John Harris C/D

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Author of 'The Last Party', former NME scribe and Select editor... and now political commentator. This would usually be an ILM question, but I don't think many other music writers have made this kind of transition, which is interesting given that Harris was never as ideas-oriented as, say, Paul Morley or Simon Reynolds -- two writers who never really tackle politics directly.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,1384389,00.html

I enjoyed 'The Last Party' partly for nostalgic, or anti-nostalgic reasons, certainly more than 'Words and Music'. And Select -- I liked that too. But I'm reluctant to say 'classic'.

― Miles Finch, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

worst haircut evah.

― Bumfluff, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 12:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I used to like Select. Wasn't he also features ed. at Q for a while or something?

I can't stand him asa writer. As a radio voice... bearable.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

there isn't much 'there' as a writer. he's at his worst when trying to be funny or insightful, which may cause alarm. 'the last party' is an enjoyable narrative, but it doesn't have much to say about the mid-nineties.

― Miles Finch, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 12:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked The Last Party and Select and his little slot on Newsnight last night. I don't like his hair, though. When they previewed a clip of his interview with the ultra-Blairite woman I thought he was a woman from behind. (Actually, that sounds odd, I mean 'from the back he looked like a middle-aged woman).

― The Horse of Babylon (the pirate king), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

for some unaccountable but visual reason i always get john harris mixed up with the bbc sports commentator john inverdale. both johns have seriously misguided haircuts.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked John Harris's dad on Newsnight. The ultra-Blairite woman is Hazel Blears, who's a weirdo, or at least comes across as about to have a breakdown or a fit at any moment. Her 'concern' for Harris in last night's film was unnerving.

― Japanese Giraffe (Japanese Giraffe), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 13:39 (twenty-one years ago)

do expand -- i started this thread having missed NN last night. what was her 'concern'?

― Miles Finch, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 13:40 (twenty-one years ago)

She just lost it a bit when he asked her a tricky question and started accusing him of being an obsessive compulsive.

― The Horse of Babylon (the pirate king), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

haha q: 'why are we in iraq' a: 'let's draw a line udner this and move on'

― Miles Finch, Wednesday, 19 January 2005 13:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I remember chatting to him on The Oxford Tube once one the way back from a gig in 1993. He said he had been doing something or other in London, but it turned out he had been trying out for a presenters gig on The Word. They already had one slightly camera uneasy Manc, they did not need another.

Never really rated his writing, and he did think Dodgy was the future in 1994, but a nice enough bloke.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 13:56 (twenty-one years ago)

oh that's who it was. caught the end of the NN piece last night.

― Jaunty Alan (Alan), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Tony Wilson was taking the piss out of him for being from somewhere or other outside Manchester, can't remember where, the same place Miranda Sawyer is from.

I think he is OK.

― Peter Stringbender (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Harris was very upfront about coming from Wilmslow, a well-to-do Manchester commuter-belt town. Tony Wilson is hardly in a position to score working class points though, is he? And nor should he - Wilson is loveable for precisely the fact that he is elitist, and doesn't have any 'nouveau pauvre' pretensions.

― Japanese Giraffe (Japanese Giraffe), Wednesday, 19 January 2005 18:58 (twenty-one years ago)

The piss-taking was well-meaning and a bit of a laugh, but Harris visibly baulked when Wilson said it made Surrey look like the Bronx, or something. They were obviously quite comfortable with each other and each argued that the other's book was better than their own, which is nice, I suppose. Harris was more nervous than Wilson, but he was smarter in appearance, Wilson's socks having fallen down.

― Peter Stringbender (PJ Miller), Thursday, 20 January 2005 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

So JH was given over half of NN to debate a New Labour politico *and* discuss the burgeoning Madchester scene?

― Miles Finch, Thursday, 20 January 2005 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Well it is January.

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 20 January 2005 10:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Giraffe is right, about his Blears fears.

― the bellefox, Thursday, 20 January 2005 17:38 (twenty-one years ago)

eight months pass...

He has a new book coming out:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0306813424/qid=1127606359/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-4786399-1457555?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

― shookout (shookout), Saturday, 24 September 2005 22:59 (twenty years ago)

Dear God. The new wave of young fogeys.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Saturday, 24 September 2005 23:02 (twenty years ago)

Yo trousers!

