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notyourfiend 10.07.2009 02:22 PM

the gossip
 
Forgive me if they have already been discussed - I tried doing a search but the words "the" and "gossip" are kinda popular on this forum....

So, what do you think about them? I'm writing this because I may or may not decide to drive down to DC and fork over $20 to see them again....otherwise, I might see them at Terminal 5 for $30 on Friday.

They are one of my favorite bands (although I haven't really heard many of their new songs...it worries me that Heavy Cross seems to have a synth though...) That's Not What I Heard is an album that continues to move me every time I listen. I saw them when I was in Copenhagen and was really, really impressed. However, I know that Beth Ditto does not play long sets so I don't know if it's worth the ticket price + the cost of gas.

Let's discuss. (Hopefully this thread will turn into more than a debate as to whether Beth Ditto is hot or not...because we all know she is)

greedrex 10.07.2009 02:27 PM

she certainly isn't hot at all
and me not likey
i can see the appeal though but not for ~the Rex~

notyourfiend 10.07.2009 02:29 PM

Seeing her live is believing. That girl has stage presence. And confidence. And what a voice!

SuchFriendsAreDangerous 10.07.2009 02:31 PM

I think they suck, and further I think everyone gives that chick MORE credit than she deserves simply because she is not what people conventionally think of as attractive. I think she gets subliminal pity points, and further I think that is bullshit! I listened to two or three of their albums, it was not my taste. I did not understand all the critical praise until I actually saw the woman and said, "ohhh, pity party time."

Keeping It Simple 10.07.2009 02:32 PM

Beth Ditto is the UK's answer to Mama Cass.

Glice 10.07.2009 02:32 PM

She has a way of singing that makes me think her voice won't last another ten years. The tension in her vibrato makes my throat contract.

I've heard people say they're good live. So... yeah, knock yourself out. You're only young once. Unless you're old, in which case, you haven't got long left, might as well make the best of your last days.

notyourfiend 10.07.2009 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous
"ohhh, pity party time."


My reasons for liking them have nothing to do with pity. I personally really enjoy how they mix together punk, blues and dance. It's totally rad. That being said, I never really liked Standing in the Way of Control (the song)

notyourfiend 10.07.2009 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keeping It Simple
Beth Ditto is the UK's answer to Mama Cass.


she was fucking royalty in denmark. it was insane.

Glice 10.07.2009 02:36 PM

I think they've outlasted the novelty of having a large lead singer. There's a reason you haven't heard of Ultrasound but have heard of the Gossip (regardless of the fact I'm not overly keen on the Gossip).

notyourfiend 10.07.2009 02:37 PM

I think it really says something that most people only think of them as being the band with that fat girl, despite the fact that they've been around for 10 years now.

_slavo_ 10.07.2009 02:48 PM

Seen them live once, having not heard of them before.
I had quite a great time (regardless of the fact i was punch-drunk as I always tend to be on music festivals) so they must have been pretty good.

Genteel Death 10.07.2009 02:50 PM

they seem popular on the bear scene. The fact that other than having a fat woman in david bowie make up there isn't anything interesting or good about them is enough to make me diet harder.

notyourfiend 10.07.2009 02:54 PM

why do people give a shit if she's fat or not? karen o has a similar stage presentation but people don't seem to mind because she's skinny.

SuchFriendsAreDangerous 10.07.2009 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notyourfiend
My reasons for liking them have nothing to do with pity. I personally really enjoy how they mix together punk, blues and dance. It's totally rad. That being said, I never really liked Standing in the Way of Control (the song)


I was more in reference to critical praise for otherwise unnoteworthy albums. That was not a crack at your own musical tastes, more the mainstream "oh yeah, we heard the gossip and their cool" vibe..
I think the music industry was affraid to criticize her because of her differences.. I heard the critical praise and tried to like the albums, but I did not, and this was having NEVER seen or heard of or knew anything about Beth Ditto. I just did not like the sound, it was mediocre at best.. so I was thinking to myself, jesus this band sucks! Why do all these writers keep praising this band as if they did not suck? then I saw the front woman, and I got it instantly. As I said, it is more subliminal pity points if anything. It is politie to leave people who are different alone, whether they are what we think of extremely attractive or unattractive, we show favortism towards extremes.

