Brit Rock: Britain's Counterattack

Years: 1991-1999

Afterwards it can be considered Brit Rock 

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To begin with, it's officially called Brit Pop, but I've always considered it a derogatory term. It's not that Pop is bad, but hearing it like that makes me think it's like a counterattack to Britney Spears or Lady Gaga or other such things, although British Pop is certainly a bit more respectable (let's ignore the Spice Girls, please). And although the genre isn't exempt from Pop influence, which is totally inevitable given its foundations in pillars like The Kinks or The Beatles, I think to avoid confusion it's better to refer to this genre as Brit Rock.

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Brit Rock is a subgenre of Alternative, and often the line is so thin that the argument continues as to whether certain bands are one or the other. Basically, Brit Rock was the British response of the two bands that led the movement, Blur and Oasis, to the dominance of Grunge in the United States. Something like: "We don't want your chainsaw guitars, your raspy voices, your dirty flannel shirts, your mosquitoes, and your libidos in England. Let's return to the rhythmic and melodic traditions of England, with their localized descriptions and themes." And if grunge is a kind of regression to the punk and hard rock sounds of the '70s, Brit Rock is also a retro rescue, going even further back, to the more rhythmic and acoustic-based sounds of the '60s.

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It's not really as simple as the Oasis vs. Blur war. There's a lot of richness in the subgenre's short lifespan, and it brought with it a certain musical balance, a counterbalance to the American dominance of the early '90s. It could be said that the earliest origins are in the 1960s, with the aforementioned Kinks and the Beatles, with their rhythmic style, soft melodies, and generally acoustic-based, highly intelligent pop, and a strong British localism in their lyrics. However, the most direct influences were some bands from the 1980s, who should undoubtedly be considered the "parents" of the Brit Rock explosion. There are, in fact, four bands that I consider important and that, in a way, constitute Pre-Brit Rock: The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Echo & The Bunnymen, and The Smiths, without whom it would be impossible to understand what happened in England in the 1990s.

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The Smiths formed in 1982, and were based on the enormous lyrical and personal character of Morrissey as a vocalist and frontman, as well as Johnny Marr's guitar style. They were one of the most important alternative and independent bands of the 80s, and one of the most popular in the United Kingdom, although outside the islands they were brutally ignored for having that kind of Anglo-centrism that so annoys Americans, who believe themselves to be the center of the universe. With just four albums, The Smiths broke up in 1987 due to problems between members, becoming a cult band to this day. Their impact in the early 90s was still impressive for young bands, and without a doubt, they are one of the most important influences in terms of sound and style for what would become the Brit Rock movement. Many of the musicians admitted that they picked up the guitar or started composing thanks to Morrissey.

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The Happy Mondays are another alternative band, perhaps even less known outside of England. They formed in 1980 in Manchester. It wasn't until '85 that they released their first album. By the time they released Burned in '88 and Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches in '90, they were already basically a cult band and one of the leading bands of the Madchester movement.

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Echo & The Bunnymen, led by Ian McCulloch on vocals and Will Sargeant on guitar, is one of the most underrated bands in history. Despite forming in the late '70s, the Liverpool group (possibly the second best band to ever come out of the port) managed to master rhythmic and highly melodic sounds with extremely interesting and high-quality songs, breaking the standards of the time. Perhaps they initially leaned more toward Post-Punk, but they managed to release gems like "The Killing Moon," "Silver," "Seven Seas," "Lips Like Sugar," and "Bring On The Dancing Horses," songs that undoubtedly shaped the entire nascent generation of 90s Brit Rock and took them as an example to follow. This band seems ahead of its time to me, and if they had emerged in the mid-90s, I'm convinced they would have kicked Blur and Oasis' butts together. Another band that enjoyed relative success in the UK, but were grossly ignored outside the British Isles. Today, they're just beginning to achieve the cult status they deserve.