― KeefW (kmw), Saturday, 24 September 2005 23:29 (twenty years ago)

Oh, I like John Harris.

― KeefW (kmw), Saturday, 24 September 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

He lives in Hay-on-Wye, it says there.

I wish I lived in Hay-on-Wye.

Some of you stay up very late, I see.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 26 September 2005 06:29 (twenty years ago)

Yeah... That's one in the eye for the system

― KeefW (kmw), Monday, 26 September 2005 06:31 (twenty years ago)

Worzel Gummidge writes idiot's guide with lots of pictures to 32-year-old pop record wow that is like so punk

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 06:36 (twenty years ago)

daerest punk, when will being punk stop mattering?

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 07:24 (twenty years ago)

it's better than being a wurzel

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 08:31 (twenty years ago)

i have friends in ross-on-wye. it is very pretty there.

― foxy boxer (stevie), Monday, 26 September 2005 08:32 (twenty years ago)

Yes, I would settle for Ross-on-Wye (not knowing the difference).

The first version (sans sassy horns) of the Are You Being Served? theme tune is very like Money. I wonder if John Harris will mention that in his book.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 26 September 2005 08:44 (twenty years ago)

David Stubbs already has.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 08:57 (twenty years ago)

He lives in Hay-on-Wye, it says there.

He represented the Hay-on-Wye Book Festival on University Challenge (growed-ups version) recently. They thoughtfully made the buzzer question on the music round a Pink Floyd song. I'd have guffawed heartily had he not been first on the buzzer, however he was.

I used to like Select. Also I know his cousin. So I'll say classic by default, as I can't really think of a real reason he could classified as dud.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 26 September 2005 09:30 (twenty years ago)

1. Washed-up music hack with nothing to say about music any more looking to make a living for the next 40 years at the expense of better writers who don't happen to be shagging ***** ******.

2. Face and hair of a yokel simpleton.

3. "Whatever, Paul."

That'll do for a start.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 09:32 (twenty years ago)

Has he got a famous girlfriend? Cor. I imagined he would be married with two very nice children whose haircuts are modelled on his own.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 26 September 2005 10:15 (twenty years ago)

i read that review of 'words and music' in new statesman. it was personal, because morley had said every nme hack after him was a geography teacher or something. now, i'll look to morley to talk about music pre-1985, but this clinging on to the Great Heritage of Rock Writers like morley is parsons-esque and lame. i liked 'select', i think john harris is alright with me. and he was otm in that review. 'words and music' does have a lot of pretentious bollocks in it.

as to

1. Washed-up music hack with nothing to say about music any more looking to make a living for the next 40 years at the expense of better writers who don't happen to be shagging ***** ******.

i dunno who he's shagging but the point is jh isn't writing much about music now -- he doesn't claim to be on the cutting edge at any rate, and has branched out to write about other things. he's not bad at it since he manages to avoid the westminster village gatekeeper pose adopted by almost every other commentator.

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 10:31 (twenty years ago)

Wrong shagging John, Marcello - Mulv3y shags *****.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 26 September 2005 10:34 (twenty years ago)

pretentious bollocks > john harris in the same way that l'avventura > cannon and ball are the boys in blue

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 10:36 (twenty years ago)

You see, I knew people in Hay-on-Wye didn't "shag" anybody.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 26 September 2005 10:39 (twenty years ago)

m***** and ***** have been together years and have a kid together and are lovely.

― foxy boxer (stevie), Monday, 26 September 2005 10:41 (twenty years ago)

there's pretentiuous and pretentious; people who routinely call anything vaguely intellectual 'pretentious' are all wrong; at the same time, champions of pretention use the existence of these obvious philistines to justify any amount of pseudery. 'words and music' is about 1 part insight to 4 parts pretention.

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 10:41 (twenty years ago)

I really like *****.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 26 September 2005 10:49 (twenty years ago)

me too! and *****'s really nice too, despite his bad rep.

― foxy boxer (stevie), Monday, 26 September 2005 10:53 (twenty years ago)

It would be nice to look back and think that the great powerhouses of early 20th Century music criticism all came out of the same Oxford college in the early nineties. John Harris, Tom Ewing, Molloy Woodcraft...(I kind of falls down near the end there.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 26 September 2005 10:55 (twenty years ago)

whassat, queens?

