Backwards Spoon Myth Denounced
Reader Mary writes in:
Spoon and Longwave played a free concert in Boston this evening at the Hatch Shell along the Charles River. ... Following the concert, FNX Radio held an after party at The Grand Canal in Boston. Joshua Zarbo was the only Spoon member to show up, but of course, with a few Stella Artois under the belt, I felt inclined to ask him about all of the Stereogum buzz today. Though amused by the suggestion/blog gossip that Gimme Fiction tracks were intended to be played in the reverse order (he said, "what are we, the beatles?"), he confirmed, without question, that this was not true. Gimme Fiction is meant to be as it is -- front to back. I'm afraid the Austin hipster has led us all astray!Thanks Mary. Although, if you play that Clap You Hands CD backwards...
Posted at 9:09 AM
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Frontwards, backwards, sideways...who cares. It's a great record regardless of how you listen.
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F*!ckin' Austin hipster. I spent all night resequencing my Spoon album collection and playing them while summoning indie rock spirits with my Ouija board. I had planned on playing all the songs backwards to search for more clues...guess I don't have to bother now. Better cancel that appointment with the sidewalk psychic who sets up shop on the corner.
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I'm off to kill myself now, like an asshole. I don't own a sword... or a knife for that matter... so I'm going to fall on my George Foreman Grill.
At least, that way, in death I will be skinny and fat-free, unlike now in life.
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Did you know that 'Hipster Conspiracy' is an anagram of 'Psychiatric Person.' True story.
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Don't get in stranger's vans, and never trust hipsters. Their ironic lies only let you down in the end.
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Backwards, forwards, shuffle, whatever...still puts me to sleep.
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But more importantly... how did Stella Artois go from unknown to #1 hipster beer in like 2 weeks? Seriously - they just started delivering it to Dalals two weeks agp, and suddenly it's like THE thing to drink. If you're cool. And like hoppy, bitter, overpriced beer.
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But more importantly... how did Stella Artois go from unknown to #1 hipster beer in like 2 weeks? Seriously - they just started delivering it to Dallas two weeks agp, and suddenly it's like THE thing to drink. If you're cool. And like hoppy, bitter, overpriced beer.
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That's interesting, in England Stella Artois has the nickname "wife beater" and is one of the least cool beers around.
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Yeah a few months ago I asked Husband about some joke I heard regarding Interpol and Stella Artois because I didn't know what it was, and you would think I had just revealed that I was born on the planet Venus. Apparently everybody at his ad agency is drinking it (yes they drink beer at work. It's an ad agency).
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"If you're cool. And like hoppy, bitter, overpriced beer."
Have you even tried Stella? It's like light beer before they take the calories out.
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English Stella Artois trivia fact 2 - people refer to it as "Nelson" as in Nelson Mandella - Stella. I'll get my coat.
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To continue to sidetrack this thread...
Stella is in England "a pint a' lager." Why people swill that stuff when they could have any number of delicious hand-pulled, cask ales, is way beyond me. I was in London for 10 days and I drank gallons of the stuff. I couldn't get enough.
Anyone drinking Stella is no hipster in this beer book, beatch!
BTW, I agree, the Spoon record succeeds backwards because, simply, it is still the same great songs. It doesn't really matter what order they're in.
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I paid seven bucks last night for a bottle of Stella.
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Ha ha, the wife beater. I was under the impression that hipsters still drank the $2 a pint PBR at the bars. Stella is pretty nasty, but maybe that's the ironic aspect of it. Kinda like how hipsters can claim to like Hall & Oates with a straight face. "I'm so hip I can enjoy a shitty beer and shitty music, which in itself, actually makes me cool." Or maybe pitchfork gave Stella a shining review.
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"Have you even tried Stella? It's like light beer before they take the calories out."
Yeah. That's why I called it "hoppy, bitter, overpriced beer." It's like the Belgians finally got ahold of our super secret "Bud" technology, and now they can make all the lousy, inferior swill they want and export it to the U.S.
Bastards!
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Stella 2005 = PBR 2003 (and if yr in Texas, Lone Star 1940-Present)
And, btw, is it Stella "Are-twaah", or "Are-toys?" My guess is "Are-twaah."
My Dallas friends are all about Stella, but it's not making a blip in Austin. Everyone's too busy cooking up Spoon conspiracies to drink "hoppy, bitter, overpriced [hipster] beer."
I personally find Stella subtlely fantastic, but whatevs
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In America (esp. Texas), it's ARE-toys.
