Listening to Music from Gary Glitter/Lost Prophets Etc

Indie18

Just wondering what people think about this, was talking to a mate about it the other day and just asked does he think it's ok, to listen to music from someone like Gary Glitter, who has been convicted of the things he has? Not sure myself what to think of it.

there music is totally separate from there personal files

Stavro Mueller

Well, their music is rubbish so most people won't be bothering to listen

MortGoldman

Rock & roll part 2 is a great song.

Custardpi

I think that if the music is strong enough most people will separate the art from the artist. In the past a lot of musicians got a free pass with regard to under age sex, the best example being The Rolling Stones. Even now, with changed societal attitudes the fact that they made such strongly acclaimed songs & are basically regarded as rock royalty means that their past transgressions will probably continue to be overlooked. One hit wonders or "guilty pleasure" acts such as Glitter wouldn't be indulged to the same extent.

Irish Guitarist

I had the first two Lostprophets CDs. I hadn't listened to them in years but still liked a couple of their songs and probably would have listened to them at some point. A few months ago after reading a few articles about Ian Watkins I couldn't get the images of what he had done out of my head so I cut up the two CDs with a scissors and threw them in the bin.

Custardpi

What if they had been your favourite band, would you have reacted the same?

suicide_circus

Gary Glitter is standing on a beach when a woman approaches him. "Excuse me sir" she said "but you're in my son"


Stolen from best joke thread.

FouxDaFaFa

I think if you like someone's music, you should listen to it regardless of their personal morals and make your own decision about whether you want to buy their material and (albeit, in a minor way) support them.

That being said, most people who have done bad things don't have songs that take you back to their crimes all the time so it's easy to disassociate their work from their crimes.

I cannot listen to R Kelly, for example, because so much of his music is creepy as fcuk when you know his background.

SEPT 23 1989

Don't dare put the Stones in the same bracket as those two

bobbysands81

suicide_circus wrote: »

Gary Glitter is standing on a beach when a woman approaches him. "Excuse me sir" she said "but you're in my son"


Stolen from best joke thread.

You sure that was in the 'Best Joke Thread'?

suicide_circus

bobbysands81 wrote: »

You sure that was in the 'Best Joke Thread'?

Think so.

I find it to be extremely amusing.

Irish Guitarist

Custardpi wrote: »

I think that if the music is strong enough most people will separate the art from the artist. In the past a lot of musicians got a free pass with regard to under age sex, the best example being The Rolling Stones. Even now, with changed societal attitudes the fact that they made such strongly acclaimed songs & are basically regarded as rock royalty means that their past transgressions will probably continue to be overlooked. One hit wonders or "guilty pleasure" acts such as Glitter wouldn't be indulged to the same extent.

There's a big difference between having sex with a young teenager and molesting a baby though. While I think it's terrible to take advantage of thirteen or fourteen year old girls (like Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin did for instance) I don't think anyone from an established big name band has done anything as horrible as Ian Watkins or Gary Glitter.

If a musician I really loved did something truly terrible I'm not sure how I'd react or if I'd be able to listen to their music again. I can look past a lot of things about musicians but what Ian Watkins did was too extreme to ignore.

o1s1n

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

There's a big difference between having sex with a young teenager and molesting a baby though. While I think it's terrible to take advantage of thirteen or fourteen year old girls (like Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin did for instance) I don't think anyone from an established big name band has done anything as horrible as Ian Watkins or Gary Glitter.

If a musician I really loved did something truly terrible I'm not sure how I'd react or if I'd be able to listen to their music again. I can look past a lot of things about musicians but what Ian Watkins did was too extreme to ignore.

Plus you also need to factor in royalties. If you're buying Lost Prophets albums for example, you're basically giving money to a child abuser.

Judge the art not the artist. If we were to judge a work of art based on the actions of the artist then we'd find ourselves with very little art too enjoy.

Would people celebrate Clint Eastwood if more were aware of what a horrible human he is. A man who abused his other halved, created on them repeatedly and in the case of one set out and successfully destroyed her career.

Drakares

Deleted User wrote: »

there music is totally separate from there personal files

That hurt to read

o1s1n

Deleted User wrote: »

Judge the art not the artist. If we were to judge a work of art based on the actions of the artist then we'd find ourselves with very little art too enjoy.

I get what you're saying, but it does leave a bit of a bad taste when the offending artist is literally part of the art. In the case of The Lost Prophets, you're listening to a baby rapist sing songs to you.

eamonnq

Deleted User wrote: »

created on them repeatedly

The dirty creator!!

dd972

What ?, is he their new lead singer !!! WTF ! :eek:

Custardpi

What if someone released a cover version of a Lost Prophets song?