Genteel Death 10.07.2009 02:57 PM

i don't. Bears into bad indie music do, apparently.

notyourfiend 10.07.2009 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous
I was more in reference to critical praise for otherwise unnoteworthy albums. That was not a crack at your own musical tastes, more the mainstream "oh yeah, we heard the gossip and their cool" vibe..
I think the music industry was affraid to criticize her because of her differences.. I heard the critical praise and tried to like the albums, but I did not, and this was having NEVER seen or heard of or knew anything about Beth Ditto. I just did not like the sound, it was mediocre at best.. so I was thinking to myself, jesus this band sucks! Why do all these writers keep praising this band as if they did not suck? then I saw the front woman, and I got it instantly. As I said, it is more subliminal pity points if anything. It is politie to leave people who are different alone, whether they are what we think of extremely attractive or unattractive, we show favortism towards extremes.


okie that makes more sense. i heard "lesson learned" on a mix long before i knew who who beth ditto was and i really liked it. then again, i tend to like most riot grrl-ish stuff...it's kinda a weak point of mine.

that being said, i think that beth ditto has also gotten a lot of hate from the music industry.

Trasher02 10.07.2009 05:17 PM

I saw them live once on a festival. When I read their description I thought It'd be pretty cool but that feeling came as quick as it want the moment they started playing. Beth has a great voice though, but the music itself is so boring.

Also she's fat.

Satan 10.07.2009 06:38 PM

she sings pretty good. they're nothing impressive though.



also, she has armpit hair. even more than patti smith.
something else i just noticed, she has no eyebrows.


oh yeah and she is morbidly obese.

infinitemusic 10.07.2009 06:45 PM

Her voice is great, but the music is sort of boring and has only gotten worse with every album.

Also, I don't think Beth Ditto is hot, but I think it's awesome that she's confident and that other people think she's hot.

Quote:

also, she has armpit hair. even more than patti smith.

I know! It's so gross

infinitemusic 10.07.2009 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notyourfiend
why do people give a shit if she's fat or not? karen o has a similar stage presentation but people don't seem to mind because she's skinny.


Good point.

infinitemusic 10.08.2009 01:33 AM

What the fuck does angular even mean. I hate music descriptions like that!

notyourfiend 10.08.2009 02:13 AM

btw i was kinda doing this post as a test to see how many people could talk about the band without mentioning her weight.

why is armpit hair gross on women as opposed to men? i have armpit hair which i haven't shaved for years. i'm also technically overweight. and you know what, i fucking love it!

i went to the show - stood in the front row. met beth ditto afterward. she gave me a giant hug. it was amazing.

Genteel Death 10.08.2009 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notyourfiend
Seeing her live is believing. That girl has stage presence. And confidence. And what a voice!


You put emphasis on the fact that she is a girl before anyone else, not the fact that you started a thread about The Gossip.

Genteel Death 10.08.2009 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notyourfiend
btw i was kinda doing this post as a test to see how many people could talk about the band without mentioning her weight.

why is armpit hair gross on women as opposed to men? i have armpit hair which i haven't shaved for years. i'm also technically overweight. and you know what, i fucking love it!

i went to the show - stood in the front row. met beth ditto afterward. she gave me a giant hug. it was amazing.


The thing with The Gossip is that they themselves use her weight (amongst other things) as a selling point for the band, so it's not so strange if often that subject is brought up. Why would they play places like London's XXL nightclub, one predominantely for fat gay men, if they weren't against a little self-stereotyping? She might get more of a bad rap than Karen O for being a large woman, the fact remains that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs made better music than they did, so it can't be all that bad for them if they still find themselves riding the crest of success mainly because of a novelty factor brought into mainstream indie music.

Satan 10.08.2009 04:02 AM

as far as the fat thing goes, it's a gimmick but it's not a very good one because it's not musically viable. yeah she's got a good voice, but people pay more attention to the fact that beth ditto is an obese half naked lesbian with no eyebrows and armpit hair. that is the truth. they wouldn't have gotten half the recognition and press coverage they've gotten if she was just some skinny bitch. every other magazine shoot she's in she's naked, yet people go on about how her weight should be a nonissue. they're asking for it.

but then image is everything.

Genteel Death 10.08.2009 04:52 AM

She has a good voice. A good voice alone seldom makes a crap song good, though. I don't get it when people say : ''Oh, but he/she has a good voice''. Whatever, get people to write better songs for you, so it will be appreciated more.

Genteel Death 10.08.2009 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Satan
as far as the fat thing goes, it's a gimmick but it's not a very good one because it's not musically viable. yeah she's got a good voice, but people pay more attention to the fact that beth ditto is an obese half naked lesbian with no eyebrows and armpit hair. that is the truth. they wouldn't have gotten half the recognition and press coverage they've gotten if she was just some skinny bitch. every other magazine shoot she's in she's naked, yet people go on about how her weight should be a nonissue. they're asking for it.

but then image is everything.


