Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Quote of the day

Today's quote comes from the inimitable Kanye West, whose propensity for controversial statements and hyperbole is well-known. This time around, he has made headlines by proclaiming Coldplay to be "on the same level as The Beatles." Audacious, no? He didn't stop there:

"In 30 years, when Coldplay are old men, people will look back and say, 'These guys were more talented than The Beatles.' I have worked with Chris Martin and the man is a genius - as a performer and a songwriter he is on the same level as JOHN LENNON.".

I wonder which is the more feeble claim: that history will one day judge Coldplay to be a better band than The Beatles or that Chris Martin's talents currently match those once possessed by John. Both are comically misguided remarks, and both are instances of Kanye playing perfectly to type. I'm sorry, Ye, but geniuses don't pen lyrics like this: "When you try your best but you don't succeed/When you get what you want but not what you need/When you feel so tired but you can't sleep/Stuck in reverse." Is there a diplomatic way to call something trite, hackneyed, threadbare, stale, and so forth? Go here for the ultimate take-down of Chris Martin and company ("the most insufferable band of the decade").

Coldplay has written some solid, even moving songs, and they're a rather likable group. I especially admire Chris Martin for the comedic collaborations he's done with Ricky Gervais. Nevertheless, Coldplay is not even close to being the best band in the world or even the UK, let alone one that eclipses the talent level of The Beatles.

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