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 10:58 (twenty years ago)

I always think of Wadham as the college with the writers/novelists in it (*****, H@r1 K, J1m Fl1nt).

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:03 (twenty years ago)

miller you'll never write anything as good as words and music in your life so cease the jealous hating.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:04 (twenty years ago)

oh, and by ***** ******, i didn't mean that ***** ******.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:06 (twenty years ago)

Also I know his cousin

the scottish one? how the devil is she? not seen her in aeons...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:06 (twenty years ago)

bollocks, dude, my fkn email footer is better than 'wordsa and music'

haha, i was at wadham.

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:06 (twenty years ago)

I always think of Wadham as the college with the writers/novelists in it (*****, H@r1 K, J1m Fl1nt).
-- suzy (theartskooldisk...), September 26th, 2005.

dunno who these people are, though.

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:08 (twenty years ago)

stop pretending to be an american, henry, it ill behoves your gravitas.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:08 (twenty years ago)

***** ******

*** ****!

(***)

― the *fox, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

only people who are in words and music are allowed to slag it off.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

the scottish one? how the devil is she? not seen her in aeons...

M1r14M? Haven't seen her in forever either. Isn't she in London now? If you ever bump into her, tell her I said hi.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

Ah, the college I went to in the US sent its 'junior-year' students to Wadham.

xpost Hari mentioned above appears on Late Review often enough, and is SOUND.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:10 (twenty years ago)

[when have i tried to be american?!?!?!?!?]

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:10 (twenty years ago)

[or attempted gravitas?]

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:11 (twenty years ago)

bollocks, dude, my fkn email footer is better than 'wordsa and music'

-- N_RQ (bl0cke...), September 26th, 2005.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:11 (twenty years ago)

M1r14M? Haven't seen her in forever either. Isn't she in London now? If you ever bump into her, tell her I said hi.

as far as i know she's been in london for years, like since 1999 or so. used to bump into her at loads of gigs, but not for ages now. think she works for un1v3rs4l or someone in the catalogue dept.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:12 (twenty years ago)

xpost

frank, how did you come to rock so fuckin' hard?

-- N_RQ (bl0cke...), September 16th, 2005 2:45 AM.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:13 (twenty years ago)

bollocks, my good man, 'w & m' is still a turgid, often ill-informed, read.

xpost hahaha oh noes

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:14 (twenty years ago)

when i came back from the states having spent six weeks there as a kid everyone teased me for ages about my 'american accent'.

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:15 (twenty years ago)

are you sure you're not mixing up "words and music" with "henry k miller"'s time out film reviews lol

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:17 (twenty years ago)

OWND

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:18 (twenty years ago)

fuckin' = US/english

fucken = US/everett true

― foxy boxer (stevie), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:19 (twenty years ago)

fuck = UK/hermione lee

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:20 (twenty years ago)

only people who are in words and music are allowed to slag it off.
-- Marcello Carlin (marcellocarli...), September 26th, 2005.

But ILX is in WaM isn't it? Therefore....

― Masked Gazza, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:23 (twenty years ago)

I used to go to loads of gigs up here with her, due to John getting her +1 (usually me) on guest lists. We were the Glasgow ligerati in the Britpop years (1994-ish until she moved to London to work for S0ny). Oh happy days...

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:26 (twenty years ago)

No, but I am in Words And Music (p 120). Tom is in it twice, so he's also allowed to slag it off.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:29 (twenty years ago)

So Marcello, those records that you are not on that you criticise?
WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE!!!!

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:31 (twenty years ago)

I don't think I got as far as page 120. And I LIKE lists...

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:31 (twenty years ago)

I HAVE THE RIGHTS OF MAN!!

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

I'm not jealous hating Words and Music. I haven't read it. I don't think I've said anything about it, at least not lately. Neither have I given the impression that I think I can write anything better.

The only thing I am jealous of is John Harris's living in Hay-on-Wye because I imagine it is a quiet place to get one's typing done, and you lot for knowing who ***** ******* is.