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Finally, the most direct influence is the Stone Roses. This band, which emerged in 1983 with Ian Brown on vocals, was the greatest exponent of the Madchester sound, which was the prelude to the explosion of Brit Rock. Basically, with one album, they had enough to shake up all of England, their self-titled '89 release, which made them one of the most influential bands for British sounds of the following decade. The explosion they generated with this album was so impressive that bands started popping up everywhere, particularly from the Manchester area. Some of them must have had some talent. In fact, Blur and Suede initially tried to be Stone Roses rip-offs. By the time legal issues allowed the Roses to release their second album, the Brit Rock movement was already in full swing, and they weren't as successful as they had hoped.

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All these bands paved the way for a style that prioritized rhythm and melody. Because of the style of the '80s and what was being heard in the United States, it was difficult for this type of music to be accepted. Bands like Blur and Oasis merely took up this heritage, combined it with more sixties influences, sharpened their lyrics, always focusing more on young English people with local slang and references, and continued what these pioneering bands had already started. The difference compared to the pioneering groups is that this time, Brit Rock would consolidate, making it onto the US charts and beating the Grunge bands themselves in terms of sales. Damon Albarn would say the following in 1993 when asked if he was “anti-grunge”: “If Punk was about getting rid of the Hippies, then I'm about getting rid of Grunge.”

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It's impossible to pinpoint a point where Brit Rock officially began. By 1993, it was already a reality and a true counterweight to grunge, but there's no exact point where it can be said to have begun. Most people agree that Blur's "Popscene" and Suede's "The Drowners," released in 1992, are the songs that are most likely to be considered "Leisure," but I'd go back even further if you prefer. These precursor bands had many elements that would qualify as Alternative or New Wave, but they also had traits of the sounds that would dominate 10 years later. I don't think I'll ever review them, but if I do, don't be surprised if I label them Brit Rock.

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Well, the fact is that in the early 90s, the Stone Roses released their debut album, and it became a huge success. The Roses immediately became the biggest British band of the moment, and their debut and success served as a rallying cry for young Britons, who began to feel the urge to create new bands. After the problems the Roses had with their original label, Zomba Records, which owned the subsidiary that had released them, they chose to take a long vacation rather than immediately get to work on their next album. This left a gap in the British scene, which was initially filled by American grunge. Suddenly, local sounds faded away, and could only be heard on the independent scene, by bands that were just starting out in the bars and clubs of London's Camden Town area. Two of those bands were Blur and Suede. The press took them under its wing and began to give them exposure, trying to revive local sounds. The same young people, driven by fierce nationalism, began to give them preference, and soon the clubs were overwhelmed. Bands took advantage of this nationalism, frequently wearing clothing with the British flag, much like The Who.

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Blur, for me the most important and interesting band of the movement, without which the other groups wouldn't have had the same success, even if the Gallagher brothers grumble at me. Damon Albarn (vocals) and Graham Coxon (guitar) had been friends since childhood, unlike many other bands where the main members didn't know each other until their youth. Damon had a band called Circus, and in 1988 a position opened for a guitarist, so he brought Graham in. Later, Alex James joined on bass and Dave Rowntree on drums. In early 1989, they changed their name to Seymour and began playing in the Madchester movement and the sound of their idols, the Stone Roses. In November, they received a record deal from Food Records, but on the condition that they change their ugly name. So they renamed themselves Blur, as it was the one they disliked the least of the names proposed by the label. They ended up signing the contract in May 1990. They released their first single, "She's So High," and began performing in Camden Town, particularly at the exclusive Syndrome Club. In October, they began a mini-tour around the country. Some of the bands they shared stages with during this time were Suede and Lush, who managed to prosper, and Slodive and Spitfire, who would flourish before the triumph of Brit Rock. Their debut album, Leisure, wouldn't be released until mid-1991, with relative success. The sounds of this album were even more influenced by the Madchester movement, with a crazy aura, a lot of beat, and a generally more unruly and immature spirit. The album performed relatively well among English kids, but as expected, it was ignored in the US. By then, the Madchester movement was beginning to fizzle out and the Stone Roses were beginning to withdraw from the stage, while across the Atlantic, Seattle was becoming the rock capital of the world and "Smell Like Teen Spirit" was THE song. The grunge explosion impacted not only the US but also strongly reached British youth, taking advantage of the Stone Roses' void. By 1992, Blur realized that their former manager had defrauded them and they were £60,000 in debt, so they were forced to hastily prepare an American tour to try to recoup the loss. The American kids were ecstatic with the grunge sounds, and if they even looked at Blur, it was only to insult them. Albarn and Coxon would eventually grow weary of both the grunge that had ruined their tour and American customs. They returned home with the untranslatable "homesick," re-evaluating British traditions and customs. Blur returned to England with the seeds of Brit Rock in their suitcases, as revenge for American mistreatment.
 

