Placebo... what's your opinion?

[Master Ray]

Haven't done one of these in a while...

A band I've loved since the first self-titled album in 1996, one of my favourite discs to ever grace my stereo.  Over 20 years since then... damn.   

If you're not familiar with them, the best way I can do it is very melodic indie / rock / pop with a bunch of kinky lyrics from a bisexual singer that sometimes works and is sometimes a bit embarrassing.  I'll post some tunes later on if you want to know what the heck I'm talking about.

Now.  I slammed The Levellers in a previous thread for not changing their sound very much like NMA did.  Placebo are, IMO, guilty of exactly the same thing.  But somehow, in 20 years +, they still make it work.  Their last studio album, in 2013, was a fine piece of work.  And they're still a band with a massive following, who love the new tracks just as much as the old.

A great band, IMO, so if you're not familiar (or if you are and fancy a trip down Memory Lane), here's my fave songs from Placebo, one from each album...

From 'Placebo', Come Home...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFnvkypksPI

From 'Without You, Im Nothing', You Don't Care About Us...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXnTOzUgDv0

From 'Black Market Music', Slave To The Wage...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC3Uu8UmJNw

From 'Sleeping With Ghosts', Special Needs...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDd7UC6hOrQ

From 'Meds', Follow The Cops Back Home...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWyFQSFLakg

From 'Battle For The Sun', Kings Of Medicine... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVxzoP_sTFk

From 'Loud Like Love', Loud Like Love...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi_AJxsdOKo

So, there.  That's my opinion of Placebo, I know there are a few admirers of this great band on this Forum, whaddya reckon?    Have I chosen the wrong tunes, should they have stayed back in the 90's, are they a bit crap, whatever!    

Love to hear your opinions.   

[Mothra]

As possibly the least regular poster this board has ever seen, and a less than regular passer-by these days, it's odd you should ask this question, as about 5pm tonight, I decided that Placebo are definitely crap, and after 20 odd years of listening on and off, I deleted all their music that has 'found' its way onto my hard-drive without money changing hands, and shoved 5 of their 6 CDs I have bought (last one being Meds) into the bag for the charity shop drop-off.  The fifth one that stays is the Greatest Hits (or whatever it's called) ... you know, just in case

If you'd asked two weeks ago I'd have said 'not sure, never quite worked out if I like them or not', but after a recent binge, whilst trying to take stock of how much music I have either in physical form, or just available because it was there, they are decidedly for the chop.

That said, I do admire the way they can still pack out big venues without resorting to nostalgia trips (like someone else we might listen to), and Slave to the Wage is a belter of a song.

Feel quite bad at replying to say a band that you like is crap bearing in mind that I am not even close to being part of this forum's community, but the timing was too much to ignore (plus you did ask, and I have genuinely tried to make the jump from casual listener to fan)

[Master Ray]

Hey Mothra... I now officially hate you!

.....

I'm kidding.   

You don't like Placebo.  I am absolutely fine with that. They're not everyone's cup of tea.

Don't feel bad about commenting when 'you're not even close to being part of this forum's community'... all are welcome.  Join us, eh?  This Forum has many lovely folks who will be eager to communicate with you.  Why not post a time or two?  See what happens?   

Or not, whatever you're OK with.  Best to you and yours.   

[Mothra]

Hey Mothra... I now officially hate you!

.....

I'm kidding.   

You don't like Placebo.  I am absolutely fine with that. They're not everyone's cup of tea.

Don't feel bad about commenting when 'you're not even close to being part of this forum's community'... all are welcome.  Join us, eh?  This Forum has many lovely folks who will be eager to communicate with you.  Why not post a time or two?  See what happens?   

Or not, whatever you're OK with.  Best to you and yours.   

Cheers, I've just just replied to another of your post in a far more positive way.  I hate admitting defeat with a band that initially get my attention, but  I realised I can't spend any more time trying to work out if I like them - sometimes I just got to accept that it's not working. 

It was the timing of your post that meant I couldn't have not replied:-).

I'm over at MyHeartland far more often than here, and do pipe up there every now and again.  Different band, shared history, same user name.

[Pol]

I like a lot of there stuff,  I'm not exactly a fan boy . I have a few of there cds . The 1st two , greatest hits and sleeping with ghosts. I've never seen them live but would be up for it .
I also thought Brian was gay , pretty sure he is from Dundee. They definitely have my respect n yeah I would happily wear a t shirt

[Bunny]

Quite like Placebo and have a fair bit of their stuff, which I listen to once in a while. Ordinarily Id find a voice like Brian Molko's irritating, but it seems to work for me.

Id got it in my head he was American, but apparently not.
Personal favourite songs are Every You, Every Me and Meds

[Red]

Only got the one CD 'Without You I'm Nothing'

Haven't really listened to much else,maybe I should

[Master Ray]

Give it a go, Red, you might find some gems.  Yes, Placebo are slightly embarrassing sometimes ('Hey, here's yet ANOTHER silly lyric about kinky sex and drugs, aren't we controversial!') but they have some fine tunes.  Let me know what you think, mate.

[jackroadkill]

I quite like them; they use some excellent guitar sounds.  There's an excellent YouTube clip of them doing Nancy Boy on Jools Holland way back in 1996 or so that's worth a look.

[Anna Woman von NRW]

Never quite got there with them to be honest, a few standout tunes but not enough to really grab my attention and pull me in. But then again they did Nancy Boy which pretty much gives them a free pass as far as I'm concerned 

[MARKXE]

Saw them at Mera Luna Festival in 2012, absolutely bloody awful.

[Master Ray]

Saw them at Mera Luna Festival in 2012, absolutely bloody awful.

    

Each to their own, mate!   

I'd be very interested in what other folks have to add when it comes to '(insert band name)... what's your opinion?'... name a band you really like, explain why and see what reactions you get!  C'mon, guys, let's have some fun!

[Red]

Master Ray,

Any album suggestions please

[Master Ray]

Red, go with the very first eponymous album (not a bad track on it) and then 'Battle For The Sun'.  Then get back to me.   

[Red]

Red, go with the very first eponymous album (not a bad track on it) and then 'Battle For The Sun'.  Then get back to me.   

Just ordered both off Ebay for a fiver

I'll let ya know what I think

See ya soon mate