Everywhere else, I'm guessing it's "Are-TWAUGHH" (cough)
Too busy with hipster conspiracies to drink beer? Been to Beerland lately? ;)
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Fuck Stella Artois, that was the drink of two years ago. It's all about Canadian 6.0 Cold Shots.
More precentage, concentrated drunk factor in a sleek package.
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Interesting. I am convinced that there is some hipster illuminati that meets once a year to decide these things, because they certainly can't be that affected by clever advertising.
"So people, this year, it's Stella Artois, Fixed Gear bikes, the Go-Team, and Army hats. The council has spoken. Bring out the stone of triumph."
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I wrote them a letter and asked them if next year, the big thing could be Slip N' Slides at every party. Man, those things were awesome.
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No way, Crocodile Mile was way better than Slip 'n' Slide. It had "the bump", and a splash-down pool.
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HAHAHA. as a matter of fact, as I sit here in my Williamsburg loft, I am listening to the Go Team about to take my fixed gear bike out for a spin. No army hat though, and drinking Newcastle, but you're batting .500, so you're an all-star in my book.
BTW - the illuminati has judged David Brent so 2004.
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the hipster illumaniti post made me laugh. do people no longer drink beer or listen to music just cos they personally like it? goddamn fads.
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Personal "preference" is arbitrary and pointless. It doesn't SAY anything about you as a person!
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I want to get to the bottom of this conspiracy!
Here's what my friends and I have come up with:
1.) Either "Claudia-Austin Hipster" is BS-ing us (highly likely)
-or-
2.) Britt Daniel is BS-ing "Claudia"
-or-
3.) Zarbo's just being cryptic
My vote is actually for the seemingly unlikely #2.
Here's my evidence: Rumor around Austin is that if you see Britt in a club and go talk to him, he can be somewhat of a prick. Enter Claudia, the over-eager Spoon fan, looking for a touch with someone in the peak of their 15-minutes. She's ironic and dry, and then after a Stella or Canadian6.0, or Sparks or two, Britt starts to mess with her mind.
"Play Gimme Fiction backwards, Babe... That's how it's supposed to be... I'm Britt Effin' Daniels!"
"I Love You!"
"Shut up and play Gimme Fiction backwards and let me drink my hipster beer in peace! I'm Britt Effin' Daniels!!!"
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it's obvious Spoon is lying. now back to resequencing!
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Spoon are LIARS! I'm playing all my records backwards today, while drinking Stella AtrwhaUGH on the slip-n-Slide!
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"never trust hipsters. Their ironic lies only let you down in the end."
i thoroughly enjoyed that quote.
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Strangely enough I was just watching a rerun of the first episode of the most recent Project: Greenlight, and everyone is conspiciously drinking Stella. I guess Stella's savvy product placement deal worked wonders.
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There is no spoon.
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When I brought up the reverse sequencing bit, Zarbo asked what was wrong with Gimme Fiction as is. I mentioned that some people, er Pitchfork, describe it as a 'schizophrenic composition'. Zarbo said he thought 'schizophrenic' was quite the compliment. I told him about stereogum, so maybe he'll show up here to set the record straight.
He was drinking Stella too.
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Seriously, I think hipsters really need to get their shit together. There's too much dissension in the ranks and no one is fucking organized. Stella's the new beer, dammit I already ordered my PBR (sidenote: I moved away from Philly years ago, but can everyone make Yuengling cool so we can get it in the midwest? oooooh I miss Yuengling).
I think the illuminati should get their heads out of their ironic assholes and start distributing hipster beepers. That way, when new shit becomes "cool" everyone can move in unison like a school of fish.
So let's test it: on the count of 3 Right Said Fred's "I'm too sexy" will become a standard touchstone for conversation again, but you know ironically. 1. 2. 3...
Oh and David Brent is so last year... long live Andy Millman!
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"Beep - beep - beep."
Sorry Andy, you're done. "I'm Too Sexy" had it's ironic day.
NEXT!
Aw shit - flannel is now ironic. Dammit!
P.S. Mary, was Zarbo wearing an Army hat? Were you? (Oh God, please let them both!)
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I'm still waiting for the "Joey Lawrence" flannel hoodie to come back ironically:
http://posters.com/beefcake/8197.jpg
That shit pretty much crystallized the early 90s mainstreaming of alternative culture. That and the Budweiser ad that featured moshing.
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Andy Millman is so 5 minutes ago.
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my relatives brought some Yuengling w/ them when they came out to visit me in MN. fuckin' great beer.