Plus fat is more fashionable than ever these days. I was just looking at a special edition of Vice magazine that has some trendy chubby guys posing naked on it.

Genteel Death 10.08.2009 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nefeli
finally! i m calling all my sisters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


how many sisters have you got?

pbradley 10.08.2009 05:06 AM

One of those bands I'm peripherally aware of but occasionally got flak for opinions that I didn't have, at least from one particular girl I dated. Then again, I suppose they are one of those bands with a chip on their shoulder looking for a reaction?

Trasher02 10.08.2009 05:09 AM

 

om nom nom nom

Genteel Death 10.08.2009 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nefeli
more than 20!!!


what are the chances of them letting their love handles enlarge after they fInd out about the fashionability of being lardy?

SYRFox 10.08.2009 05:47 AM

I own Standing In The Way Of Control (the album) and like it. I never listened to their other albums though - I don't really like what I've heard of the new one. One album is enough for me. But yeah, I really like this album.

Genteel Death 10.08.2009 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nefeli
slim?


I know this guy who is very good looking, and since he started hanging out on the bear scene he decided to become one, so he puts effort into becoming larger. He is still very good looking, just enlarged. He hasn't grown a beard yet, he used to be clean-shaven, but now he goes out with a stubble. what do you think of that?

Satan 10.08.2009 06:47 AM

curvy (not fat) is the new skinny.
fuck the haters.

tits and hips and sexy legs y'all.

Genteel Death 10.08.2009 06:53 AM

Yeah, there is space for everyone. Nobody should feel pressurised to fit a body-size in order to appeal to other people. Skinny and fat don't exactly constitute the potential attactiveness of the individual, anyway. Unless it looks unhealthy, both psychologically and physically. That is a different matter, though, as the person's capability of stabilising their own ideal weight is lost, and need to be regained.

notyourfiend 10.08.2009 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Genteel Death
You put emphasis on the fact that she is a girl before anyone else, not the fact that you started a thread about The Gossip.


eh, i mean beth ditto is the leader singer AND she's female, but no, there isn't too much emphasis on them as being a girl. that being said, i do tend to like female lead singers better than male leader singers in most cases. and i think the fact that beth ditto's weight is talked about or that the assumption that she is doing it to herself just really illustrates how fucked up things are. yes, she is proud her of weight and does not deny the fact that she's fat. but she doesn't do shit that skinny artists don't do. so many female musicians wear just bras on stage, knowing that they are acting as sex objects. but the blues are sexy! beth ditto has a voice and is a fucking hot bitch (seeing her live confirms this, i'm certainly not the only person who thinks this either) and has the right to show it off. and i dont think that she markets herself as being the 'token fat chick' - once again, she doesn't deny that she's overweight, but she's just all about being herself and being fat is something that the media has a hayday with. she's constantly getting shit because of it because she supposedly is out there 'normalizing obesity' and other crap liek that. from what i've told she's even been made fun of for her weight in the national enquirer when she's just an indie rock musician.

also yes, i admitted outright that part of the reason i wrote this thread was because i was curious how many people would talk about them as a band rather than beth ditto as a fat person. i did so because i've been having conversations with multiple other members of this board who also feel that female artists are discussed on this board is fucked up. if i'm at fault for perpetuating that dialogue, then i'm sorry i guess?

that being said, i dont' really like their new album. i'm pissed that they had to introduce synth.

pbradley 10.08.2009 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notyourfiend
also yes, i admitted outright that part of the reason i wrote this thread was because i was curious how many people would talk about them as a band rather than beth ditto as a fat person.

Or maybe you made this thread hoping someone would mention her weight at all so that you could rant?

notyourfiend 10.08.2009 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbradley
Or maybe you made this thread hoping someone would mention her weight at all so that you could rant?


i mean, that's also not the only reason i posted the thread. i was also curious as to if there were other fans, especially cuz i'm pretty sure that the gossip are sonic youth fans. there seem to be a lot of sonic youth influenced bands out there who nobody here likes to like.

that being said, i'm not ranting nearly as much as i can be. i am, however, making some points about certain assumptions that seem to be held (ie the armpit hair thing)

pbradley 10.08.2009 08:39 AM

You've replied more against these assumptions than in response to those who said they like them.

notyourfiend 10.08.2009 08:40 AM

that's just because i've been skimming through this. also, to those who like them - yeah, i agree! and i've also stated my opinion - i love their old stuff, i'm not quite sure about this new album though.


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