All right, admit it! Who of you like Placebo (the band, in this case)?
I first heard of them when their hit song “Pure Mourning” hit the airwaves, and I immediately thought Geddy Lee (of Rush) must be doing some sort of guitar pop side project.
The voices are so similar, it’s scary.
Didn’t think too much of it at the time, liked the song, but never bought a CD. Until recently. A friend of mine put “Without you I’m nothing” in the CD-player after a night on the town, and played the title track.
Wow.
I’ve been picking up their albums ever since, and I am HOOKED, let me tell you. These guys rock.
Songs like “Every you every me”, “Black-eyed”, and “Meet you at the bitter end” off the new album, I can just play them over and over again. Their lyrics are depressing, mostly. But the music just rocks! Their albums are consistently good, and have very few songs on them that don’t at least get my right food tapping. The last album (“Sleeping with ghosts”) seems to have all the good songs in the first half, though.
It’s excellent road music, as well. Also, you gotta love a band that’s been known to describe themselves as “the only 50% gay rock trio in the world” (one’s gay, one’s straight, and one’s bi).
So, who’s with me? Any other Placebo fans out there?
You’re not alone, Coldfire. I’m currently going through a Placebo phase. I’ve been borrowing albums off my long-suffering friends for the last few months.
First heard of them when watching Cruel Intentions. Their song Every Me Every You is the opening music for that film, and it stuck with me. Since then, I’ve been pretty much listening to them constantly. Yes, that does include now. Nancy Boy is the only song that really wakes me up in the morning. It’s also the only song I’ve ever heard of that was described by its writers as “all about gay sex.”
I then saw an interview with Brian Molko, and was utterly compelled by the whole glitter/eyeliner/miaow aspect of it.
The new album - well, I’ve only heard a few songs off it - This Picture, Bitter End and Sleeping With Ghosts, and I love all three, but particularly the title track. There’s something so haunting about it, and Brian Molko’s voice is so distinctive and so very depressing.
But then, they do have their upbeat moments.
goes off humming a friend in need’s a friend indeed, a friend with weed is better…
Placebo is one of the bands that converted me with a video. I was standing in the Niteclub 9:30 in DC one night (waiting for Emmet Swimming, I think) and that video came on the monitors there.
That video is brilliant, with him standing on the edge and everyone making a scene…
But Coldfire…‘like Geddy Lee’? You’re weird, man. Weird.
Placebo’s first, self-titled, album is the best IMHO. The band I used to play drums in did a version of Nancy Boy… I love that cool floor-tom pattern in the verses and the build-up towards the end. I’ve seen them live a few times, moist recently at Brixton Academy. My God it was loud!
it’s a rrace…a race for rats…a race for rats to die…
I hum that incessantly at the office. I really like everything that I have heard, but I haven’t been able to afford any new cd’s for awhile. I’ve been hoping they will come through Prague this summer, but I haven’t heard anything yet.
C’mon, man! Are you trying to tell me there’s no similarity between Molko’s voice and Lee’s, when listening to Pure Mourning?
Getoutaheah! I’ve been a Rush fan for over a decade, listen to all their albums continuously, and the first thing I thought of when hearing that song was Geddy flippin’ Lee. So there.
Never heard of the band, so I checked Barnes & Noble for some samples. Guess what I read on their site in the review (of the Placebo album) by All Music Guide :
So there. (I know, the reviewer doesn’t mention the singer, but still…)
The samples sound allright, but didn’t really ‘get’ me yet.
I saw them live twice. Several years ago, when I was in a goth-punk-skater phase.
They rock.
“A friend in need’s a friend indeed
A friend with weed is better”
Truer words were never spoken!
Nancy Boy and Burger Queen are my favourites, but it’s hard not to love them when you’ve sung your lungs out to them while sitting on your 6’4’’ leather-clad friend’s shoulders in the front row of the mosh pit.
Brian Molko is stunning (although the squeakiness grates after a while). He’s very pretty too, fantastic green eyes.
I’ve never had the pleasure of listening to Rush, so I can’t compare the two, but Brian Molko’s voice makes me want to scoop out my eardrums with a spoon. I’m not critisizing him for not being able to sing, mind you–I listen to punk, so who am I to talk about skilled singers–but his voice just grates on my nerves. Despite that, though, I quite enjoy some of their music. I occasionally listen to some of their stuff still–I like Nancy Boy and their latest single. And yes, the video for Pure Morning is pretty cool.
Really, I find Brian Molko (the lead singer, if anyone is confused) far more interesting than the actual music they produce. He flaunts his sexuality and seems to enjoy being provocative. And, of course, he’s gorgeous. Pure sex. In a dress. Though sadly, he seems to have gone all butch now. He was remarkably feminine when he had longer hair.
