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? by Gen Williams

Artists: Miss Black America

Words: Gen Williams
Posted: 15 Nov '02, 15:14

Fuck. Arse. Crap. Miss Black America have split up. The band sent out the following statement via their mailing list:

"As of about 8 o'clock last night, Miss Black America no longer exist as a group. We said we'd be the biggest band in the World on our own terms, and we tried, and we failed. So we've split up. "

"I feel strangely happy about things today. For one thing, it means I can move to Brighton.

It's also a terrible waste. I'm sorry.

Thankyou to everyone who's ever given a shit, been to a gig, bigged us up, slagged us off, put us up, put up with us, put up with me, bought/copied/stolen/downloaded any of our stuff, sent us pictures, printed my mindless waffle in their fanzines or on their sites, listened to us on the radio, played us on the radio, followed us around the country in a vaguely worrying fashion, lent us cash, given us beer, drugs, food, smiled at me and spoken to me and made me feel happy, it's 13.46 on Friday 15th November, at least we won't turn into King Adora, today is not my Dad's birthday, the sun is shining AND the rain is falling and I feel fine.

BE LUCKY, SUNSHINE. "

Thankyou.

Bye bye
love
from
Seymour xxx

P.S. - There's one more brand new tune to download free off our website (which will be staying where it is). Hope you like it.

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MBA Split

and to that, i would like to add: i am gutted. but at least they went out while they could still see their toes, instead of turning into bloated roly-poly fatcat cunts. [coughmanics]. much respect to them. m/

o
o
o
<><...
Gen

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 15:18 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

I'm quite pleased. They really weren't very good, especially when I saw them in Nottingham. Then their fans, that's another matter.

Seymour Glass needed a punch during their Radio One show in Notts, I think i saw a few people being restrained.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 15:21 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

This feels wierd. I fuckin love MBA. Best of luck in whatever you do guys...
Nick

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 15:34 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

i'm totally gutted. i really don't understand why they had to split. if they'd just kept at it for a bit longer...

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 15:40 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

i guess if your heart's not in it, there's not much else you can do. except carry on, chin up, dragging it out till your face is grey, your skin is melting and your bank account is empty, despite you selling everything you ever held dear. but then that was never really MBA's style, was it.

good on 'em.

o
o
o
<><...
Gen

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 15:58 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

i'm absolutly gutted.. i loved that band.

bruise_pristine90 | 15 Nov '02, 17:18 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

I spose you're right, but with only this e-mail as information about why they split I have to say I do, in a way, feel let down. I know that sounds really ignorant and foolish, but I really fucking believed in this band, and I thought they had a lot more left in them yet. You know, it was just getting to the stage where if I spoke about them at school or whatever, there'd be people around who knew what I was talking about... and I dunno, it just seems like a real waste of a hell of a lots of fucking effort and hard work on their parts - as well as all the people who pinned so much on them.

Still, I hope they're enjoying their new found freedom and wish them the best of luck for the future - enjoying looking back and knowing that depsite their supposed "failure", they managed to piss off/inspire/motivate/provoke thought in the minds of more people than just about any other current band - on any level. That in itself justifies their existance.

*chokes back a sob and throws a single rose on the mba coffin*

KPxx

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 19:04 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

The least they could've done was inspire some gloomy cult for their more obsessive fans, and release a poorly-sequenced greatest hits.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 22:48 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

Well it is a bit of an anticlimax. So much for going out in a blaze of glory... :'(

Ah well. I still have pizza. Mmm. Pizza.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 20:08 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Thank god for that...

One of the worst ever live bands I saw...And yes right on whoever made the comment about the fans...I am sorry for the people who cared for them...But blah....!

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 23:10 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Shit

hahahaha. they always were and always will be remembered as trendy pseudo- political chancers, whose musical minds had got stuck somewhere around the mid nineties era of wanky, self-important skinny-boy schmindie.

or is this just a cynical ploy to test the loyality and size of fanbase they might have amassed (worringly).

"Oh, you liked us after all! Lads, let's get back on stage! This a song about Nazis, who I think are big fat idiots!"

(Crowd) "YEEEEEEAAAAAAH!!! NAZIS AREN'T RIGHT!!!".

