Friday, 14 October 2011

Lawrence of Belgravia

Can everyone please get over this idea that Felt had a masterplan to make 10 albums and 10 singles in 10 years? They didn't. What was that Lawrence told Melody Maker in December 1989?
I'm really looking forward to the film. Lawrence is a fascinating character and Felt are one of my favourite bands. But the widespread swallowing of the '10 myth' means it's always mentioned when people write about Felt or Lawrence.

There are far more interesting things about Felt than one fabrication which has caught the media's imagination. Like why did a band with such a distinct aesthetic publish guarantees of authenticity on their albums? Or why did contemporary Lloyd "read Norman Mailer or get a new tailor" Cole hit the charts but not Felt? Or why when about to play a London gig in 1987 in front of major labels and publishers, a potentially career-changing night, did Lawrence drop acid? He left the stage after 30 seconds because "everyone's looking at me".

I expect Lawrence of Belgravia will provide some answers and provoke more questions. And the BFI have, by simply getting the title right, given the film more respect than the Barbican did when it showed 20 minutes of footage three years ago:
Posted by Ben at 11:36

2 comments:

  1. Toby14 October 2011 at 22:50

    I hear ya about the 10/10 thing. I think it's even a stretch to call some Felt albums actual "albums". Six songs is an EP.

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  2. Ben14 October 2011 at 23:40

    Poem Of The River is so good, so much better than most other records, that if Felt want to call its 6 tracks an album then they can! For what it's worth, I'm happy to think of 6 tracks as an album. Especially if it's POTR.

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