Guardian Unlimited Slates Ham Sandwich
February 21st, 2008 by nayA blithe take on Ham Sandwich’s Meteor Award win in the Guardian Unlimited music news.
Cheers Sean! You almost had me with the boy-band sentiment. What a travesty that eight years on, lonely spinsters haven’t let go of their plush teddies and fondness for premium-rate competitions and continue to vote for turgid shite as the nation’s favourite.
Yet, the horizon, a glimmer of hope! A motley bunch of hairy, glamorous jammers from a country town producing sounds fit for the Fillmore beat Sony’s golden boy to scoop a trophy recognising years of dedication and belief…the second trophy in their hands that day, may I add, as the release of their debut album Carry The Meek coincided with the Meteor Awards.
Ham Sandwich are not a boring band. I could write you a bio about their hard-won success, Podge’s karaoke lifestyle, their rambling school in Kells, effortless talent and showmanship washing them ashore from a sea of creativity surrounding Ireland’s music in 2008 but don’t need to: that reputation becomes clear to anyone who comes looking.
That Sean Michaels couldn’t be bothered to research the band is blatantly obvious but nonethless understandable. I don’t have time to follow every MySpace link passed my way. However in those cases I avoid unwarranted bitching and hedge my bets. What exactly was Mr Michaels’ point in dismissing this band in one fell swoop on the rather superficial basis of band name?
Considering the article’s initial despair at the outcome of the awards it would have been a wise move to at least give Ham Sandwich benefit of the doubt, if not a listen to discern whether the relevant cycle of manufactured pap was set to repeat.
I find it an absolute disgrace that a music journalist providing a rare window of UK coverage should so flippantly dismiss the efforts of a band and new breed of voting public for the sake of a weak joke. If the punchline was original it may have been forgivable but I’m afraid in this case we saw a chronic case of lazy journalism and to be honest, I expected better from the Guardian.