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 16:30 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Shit

quite. from the couple of songs I heard I really didn't get what the fuss was about. What's so new and revolutionary about a band that sounds (vaguely) like placebo?

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 16:49 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Shit

You really should have seen them live. They were incendiary. The recordings never did them justice.
And I'd say it's highly unlikely that they'll come back in a couple of months.
R.I.P.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 16:55 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Split

what a way to start the weekend.

:(

gutted.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 18:51 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Split

"Fuck. Arse. Crap."
... could have been a review!

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 19:53 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Split

this is crazy, mba were so good. they had the chance, oh well i guess all we have to say...it was good while it lasted.
love jme,
davo "antihero"'s sister

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 21:13 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Split

dammit!

sad as it may sound, i did become a bit tearful..

no more mba dancing. they were utter fabness!

xx

joeriot | 15 Nov '02, 23:18 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

they were a deep-fried and battered shit sandwich and you know it.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 23:38 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Split

its a shame cos gish was proper fuckin sweet

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 15 Nov '02, 23:57 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

he's not dead, you know.

KPxx

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 12:22 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split

aye, but seymores a cunt thar, givin me and Chuck shite for likin The Coral. Saying 'there papermashai bollocks' or sommat. I tell you whats bollocks mate, making out ya some tortured soul just sell records to 15 year old kids.

COME ON YOU ANGST RIDDEN CUNTS

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 17:26 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Split

good riddance to shit bands.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 00:35 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Split

I think it's great that they've split because I don't believe I've enjoyed a single thing they've done.
I think it's sad that a band that polarised opinion so much and clearly were striving for something have split up.
Oh damn my rationale.

-Raz- | 16 Nov '02, 00:44 | Send note | Report this | Reply

haters

if you don't like mba just don't post. i'm sure there are lots of bands you like that we don't. just let everyone have a moment. thanks.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 01:32 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: haters

a moment? you're talking as if they were some big important, life changing band! They were fucking turdbuglers who were all talk, but had shit music to back up all the baggage.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 11:32 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: haters

changed my life. evidently not yours, but each to their own, eh?

o
o
o
<><...
Gen

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 02:09 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Split - long live MBA

fuirst up

fuck anyone who has something bad to say about them

especially fuck anyone who hasn't tried to be in a band themselves

people in bands are people too

and it's pretty fucking easy to sit back in your chair and anonymously cast your judgement over the internet, when you haven't even given something a proper chance

so fuck the critics

long live the artists

etc etc

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 02:04 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: MBA Split - long live MBA

Prick.

I have been in a band before, I know how hard and how shit things can turn out. But everyone on this website can have their own say, and I say that I'm overjoyed when I hear about shit bands splitting up, like in this instance.

Don't insinuate that people slagging the former MBA are just idiots who haven't given 'anything a chance'. That's just being narrow-minded.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 11:29 | Send note | Report this | Reply

i read the news today, oh boy

yeah, everyone is entitled to their opinion and i'm sure lots of people's opinion is that MBA were shit, antihero are shit, whatever. that's fine, that's cool.

but to many mba were a big deal, their music was good and they were liked by lots of people and lots of people see them as close friends. so this is a sad thing to many.

there's no point wasting energy arguing about it, i just feel that, in the paraphrased words of DiS head honcho Sean Adams, "if you think something's shit don't talk about it, champion the good things". so i can appreciate you might hate MBA, but many people who are posting here liked them/loved them. we're not making you read our posts, so why not let people who like them talk about them and enjoy it?

we don't want an argument, slagging people off on message boards is lame. sometimes keeping your mouth shut is just bad manners. when one of your favourite bands splits up i won't say anything.

vive la difference, but we all love music so let's all love it together.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 15:26 | Send note | Report this | Reply

swghrae

oops. i meant "good manners". uprise, respect.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 15:27 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: i read the news today, oh boy

Surely it would make more sense for people to post lists of bands people go check out now MBA are no more which in peoples opinions are better, etc..

Saying something that no longer exists is shit acheives what exactly? Merely that something made a mark enough on your world to enter into some kind of torettes like discourse about it.

