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Graziadaily
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
25 Years Since High Fidelity, It's Time To Reevaluate The 'Rob' Dating Cliché
They're men who talk over you during the music round in a pub quiz. Who scoff if you're not well versed in the historic feud between Nas and Jay-Z. The types who can sing the words to 'This Charming Man' by The Smiths and 'Death Kink' by Fontaines DC without a karaoke machine but can't remember your friends' names. All tireless iterations of Rob from High Fidelity, Nick Hornby's seminal novel which was published 30 years ago and adapted for film in 2000. After reading the book for the first time earlier this year, I was struck, nay floored, by Rob both as a character and a product of the male psyche. Rob is of the 'victim of the universe' disposition. A music obsessive running his own record store, Rob is distinctly unsatisfied with his lot in life. After being dumped by yet another girlfriend, the one he lived with who his mother would have loved to see him marry, Rob decides to visit the ghosts of girlfriends past to work out what he's getting wrong. The trouble is Rob continuously fails to understand his part. Even when he admits to cheating on his girlfriend while she was pregnant and then not supporting her through her subsequent abortion, he's got a justification stowed safely up his sleeve. John Cusack Stars in High Fidelity. (Photo By Getty Images) In Rob's attempt to sift through his past loves, he exposes his thinking to the reader and/ or audience. We hear of girlfriends who he never took seriously because they weren't impressive or good looking enough. We hear of girlfriends who were too frigid in high school. We even hear of a girlfriend who was so out of his league that he dumped her to beat her to the chase. 'What am I gonna do now?' Rob, played by John Cusack in the film, asks. 'Just keep jumping from rock to rock for the rest of my life?' He is exactly the type of man waiting on a manic, pixie dream girl to show up at his record store wanting daily sex and no commitment with just enough music knowledge to keep up with him, but not enough to make him feel emasculated. What seems glaringly obvious when reading or watching High Fidelity through a modern lens is the correlation between Rob's encyclopaedic obsession with music and his complete inability to express his emotions and form healthy, lasting relationships. Perhaps if he spent a little less time organising his record collection and a little more refining his communication skills, he would find a suitable rock on which to settle, or even a human being to jump from rock to rock with. This is perhaps one of the many reasons Disney+ and Hulu launched a feminist High Fidelity remake in 2020 where Zoe Kravitz, whose mother Lisa Bonet was in the original film, reimagines the main character as Robyn. The show was cancelled after one season. I wondered, 30 and 25 years after the book and film came out respectively, have things really changed? Do '90s nightmares like Rob still walk amongst us? And are the female versions as omnipresent? 'Whenever I tried to get my ex-boyfriend to talk about his feelings he would say, 'I'm not as complicated as you think I am,'' explains Ellie*. 'That was a hill he was willing to die on, but he was SO passionate about music. Hip Hop in particular – really confessional, emotionally charged rap was all he'd listen to. Which was funny because he went to public school.' Anna* had a similar experience. 'I was dating someone once and we'd go to gigs and stuff and he wouldn't ever give his emotions away. Like, he would look bored and miserable and stand in the corner of the venue but afterwards say he loved it.' While Emma* claims she dated someone who 'could only express himself through writing music rather than listening to it', but lo and behold, could never express himself with her. As in High Fidelity, this behaviour might manifest itself through the romantic play of recommending an album or song or creating a playlist for the person they're dating. 'There's something emotionally stirring about a well written song that would be difficult to convey with words alone,' offers Rose*. 'I think many guys realise this. It's harder to convey exactly what you feel by simply stating it.' Bobbie* agrees. He weighed in to say expressing yourself through music 'takes the pressure off', especially for men who find 'expressing their feelings verbally difficult'. 'It could also be that he is simply trying to seduce you,' he admits. This was true of Gemma's* experience with a man she met on Hinge. 'I was dating this guy for several months and he showed me a lot of new music and made it feel like it was a shared experience. Then I found out he had a girlfriend the whole time and had been playing her the same songs too, probably so he didn't get us confused. After things ended, I saw them together at a concert we said we'd go to.' Perhaps time doesn't heal all wounds – and neither does music. Robs still exist in their droves in the modern dating scene. It's even a theme that cropped up in Lena Dunham's new Netflix show, Too Much. Never mind the protagonist Jessica's new boyfriend Felix, a tortured musician with dirty fingernails and a lot of baggage, who incidentally went to public school too, but there is one iconic scene where her ex-boyfriend Zev throws a tantrum because Pitchfork didn't publish one of his reviews. Textbook Rob behaviour. John Cusack and Iben Hjejle in High Fidelity Photo: Melissa Moseley/SMPSP Touchstone Pictures Of course, it shouldn't be entirely ridiculed. It's no secret that (a lot of) men struggle to express their emotions, especially when compared with women, and this behaviour is most likely a result of societal repression. If swathes of men grow up without knowing how to healthily express their emotions and fear vulnerability as a weakness, then it's no wonder they might be prone to shutting the world out with their headphones on. But, from where I'm standing, this behaviour is hard to distinguish from the viral and now widely lambasted 'main character syndrome' that sees individuals relentlessly overestimate their own importance and minimise other people's. Men using music as an outlet to work through their mental health and emotions is positive only if it extends to their real-life relationships too. If you know the track list for Channel Orange like the back of your hand but struggle to tell your friends you love them or to text a girl back after a third date then, just like Rob, there's still plenty of work to do. Luckily for him, it worked out ok in the end. Maybe if he stopped imagining his life as a music video it could have been even better. The names used in this article have been changed.