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Suede formed in London in 1989, with Bret Anderson on vocals, Bernard Butler on guitar, Simon Gilbert on drums, and Mat Osman on bass. They started at London College, playing covers of Beatles and Smiths songs. In 1990, they began placing demos on London radio. Around this time, former Smiths drummer Mike Joyce was in the band, lasting a few weeks. The drums were the most volatile part of the group in their early days until Gilbert took over, almost entering the studio. Justine Frischman, a future member of Elastika, was also in the band. In 1991, Justine and Brett broke up, and Justine formed her own band and began dating Blur's Damon Albarn, creating a brutal rivalry between Suede and Blur, more genuine than the one they would later establish with the Gallaghers. This rivalry caused a sensation among the London crowd, and the bands strove to improve their sound to outshine each other. Oasis actually had little or nothing to do with the rise of Brit Rock; it was the rivalry between Suede and Blur that led to the leap in musical quality and opened the door for all the other bands. With Justine's departure, Brett and Bernard became Suede's songwriting partnership, and they reached their peak, attracting the attention of the music press and creating a blatantly sexual spectacle. When Blur returned to the United States, horrified, they would find that during their absence, Suede had become the most popular band in the United Kingdom, to top off their nightmare. Blur immediately went into the studio, with all their Anglophile ideas in mind, but when they were ready to strike back in December 1992, the record label halted the release and asked for a song with more single potential, so they added "For Tomorrow," but the release was delayed until May 1993. Suede's self-titled album would be released in March, becoming the best-selling debut album in English history up to that point. The album caused controversy from the cover, with Anderson claiming to be a bisexual man who had never had a same-sex relationship. Songs like "Animal Nitrate" would immediately become a hit, and Suede ended up taking home the Brit Awards and the titles of Best New Band and Best British Band of the Year, much to the frustration of Albarn and company.

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Blur's new album, Modern Life Is Rubbish, was, along with Suede's debut, one of the first albums to shift its sound toward Brit Rock and feature more local lyrics, focused on the suburbs and local traditions, in a frank attack on grunge. In April, Brett Anderson appeared in Select magazine wrapped in the Union Jack with the headline: "Yankees, go home." The magazine's issue featured, in addition to Suede, other bands like Denim, Pulp, and Saint Ettiene, who were also beginning to rise to prominence; if there's ever a moment to define the Brit Rock flag, it's this one.
 

By the end of '93, a consolidated movement had emerged, with bands like Blur, Suede, Oasis (formed by the Gallagher brothers, who were preparing their first album), Elastika, led by Justine Frischman, Pulp, and The Verve, led by Richard Ashcroft and Nick McCaber, who would release their debut album, Storm in Heaven, Sleeper, that year, while the trio Supergrass was just beginning its first rehearsals. These bands would form the bulk of Brit Rock, the most visible names of the British wave of the '90s.

