h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

vampadvoacate,

I could advice you to listen to afro celt sound system. the band makes mix of african and celtic style of music, but also add a bit of other worldy musical styles and some more. they comes Peter Gabriels realworld and womad label.
http://afrocelts.org/

Simply put, without Citizen Kane, films would still look like they were made in the early thirties. Star wars *is* popcorn rubbish - it doesn't have a single original or intelligent thought in it's pretty little head (though it wasn't the beginning of the end for intelligent cinema, that was Jaws. I love Jaws, but I'd need to be very myopic indeed not to recognize the beginning of 'event' cinema). Robin Hood is *so* 'all that' it is still the benchmark against which films of that type are judged (and usually found wanting).

>Talking of self-destructive geniuses "The Holy Bible" was a great album too and the Manics have never been as good since it.<

Get over it. The Cult of Richie is a lie. The Manics have produced staggering work since 'The Holy Bible'. And if Nirvana saved guitar music then perhaps we were better off without it.

Yep, Afrocelt Sound System is rather cool.

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Nirvana saved guitar music in that they inspired a bunch of moody teenagers to learn to play (guilty as charged), but they didn't really do anything that hadn't been done before.

Nirvana may not have done anything that hadn't been done before but they did mix things up in an interesting way and they brought stuff that had been underground to the surface. I think it takes arrogance to totally dismiss a band who excited both hard core rock fans (my husband passed up a chance to see them live as the mate who wanted him to go with him to see them was into stuff like Sepultura) and the NME reading crowd as well some people were sort of dabbling. Nirvana were one of the bands who re-awkened my interest in music.

Blues - ok you got a right to your opinion but do you have to be so rude about my musical taste. Although there have been a lot of really seriously naff sk8er punk bands in the wake of Nirvana they were a great band and did give rock music a shot in the arm. I'm not a saddo into the cult of Richie but I don't think that the Manics have produced anything of the quality of the "Holy Bible" since. They've produced albums since but they don't inspire me. If they float your boat - good luck to you - but don't be so dismissive of my opinion. You can disagree with me and still be respectful about it.

As for films yes - I'll acknowledge that Citizen Kane had a profound influence on film making but I found it a bit dull. Star Wars may not be the most profound film in the world but it was entertaining. For the record it's not my favourite film probably because it doesn't have the true ability to move you that great films have. "The Adventures of Robin Hood" isn't a profound film either. Ok, I'm unfairly judging a film by todays standards but I didn't like it - I hated Olivia de Havilland's smipering Maid Marion and I don't think it's really stood the test of time. By then again you could say that "Gone with the Wind" has dated badly too in fact it's done worse in that it's gender and race politics are positively obnoxious.

Hey, I wasn't dismissing Nirvana... they CAUSED my interest in music. I was just saying that they weren't the amazing pioneers that people say they are, they were just a good (possibly great, but then I think Bleach was miles better than Nevermind so what do I know?) band who happened to be in the right place at the right time.

As with any genre all the real innovators of 'grunge' remained underground simply because they were too inaccessible to the public.

Nirvana had the 'X' factor that all these so called wanna-be's on the crappy tv shows will never ever have.

They were the right age, playing the right music, in the 'right' scene (music, location and drug-wise), at the right time, and as their fame grew it became a demon to Kurt and was reflected in their songs until his final sad demise.

Out of it came some musical genious.

A band currently that have caught my ear are the Artic Monkeys, who to watch/listen to seem to be a local pub/club guitar band. They have that certain something going for them that you cant put yer finger on, but you know they could go on to be massive....

talking about "forgotten" influence on movie busines is the late Akira Kurosawa.

movie busines > movie directing and cinematography/

Sorry if I came over as stroppy Mr Dreadful - didn't mean to be criticial. One last thing on Nirvana I think in a way although they didn't invent grudge the reason why they were successful was that they gave it a pop twist which made it a bit more melodic ergo palatable to the masses. Don't quarrel with your liking of "Bleach" over "Nevermind" but like it or not "Nevermind" is what they'll be remembered and celebrated for by most people. My favourite is probably actually "In Utero" although I like tracks from all periods.

The new channel 4 show, Invasion. I've not seen any hype yet, but it's sure to happen. I'll probably try to avoid it and then get sucked in like I did with Lost.

Harry Potter films. Didnt read the books, was made to watch the films, they're ok, but Im not going out to buy them, the books, the merchandise or anything else!

New years eve... lots of queueing, waaaaaaaaaay to many people infused with way too much xmas spirit and then all the kissing..... Bored now!

Well, the RMT have put the kibosh on a large part of London's New Year celebration this year...I'm wondering whether the Met secretly put them up to it?

RF