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What Happened Next?
In some ways it’d be just hunky-dory to have picked out, on A New Band A Day, the bands that go on too be become the Next Big Thing; it may also, of course, result in having the knowledge that we introduced you to, say, the ‘New Keane‘ on our conscience.
That kind of dubious distinction is best left to your local ‘alternative’ radio station, with their suspiciously close collaborations with PR companies, professional ‘tastemakers’ and the ‘Ones To Watch’ page of the NME.
We try and bring you the scraps, the mongrels – the bands who might never be cool enough to be huge, but make music you won’t want to miss. So, as such, most of the bands we feature don’t manage to get to the stage where they can record their difficult second album with Mark Ronson, but such is life.
Occasionally, though, we nearly get it right. Here are two bands that actually went on to bigger and better things after being featured on ANBAD. There is a strong possibility that these two events are not linked in any way.
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART
‘Yum Yum’ was the cut and thrust of our slightly soporific review of TPOBPAH back in July last year. Namedropping Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Kurt Cobain all in one review was always going to be an indicator of real quality, and so it proved.
They’ve just released their eponymous debut, and even hoity-toity Pitchfork went a bit weak at the knees for them too. They’re now squeezing their woozy, warm and close songs into millions of lives, everywhere. Good for them.
THE UNICORNS/ISLANDSThe Unicorns were featured as part of the Great ANBAD Fuck-Up of November 2008 and as such, their What Happened Next featurette ought perhaps to be named ‘What Happened Prior To What Never Happened Next’. This is because The Unicorns had already split, and due to an administrative error* I hadn’t noticed this.
But, ever resourceful, the dissolved Unicorns had split and reformed as the super Islands, who are no minor success – they’re great, are signed to Rough Trade and are touring all over the world.
*pure, unadulterated idiocy
The moral to this tale? Sometimes, despite ourselves, we pick out bands that have mass appeal. This is probably a good thing, and a long, successful and respected career in A&R awaits. Until then, we’ll keep on grinding through the day-glo hell that is Myspace and find you the best, most interesting new bands every day!
PS: If you feel like delving back into ANBAD’s murky past and seeing if there’s any great bands you might have missed, check out the Archive. And for edited highlights, have a butcher’s at the ANBAD eBook here!
POBPAH Photo: Annie Powers
