Conor Oberst apologise after john peel / make povert history remarks

[Guest]

The guy is vastly over rated in my opinion' date=' pity Ryan Adams had to drop out, he knows how to write a tune.[/quote']

Damn right...

Ryan Adams =

1) Hawt

2) A bloody good songwriter

and the man knows how to dress.

Pisses on Bright Eyes imho, but I still wouldn't say Bright eyes is rank.

[Guest obsessivedesire]

WHAT???

Oberst CANT SING!!

Ryan Adams...I aint a fan but at least that fucker can sing!

[Guest]

and he's hawt

[KarmaTsunami]

um' date=' yep.

bright eyes and desaparacidos rule. even if conor is a bit of an arse.[/quote']

true that

[garbage_star]

i agree, bright eyes is brilliant

Bryan Adams oops sorry Ryan Adams is a cheese dick

[Guest]

How is he a cheese dick?

[Marsh]

whats all this "he's a good song writer" business...Is it only me that thinks he is shit!?

No!

I think he's fucking terrible!

And if I ever saw him I'd shove my Joy Division Peel Sessions 12" up his arse so hard it would come out of his mouth and he'd never be able to make sick comments about the late, great Mr John Ravenscroft again.

[Swingin' Ryan]

How is he a cheese dick?

I assume it's because Ryan Adams writes good rock songs, which is not cool.

Writing bad 'folk' music, is however very cool.

[Ti Jean]

I'm all for abusing festival crowds' date=' but when your making comments about John Peel (especially at Glastonbury) with his family in attendance, you need to think it through. Especially when your slagging off a very well-respected and talented guy, and you're a drunken upstart.

The guy is vastly over rated in my opinion, pity Ryan Adams had to drop out, he knows how to write a tune.[/quote']

First, I would like to say that I mean no offense to anyone who holds John Peel in high regard - I personally find him a respectable enough person, who had a real passion for music; but do you think it takes talent to play records, or to search out more obscure artists? I believe that either of us, should we choose to put in the effort to new music, could do a similar job. John Peel was an establishment to those who held an ear towards the underground, and now through death, has elevated to that almost 'martyr'esque status. I do not see why I, or someone, in this instance Conor Oberst, should refrain from making some insult or negative comment towards him. Out of respect?

True, in this situation, the insults were directed towards a man whose memory was the very reason for the stage Bright Eyes performed on. Let us consider, however, that for the duration of the day, most artists would have made comment about how great the man was, even though these might not have been sincere representations of their feelings; simply a case of people doing what they think is the right thing. I find it more respectable that an artist like, LCD Soundsystem, who I am led to believe felt nothing either way towards John Peel, chose to say nothing. I also think it is refreshing that someone shows nothing but contempt for said respect, that they could get obliterated through drugs and spout absolute vile towards everything close at hand. For me, it seems a little more genuine; and so, you do not agree with his actions, are we not allowed our own idiocy?

Also, in direct response to Ryan: Conor Oberst has been within the music industry for over ten years, with a prolific output of material, as well as having a respected indie-label he was part responsible for; and now, he even has his own label aside from it. This is not the kind of person I would consider to be an upstart. As far as your comments on Ryan Adams are concerned: he may be able to pen some good songs, but he is far less consistent than Conor Oberst; and you may consider that to be a matter of opinion, in which case, it is my own. But then, after your thorough reasoning behind why Ryan Adams is a "cheese-dick", it's apparent that you formed your opinion from the next to nothing you know on Bright Eyes.

[Swingin' Ryan]

I do not see why I' date=' or someone, in this instance Conor Oberst, should refrain from making some insult or negative comment towards him. Out of respect?

[/quote']

Yes out of respect!

Your playing on a stage named after the guy, with his family in attendance, at a festival which was pretty much personified by John Peel. Not only that, but you're playing in someone elses slot to a crowd which consists primarily of his fans. You keep your mouth shut!

I'm all for freedom of speech, and I agree that you shouldn't have to hide your opinions about people who are seen as being 'holy' in the world of music, but not in those circumstances. Basically the guys come off as an idiot. I'm sure he has talent and a large fanbase, but to insult John Peel on his stage at Glastonbury when you're essentially an up and coming performer, is stupid and embarassing. Some of my favourite bands/artists are well known for verbally abusing fans/other artists, but anyone with a brain in their head knows that what he said was innapropriate.

From interviews I've seen with the guy, he's a drunk who clearly doesn't understand what he's saying and is just caught up on the wave of his own hype.

[framheim]

Yes out of respect!

Your playing on a stage named after the guy' date=' with his family in attendance, at a festival which was pretty much personified by John Peel. Not only that, but you're playing in someone elses slot to a crowd which consists primarily of his fans. You keep your mouth shut!

I'm all for freedom of speech, and I agree that you shouldn't have to hide your opinions about people who are seen as being 'holy' in the world of music, but not in those circumstances. Basically the guys come off as an idiot. I'm sure he has talent and a large fanbase, but to insult John Peel on his stage at Glastonbury when you're essentially an up and coming performer, is stupid and embarassing. Some of my favourite bands/artists are well known for verbally abusing fans/other artists, but anyone with a brain in their head knows that what he said was innapropriate.

From interviews I've seen with the guy, he's a drunk who clearly doesn't understand what he's saying and is just caught up on the wave of his own hype.[/quote']

and he's apologised sincerely and fully. let it go.

and how is it hype when he's had two top ten albums at the same time in the US? not that popularity is the measure of success mind you but as has already been pointed out he also has co run successful record labels and been in the music business for over ten years despite his young age and made a living from it for that length of time too. okay his comments were no doubt offensive and misguided in the setting he was in but to say he should not have the right to say anything is stupid. if he didn't like john peel he had every right to say so even if it made him look like a total tool, it's his opinion. fair enough if you don't think bright eyes are good but you can't call them hype when clearly conor oberst is a talented and extremely successful independent artist. you certainly can't compare him to ryan adams and call him a drunk while ignoring ryan adams own prodigious drinking habits. the guy was in a band called whiskytown for fuck sake.

[Lemonade]

But in saying that, 'cheese dick' is one of the funniest insults of the year so far.

[vapid]

But in saying that' date=' 'cheese dick' is one of the funniest insults of the year so far.[/quote']

not as funny as knobcheesewankpisswiddlemince

[framheim]

not as funny as knobcheesewankpisswiddlemince

actually cheese dick is funnier. that was just shit.

[SupermansDead]

wtf. conor is old enough to drink?!

[Paranoid Android]

Conor Oberst can sing.

Ryan Adams is incredibly average.

[Pancho]

I really like bright eyes and desaparaciedos, however, i also agree that Oberst is a complete knob. The whole thing at the start of Im Wide Awake its Morning proves it and also lines like "Thank you stranger/for you sympathetic smile" (singing about himself) from Bowl of Oranges of Lifted. I also dont like the way he is Mr Saddle Creek, when there are so many other good bands on the label such as The Faint, Azure Ray etc etc. He does, however, have a right to say what he wants and no one can argue that, although a broadcasting legend, peel did promote some god-awful music!!

[Paranoid Android]

The intro to I'm wide awake... is hilarious I skip it much less than the little kid reading at the start of fevers and mirrors. Conor diesn't really have any control over saddle-creek but they promote bright eyes so much more than there other bands because they are more popular.

[nobody_girl]

this is what Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls had to say on the subject. it makes for an interesting read. (she's the girl who streaked on stage and kissed conor for a while in the middle of his set...)

...am waiting to see bright eyes in the john peel tent. Bright eyes has replaced avril in my cd player and I can honestly swear that it's (the fevers and mirrors record) the only thing I've listened to since coming on the european tour. I tried to listen to a garbage mix that becca gave me, but it skipped, so I took it out and that deosnt count. I can fully understand why people just can't stand it. overdramatic, pitiful, needy and all that. but I love it, I think people don't see the humor in it. The poor guy. The album has some of the most beautiful production I've ever heard and really, I feel sorry for the fact that the voice and the woe-is-me subject matter probably turns away so folks from this band. For me, it's a guilty pleasure and I can't only be grateful that someone is taking the self-depricating, self-aggrandizing, self-loathing tendencies I often want to put into music but censor for fear of turning everyone off. Add to list of projects: write a record for only conor oberst to listen to.

