propos nothing in particular, but I suppose partly stimulated by Peel's enthusiasm for them, have you any Misunderstood in your collection? I bought an album of ancient stuff of theirs recently, a lot of which was entirely of historic interest only (read... not that brill) but a few of their tracks were outstanding.

Let me know if you are interested in anything of theirs.

entrailicus said...

Stick 'Claire' in, it's a bloody great song.

Ed said...

Ken - thank you for your support - haven;t heard Misunderstood, but I'll try most thinkgs (bar incest and morris dancing, obviously)

Entrailicus/Adam -thank you...umm, might think about it!

Anonymous said...

I'm with you Ed, as someone who has bought everything by them including the indepedent singles and who raved about them to all who would listen, i have been really pissed off at them during the recent debacle. I was going to download the Christmas album from a torrent site as I will not buy anything until we hear some explaination from them but really can't be arsed anymore.
Stick to your guns.

Drew

Ed said...

Cheers, Drew, don't think I will be buying the Christmas album either.

In the latest issue of The Big Issue in Scotland, James Allan has been talking about the friends he has lost contact with. Hmm...you better get ready for a big fall, James, this isn't tall poppy syndrome it's karma coming for ya...

a Tart said...

Morris dancing? Surely you jest, sir!

Ed said...

No, I'm perfectly serious, no wish to try it!

Jim said...

Perfectly valid reasons for both!

Ed said...

Cheers...

Anonymous said...

This is something I touched on in my comment when it all 'kicked off'. If listening to the album will bring back unpleasant memories, you're not going to listen to it/like it anymore, are you?

We're all music fans here and we surely listen to music to enjoy ourselves.

I've experienced it in the past: if you have dealings with a band and, for some reason, you stop respecting them as people, I think it is very hard to continue to enjoy the same music you loved so much before faeces hit the rotating blades.

I'm in full support of the decision (not the Aberfeldy one!),

Gav

www.letterboxrecords.com

Ed said...

Cheers Gav, I do remember that you made that comment! It's unfortunate, but there we go. Two months ago, they might have done very well in that list. Not that the 17 Seconds end of year list is the sort of thing that makes or breaks bands or brings governments to their knees, but y'know... ; )

Anonymous said...

Totally agree with the Glasvegas reasons Ed, your aren't listening to them after all. But, if you think Claire merits being in your list then you should put it in. You would put a star pupil in any list you had, for prizegiving or whatever ... so I definitely don't agree with your reasoning there.

Anonymous said...

Another vote of support, Ed. As the Nirvana t-shirt used to say, they've become corporate rock whores, but without the self-awareness to actually notice.

Special Christmas tracks? Just like Spector did. And, er, The Killers. And Mariah Carey. And Mud.

cheers, Craig

Ed said...

I'm thinking about the Aberfeldy track, now, but no-one has convinced me to rethink me opinions on Glasvegas. :))