The Upcoming June 3 Chart War's Significance on Popular Culture
On June 3, the Post-Punk act The Band and the hardcore/Pop-Punk band Catharsis will be realeasing albums. This is Catharsis' debut album, and the sophmore effort for The Band. Catharsis previously realeased the popular song "Without You" and The Band's first album went Silver in the UK. While Catharsis will almost assuradly "win" the "war" by selling more copies worldwide, it's a toss-up who will come out on top in the UK, the native country of both bands. The outcome will have a significant influence on the nation's music scene.
What kind of people will be flooding independent record stores during the first weekend in June? If it's someone buying "The Band's Second Album" (yes that's the title. John York didn't consider how hard it is on journalists to have to constantly explain that. What a prick.) we will most likely be dealing with a female, probably a college student or 20 something from an urban "artistic area". If we're looking at someone searching for Catharsis' "The Beginning of Things" we'll be seeing maybe a teenage boy, with his hair dyed a couple different colors and a nose piercing. It might also be a younger fan buying one of their first records. The Band's fanbase is predominatly female and represents people of educated and creative backgrounds, while Catharsis has tapped into a more working/middle class following. British class tensions are certainly fanning the flames, and not just for the fans.
The two act's respective guitarsists grew up together in Yorkshire County, both as a part of poor families. Both were abandoned by their father's at early ages. York is currently estranged from his mother as well. Both were also arrested throughout their youth's for petty theft and disorderly conduct, but given slaps on the wrist due to their ages. Both also had drug problems, with York being a full fledged heroin addict at age 16. York generally excelled in school, despite being expelled from several school's due to his bad behaviour. With the help of scholarships and saving he was able to attend University for a year before putting his full focus onto music. He was planning on studying English and Literature and sat in on a massive amount of music theory classes during his year. This, along with York's current "preppie" public image, have resulted in him losing all of his friends from the hardcore punk scene, including James White(who, in the interest of journalistic integrity, I will also call a prick.) They view him as having "sold-out" in favor of upper-middle class values. White has regularly questioned York's integrity and implied that he is a "bluffer". York has shown a general disinterest in the feud, despite his decision to realease his album on the same day as Catharsis', resulting in sneers from the hardcore community.
The differences in the guitarsists really define the differences in the bands. The "winner" in the UK will probably go on to become the next big thing out of the British indie scene, following acts like The Stone Roses, Oasis, and The Arctic Monkeys. One of these two faces will be the new face of indie rock. You'll help pick on June 3.
Edited by user 24 May 2011 06:12:44(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified
