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Taking a pop at us



Repost from O&S...
Pete writes letter to The Times...

>>
Taking a pop at us



BRYAN APPLEYARD makes it look as though the Darkness's froth represented
some refreshingly smart and satirical response to Pop Idol or West End rock
musicals (Culture, last week).

The Darkness are a mischievous pop parody of mischievous pop parody that has
gone before. Like those whose parodies they echo they do not attempt to
advance the reflective song, which is surely the only important mission of
rock.

Appleyard cites "concept albums" like the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper and the
Who's Tommy (as many journalists lazily do when looking for a time-fulcrum)
signifying the beginning of rock and pop's pretentiousness. In the rapid
chronology of 1960s pop Tommy (1969) was itself already partly parodying
ambitious and massively successful "concept" albums like Sergeant Pepper
(1967) and the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (1966). Like the Darkness, we were
teasing our own heroes.

I very much like the idea of the Darkness. I think they play their
instruments very well and very quickly. I can't wait to see them parodied.


Pete Townshend,
Richmond, Surrey
>>

Kevin in VT


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