[Music]
Terrorvision
Whose House?
Oooh, it really makes me mad!!
I'm disgusted with the state of the music world today, when seeing a band or group (there is a big distinction between the two. I wish more people would make it) perform largely consists of said band or group putting in an appearance and proceeding to have their record played over the PA system while holding a mike in front of their lips, moving their mouths in time to the song. This, contrary to popular belief, does not constitute 'seeing them live'.
I was walking home a week or two ago when I saw two girls, no older than 11 or 12, arguing over whether Westlife had sung live on some television show or other the night before. "They had microphones, so they must have done", said one. "But it sounded exactly the same as on the CD", said the other. "Yeah. That's cos they're really good", replied the first one. "S'pose you're right ...", resigned the second girl.
I'd actually seen a little bit of that show while channel surfing. Of course, Westlife hadn't sung live and it would surprise me greatly if they ever did. They simply don't have the talent. They are just five relatively attractive boys recruited by their record label in order to make oodles of dosh out of the most naive and gullible corner of the market. Their voices are tweaked and enhanced by computers until they sound almost passible for on the records. This is why it would be virtually impossible for them to do a real live show.
I'm only picking on Westlife though because that is the freshest example in my mind. There are, of course, many many more examples of this which I could go into in great detail. However, this is not the only area of the music world that has comitted the sin of mime. Miming comes at us all the time, from all directions.
Various members of the rock fraternity have also, on occasion, mimed. For instance, Marilyn Manson 'performed' his latest single Disposable Teens on Top of the Pops a couple of weeks ago. My beloved Terrorvision have also mimed in the past, when doing TV shows to promote teenybop hit Tequila last year. Fortunately, Terrorvision have put the whole miming hiccup firmly behind them, which makes me a happy bunny.
Miming's wrong. I mean, it's really wrong. If you're going to see your favourite group/band, or even just one you like, you expect to hear them too, not some record you already have in your CD collection. This also goes if they happen to be on the telly. Who doesn't look forward to seeing their favourite artists on TV? However, if they mime you might as well just stick your CD on and let your mum watch Coronation Street.
One band that understands the evil of miming is Green Day. Speaking in an interview for Kerrang! Magazine, Green Day singer/guitarist Billie Joe says:
"TV shows are okay. We don't mind doing them as long as we can play live. If we can't then we're not interested."
Drummer Tré Cool adds:
"We've seen old footage where guys are failing to lyp-sync so badly. It's so wrong. Have we ever mimed? No way!"
Which just about says it all really.
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