Things I learned from listening to James Blunt - a miserable git apology thread

[Fin25]

So I was watching an interview with James Blunt last night, where they went deep talking to him about how much hate he’s had to put up with. Shit was crazy, like the time Damon Albarn refused to be in a post-show group photo with him on Jools Holland, effectively excluding Blunt from the group, but not even to his face. As much as Blunt is a proper stiff upper lip posh boy, you could see how much damage all that shit has done to him.

I’ll be honest, it’s made me re-evaluate my (and other people’s) approach to other people’s music a bit.

Fair enough, we’ve all got opinions and that’s fine. Blunt’s music does nothing for me, but it doesn’t have to. He’s out there doing it and he really seems to care about it, so who the fuck am I to chat shit about him? If I don’t like his music, maybe it’s not for me, motherfucker’s sold a few records though.

Not that I’ve spent much time having a go at him, but there are others (100 gecs, all of psytrance to name a couple) who I’ve been less than pleasant about over the years. And yeah, I know, none of them are reading my whining about their music on some niche music gear forum, but that doesn’t make me less of a cunt for saying it.

We’re all sitting on here moaning about how shit the Internet is, but like someone on there said, we’re not in traffic, we are traffic. So maybe it’s time to take some responsibility and start, as old Blunty McBluntface put it, handing out ladders instead of bows and arrows.

It’s also struck me how musically conservative forums like this often are and I don’t feel like it’s my place to contribute to that. It’s a bit fucking rich for someone that drops music as horrible as mine to start making value judgements of others’ work. And that’s what it always is, work. Something that someone has sweated over, probably re-written 276 times and probably still hates, but has still found the balls to present it to us ungrateful twats. Gonna leave the music reviewing to all them failed Rock stars like how it should be, I think.

I’ve allowed my online persona to act as a bit of an excuse to cover up cunty behaviour, and although that’s sometimes funny as fuck, quite often it relies on pushing someone else down, which I’m gonna try and stop doing.

So sorry 100 gecs.

Sorry Psytrance.

Sorry Billie Eilish and your Brother.

Sorry Dub Techno.

Thank you James Blunt.

[pidgeo]

I love blunty. seems like a sound f*ker. he gives a great interview

[hausland]

Great post.

[alechko]

@Fin25

Sorry Psytrance.

I told you you’re gonna be doing dreadlocks wearing harem pants and chanting shiva mantra

---

and btw on topic, I too reached that conclusion who the fuck am I talk shit about artists, I just avoid the music that’s not challenging me in any way but no hate for anyone specific unless they do weird unacceptable shit just cuz they have fame and money to do it.

[Fin25]

Nope.

I’m just gonna stop taking the piss out of you lot for doing it.

But the flesh is weak, so be careful…

[MrZardoz]

Not of fan of his music but I like the geezer. Enjoyed reading his comebacks on Twitter in the past. Doesn’t take himself seriously, one of the best qualities a person can have in my book.

I keep out of music chat that’s not for me, you don’t have to like everything.

“Don’t yuk someones yum”

[aether]

Seeing 100 gecs and billy there… I don’t get it.

To the point: there’s a difference of having a strong opinion on somebody’s music and them as a person. Sometimes it overlaps (sexist lyrics from a sexist person).

But:
I can like somebody’s Musik while not wanting to be seen with that person for reasons unrelated to the music, an well as hating the music of somebody but liking the person or theyr cause.

In regards to Alban… Heard mixed stuff. Overall seems like a chill dude with bad mood days?
Whatever, maybe he just didn’t like him. Without further context (that’s maybe out there, haven’t checked) I can’t say that I see a big problem.

I hab a couple of people in my life that I just…didn’t like. Theyr way to behave, outlook on life, etc. Nothing to problematic, just not people that I enjoy the company and want to be associated.

[craig]

Man’s got a decent sense of humour too

[Fin25]

@aether

I don’t get it

What’s not to get?

@aether

In regards to Alban… Heard mixed stuff. Overall seems like a chill dude with bad mood days?