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When you think about this issue, there could be something stranger than Spoon taking a Beatle-esque tack on the sequencing of the album. There are Beatle hints all throughout the album, and placing "Beast and Dragon" at the end allows all of the other "Fiction" song references within it to serve as a sort of epilogue.
Second, relying on Zarbo for "inside" Spoon info is the equivalent of asking Billy Preston for the dish on the Beatles. He's the bass player. Britt and Jim Eno are Spoon.
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And Yuengling is a f*cking GREAT beer!
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Yuengling is so 1904.
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When in doubt, choose Miller light, Archers of loaf, and Pinball. These things can all be enjoyed day or night and they will never be over.
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When in doubt, choose Miller light, Archers of loaf, and Pinball. These things can be enjoyed day or night, and they will never be over.
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YO i rock peas on my head but dont call me a pea head
bees on my head but dont call me a bee head
bruce lees on my head but dont call me a lee head
you wear name brands i make my own clothing
i hang out with an apple that loves self loathing
oh i hate myself
pancake on my face makes me extra happy
i like shapoo bottles taht sit on my lappie
cuz its my show, you cant tell me what to do
when life hands me lemons i make beaf stew
so you i gotta go its time for me to rock it
put bologna in my left pocket
smear some cream cheese in my gold locket
cuz its my show im andy milonakis
its my show im smandy shmilashokis
its my show im andy milonakis!
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"Rumor around Austin is that if you see Britt in a club and go talk to him, he can be somewhat of a prick."
Not true, in my experience. He's always been nice to me, and I am pretty effing dopey around musicians I like. Actually, I've never heard this firsthand, only third or fourth hand -- like most "that musician is a dick" stories.
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What are the thoughts on Labatt Blue Light, or is the distribution too limited for discussion? That's my beer of choice.
When I was in London in February, I was loving me some Stella. I'm over it now that it's caught on. Trailblazer!
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David Brent is timeless. Also, no one got my "stone of triumph" Simpsons reference? The Stonecutters, people!!
As the new, self appointed head of the irony-lluminati, I hereby proclaim for 2006:
Unicycles are the hip method of transportation.
You may listen to and enjoy (ironically) Paul McCartney and Wings, but Badfinger is forbidden.
Bartyles and James is the new Stella.
Slip and Slide is the new Jenga at parties, but crocodile mile is trite and played out (plus, I always got hurt after hitting the jump).
Panchos are back in style.
Jester hats are ironic-cool again.
The not yet recorded Devendra Bernhardt album is this generation's Sgt. Pepper, no exceptions.
So it shall be.
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No, Yuengling is so 1829. I think hipsters should get into moonshining.
And if you think Stella is hoppy, I suggest you try any IPA. Stone and Dogfish Head are good.
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Spelling Devendra Banhart's name "Devendra Bernhardt" or "Devandra Barnhardt" totally outs you as a mesh-cap wearing PBR drinker.
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You can have my Badfinger when you pry it from my cold dead finger.
Yes...finger (singular).
Now, if jester hats are ironic-cool again, are we not dangerously toying with a Spin Doctors comeback?! Do you people even think these things through!?
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Your roommate is a nerd!
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Billy K, I hope you are not suggesting that there's something *wrong* with the Spin Doctors. Because when I think about the true great bands of our time, I think, The Beatles, The Rolling stones, The Spin Doctors.
I mean, the way that "Two Princes" commented on the increasingly disturbing disparity between rich and poor in our modern society was quite breathtaking. And who could hold back a tear upon hearing the dramatic plea of love, "Ain’t got no future or a family tree, But I know what a prince and lover ought to be."
Indeed, Spin Doctors, I have no doubt that you do.
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man... it is weird to see labatt's and molson's products in the same 'discussion' as stella. here in canada stella is seen as a yuppie beer (or if not yuppie, then at least an expensive import... is there a difference?). anyway, labatt's (blue) and molson's (canadian) are what you drink in high school or when you watch hockey with your fraternity brothers. but i'll be damned if i don't love me some - any - beer.
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i've been guzzling stella for over a year now. i like it and i still do, just like i have pabst. i don't give a rat's ass if all of a sudden NOW someone's affixing some pseudo "100% hipster approved!" label.
i like the way it tastes. and it's not too expensive.
what beer is next? pilsner urquell? damn.
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I thought all the cool kids were drinking Hoegarden now.
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hoeeeegardennnn
yes
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fuck the hipster beer of the minute is duckstein straight out of germany to germany.
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Yuengling is just brown Bud. Just slurp a Budweiser off a dirty floor and you'll get the same flavor and coloring.
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I'm from Austin.
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