Update: One of the two posts that I linked below have been pulled by the editors this morning. Shanghaiist have even left a note about it 'pending further review'. This is quite funny from a site that regularly posts up all kinds of offensive trash such as inflammatory far-right nonsense and tabloid stories. I have to speculate that S.T.D. are not happy with someone recommending staying away from one of their shows.
But remember, kids, that's what gossip stories are all about: outrageous speculations.
End Update
Well, we haven't really had any good gossip for a while and it had to come at some point. Does that count as a preface?
Beijing punk rockers New Pants are on their way to Shanghai for a big show at the Dream Factory. It will be put on by S.T.D. and will really be a big show.
So, here's the basic gist of the story. Shanghai promoter Abe Deyo, also the music editor at Shanghaiist, has just posted about New Pants and their perceived snub to Aussie band Regurgitator, who were just here.
What do you think: Regurgitator are an established and successful band in Australia who decided to help out New Pants by flying them to Oz and paying for them to do the whole tour in front of sell out audiences. So, one year later the Oz band come out to China hoping to team up with a local act and reach a local audience. New Pants say we're a bit busy, sorry, and decline to get involved.
It should be mentioned that I know nothing about it and I'm basically blogging Abe's two articles on the subject. He mentions that New Pants also bad mouthed The Queers, who Abe is bringing over and messed with another band's show he is involved in. This didn't only prompt him to break the Regurgitator story, it has messed with his cool. People here know that Abe is super-cool and professional. He is very careful not mess with other promoters or say anything negative about bands in general. A nerve appears to be hit this time though.
Here's a quote
Nov 22nd New Pants ... actually after the diss they laid on Regurgitator we don't recommend seeing these douchebags unless it's to throw rotten tomatoes at the f*ckers.
And here's the two articles: Sha-iist and City Weekend
There's a danger here of any press being good press for the show itself but Go Abe. This blog must recommend making your decision based on if you like New Pants' music or not but I love gossip too. Also, there hasn't been a promoter throw down for a while and when there was it was more like people getting mildly annoyed with each other. Where's Brad when you need him?
They are not punk rockers,they are pop shit.I heard them on mainstream radio like 5+ years ago when they were supposed to be at their peak, but still shit.They were in oz? fucking shame.hope people there don't think that's what rock is like in mainland. Gossip is good,but in this case,it doesn't matter. they are what they are, posers that don't know what they are doing.They should give up already and become DJs.
Sorry for the anger and swearing, but just look at their album cover,they call themself punks?
Just noticed on their myspace page,they are "Electro / New Wave ". but whatever, SB. and hate their red background. how can they expect anyone to read about them on such blinding page.My eyes are already funny just after reading "Electro / New Wave ". anyway,new wave my ass, now i am more sure than ever that they should become DJs.
hold the phone... have Abe's posts been taken down from both sites? I read them before and he seemed pretty angry.
As far as I can see, both posts are missing now
oh wait, the CW one is still here: http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/articles/blogs-shanghai/shanghais-nightlife/regurgitator-dissed-by-new-pants/
The Shanghaiist one has gone though
Hi everyone,
I updated the post. Jake, you can use HTML in the comments for the links like 'a'.
Evans :) You really don't like this band. I always link the page though, to let people decide for themselves and let's be honest, there's no such thing as bad publicity, as they say. I think a big scandal about the show will just attract more attention to it.
Makes a good blog post though.
Oooh, scandal! I don't have any personal gossip, the times I've interviewed Xinkuzi they were no more or less blase and self-important given their itty bitty level of fame than other Beijing rockers.
What annoys me about them is that for most of their concerts they really don't give a flying fuck. They're capable of putting on a great show, as I witnessed last year at Midi Fest, but the other times I've seen them - twice in Shanghai, once in Hong Kong - they were totally phoning it in. I could scarcely believe it was the same band.
"Punk" is used pretty loosely in China. I like some of their songs, dislike others. They're overrated - most Beijing bands are - but not as much so as certain others. As with some of the Modern Sky peers (Muma, I'm looking at you) they owe a lot to their producers.
New Pants are good, if their not punk enough for you then keep your mohawk and dead kennedys t-shirt away from their gigs. Them going to Aus to support gurge wasnt charity. They can play with whoever they want to
..... supporting a band around a foriegn country is cool sure, but strangers outside of those two bands dont have to throw down over wether the support is reciprocated.. CityWeekend can say whatever it wants, its a piece of shit and them telling people not to go just means less foreign chicks. .
Shanghaiist though should have known better than to post that self-serving sucker punch to one of beijings finest. Its bullshit
Hi Kirsten, thanks for coming on the comments.
Are you responding to another commenter here, me (the blog author)or just to the topic in general? Feel free to write something like "@ Andy" or whatever, it's cool.
Shanghaiist love to post up stuff that's controversial like that. I know, I used to write for them for a brief period. All posts are approved by the editor before going out so my guess is that there was a complaint from someone they care about. They are not usually too bothered by complaints.
As for New Pants, they built their support on Ramones influenced punk rock in the live scene. Then once the established themselves they started to put out electro-trash like Dragon Tiger Panacea. I make sure to cover some of the experimental/electro indie scene on the blog, but I understand why fans of theirs could be a bit miffed. It's not like the Miniless stuff either, it's full on disco.
If I went to a show having heard the Disco Girl CD and then got the new stuff, I'd be upset.
Andy's last post describes perfectly why I have come to love New Pants.
Hi Bjorn
This is a good point. From another point of view, changing and experimenting and challenging can be a great aspect that attracts fans too.
No, that's the same point of view. Almost nothing's as challenging for a rock fan as "full on disco". Comments like "If I went to a show having heard the Disco Girl CD and then got the new stuff, I'd be upset" makes it obvious they are challenging their own fan base. I couldn't stand Dragon Tiger Panacea when I first heard it, but now I think the over-the-top cheesiness is what makes it good.
Hi Bjorn
I was trying to back you up, sorry if it didn't come across well.
I report stories and gigs here but I will never talk about not liking bands to be honest. Even in a post like this, I'm careful to advise readers to follow the link and make their opinion.
As for Dragon Tiger Panacea. I do think it works in the way you describe. But finally, I'm not a fan of that style generally, so I won't then listen to it much and I certainly wouldn't want to hear any of the tracks live. At the show, they played movies, including their own claymation work and pushed it to the point where people actually started to lose their temper or 'boo' waiting for them to come out and play. It's hard to judge.
Then down the far end of the scale you have NoiShanghai and Torturing Nurse whose aim is to give you an unpleasant experience and alienate you as best they can. Ironically, this attracts a lot of fans too.
If I'm not into a band, it's cool ... I'm fine with it and am happy that other people are. Thanks for reading the blog and double thanks for commenting, Bjorn!
Yeah, sorry, I guess I misread you there.