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Blur's revenge wouldn't come until April of '94, with the legendary Parklife. That same month, Kurt Cobain took his shot, and it seemed that the undeclared war between Grunge and Brit Rock was beginning to turn around. That year, Oasis' debut, Definitely Maybe, was released, breaking Suede's record for sales of a new band. The peculiarity was that their albums were beginning to sell relatively well in the United States, not just in Europe. By 1995, Elastika, Sleeper, and Supergrass had risen to fame with their respective debuts: Elastica, Smart, and I Should Coco. Pulp, for their part, reached the peak of their fame within the islands with the song "C'mon People" and their participation in the Glastonbury Festival. Melody Maker would announce mid-year: "Camden is to 1995 what Seattle was to 1992."

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Pulp is a very interesting band. Although they formed in 1980 by the then-fifteen-year-old Jarvis Cocker and Peter Dalton, and released a few minor albums in the 1980s, their peak came in the 1990s. In reality, they seem like a much older band, but at the peak of Brit Rock, Jarvis and company were barely older than the rest of the bands. After a zillion lineup changes and two independent albums in the 1980s, they began to see success with their albums Separations in 1992 and His 'n' Hers in 1994.

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August 1995 would be crucial for the globalization of Brit Rock. Oasis and Blur were already having a certain rivalry, especially due to the unbearable nature of the Gallagher brothers, who believed they were handmade. But the press fostered this rivalry, to such an extent that in August, each band's singles were scheduled for release on August 14th: Oasis's "Roll With It" and Blur's "Country House." NME magazine published it on the front page as "The Battle of Brit Pop," and the news was on the lips of EVERY citizen of the British Empire during those days, above all other topics. Blur won the battle by selling 274,000 copies, while Oasis only managed 216,000. The Gallaghers would never forgive Damon and Graham. Noel and Liam would boast, saying they lost the battle but won the war. In October, Oasis released their second album, What's the Story, Morning Glory. Whether we like the brothers or not, we have to admit it's a great album. The album was the first to break ground in the United States, reaching quadruple platinum, becoming the best-selling album in British history (surpassing Sgt. Peppers and Queen). It would end up being the best-selling album of the decade, surpassing OK Computer and Nevermind, which sent the Gallaghers' egos into the stratosphere. Although Blur's The Great Escape wasn't as commercially successful, many consider it Blur's masterpiece and better than any Oasis album. By 1995, Grunge bands were beginning their decline and the balance was finally inverted in favor of British bands, who were at their peak.

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'96 was also an excellent year, where the bands basically dedicated themselves to reaping their triumphs. Suede released their third album, Coming Up, with the mega-hit "Trash," definitively overcoming Butler's departure from the group. Oasis performed at Kenworth in front of a quarter of a million euphoric fans. Shortly after, they recorded their Unplugged at the Royal Festival Hall, causing controversy when Liam didn't appear on stage, and Noel sang instead. They said Liam was ill, but from then on, rumors of the brothers' constant arguments began to swirl. The '96 Brit Awards were a celebration of the entire movement, but Pulp's Jarvis Cocker stole the spotlight, invading the former stage while Michael Jackson was mid-performance of "Earth Song." Jarvis ended up in jail for one night, but he got the attention he wanted: Pulp would become the most powerful Brit Rock band of the late 1990s with their majestic "This Is Hardcore" from '98, whose dramatic title track, in my humble opinion, is one of the top five songs of the '90s. That same year, the film "Transpotting" would be released, an ode to the decadent lifestyle of British youth, with a powerful soundtrack based on the best Brit Rock bands. Sleeper participated with a cover of "Atomic" and also released their album "The It Girl."

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'97 was supposed to be the year of consolidation, and yet, for many, it's the year Brit Rock died. Or at least, it began its rapid decline. Oasis had become the most visible band, along with Blur, after the enormous success of "Morning Glory" and "Wonderwall." Their next album was one of the most anticipated in history. Be Here Now was a disappointment. Despite having acceptable sales, it was savaged by critics for being so overproduced and for that crushing wall of sound. It also didn't offer anything new to what the band had already demonstrated. It's not that bad, really, but everyone expected it to be Brit Rock's triumphant moment, and it was rather disappointing. Blur's self-titled album was much better, but it moved away from the Brit Rock style. Songs like "Song 2" and "Beetlebum" are perhaps the most significant of the decade, but no one understood that they were a kind of mockery of grunge, and many people attacked this change in sound, accusing them of high treason. I mean, if you stuck with the same sound like Oasis: Bad. If you evolved like Blur: Bad!