Sean

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 17:01 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: i read the news today, oh boy

definitely. i'm sure that seymour might suggest people have a listen to Tex La Homa, The Catheters, The Liars and The Dawn Parade for a start.

see ya later, peeps.

pete

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 18:01 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: i read the news today, oh boy

I totally agree with Sean and Pete, when a band splits surely its more constructive to name other bands people can get into and enjoy:

Heres my list of bands i think are good to check out:

1. Caretaker - Great angry post rock
2. Malowski - only current band i know of with similar agit attitude to MBA but sound like Holy Bible Manics instead of MBAs' jangly early manics sound
3. The Koreans - great recommended band from Dis
4. Nectar - Mental all over the place stuff
5. Red Dead Dog - girls pants wearing dog fuckers
6. Meanwhile Back In communist Russia - top notch band on Truck records.

thats enough from me. Peace.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 15:58 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Good Riddance to shit music.

yeah, so what? i wont miss them...

Boo hoo. Waaa waaa. throw yer toys out of the pram, see if i care.
Stick yer tongue up another worthless bands arse instead.

Its always sad when a lot of hard effort collapses. But in this case, they weren;t worth the effort...

And all you lot going on about haters? Go and look on the message board for oxide&neutrino (trust me, its well fucking funny) and see if all the comments baout h8ters etc. seem familiar. ha ha ha ha.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 11:27 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Good Riddance to shit music.

i'm not "going on about haters". i just think that there's a time and a place for slagging off bands and this maybe isn't it.

laters

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 16 Nov '02, 15:30 | Send note | Report this | Reply

gutted

Well I thought mba were really good, and they were so promising.
I don't understand Seymour's reasons- at first I didn't understand why they had to stop just because they hadn't become the best band in the world and failed, and I still don't, but I suppose that if spliting MBA up makes the band happy, then good for them.
I'd just like to say to all of them good luck for the future.

argh who am i kidding?! GRRR DONT SPLIT UP PLEEEEEEEEEASE!

*composes herself*

yeh well....

kathryn | 16 Nov '02, 18:38 | Send note | Report this | Reply

ahem...

this is quite amusing. MBA were a terrible band.
for all those morons complaining about the mass of anti-MBA opinion, you should learn that music is always a dividing line. this band weren't even worthy of this post, but all the skinny schmindie angst-fan losers seem to be obsessed with them. they had nothing interesting to say, other than regurgitated, cliched, pc-friendly bullshit.
crap band. life is so much better without them.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 03:22 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem...

perfectly said.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 16:05 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem...

"all the skinny schmindie angst-fan losers seem to be obsessed with them"

well no, actually.
all their fans weren't obsessed with them. what's wrong with just liking a band and wanting to express sadness in the splitting of a band?

*yawn* if MBA weren't worthy of post then why bother anyway? you're only saying what a lot of other people said...

kathryn | 17 Nov '02, 17:44 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

For God's Sake-

Please People- Right Now I'm getting flashback's of Diana's Funeral when one very intelligent celebrity simply commented when interviewed: 'People Can Grieve How they wanna grieve': Miss Black America were a band that touched a lot of people (enough to warrant them not splitting up), and it is just complete bollocks to say the world is better without them. If you don't like them.. well good for you- just f**k off for now while people have their sadness- but just don't bullshit art that you dont appreciate/understand- that's what the ignorant of this world do.... MBA had something special.. we know this cos so many saw it.

Ben, Brighton

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 19:37 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

yes, sub-manics tuneless schmindie is indeed something special... thats why their album sold nothing...

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 19:44 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

OK, Please- how the holy f**k are they like the Manic Street Preachers- I DON'T LIKE THE MANICS- NEVER HAVE! MCS indulged in a really shit form of policy making- their lyrics were so bloody obvious, humourless, and unvaried lyrically- MBA had songs which mixed the serious and earnest with the sardonic and the darkly entertaining- Why did they sell nothing? When has anyone from Peel's programme ever sold that much- they were completely unmarketable- compare to the Vines/Libertines- there is fashion consciousness in both of them- There isn't anything the NME could have really said about MBA- cos none of them ever cared about looking appealing to the public- that translates in your words to indie-schmindie: I tell you one thing- that kind of opinion will completely destroy the idea of romanticism in rock music- it really feels as though you people who are hacking into this band now havn't quite listened hard enough- Do you actually know what angst really is.. Half of Miss Black America's album is hopeful, joyful and triumphant... Since when was it a sin to where your heart on your sleeve.. Anyone who 'doesn't care' cos the Strokes say it's OK- well you probably didn't even understand this message- but if anyone has a PROPER reason why MBA were indeed not very good- please reveal all.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 20:32 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Mwah mwah!