I am in Young and Foolish. Don't know the page number off the top of my head, but I like to think it is a low point in that book from most readers' point of view.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:33 (twenty years ago)

Er, I was talking to Mr H K Miller aka NRQ.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:34 (twenty years ago)

Oh right, sorry. As you were.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

Are you a Miller, NRQ?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

[yeah, in fairness i haven't read all of 'words and music', but if marcello may not prefer the knowledge that i'm gonna drop, words-style, that's his loss, yo. i will deliberately leave him out of the text, just in case.]

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

i have a famous name, i am mentioned in many books.

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

N_RQ - repeat after me - 'i will deliberately leave him out of the fucken text'

'i would like to feed your fucken fingertips to the fucken wolverines'

[falls dead to the fucken floor, clutching fucken chest]

― foxy boxer (stevie), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

NRQ, are you sure you're not mixing you up with the author henry miller?

― Sexus Nexus Innit (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:40 (twenty years ago)

so this is fucken me, then

http://www.temple.edu/photo/photographers/spring03/photographers/michellebottone/Brassai/pictures/henrymillerindoorway,1933.jpg

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

http://www.martinwildig.com/pictures/trmptn.jpg

N_RQ, yesterday

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

Anyway, the point is that I'm much better looking than John "Pertwee" Harris.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

[i don't even know who that guy is!]

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:43 (twenty years ago)

Jon Pertwee was a well-known stage and screen actor best remembered for his roles as the third Dr Who and Worzel Gummidge.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:44 (twenty years ago)

I think NRQ was talking about the guy in the red neckerchief.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:44 (twenty years ago)

the trumpton (?) village idiot. it's a fair cop, i suppose.

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

See, this is why they need to get me on Newsnight Review. What if Amanda Platell walked in from the pub, tired and emotional, turned on the TV looking for some intellectual stimulation and caught a glimpse of my fragile yet pale beauty?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

quit dreaming, marcello. you know she'd switch on channel 5 surfing for porn or cop-chase shows

― foxy boxer (stevie), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

Windy Miller. Not exactly the village idiot. And I belive he was on Camberwick Green. Nevertheles show can someone claim to be a serious film critic and not know Windy Miller. Why you are not qualified to write about anything......

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:51 (twenty years ago)

*hangs head in shame*

― N_RQ, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

surely they could book both me and platell for newsnight review? we could have lovely loud arguments and resolve them amicably in a darkened corner of the green room thereafter...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

http://www.white-boucke.com/graphics/Vomit.gif

― Frogm@n Henry, Monday, 26 September 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

that's how i feel every time i see john harris...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 12:00 (twenty years ago)

Platell doesn't get mentioned enough here really...

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 26 September 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

What, you mean the gorgeous, merciless fortysomething Australian fascist Amanda Platell who, if I mention her enough times, will Google her way onto ILx and give me a stern telling-off?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 12:05 (twenty years ago)

marcello, did you ever feel a guilty, latent buzz-on for Thatch back in the day?

― foxy boxer (stevie), Monday, 26 September 2005 12:06 (twenty years ago)

Good grief, no. I never found Thatcher remotely sexy. She was more or less the definition of anti-sexy. No, the dominatrix thing only works if they are actually attractive.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 26 September 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

Windy Miller must have been on during the six weeks NRQ was in America practising his accent.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 26 September 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

That picture of Windy Miller was a funny contribution to the thread.

I, too, was worried, upthread, that PJ Miller was being unfairly censured! I'm glad he wasn't.

― the bellefox, Monday, 26 September 2005 12:48 (twenty years ago)

Windy militant

― trumpton riot, Monday, 26 September 2005 12:56 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

bbc3 - britpop docu last night fronted by john h .. anyone catch it ?

nothing that new really .. the same story .. justine/brett/damon + oasis war, all wrapped up in fact packed 30 minutes.

and lots of chat with a preggers louise w, sleeper.

― mark e (mark e), Monday, 14 November 2005 12:52 (twenty years ago)

it's been on before, hasn't it? i'm sure i caught a bit of it a couple of months back. on, er, "britpop night" or some such (there's a thread about it, i think).

who was the bloke who looked like dom joly, hoying about westminster with JH? it wasn't dom joly, i assume.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Monday, 14 November 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

i saw it too. yeah -- wtf @ 30min? also too close to the 'live forever' doc. it was ok, but i suppose i'm more interested in st et and denim than oasis. and by focussing on the big acts, they miss the opportunity to lol @ cast, kula shaker, ocs, etc. the book is good too, but there's room for more books about the period. because i was young, i felt it quite intensely, but there was something horrible to behold in the state of pop in mid-1996.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Monday, 14 November 2005 13:00 (twenty years ago)

That really was a terrible documentary.