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The Verve also released a great album, Urban Hymns, with gigantic songs like "Bitter Sweet Symphony," which became another irrefutable anthem of the era, and others like "Sonnet" and "Lucky Man." The Verve had already released a couple of albums that had done well locally, but their third album, anchored by "Bitter Sweet Symphony," would bring them worldwide fame. Radiohead, for their part, released the enormous OK Computer, creating an avant-garde sound that completely distanced themselves from Brit Rock, as they had attempted to do with their first albums.

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'98 would come with Pulp's masterpiece, the album This Is Hardcore. The Verve was falling apart. Oasis released the B-sides compilation, Masterplan, for many their last worthwhile album. The most iconic bands were beginning to fall apart or change their sound. The Spice Girls took center stage in Britain, ushering in a more superficial, idiotic, vain, and audience-disrespectful pop trend, with the return of boy bands and monstrosities like Britney Spears. Rock in general went through a crisis toward the end of the decade, and pop, hip-hop, and electronic music dominated, a sound that even established rock bands embraced.

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By 1999, there were still signs of life. Blur released the magnificent and still misunderstood 13, much more experimental and mature, proving once and for all that they were light years ahead of Oasis in terms of quality. Supergrass released their self-titled album, and Suede released the sublime Head Music. Shortly after, at the beginning of the millennium, the last Brit Rock bands collapsed, leaving only Oasis, releasing mediocre albums in their attempt to believe themselves the Beatles.

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We can consider Blur, Oasis, Elastica, Suede, Sleeper, Pulp, Supergrass, and The Verve to be the most representative bands of Brit Rock. However, there were other bands influenced by these sounds that are worth mentioning. Radiohead was labeled as part of this subgenre during their first albums, Pablo Honey and The Bends, although they would become completely independent with OK. It's highly debatable, and I've always seen them as an alternative band, but The Bends, in particular, are where the more guitar-driven influences of the subgenre are noticeable. Placebo is another alternative band with certain influences, as are Kula Shaker, The Coral, Stereophonics, Travis, and James. Coldplay would come later, reviving the Brit Rock sound on their first two albums, being one of the bands that kept the rock flame alive during the extremely difficult transition of the millennium. However, they would fall into Third Album Syndrome, becoming brutally commercial and saccharine, completely disappointing with the promises of their first albums. It's unlikely, though not impossible, that I'll review Coldplay one day, but if I do, don't be surprised if I label them as Brit Rock, since for me they're the last band with those characteristics. After 2002, there's little to say about Brit Rock.

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You see? After all, Brit Rock creates a lot of prejudices in us, but it's much more than the Gallaghers' snubs. It was a much richer, more complex, and more fascinating subgenre than we usually imagine, and there are truly must-have albums among these bands. Suede and Pulp, in particular, are highly underrated in Latin America.

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After the great wave of Brit Rock, record labels would go into crisis due to technological changes, piracy, Napster, and MP3. This would be the last "normal" era, and after it, the music business would never be the same again. I think Brit Rock is one of the most underrated eras, because we're left with the false idea that it was just the Oasis vs. Blur war. The truth is, it's not as fascinating an era as Prog or the hippie explosion, but it's much richer and more interesting than everyone thinks. Yes, maybe you hate the Gallagher brothers, and maybe we didn't appreciate it at the time... but in an effort to be honest... wouldn't you kill for a new wave featuring half the bands that made up this movement?

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Brit Rock brings to a close that golden age of rock that shone in the nineties alongside grunge and alternative.

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What a time!

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What are you waiting for to go dust off your old records and relive your nostalgia?

 

 

 

By Corvan   

Feb/23/2011

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