Tag Archives: supergrass

My iPod #65: Supergrass – Bad Blood

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When I was thirteen in 2008, Supergrass was the band that I enjoyed listening to the most.

I got “In It for the Money” and their self-titled album as presents for my eleventh birthday, listened to them and didn’t think much of them. The songs just passed me by, you know? Except for “Richard III”, which was the only reason I got the former in the first place.

Using the free music-video service that was available on my TV provider (Virgin Media ftw) I watched all of their videos from “Mansize Rooster” to “St. Petersburg” and realised that the band’s music was one of the most enjoyable and exciting to listen to.

So it was no surprise that I was really excited and could not wait for the release of their then-new album “Diamond Hoo Ha”. Although I was quite disappointed in the first song that they promoted from it, the almost title-track “Diamond Hoo Ha Man“, it was “Bad Blood” that really got the heart pumping and the blood circulating.

The video played a big part in that feeling. You can watch the making of the video by clicking on this sentence. The weird camera shifting gave me a real sense of adrenaline, almost like being on a rollercoaster.

The song itself is a one of the highlights from the album. It’s a great release of energy after the first track. With quiter, chugging verses accompanied by a rip-roaring chorus, the song is one of the best from the Supergrass catalogue of the twenty-first century.

It’s a shame that this song didn’t do so well commercially, and “Diamond Hoo Ha” turned out to be the band’s final album after the members split in 2010. *sniff sniff*

Oh well, the music remains and the good times roll on.

Until tomorrow.

Jamie.

My iPod #30: Supergrass – Alright

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Supergrass was a band that was at its most prominent during the Britpop era. Although that scene quickly died out around 1997, the band still managed to stay pretty relevant and their last album ‘Diamond Hoo Ha’, released in 2008, entered at 19 in the album chart.

I miss Supergrass. 😦 They are one of my favourite bands too.

Britpop was a fine time for British music. New bands were thrust upon the scene; Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Suede and various others dominated the charts. Who could forget ‘The Battle of the Bands’, which saw Blur and Oasis go head to head for the number one spot, which Blur eventually won?

I talk as if I was 20 years old around this time, although really I had only just been born.

Supergrass were relatively new at the time. ‘Alright’ was released as the last single from their debut ‘I Should Coco’ in 1995, and became somewhat of a youth anthem here and in America too after being featured in the film ‘Clueless’.

You can’t be sad to this song. The intro is unforgettable, as soon as you hear that piano tune you know that you won’t be disappointed. The band was young at the time of writing the song and so the youth of the time were able to empathise with what the band was feeling. I guess it wouldn’t have been so popular if it was some old man singing about being young when he clearly wasn’t.

And watch that video too! It’s all so happy. Oh man. Why do you need a video with a concept when you could just be messing around on a beach, or fooling about with bicycles? Steven Spielberg even wanted to do some sort of ‘Monkees’ documentary based on them, but they declined in order to start work on their second album. That’s dedication.

This is considered to be Supergrass’ signature song. It’s not my favourite, probably because it’s the one that will always be played on a holiday advert, or the one Supergrass video that will always be played on a music channel. Supergrass have many other great songs. Not just this one. Find them.

Come back Supergrass. Please!

Until next time.

Jamie.