Post by valerie davenport on Oct 23, 2007 5:11:37 GMT -5
THEY sold millions of albums in the 1980s, but Scottish bands Texas, Wet Wet Wet and Deacon Blue have been named the groups people love to hate.
More than 36,000 music lovers nominated their least-favourite Scottish album of all time in a poll conducted by the website jocknroll.co.uk
Texas topped the list with their 1997 album White on Blonde, while recently reformed Wet Wet Wet had the ignominious honour of appearing twice on the most hated roll.
Earlier this year, the founders of Jocknroll declared the favourite Scottish album as The Crossing, the 1983 album by Big Country.
But as well as asking music lovers to suggest their top-ten Scottish albums, the web poll also invited them to nominate the Scottish album they loved to hate - resulting in the definitive list of the top-ten worst albums.
Eighties disco diva Sheena Easton and Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus both won a place on the most hated list, but more surprising was the inclusion of the Fratellis 2006 album Costello Music, just months after the NME voted them "the best new band in Britain".
Internet phenomenon Sandi Thom also made the list, with her 2006 debut album Smile... it Confuses People. Deacon Blue's 1987 Raintown, the Proclaimers' 1988 Sunshine on Leith and Primal Scream's 2006 Riot City Blues were all among the albums people most love to hate.
Paul Johnston, co-founder of Jock 'n' Roll, said the poll, which came from a wish to find a definitive answer to the perennial pub debate about the best and worst Scottish albums, had provoked some strong reactions.
"We have even heard of a diehard Wet Wet Wet fan who started a campaign to get the Proclaimers into the number one spot on the worst chart, so it's clearly stirred a lot of emotion in some people. The website was born out of a love of music, lists, statistics and all the sort of things most people don't grow out of."
Fiona Shepherd, The Scotsman pop critic, said the top-ten most hated list was dominated by the giants of Eighties "jock rock" alongside some easy targets and a few surprises.
"I think both Texas and Wet Wet Wet came to represent a particular type of jock rock which dominated the Eighties.
"They were successful, they were in your face, you couldn't really get away from them.
"Sheena Easton and Michelle McManus are both easy targets. People haven't forgotten the time Sheena Easton played the Big Day Out in Glasgow and got booed - and Michelle McManus was on a television reality show.
"I am surprised Primal Scream made the list because I think Primal Scream are a band that are regarded with affection. But this is for an album which is not their best work."
She went on: "I feel it is unfair that the Proclaimers are on that list, but there is a prevailing attitude towards them that doesn't quite get what they are about, which is very gifted songwriters and lyricists.
"I am surprised the Fratellis are on the list because they are quite recent. I find that sort of terrace chanting way of singing really irritating, but I am surprised people have had enough time to be irritated by it.
"I find these kind of lists interesting because if you really hate something, you are unlikely to sit through it. I wonder how many of the people who voted had listened to these albums all the way through."
More than 36,000 music lovers nominated their least-favourite Scottish album of all time in a poll conducted by the website jocknroll.co.uk
Texas topped the list with their 1997 album White on Blonde, while recently reformed Wet Wet Wet had the ignominious honour of appearing twice on the most hated roll.
Earlier this year, the founders of Jocknroll declared the favourite Scottish album as The Crossing, the 1983 album by Big Country.
But as well as asking music lovers to suggest their top-ten Scottish albums, the web poll also invited them to nominate the Scottish album they loved to hate - resulting in the definitive list of the top-ten worst albums.
Eighties disco diva Sheena Easton and Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus both won a place on the most hated list, but more surprising was the inclusion of the Fratellis 2006 album Costello Music, just months after the NME voted them "the best new band in Britain".
Internet phenomenon Sandi Thom also made the list, with her 2006 debut album Smile... it Confuses People. Deacon Blue's 1987 Raintown, the Proclaimers' 1988 Sunshine on Leith and Primal Scream's 2006 Riot City Blues were all among the albums people most love to hate.
Paul Johnston, co-founder of Jock 'n' Roll, said the poll, which came from a wish to find a definitive answer to the perennial pub debate about the best and worst Scottish albums, had provoked some strong reactions.
"We have even heard of a diehard Wet Wet Wet fan who started a campaign to get the Proclaimers into the number one spot on the worst chart, so it's clearly stirred a lot of emotion in some people. The website was born out of a love of music, lists, statistics and all the sort of things most people don't grow out of."
Fiona Shepherd, The Scotsman pop critic, said the top-ten most hated list was dominated by the giants of Eighties "jock rock" alongside some easy targets and a few surprises.
"I think both Texas and Wet Wet Wet came to represent a particular type of jock rock which dominated the Eighties.
"They were successful, they were in your face, you couldn't really get away from them.
"Sheena Easton and Michelle McManus are both easy targets. People haven't forgotten the time Sheena Easton played the Big Day Out in Glasgow and got booed - and Michelle McManus was on a television reality show.
"I am surprised Primal Scream made the list because I think Primal Scream are a band that are regarded with affection. But this is for an album which is not their best work."
She went on: "I feel it is unfair that the Proclaimers are on that list, but there is a prevailing attitude towards them that doesn't quite get what they are about, which is very gifted songwriters and lyricists.
"I am surprised the Fratellis are on the list because they are quite recent. I find that sort of terrace chanting way of singing really irritating, but I am surprised people have had enough time to be irritated by it.
"I find these kind of lists interesting because if you really hate something, you are unlikely to sit through it. I wonder how many of the people who voted had listened to these albums all the way through."