I think he wrote something about 4AD in last Saturday's Grauniad Guide. Noteworthy because he dissed a band who I think are popular on ILM, but I've completely forgotten who.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 14 November 2005 13:09 (twenty years ago)

Do you mean that Sex and Pop thing on BBC 2? Because Harris was on that, but no preggers Louise. Plenty of Justine and Brett and too much Spice Girls. No real insight, but a reasonably entertaining hour to stumble over by accident.

I think Harris is coming along nicely.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 14 November 2005 13:37 (twenty years ago)

no not the Sex thing. the Britpop 10 year anniversary thing.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 14 November 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

Someone buy the poor man a new shirt.

― Adam Faithless (Adam Faithless), Monday, 14 November 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

Do they mean us? Probably not, but still...

As proved by a trawl of London-centred blogs, several of which archly obsess over the fine details of life in the capital - pigeons, rickshaws, Routemaster buses, the man who stands near Oxford Circus imploring commuters to be a "winner not a sinner" - board guys have long been an object of backhanded fascination.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1643334,00.html

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:51 (twenty years ago)

hi john!

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:52 (twenty years ago)

we did discus sinner-winner but a few days ago. and we are pretty arch.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:53 (twenty years ago)

they prob mean the Urban75 London forum or, more likely, the London By London peeps.

― Pete W (peterw), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:56 (twenty years ago)

urban 75 -- isn't that a nazi site?

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:57 (twenty years ago)

you're thinking of c0mb4t 21

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:58 (twenty years ago)

oh yeah.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:58 (twenty years ago)

18, i think.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:58 (twenty years ago)

Yes, I am glad I was nice to him upthread. And I like the idea that he has been exposed to Porkpie's bangers and mash brutalism about Sinner-Winner.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:58 (twenty years ago)

c0mb4t 18.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 10:59 (twenty years ago)

daer john i started this thread, i'm tending to the 'classic' more now lol

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 11:02 (twenty years ago)

i think, basically, that it's sensible for rock writers of a certain age to say 'fuck it' and move on -- if they want to, i mean -- some odler rock writers are good at it. but when they lose touch and keep going anyway and make olympian judgements -- and morley is as guilty as this as anyone -- it's a mare. harris does still write a bit on music, but doesn't pretend to much authority on the matter.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 11:04 (twenty years ago)

eleven months pass...

"The problem, casting a shadow from which I doubt they will ever escape, is the heap of dreck they created in its wake - including, just to be controversial, at least some of the stuff on What's The Story (Morning Glory?)."

http://www.guide2prince.org/pics/cont38.jpg

― benrique (Enrique), Friday, 27 October 2006 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

Including "Cast No Shadow"?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 27 October 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

Cunt or Dickhead?

― ennui (fandango), Friday, 27 October 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

Crabstick or Dipstick?

― The sun sets on twelve tons of pickled onions. A dynasty is dying... (Dada), Friday, 27 October 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

Wurzel or Worzel?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 27 October 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

Whatever happened to good old-fashioned headbutts?
Guardian, Tuesday October 24 2006
John Harris

― acrobat (elwisty), Friday, 27 October 2006 12:39 (nineteen years ago)

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/

Look, it's a Guardian music blog.

― Pete W (peterw), Friday, 27 October 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

mangan-barton '08

[give them something else to do]

― benrique (Enrique), Friday, 27 October 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

really loathe this guy.

― jed_ (jed), Friday, 27 October 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

two months pass...

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Lifeandhealth/Pix/pictures/2007/01/15/jh.jpg

caption competition

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

"see? i do like toastin' after all"

― vita susicivus (blueski), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

"French toast please"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 16:49 (nineteen years ago)

"I only bought it to look at my reflection"

― vita susicivus (blueski), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

"where the titties at?"

― vita susicivus (blueski), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

"Ban Louis Jagger"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

"Funniest looking iPod I've ever fucken seen."

