Fake Tales of San Francisco

Oki doki lets try and work through some of ntw's arguments here.. and if im lucky i'll come out making some sense.

1) The idea that all British rock is trying to be american. Right so lets look at it... yes i'll conceed rock has its very basic origins in black music culture from the states. But the way in which it is combined with other genres, and the progression that has been made means that it is now almost unrecognizable from its american roots. British rock may have taken roots, like all rock, in black music but the genre has moved on so much from there that it can no longer be said to be sounding american. In fact if we look at current american "rock" it is in a totally different style. The, historically speaking, have moved the genre forward so much that it cant be claimed they are trying to emulate anyone. The Beatles being but one example, the whole punk movement is a British Phenomenon, which only saw the light of day in the states as a watered down pop-punk like the early greenday and The Offspring. With the likes of Ska being based more upon Carribean influences than american. So really it is totally unfair and insulting to the hunderds of British people who have contributed so much to music to say that they are simply emulating existing american styles.

2) The quality of the lyrics is actually very good... they are putting accross a message in an intelligent way, underlining the sub-culture that exists. You also have to realise they are writing lyrics are they say them, in the North "bird" is still used extensivly, just because political corectness has stopped people from conversing in certain areas it hasnt stopped the majority of the UK.

3) This song is about a band trying to be somthing they are not, cool, and any good. The Monkeys on the other hand are very down to earth and self-critical in places (look at the start of the I Bet YOu Look good on the dancefoolr video) they object to the arrogence of certain people who feel they are the dogs bolux simply because they can play a guitar and sing a bit. So the song is not undermining itslef, it is opposed to somthing totally different to what the Arctic Monkeys are.

4)"Art can be about possibilities beyond your own reality, which is why bands like the Arctic Monkeys slagging off people with ideas strikes me as so essentially regressive." Certainly it can be, but what art isnt is a bragging licence, thats what the song is talking about, its nothing to do with people having dreams and writing about them in songs its about a band going to a gig and acting like they are superior to everyone even though they are crap.

Now im not opposed to artists building up mystique around themselves, the White Stripes have done a masterful job at this, what i think is crap, and it would seem the monkeys do too are the arrogent prats who often appear in bands and assume they must be great, i dont see how because i can play a guitar why i should be allowed to walk out and say erm well i have 7 houses and live in LA 6 months of the year beaccuse im a Rock Star....bolux really..... Just out of intrest ntw are you a fan of razorlight and they're delightful lead singer? :)