Dravokivich

Custardpi wrote: »

What if someone released a cover version of a Lost Prophets song?

Whoever was credited for writing the song would be due "publishing rights."

Stavro Mueller

I'd not like to buy any of their music, play it on Spotify etc. Anything in fact that would lead to them earning money from their music. That might or not also include cover versions.

suicide_circus

No one ever brings up The Who in these conversations because their music is legendary. Pete Townshend is a nonce.
2pac was a rapist. John Lennon and Bob Marley effectively abandonded their children.

Custardpi

Dravokivich wrote: »

Whoever was credited for writing the song would be due "publishing rights."

But what about the reaction to hearing it on the radio, given that it wouldn't be "a baby rapist singing to you"? Would people still be turned off knowing the original author of the song?

cloudatlas

I enjoyed reading Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card who is an out and out vile homophobe.

Did I enjoy it as a work of art? Yes. Do I feel guilty? No because I didn't pay for it.

Don't assume that someone thinks a certain way because they read a certain publication.

Custardpi

suicide_circus wrote: »

No one ever brings up The Who in these conversations because their music is legendary. Pete Townshend is a nonce.
2pac was a rapist. John Lennon and Bob Marley effectively abandonded their children.

In fairness, wrt Townshend it does appear to be a bit more complicated than that.

Alias G

suicide_circus wrote: »

No one ever brings up The Who in these conversations because their music is legendary. Pete Townshend is a nonce.
2pac was a rapist. John Lennon and Bob Marley effectively abandonded their children.

That's not true. Townsend was on those sites for "research purposes".

Dravokivich

Custardpi wrote: »

But what about the reaction to hearing it on the radio, given that it wouldn't be "a baby rapist singing to you"? Would people still be turned off knowing the original author of the song?

I wouldn't know unless it was expressly stated. However I don't think it's much of a concern, bands of their type, rarely get others producing and releasing covers of stuff they've done. Covers tended to be a nostalgia thing for Nu-Metal. There's nothing defining about Lost Prophets that'd be considered nostalgic.

December2012

I can't enjoy Michael Jackson songs now because of the allegations about him.

Stavro Mueller

suicide_circus wrote: »

No one ever brings up The Who in these conversations because their music is legendary. Pete Townshend is a nonce.
2pac was a rapist. John Lennon and Bob Marley effectively abandonded their children.

If you started judging the characters of every musician out there, we'd be listening to feck all. I don't think most people will care what sort of parent someone is, what they were like as a person or what happened between consenting adults. It's a whole different ball game when you're talking about rape or paedophilia IMHO. That tends to make people think a bit differently.

Fratton Fred

One of the best concerts I've been to was Gary Glitter at the docklands arena. He was amazing.

I wouldn't give him the cheese off my knob now.

Custardpi

December2012 wrote: »

I can't enjoy Michael Jackson songs now because of the allegations about him.

That's definitely one that I'd have conflicting feelings about. On the one hand there's the knowledge that (although he was never convicted) Jackson was almost certainly a child sex abuser. On the other hand however, there's my gut reaction to hearing songs from Thriller or Bad which I grew up with & automatically tapping my feet along to them. He was a creep, but he also made some of the best ever pop music.

Maphisto

I'm not much of a fan of either of them but I always shudder if I watch re-runs of the first series of The Thick of It.

o1s1n

o1s1n wrote: »

I get what you're saying, but it does leave a bit of a bad taste when the offending artist is literally part of the art. In the case of The Lost Prophets, you're listening to a baby rapist sing songs to you.

it's hard to know where you draw the line. If someone still enjoys the music then more power to them, personally I won't be going out of my way to hear any of the Lostprophets music but at the same time I won't be outraged ig I hear it.

Lady Spangles

It's tricky. I mean, Gary Glitter was crap anyway. But he was a solo artist, as well? In the case of Lostprophets (who I liked, but was never a big fan of), it seems almost like the rest of the band are being punished because of what Watkins did. I mean, HMV removed all their albums from their shelves/stock, but they still sell Garry Glitter albums (but seriously, who is actually buying that stuff? Who is actually walking into an HMV, picking up a Glitter album and taking it to the counter? For shame!)

Apart from not being too bigger a fan of LP, I think the controversial "Mega lulz" comment hammered the final nail in the coffin for most who were still clinging on. Just sickening. Hopefully, the innocent bandmates of Watkins can build new careers in new bands, but it will be a long slog to distance themselves from IW. Good luck to them.

EDIT: let's not forget the noncey rock stars who're getting away with this sort of thing. Although more than likely balking at raping a baby, the likes of Bill Wyman still married and had sexual relations with a thirteen/fourteen year old.

endacl

Fratton Fred wrote: »

One of the best concerts I've been to was Gary Glitter at the docklands arena. He was amazing.