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

"Just look at this fucking stupid thing!" said Senor Breville, yesterday

― Frogm@n Henry (Frogm@n Henry), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

"now lots of people say toast is "genius" and "groundbreaking" but have you ever listened to it? john harris has and it's rubbish."

― acrobat (elwisty), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 17:12 (nineteen years ago)

i can imagine him referring to himself in third person.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 17:14 (nineteen years ago)

"Now Paul Weller does his toast under the grill, so why on earth would anybody want to buy one of these?"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 17:15 (nineteen years ago)

He's no Giles Hattersley.

― God Bows to Meth (noodle vague), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 17:18 (nineteen years ago)

John Harris, Chris TFI Evans, Mark Sutherland and Lammo = 90s music media planks

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

that's not a very good caption. D+

― acrobat (elwisty), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

Wow. Halfway through this developed into the single tossiest thread in the history of ILE. Which is going some, as I was saying to some journalist just the other day. Some bloke who was mates with someone who wrote for Vox OTM, possibly.

― Matt (Matt), Wednesday, 17 January 2007 01:01 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

load of jizz

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Friday, 2 February 2007 10:50 (nineteen years ago)

He seems to be using MCR as a crutch for the idea that current pop bands don't dress up or 'do' pompous? Er.

― Hell Hath No Furry (DJ Mencap), Friday, 2 February 2007 11:04 (nineteen years ago)

four months pass...

paul morley to john harris on the late review this week: "John, you're full of Shreck"

― jed_, Sunday, 1 July 2007 22:28 (eighteen years ago)

i started this thead. he has got huge recently, reporting for newsnight (proper) and stuff. he should seriously stop talking and writing about music.

― That one guy that quit, Sunday, 1 July 2007 22:30 (eighteen years ago)

JOHN HARRIS RIP

The tribute thread.

― Dom Passantino, Sunday, 1 July 2007 22:32 (eighteen years ago)

His Sgt. Pepper piece in Mojo a few months ago (a cover!) was an atrocity. Liking the record is one thing, going all mouth-agape at the idea that someone might think the Undertones or the Abyssinians made a better one is brutally stupid.

― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Sunday, 1 July 2007 23:09 (eighteen years ago)

nine months pass...

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/john_harris/2008/04/hillary_for_president.html

― the pinefox, Monday, 28 April 2008 22:05 (eighteen years ago)

As if JH's writing wasn't bad enough: hear him spouting it for one minute in his loft.

― the pinefox, Monday, 28 April 2008 22:05 (eighteen years ago)

Worst thing on current.tv since the last "HERE IS AN EXCITING SHOREDITCH BASED FASHION DESIGNER" pod.

― Dom Passantino, Monday, 28 April 2008 22:10 (eighteen years ago)

Nice job, blinky.

― Noodle Vague, Monday, 28 April 2008 22:11 (eighteen years ago)

Someone please insert themselves into that video a la Fatal Farm's "Doogie Howser MD" remix.

― Dom Passantino, Monday, 28 April 2008 22:14 (eighteen years ago)

Nice to see him supporting the white candidate for a change.

― Noodle Vague, Monday, 28 April 2008 22:15 (eighteen years ago)

"now lots of people say toast is "genius" and "groundbreaking" but have you ever listened to it? john harris has and it's rubbish."

-- acrobat (elwisty), Tuesday, 16 January 2007 18:12 (1 year ago) Bookmark Link

^^^shame this guy hung himself, this is a great post

― Dom Passantino, Monday, 28 April 2008 22:18 (eighteen years ago)

well, fortunately i wasn't able to see the vlog, but if he's supporting hillary, fuck him and fuck the guardian.

― banriquit, Monday, 28 April 2008 22:34 (eighteen years ago)

He should be supporting Aunt Sally for President hyuk hyuk

― Dingbod Kesterson, Wednesday, 30 April 2008 15:09 (eighteen years ago)

seven months pass...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/dec/22/christmas-shopping

Harris at a motorway service station

― the pinefox, Monday, 22 December 2008 14:30 (seventeen years ago)

ten months pass...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8330633.stm

― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 1 November 2009 20:42 (sixteen years ago)

He is a paid-up fan of bands it took me until I was 30 to even discover

This after opening two pars talking about how the wee lad hasn’t had to spend any money to hear this music, in contrast to Harris’ five-figure spend?

