Full line up for Futuresound 2004 is announced...

Terrence Chipchase wrote...

Who wrote this article? Who decided to single out those two bands for special praise? I'm surprised at LMS for showing this kind of bias.

Dave LMS wrote...

The text is a press release from Futuresound.

I disagree with LMS showing "bias", we have no sway or involvement whatsoever in Futuresound 2004.

I could edit the comments out, but I don't see it as necessary.

I see additional, chosen informative "commentary" of this nature in music (and other) press articles every day - it's what breaks the tedium that often comes with "news, news, news" if it is written without a bit of a human touch or interpretation.

Had I had time to edit it, I would likely have taken the comments out but since I didn't I'm glad I didn't - it makes it more interesting to read with that bit of "related news".

Terrence Chipchase wrote...

Fair comment Dave, but on this occasion perhaps Futuresound should have thought their press release through a little. After all what we have here is 30 bands who would all presumably give an arm and a leg to play at the festival.

Given that the ever-dubious "audience vote" contributes to deciding the victor, it seems unfair to bring two of them to the fore before this thing has even got underway.

Dave LMS wrote...

Agreed

However, equally, I am confident that the Leeds public are unlikely to be swayed by what they read on LMS (judging by their opinions on our reviews ) ...

And also, I have no doubt that before it kicks off people will have formed a "top six" in their minds already.

I think also that the majority, if not all of the audience votes will come from friends and family so at the end of the day I don't think the audience vote can be swayed too much.

saladcream wrote...

i think its all bollocks anyway! get some proper bloody bands on instead of the same clicky indie shit! its always the same bands on this website...the cribs, kiaser chiefs,buen chico...blah blah blah! wankers!!

Dave LMS wrote...

Oh well, not bad. You had thirty bands to choose from and correctly named one of the bands that you'd just read, but failed the test by naming two you hadn't... not bad at all!

I think the comment is quite funny actually, that in some way we are reporting the wrong bands ... but seriously I'm so sorry I shall have a word with Futuresound and tell them to stop putting the wrong band names on their press releases.

Now can I get back to publishing facts and stop wasing time on such silliness.

And if you want a bit of a direction to some other bands there are 1,800 bands featured on this website across 2700 articles (includin just over 700 local bands with profiles in the A-Z). Have a look around sometime maybe if you're after diversity.

Terrence Chipchase wrote...

LMS is THE website for Leeds music in terms of quality / quantity of reviews, band resources, news, gig listings etc - I don't think there is any debate there.

'saladcream' - what a pathetic viewpoint. Why not bring these "proper bands" to the attention of the LMS team if you think they are not represented?

saladcream wrote...

life would be lovely if the entire 'leeds music scene' was something other than afew single minded losers with computers. maybe the people should go out and see the bands and create a real scene. and the comment on these proper bands.... start reviewing bands like.. red stars parade, tigers!, the noise, d-rail, no excuse, human fly, black noise choir. these are the real people doing the real music.

Dave LMS wrote...

Listen to yourself, "real people", "real music" indeed! And you talk about us being narrowminded! What a quote. Ha. What with our features on close to two thousand different bands in total, over 700 of them being highlighted further in our profiles section on local bands and you say we're being narrowminded.

In addition, you say "start" reviewing some quoted bands... for more than half, we already have and on more than one occasion apiece. For the others we have profiles or further information. I think there's two that don't have any comment on this site (nor elsewhere on the net either). Haven't you been looking and reading?

But I think the point is that your reaction against the Futuresound selection announcement is somehow sour grapes that the bands you like weren't selected by Futuresound in the top thirty (of some 150 that applied).

Somehow the bands you like play "real music" and you are a bit miffed that Futuresound overlooked them (and for some bizarre reason you decided to take it out on the messenger, LMS).

Well I will put to you that the bands listed as your faves are very unlikely to care about Futuresound, and I would bet most, if not all, are not in the slightest bit interested in the competition and did not apply.

There's no conspiracy going on, I think it really is that simple.

nevekseerht wrote...

Leeds music scene is not biased, or unaware of music circulating around Leeds. Leeds music scene have nothing to do with the Futuresound competition and just as there are always going to be favourites going into any competition, the end result is never certain. Favourites and contenders are all part and parcel of any competiton but it does not deter are alter the decision . Being jealous and bitter towards LMS is a childish response from someone who obviously can not be adult enough to accept the situation.

There will be without a doubt bands who did not get into the competition who are quite clearly better than those that did. These choices are made by a small number of judges and there is nothing that Saladcream can say or do to change this. Do you want a public vote on National Television or would you like a selective group of your mates to be the judges.

LMS is a tool which most bands use effectively. It enables bands to establish themselves, to analyse and construct themselves and to use for publicity.

Its not biased its just that people like Saldacream want to use LMS as a scapegoat in order to mask the fact that there little band or bands they like didnt make it into a competiton

Dave LMS wrote...

I think your 5/5 review in return is on its way *wink*

nevekseerht wrote...

i'm glad my words can help.*nudge nudge wink wink*
after all without words where would any of us be.

stellathediver wrote...

Saladcream, i'm in Buen Chico and i don't know if you're calling us wankers or the people who run this website, but either way i think you're being very unfair.

to say that we are cliquey, well that's bollocks. we don't even know any of the bands you listed along with us, and the only reason we end up playing with them is because our music compliments each others and are of a similar style. i doubt you would be too happy if we turned up to play with d-rail.

and to say that LMS is biased is also wrong. there are an enormous amount of bands of almost every genre covered on this site and almost always treated fairly and objectively (to the extent that you can be objective about something as personal as music anyway)in reviews etc.

if you ever meet us or come to see us and still think we're wankers, then fair enough. but until then maybe you should reserve judgement.

performingchimp wrote...