I don’t know the guy, but that was just one example of how shitty people were to old blunty. There’s also Paul Weller saying he’d rather eat his own shit than work with Blunt (despite Blunt not giving any indication of wanting to work with him) and a bunch of other nasty shit. None of it seemed to be anything to do with his personality, it all seemed quite nasty, based around either his music not being cool enough or him being a posh boy. A lot of it was built up by the media, and it got me thinking about things, like how much of me liking or disliking someone is being driven by someone else’s agenda, and, as an artist myself, maybe I should hold off throwing them stones.

@aether

I can like somebody’s Musik while not wanting to be seen with that person for reasons unrelated to the music, an well as hating the music of somebody but liking the person or theyr cause.

I’m not asking you to do anything, just reflecting on my own personal shit and thinking about how I can do better. None of this should be taken as a broad value judgement, I believe very strongly in individual responsibility (to an almost extreme level, I’m told) and everyone is free to pursue their own path according to their own principles.

[no-thanks]

I read this whole thing thinking you were talking about Dean Blunt.

Turns out I don’t even know who James Blunt is.

To your point - I’ve been an ass in the past on the internet, plenty of times. Most of the time it bites me in my own ass. And once I got doxxed for giving someone shit about a stupid thing they made. I don’t know why I cared.

Turns out being nicer and ‘walking away’ from trolls and other instigators is more often than not the way to go. I’ve been much happier on the internet since, though it’s still a struggle - there are so many instigators out there.

[Fin25]

@craig

Man’s got a decent sense of humour too

I think this is the thing I took away most from the interview.

As much as his way of dealing with people on Twitter is funny as fuck, there just seemed this real sadness in him about it all. The guy’s got some decent perspective on it though, he was talking about how he used to ring up his old mates that were still in the army moaning about it all and they’d be like “Billy lost his leg this week”…

This one is my personal favorite though…

[aether]

What’s not to appreciate about the productions, even if they are not to ones taste. More a tough n check point, ignore it.

---

The second point… Actively being disparaging if it’s not on moral grounds…yeah, there I’m with you.
That’s unnecessary and reflects more on the person throwing the stones.

---

Oh I know. It was a general musing about how I see it.
I do have opinions I stand strongly behind, others less so. -> also just reflecting what my stance there is.

Had a paragraph written specifically how I don’t really feel sorry for hugely successful people in today’s climate, but that could be read to negatively.
If there is interest I can talk about it.

[Fin25]

@no-thanks

Turns out I don’t even know who James Blunt is.

Probably pretty UK centric, but he’s a singer who had some massive ballad pop hits about 20 years ago that got so overplayed that popular culture decided he was bubonic plague or something.

[lesstalkmoredisco]

[Fin25]

@aether

I don’t really feel sorry for hugely successful people in today’s climate

Go watch any interview with Bradley Wiggins from the last six months or so and tell me you don’t feel sorry for him.

[lesstalkmoredisco]

PS also, I recently also heard an interview with James Blunt, and he seems like such a chill guy

[Kethro]

I feel like the James Blunt hate in Europe is the same as the Nickelback hate in North America…

I got caught up in the Nickelback hate train when I was kid. Then I saw a documentary on the band and thought “These guys cashed TF in on all of this… Plus… they seem kinda dope”. Sold out tours, loyal fanbase, and they still make records without any pushback from anyone. The US media ignores them, but the legacy gets stronger every year. That love/hate train will always create more generational wealth for them. 100% got the last laugh on all that.

I can see James taking the same route here. Embrace the hate. Cash in on fate haha

[aether]

I’ll check that later. I’m not a monster and there are different reasons for feeling sorry obviously.
(And I’m obviously against harassment, if that’s not clear)

[JBOT]

His music is fucking awful to my ear, but he’s always been a cool guy.

Not the same thing but now I’m adult (as of about 10 years) I really have wised up about judging people for being into uncool/sad/lame shit - and I have a low tolerance for others doing it.

Whether it’s train-spotting, adult fantasy games or whatever.
Who the fuck am I or anybody to sneer?

We’re all into ridiculous and pointless shit on some level - but some of of our shit is deemed more palatable than others.
It’s nonsense.

And I’d rather share a pint with james blunt than Paul weller any day of the week,

[MrZardoz]

Paul Weller is a right cunt.