Anyway, he's on in an hour or so, and i can't wait to see. I think I have a bona fide crush.

-

Next day

-

My bona fide crush is officially over.

this story must begin with the fact that brian and I were fully prepared to streak during the kaiser chiefs' set (we even invested in matching garterless stockings while in camdentown in london) but we arrived at glastonbury literally an hour after their set, so I had a latent urge. All sorts of inebriated is certainly a decent description for where I found myself at nine last night, when bright eyes were supposed to hit the stage. The schedule was running over an hour late, so Brianna (who was also birthday girl, 21 at glasto!) and I sat backstage having fun and drinking and smoking like fishes and chimneys(the perils of four days off in a row - I'm like an idiot kid in a candy store when I get off my fascist touring regimen). Bright eyes took the stage, led by a be-hoodied and bitter-looking c-dog (em's affectionate nickname for mr oberst) and they immediately began to be plagued by the same monitor problems that we had. And then it started happening. My crush started deflating. I mean, the sound on stage was horrible, and perhaps the mud had gotten to him, but poor c-dog was out of control. Between every song (and it got progressively worse as the set wore on) he berated the crowd, berated the festival, and basically dripped a kind of acidic sacrasm all over the stage. Standout quotes: put your credit cards together! Come on! Visa in one hand and mastercard in the other! Put your credit cards together! and in reference to the fact that glastonbury was supporting Make Povery History great. yay. we're all here and poverty's going to go away. awesome and things to that effect. He even rolled his eyes at John Peel and referred to him as a cokehead (on the john peel stage! this is wrong, conor! he just died! have some respect!), but after people started yelling you're a cunt! from the audience he apologized for that one. he truly sounded like an asshole, a twelve-year old with a bad attitude.

Emily came and found me and brianna by the side of the stage and we watched this all going down and then I decided it would be a good idea to streak and when em brought me another whiskey and the band struck up lover I don't have to love I decided that god wanted me to do it. what perfect way to puncuate a song about casual sex, loneliness and a lack of caring about the universe than random nakedness? emily, being the mom-like tour manager that she is, reacted first with doubt but then after thinking it through and looking at the way the show and crowd were progressing decided that "this needs to happen for so many reasons". the voices in my own head were somewhat of a blur, but it was a familiar "something interesting has to take place now" kind of amanda head-refrain. so I waited til the song ended, got undressed, walked to the middle of the stage, and made out with conor oberst for ten seconds. he quite seemed to enjoy it, and he was an amzing kisser even if he's a brat. I was pried away by a burly security guy who didn't seem to think it was at all funny and told to get the fuck out of the tent so we went back to the bar and I freestyle-rapped a song about how emily is the best tour manager in the world. I did talk to c-dog before his entourage left but I think all sorts of inebriated wouldn't suffice to explain his state. gone, just gone......gone.

mom, please don't send an email. i'm already been wracked with guilt now that i realize that i took part in what was probably the most shameful sets at glastonbury. oh well. fuck guilt! rock and roll and onward and upwards and there will be plenty of rock shows to wear clothes at for the rest of my life. and No More Streaking for me lest i get a bad reputation. promise. at least not until next summer. i remember feeling this same sort of guilt after making out with evil-jock carl easton at my high school reunion and now i look back at it with a kind of a fondness.

and for the record, though conor oberst has proved himself whiny to the max on one night, he's still incredibly cute, a good kisser and put out a really well-produced record with great songwriting that I will probably have to wait a few years to listen to again. i even, upon going into my amazon checkout cart today, cancelled the bright eyes albums i had on order. too painful. i have hope. i want to think, in my hope for all humanity, that conor had a terrible night and will wake up to a brand new day and realize that things aren't all that bad, that while we can't end poverty by putting on rock shows it's better than doing absolutley nothing, and that insulting the dead in their namesake tent at a festival is a bad career move. and becasue i still think his music is brilliant, i will try to go see him play again to make up for the bad dream.

[Paranoid Android]

That has just ended any interest i have in buying the dresden doll's album.

[Graeme]

That has just increased any interest i have in buying the dresden doll's album.