Hmm... bands in "almost every genre"? You mean almost every genre of rock? There aren't many/any:

- folk bands
- country bands
- jazz bands
- rockabilly bands
- blues bands (I mean normal ones, not "new-blues" or whatever)

etc.

Don't get me wrong - I get the impression that most people who use this site couldn't care less about any of the above genres.

So it doesn't really matter.

Does it?

Dave LMS wrote...

I think the point in reply is that any genre is not excluded; ie, should a band wish to be listed it is clearly obvious they can be regardless of their genre (it says it everywhere) and as you have shown we have provided the facility to list bands within some rather broadly termed genre and we have several bands already listed under those genre.

A simple test revealed that 2% of all bands on LMS have said of themselves to be "folk", a further 2% are "blues" and similarly just short of 2% claimed they were "jazz".

You didn't mention these but 5% are acoustic, and 1% are solo artists. And 32% are rock.

And so on.

Not bad if you ask me, and again the point is: the site shows it doesn't exclude anyone, any genre and bands merely need to ask to be listed... what we cannot do though is force bands to be interested in having a listing on the site, that said we are wlling to give equal time and space to any band that does irespective of their genre.

Dave LMS wrote...

Having thought about it a bit more now, and ignoring what the site would suggest for a moment.

Having had several years experience of doing listings for Leeds venues, and reading other city gig guides too, I think that when you come to now compare the breakdown of Leeds bands with profiles on this site to what city venues are putting on, you can be assured you have an accurate representation when you visit this site.

Yes, there are bands missing, but this will be the case for all styles of music.

The one section I know we're lacking though, and counters this observation is the "urban music" styles which do well in Leeds but are not featured on here.

However for the example genre quoted I think what you see is what you have in Leeds. Unless these people gig in places that never advertise anywhere...

nevekseerht wrote...

Some people are so pedantic and anal. This site represents the majority of the music scene and I gather it allows any person who wishes to, to send in a band profile, demo or request to be reviewed, irrelative of the genre.

I cant remember reading on LMS "sorry guys-no blues, jazz or country allowed".

Performing chimp stop being an arse and stop acting like your user name.

performingchimp wrote...

I'm not being an arse, just joining in the debate. Why be insulting? No - it's OK - don't apologise.

There are of niche websites -there are Leeds Jazz websites, and a lot of Jazz gigs - the fact that they don't advertise here is a shame, and they should. There's a folk website and asian-music website too.

Maybe that explains why they're under-represented here.

Mike_Q wrote...

I guess maybe these acts don't see this site as representing them but the only way that will change is if they decide to send stuff anyway. LMS does represent all music it's just that there are obviously more rock and pop bands than death-dance-jazz bands.

I guess only if the bands themselves start sending in, info, news and material for review will things change.

stfour wrote...

hey weve applied three years running and never got in,this is not bitch about anyone im just saying we have been accepted into every competition we have entered and never lost (currently in the national battle of the bands semi's for £10,000 and studio time to record an album) yet future sound doesnt seem to be into us. i suppose what im saying is 'its hard to get in if ya dont, try harder next year or join a different band' dont bitch about lms its got fook all to do with them (i assume) and stand there saying we are better blah blah its the industry it aint never gonna change. my advice get in cliche and hope to fook its the right one.

stfour wrote...

by the way this has fook all to do with me sorry for butting in posted it and realised anyways ive been jerry springer

**El B** wrote...

The problem is not Leeds Meusic Scene, but the entire music industry. Leeds is on the industies 'grid' at the moment because a lot of recent signings ('The Music', 'The Cribs') have come from here. Futuresound is simply attempting to perpetuate this, and draw more attention to its business, by highlighting bands that fit in to the narrow genre that is currently being mined/exploited, as is the nature of any business.
The fact that 'Buen Chico' were singled out in the press release and then went on to finish 2nd in the competition may undermine the event, but what did you guys expect? If Futuresound points out a band early on which ends up winning, then the industry will be more likely to rear its greasy head round here in the future.
Having performed at the event I can say honestly that it is NOT fixed in any way. The audience vote does make a big difference however, and established bands with a following are obviously more likely to succeed.
The industry does not want to 'rock the boat', and only wants bands it can successfully market, exploit and then disgard without making waves. Image counts for a lot. That is what the two judges will have been baring in mind when making their decisions.
Leeds will be continued to be treated this way until it ceases to be fashionable and another city/region is chosen. You know it and I know it.
So stop fighting amongst yourselves. We all need to get together and stop this place from being another 'Madchester'. Genre is only a marketing tool. So what if some bands get to play the Carling Festival, they will still be doing the toilet venues the week after!
We need to start our own movement, before the industry takes the one we have away. Why don't we get together and organise our own music festival or something? Email each other and get something happening. Don't see each band as the enemy (N.M.E.) or as competition, create something that lasts. All music means something to someone, that's whats great about it...
I for one am sick of patronising comments made in the press about our quaint yorkshire accents, and how grim it is up morth with our pints of bitter and coal mines. Lets start earning more independance from London.
Please discuss this and contact me with your comments/suggestions. Thankyou.