I wouldn't give him the cheese off my knob now.

He would want it. Wrong vintage.

Page and co went with groupies. Girls who went hunting rock stars to be with. Sleazy, but perhaps a more benign sleazy. Some, such as Pamela des Barres and the plastercasters, are still proud of their exploits and still make a living off than.

Glitter and Watkins raped young children and infants, doing fcuk know what kind of physical, mental, and emotional damage. Different thing.

Personal bias disclaimer: Glitter's music was shyte. Wouldn't listen to it anyway. Lostprophets? No idea what they sound like. Don't care. Won't ever know.

Q: Led Zeppelin?
A: \m/

I'd forgive zeppelin a lot! If I found out that one of this groupies was six though, I'd burn ever zep related article I own.

Custardpi

Lady Spangles wrote: »

but they still sell Garry Glitter albums (but seriously, who is actually buying that stuff? Who is actually walking into an HMV, picking up a Glitter album and taking it to the counter? For shame!)

They probably still have a certain market among people who buy them as a "hilarious" joke present for their mates.

Lady Spangles

Custardpi wrote: »

They probably still have a certain market among people who buy them as a "hilarious" joke present for their mates.

Sorry, I really should have guessed.

Maphisto

Maphisto wrote: »

I'm not much of a fan of either of them but I always shudder if I watch re-runs of the first series of The Thick of It.

Interesting example. I find it pretty easy to disassociate myself from that. Him being a paedophile in real life doesn't change the fact that the character he played was hilarious and very well written and acted.

I was never a big fan of Lostprophets or anything but I do like a few of their songs. I don't go out of my way to listen to them but if I did hear them I wouldn't be shaking with rage either.

Art (be it music, film, literature or whatever) isn't the preserve of "good people" or "nice people". Horrible people, or even evil people, can still be talented and creative.

Augmerson

Lost Prophets are on the soundtrack for FIFA 2004. I was sticking it on to play on the Gamecube about 2 weeks ago for the laugh and heard them come on, decided **** it I'll go play Metroid or something else.

Irish Guitarist

Some things I can look past, others I can't. I don't get how people can put things like homophobia or bad parenting in the same league as Ian Watkins attempting to rape an eleven month old baby and then texting the mother to say "we won't go so easy on her the next time". He's not just an unpleasant person, he's pure evil.

As for Pete Townshend the police cleared him of the charges after a thorough investigation.

Joe Doe

ah sure why not hang some of Adolf's paintings/prints up on the wall too (think he was art school student/reject), while listing to those freaks of human decency. Some of his paintings aren't that bad...

Jonny Blaze

Well you're going to have to listen to that music..

If you wanna be in my gang my gang my gang

Clandestine

Years ago I had heard a few songs from Lostprophets and I thought they were a pretty awful band. But, back when Watkins was convicted a user on this very board posted one of their songs from their first album and I thought it was pretty good. So I downloaded the album, and I couldn't stop listening to it. I still can't.

The way I see it, if its good why not listen? Just as long as no money comes their way...

Lady Spangles

Clandestine wrote: »

The way I see it, if its good why not listen? Just as long as no money comes their way...

Torrents and Youtube generate no royalties for the artists, fair enough. But I could still completely understand the viewpoint of someone who couldn't get past what Watkins did. Wouldn't feel comfortable with it myself.

When Watkins was first convicted, people were posting the video to "Town Called Hypocrisy" all over the place. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

AllGunsBlazing

I remember hearing an old Gary Glitter song being played during a break in play of an ice hockey game at the 2010 winter Olympics. A "what the fukk?!" moment if ever there was one.

bobbysands81

suicide_circus wrote: »

Think so.

I find it to be extremely amusing.

Wouldn't be a fan of paedophilia myself.

Ray Palmer

Bill Wyman was very open about what he was doing and it was just ignored and that was the 80s

endacl

Joe Doe wrote: »

ah sure why not hang some of Adolf's paintings/prints up on the wall too (think he was art school student/reject), while listing to those freaks of human decency. Some of his paintings aren't that bad...

In fairness, adolf's art was pretty crap when measured against his aspirations. He wasn't very good at it. All the fault of the Jews I believe...?

AllGunsBlazing

endacl wrote: »

In fairness, adolf's art was pretty crap when measured against his aspirations. He wasn't very good at it. All the fault of the Jews I believe...?

He also wrote a book about his passion for soft furniture.

http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080518103029/uncyclopedia/images/0/09/Mein-kampfy-chair.jpg

dd972

December2012 wrote: »

I can't enjoy Michael Jackson songs now because of the allegations about him.

Like he cares.....:p