― RAPTOBER (sic), Sunday, 1 November 2009 23:23 (sixteen years ago)

A good example: though I've always heard plenty of talk about the utter awfulness of such infamous albums as Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music (a double album of guitar feedback and white noise) or Deep Purple's Concerto For Group And Orchestra (don't ask), I can now listen to them for nothing, and have an opinion of my own.
They're both terrible, incidentally, but that isn't the point. What really matters is the fact that I can so easily tune in - and what that says about a new world of completely risk-free listening.

― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 1 November 2009 23:38 (sixteen years ago)

Who do you want to investigate today: TV On The Radio or Crosby, Stills and Nash? Do you fancy losing yourself in the brilliant first album by Florence And The Machine, or deriving no end of entertainment from how awful The Rolling Stones got in the 1980s? Little Richard or La Roux? White Lies or Black Sabbath?
As one of my music press colleagues use to say, there's no longer any past - just an endless present.

― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 1 November 2009 23:41 (sixteen years ago)

you post links and quotes don't you

― conrad, Sunday, 1 November 2009 23:42 (sixteen years ago)

― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Monday, 2 November 2009 00:00 (sixteen years ago)

He's not the John Harris who runs The People's United Community, is he? They're behaving like nutters in Birmingham.

― James Mitchell, Monday, 2 November 2009 09:54 (sixteen years ago)

three years pass...

Ugh his "plight of a Conservative" columns are the absolute worst. Like of all the people who deserve sympathy in the country at this moment, it's certainly not paternalistic grandees or garden variety Home Counties xenophobes.

― Matt DC, Monday, 15 April 2013 09:12 (thirteen years ago)

can understand why Harris would be down with one nation Tories tbh

― life went on, sadly (Noodle Vague), Monday, 15 April 2013 09:26 (thirteen years ago)

one year passes...

John Harris

Don't dismiss public fears about migration as bigotry

― the ﬁnal twilight of all evaluative standpoints (nakhchivan), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 19:54 (eleven years ago)

oh fuck him and fuck everyone who enables him and REALLY fuck every bigoted middle england idiot he's talking about

it's not even about ukip and the daily mail at this point, it drives me mad that so-called liberals tie themselves in such rhetorical knots to prove that ~ordinary people are not racist bigots

when they REALLY REALLY ARE, more than their comedy mouthpieces in the national press and politics could ever dream of being. paul dacre and nigel farage are tolerant lefties compared w/your average somerset villager

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 20:47 (eleven years ago)

Perhaps those who reduce people’s worries and fears to mere bigotry should go back to first principles, and consider whether, in such laissez-faire conditions, free movement has been of most benefit to capital or labour. They might also think about the dread spectacle of people from upscale London postcodes passing judgment on people who experience large-scale migration as something real.

― everything, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 21:10 (eleven years ago)

lol

― the ﬁnal twilight of all evaluative standpoints (nakhchivan), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 21:11 (eleven years ago)

can't understand how a guy who started out repping for Britpop and New Labour ended up being a reactionary apologist for oh hang on

― Chimp Arsons, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 21:43 (eleven years ago)

lol restricting movement of labour while capital continues to move freely and at speed wd sure be a win for working ppl everywhere

― intelligent, expressive males within the greater metropolitan (Bananaman Begins), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 21:49 (eleven years ago)

Capital migration would be fine if it were taxed properly; labour migrants pay tax wherever they happen to land.

I'm so *tired* of all this pursuit of the bigot vote; its effect on everyday life is absolutely toxic. I'd like to quarantine UKIP to whatever 19th hole hell from whence they came. Politicians need to stop pandering to bigots who want A Discussion About Immigration. There could be full employment with a Living Wage and these people would still want to Discuss Immigration.

My central London postcode has rich and poor people in it, from every country you can think of, living mostly happy lives alongside one another. People in upscale (I hate the word 'upscale' FTR) London postcodes are fine with migration and foreigner neighbours as long as a) their kids get places at the same fee-paying schools they went to and b) it's not rich Russians moving in, who make Good Help so Difficult to Find These Days because they're gazumping the available nannies and housekeepers.

― resting rich face (suzy), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 21:51 (eleven years ago)

He is so hideous, the sooner he fucking dies the better.

― xelab, Thursday, 23 October 2014 00:59 (eleven years ago)

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