If you remember the mid to late 90s, it was actually quite an exciting time. As the Conservative dominance of politics came to an end in 1997, so was the American dominance of the UK music scene with a new wave of proud to be British bands playing fantastically catchy tunes that took their inspiration from the 60s. Bands, such as Oasis and Blur, released hit after hit and it was a great time to be British. But what it also meant was that for every good band there was, there were at least 5 really dire ones. Here we take a look at some of the worst that Britpop had to offer.
Shed Seven
Hailing from: York
Big hit: Chasing Rainbows
Hailing from York, Shed Seven were perhaps the most Britpop of Britpop bands, and for this reason, they were instantly forgettable, unable to distinguish themselves from every other guitar band. Skinny Rick Witter looked like every other frontman and he and Paul Banks wrote songs that weren’t that bad, but they could hardly be described as good either. They disbanded in 2003 but reformed in 2007, which absolutely no one was bothered about.
The Boo Radleys
Hailing from: Merseyside
Big hit: Wake Up Boo!
To be fair to the Boo Radleys, they were triers. Starting out in the shoegazing movement in the late 80s/early 90s, they never really made it as a band, although they did have one big hit with Wake Up Boo! They couldn’t capitalise on this and, thankfully, have drifted off, never to be heard of again.
Space
Hailing from: Liverpool
Big hit: Female of the Species
Like a genetic mutation of Cast with a few Madchester dropouts, they weren’t too bad as a band but they hardly set the world alight either. Last time we heard of them they were still together as a band but the charts have gladly stayed safe from them for a number of years now.
Supergrass
Hailing from: Oxford
Big hit: Alright
Supergrass was just so damn happy, all the Goddamn time. Their relentlessly upbeat song Alright led to many people not being alright because it became just so God damn annoying. Many people thought they would have had a good chance of breaking into America but it never quite happened for them. They were due to open for Radiohead when they toured America but a family emergency led to them having to cancel, and thus prevent any inroads into the American market. Sadly, this meant they released more music over here.
Northern Uproar
Hailing from: Manchester
Big hit (sort of): Livin it Up
Unofficially the first ever Oasis tribute band, Northern Uproar were seriously shit. They were obsessed with being Oasis and dressed like them, acted like them and even had a singer whose name sounded like Liam (Leon). If you thought Oasis were ripping off the Beatles, well, think how bad Northern Uproar must have sounded ripping them off in turn. Despite a fan-funded album in 2013, they’ve now swaggered off into the sunset, thankfully.
Menswear
Hailing from: London
Big hit: Being Brave
Menswear was a made-up band in effect, resulting from an article in Select magazine about the London Mod revival in 1993. Chris Gentry and Johnny Dean made reference to an exciting new band called Menswear, even though they had just made it up, and were actually featured on the front cover of Melody Maker despite not having released any material. Criminally dull and manufactured, they weren’t missed by many when they split in 1997. Sadly they reformed in 2013.
Dodgy
Hailing from: London
Big hit: Stayin Out for the Summer
Dodgy were everywhere during Britpop. They played every bloody festival and turned up on every crap TV panel show. Their big hits ‘Stayin Out for the Summer’ and ‘Good Enough’ aren’t that bad in their own right, but it seemed to be the only songs they ever played, and there’s only so much a normal person can take. Like a bad smell, they refuse to go away and are still hauling their asses around the circuit.
Ocean Colour Scene
Hailing from: Birmingham
Big hit : The Riverboat Song
Ocean Colour Scene weren’t that bad a band really. Their hits such as ‘The Day we Caught the Train’, ‘The Circle’ and ‘The Riverboat Song’ were pretty good tunes. But, it was the fact that there was something just so boring about the band, they were really, really dull. It’s to be expected really though if you’re that close to Paul Weller.
Powder
Hailing from: London
Big hit: 20th Century Gods
Powder was a dire band formed in the very heart of Britpop in Camden. Fronted by Pearl Lowe, they added to their rubbishness by touring with Menswear, a fellow Britpop travesty. The one good thing that can be said about Powder is that they split up in 1996, and have never even threatened the nation with reforming. We thank them for that.
My Life Story
Hailing from: London
Big hit: Girl A, Girl B, Boy C
Any band that sees the need to have more than 5 or 6 members has to be seriously good to justify it. Think Parliament, Earth Wind and Fire and James Brown. My Life Story with 12/13 members was not that good. Releasing devastatingly awful song after devastatingly awful song, they’re still going in some form or another. Lead singer Jake Shillingford now calls himself Choppersaurus and has been writing tracks for dance outfit Mason.