Every generation in Britain produces something truly classic in the realms of music, film and television. Except, it seems, my generation. I was born in 1980, so I’d class myself as Generation X; I believe that the creative peak of myself and my peers should be the mid-to-late 1990s to the mid-to-late 2000s.
So. Let’s take a look at our achievements!
British films produced in the last 15 years which are timeless classics: Um…. Well, Hugh Grant played a lot of floppy-haired posh guys…. And… Um…. Yeah….
Come to think of it… We’ve not actually made anything decent that wasn’t a bond movie, and Generation X can hardly lay claim to the creative credit for that. Where’s Get Carter? Zulu? The Italian Job? Bugsy Malone? A Bridge Too Far? The Great Escape? It seems that we can’t make decent films anymore. I should clarify: Sliding Doors, Four Weddings and A Funeral, Bridget Jones’ Diary and all other such “Brit Rom Coms” are NOT good films, they are the testicle sucking rectal warts of the film world. If you think that they ARE good, then you are wrong. There is not debate here.
British music produced in the last fifteen years which is timeless and classic: Errrrrrr…. Jees, that’s a tough one… Except it’s not, really. We don’t make good music anymore, not since Indy died. Oasis were and are mediocre at best (it’s a measure of just how poor British music has become that they receive such plaudits), The Streets are utterly talentless dog-wank (“Shakespeare for the new generation” my fucking arse!) and should actually die, the ENDLESS stream of saccharin plastic wannabe r-n-b churned out by the likes of Simon Cowell actually makes me want to cry… and that’s about it. I suppose there was Joss Stone, but she did one respectable album, went to the States and become shit… Robbie Williams likewise. Blur and Gorillaz? Well, okay, both very good, but hardly timeless classics. We’re nil for two so far.
Television produced by Brit Gen X which is timeless and classic: I can name two. Just two shows. “This Life” and “The League of Gentlemen”. And I bet hardly anybody else has even heard of “This Life”. Conversely, we’ve had almost a decade of Big-Horrible-Freakshow-Brother, so much home-makeover porn that it beggars belief, ten thousand “celebrity” chefs (Ainsley Harriot: Die. Just fucking die) and a million zero-budget quiz shows. And soaps. Endless, interminable hours of misery pumped out of our screens along with a LOT of American shite and a LITTLE bit of American genius. Then there’s Ricky FUCKING Gervaise, who (let’s be honest) also needs to fuck off and die. “The Office” was okay, but would have been FAR better without him. So, since “This Life” and “The League of Gentlemen” are so horribly outnumbered, I’m calling this nil for three.
Britain’s Generation X (me included): You are a talentless non-creative bunch of washouts! DO BETTER!
September 15, 2008 at 10:39 pm
LOL. I had absolutely no control over when I was born, obviously, but it makes me really smug to have turned up 13 years before you did. Punk, New Wave, Modern Romantics, Ska. Fuck me – I’m rolling in good music! But if nothing else, you can lay claim to Damien Rice, David Gray, The Verve, Radiohead and The Manics. OK, you’ve not got the conveyor belt that I was treated to – what you need is a youth that says “NO!” to Simon Cowell’s idea of good music, and goes and makes its own, and then reverberates for a decade or two, afterwards, like Punk did.
Matt
September 16, 2008 at 6:51 am
Weeeeell, I have to admit, I disagree with your music choices being classics. David Grey? Worked one of his gigs back in ‘99, and he WAS very good, but what’s he done since? He’s not had the consistency or longevity to be called classic, I’m afraid. Same with The Verve; one great album does not a supergroup make! Radiohead… Too samey. They’ll end up going the U2 route: Pumping out endless repetitions on the same thing until they disapear up their own arse. And The Manics? Really? Bad choice for me. Being raised in Wales, I’m so used to them being hero worshipped for pumping out absolute crap that I can’t take them seriously at all anymore. Stereophonics are better now that they’re through their middle-aged and mediocre phase.
September 17, 2008 at 11:20 am
Ah! I see our basic point of disagreement! The Specials weren’t particularly long-lived, but if the only song they ever did had been “Ghost Town,” then their immortality would still be secure!
In truth, I guess, there aren’t many artists who can claim an extended discography like, say, Elvis Costello, Bowie and The Clash. They’re remarkable for their ability to still sound original, and yet retain the thing that made them excellent songwriters, in the first place.
Matt
September 21, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I just happen to be 40 years of age and for a long time, I have believed that I was born in the wrong generation. My musical taste ranges from classical up to the 60s and 70s music. I have a lot of this music on vinyl (no plastic CD music). I don’t think this is just what is happening in Great Britain but also America, Australia and New Zealand.
Our western civilization is in major decay so the music is getting angry, pitiful or very artificial. In a sense we have lost direction as a society. The revolutions of the late 60s and early 70s is unfinished business and we as humanity must realize that this peace movement and respect for fellow humans must happen before when can go forwards as a society.
Instead of saying do better, reflect more on what we are doing wrong so we know how we can do better. Music itself must have that big money and marketing element removed.