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 21:07 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Whatever mate- what bands do you like then- we probably agree on LOADS of things... Just Think!!!

In a year, I bet you're gonna love MBA-

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 17 Nov '02, 21:16 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Chas and Dave and Erasure

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 00:34 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

thankgod SOMEONE has pointed out that MBA actually weren't jus the new manics- its such a lame and pointless comparasion
some people should learn that giving a shit bout song lyrics and singing about something u care about strongly doesn't automatically equal trying to be the manics!

kathryn | 17 Nov '02, 22:18 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Thanks. I was just on the boundary of losing belief myself. By the way, good luck to the Dawn Parade. They are gonna be the natural successors to MBA's Hearts on sleeves vendetta, cos the two bands were so closely- and if anything good can come out of this- it will be that DP are going to really shine out now.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 00:11 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Dawn Parade are awful as well. Jeeez. I went to a bull and gate gig with Antihero, Dawn Parade, some other atrocious band and MBA and only Antihero were ok but i prefer more experiemental rock stuff, but the rest of the bands were awful.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 00:36 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Experimental stuff is cool- I like that too- Liars are great- And I love math rock- Oxes, Dianoghah, shellac are my favourites- are you gonna go to All Tomorrow's Parties next year- all that stuff will be there...I'll definitely check it out- I mean obviously if you hate MBA, you are gonna hate Dawn Parade- I was at that gig- Antihero were probably the best on the night it has to be said- MBA looked a bit jaded- but then they were just so incredible in Brighton

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 12:57 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Weird. I don't like the Dawn Parade. But i liked MBA.

How'd you figure that one out?

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 14:02 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Yeah- I suppose it was a bit of a generalisation as to who could replace MBA- but cos they were friends + both championed by Peel + Came from the same city, and both very poetic- it seems natural- but Dawn Parade are more classically based style wise- more song writing than punk...

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 15:54 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

The way I see it, there's far more deserving new British bands that I've seen live and heard than acts like Dawn Parade, MBA, etc. I saw Fonda 500 last Friday and they were brilliant, Mclusky and Malowski are also two excellent bands who do stuff that is interesting and tuneful at the same time.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 16:50 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Can't remember if i mentioned Mclusky but they're my favourite band of the year- hell this is far better than I thought- "When are we going to torch the restaurant, when are we gonna get excited" is a great lyric that comes to mind- every lyric is worth thinking about- and the first album is just as good- Flysmoke is the only 'ballad' they have ever done- and it is just f**kin beautiful- get back to you on the other 2. I just think that retrogression is not actually a bad thing which is why, just cos MBA/DP aren't pushing a new style completely- there are still subtleties which make them such both such worthwhile bands... But, hell, as long as appeals to the imagination... Favourite Mclusky song?

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 17:27 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

World Cup Drumming or Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 18:33 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

Fair enough-respect for having the first album too- what does Light Sabre Cocksucking Blues mean to you cos there are so many ways of taking that song....

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 19 Nov '02, 00:28 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

it dont mean anything. It just rocks.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 20 Nov '02, 13:30 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem

"And I love math rock- Oxes, Dianoghah, shellac are my favourites- are you gonna go to All Tomorrow's Parties next year- all that stuff will be there.."

no it wont.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 21 Nov '02, 02:10 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem...

they've split up please tell me this is true God i hated this band

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 09:57 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: ahem...

i saw miss black america support liars in leicester, and thought they were shit and an unsuitable support band.

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 21 Nov '02, 02:04 | Send note | Report this | Reply

MBA Split

well. they certainly divided opinion. i guess there's a reason seymour made a point of thanking everyone who had ever slagged them off alongside everyone who had praised them - even now that they no longer exist as a collective, they're still provoking arguments and discussion. dunno bout anyone else but i think that's fucking marvellous.

o
o
o
<><...
Gen

Old_Anonymous_Comments | 18 Nov '02, 12:34 | Send note | Report this | Reply

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MBA Split

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