Monday, March 05, 2007

Guilty Pleasures

Boybands have never been my music for pleasure. I prefer ‘proper’ bands with guitars and good hair. Take That never fell into either category but suddenly, I’m finding myself singing along to Shine on the radio. “It sounds a bit Beatle-y,” I try to justify it to myself, “and anyway, it’s not that smug Gary Barlow singing it.”

Take That did nothing at all for me when I met them at a radio station years ago. They were on the cusp of fame; I was more interested in Nirvana and finishing an awkward story so I could go home. But a flock of screeching teenage girls who’d been unable to squeeze into the studio were using the newsroom as an overflow.

“If I go and get one of them, will you shut up?” I said. Oh yes, they agreed, they certainly would if a fetched an idol to worship. They didn’t even express a preference, so I found the first tall, male person in the studio and grabbed him by the hand. We walked up the corridor accompanied by further frenzied screaming. And I’d believed them when they said they’d shut up …

Confessing a fondness for the reformed Take That is one of those Guilty Pleasures that add texture to our lives. I came across this BBC Radio London programme quite by chance via the online listen again system – and now I’m addicted. I plug in my headphones every Monday morning at work and am transported into a different world of 1970s and ‘80s cheese; stuff that’s faintly embarrassing, just like confessing a liking for Take That…

10 comments:

Big Chip Dale said...

Just to say I'm really feeling for you and you've earned a place in my blogroll... That was a tough thing to read as I'm not so sure that admitting to liking Take That is a texture I want in my life. Crushed glass mixed with treacle would be more preferable.

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Shush I don't actually like them, I like one song, possibly two ...

Big Chip Dale said...

Okay, I'll keep it quiet... My lips are sealed. You are also forgiven.

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Cheers! And thanks for blogrolling me - you're my first...

Arthur Clewley said...

I added you too M&M, we NE bloggers have to stick together. you seem to have established very well, nobody read my blog for months. I think you will do very well.

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Thank you Arthur.

I need to start one of these blogroll jobbies as well.

Anonymous said...

I like the new Take That - there you go - I've admitted it and I'm still the same person I was a few seconds ago! I don't know why you should feel ashamed, they're actually quite good now!

Big Chip Dale said...

Oh, no... You see what you've started, M&M? It's like bird flu! I'm ordering a complete lockdown on this blog and all links to and from it. Nobody leaves until they've been checked for the Take That virus.

May the Lord save all of us...

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Ah Chippy, calm yourself... remember, it's a Beautiful World ...

Gill said...

I have confess that my guilty pleasure is listening to the album Beach Samba by Astrud Gilberto whilst playing spider solitaire when I should be writing.