Perth Now
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Rick Astley would sing The Smiths' songs 'every weekend' - but Blossoms don't need him
Rick Astley would do another Songs of The Smiths tour - but he doesn't think he can get Blossoms back on stage. The Never Gonna Give You Up hitmaker was backed by the British indie band for two shows in Kentish Town, London where they played tracks by the seminal 1980s Manchester band, including This Charming Man, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Ask and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out. The collaboration between Rick and Blossoms even saw them play Glastonbury Festival in 2023, and the 59-year-old singer admits he would do that tribute to Morrissey and Johnny Marr's former band "every weekend" but he thinks Blossoms - fronted by guitarist-and-vocalist Tom Ogden - are too busy enjoying their own success to do more concerts. Speaking to BANG Showbiz at the O2 Silver Clef Awards in London on Wednesday night (02.07.25), Rick said: "I think Blossoms don't need me for anything to be honest, they're doing alright by themselves. "I talk to the guys all the time and we have a real bond over that music. Even though generationally we're in different time spaces, we both absolutely love those songs and those records. As fun as it was to do - I'd do it every weekend - they've got a whole career going on. We'll see, who knows? "I think we've always got that memory. I think it was such a wonderful thing to do. "I'd always had this fantasy of singing those songs at some point. I was just going to get a band together and do it in a local pub. I chatted to them about that on their podcast and before you know what you're doing we'd go in a room and played those songs, I was practically crying and I just said, 'We've got to do this.' We were just going to do it in a pub in Stockport but we've got friends in high places so we got to do it somewhere else." Rick has been to watch 61-year-old Marr's solo shows and has been blown away by his interpretation of his own songs, replacing The Smiths singer Morrissey on vocals. But Astley has never met Marr, 61, to ask him what he though of his interpretation of The Smiths back catalogue. Rick added: "I've seen Johnny Marr sing those songs in the last year or two and it's amazing. They're just amazing songs, I think. "I've never met him. I think he's got bigger fish to fry and he's not worried about what anyone else is doing." At the O2 Silver Clef Awards - which raised £715,000 and counting for Nordoff and Robbins, the UK's largest music therapy charity - Astley was presented with with the Outstanding Achievement in Music Award by Alistair Norbury (BMG), acknowledging both his 1980s legacy and contemporary reinvention as a beloved performer. Astley - who was photographed with his trophy by Dominika Scheibinger - admitted it was an honour to receive the accolade because he has seen first hand the incredible work Nordoff and Robbins does. He said: "Everyone needs a bit of help at some point – if you see the work Nordoff and Robbins do, you feel extremely humbled. This is truly important. You realise what music can do. It's given me a life I am unbelievably grateful for."
Daily Record
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
The Smiths fans hail one member as 'underrated genius' behind the band's success
The legendary British band shot to fame in the 1980s, with many fans still gushing over them today. Fans of The Smiths have been vocal in asserting that the band's success wouldn't have been the same without a certain member, and it might not be the one you'd initially suspect. The iconic 1980s group were renowned for their distinctive sound, contemplative and occasionally existential lyrics, and hits like 'How Soon Is Now?' and 'This Charming Man'. They were fronted by Morrissey with his signature vocals. The lineup was rounded out by Johnny Marr on guitar, Andy Rourke on bass, and Mike Joyce on drums. Despite Morrissey and Marr being hailed as the songwriting masterminds, fans are adamant that another member was indispensable to the band's heyday. In the comments section of the YouTube video for 'Barbarism Begins at Home (2011 Remaster)', music lovers were effusive about the brilliance of the late Andy Rourke. Andy's passing at the age of 59 in 2023 was made public by his ex-bandmate Johnny Marr, who penned a heartfelt Instagram tribute to announce the sad news, reports the Manchester Evening News. Marr's homage read: "Andy and I met as schoolboys in 1975. We were best friends, going everywhere together. "When we were fifteen, I moved into his house with him and his three brothers, and I soon came to realise that my mate was one of those rare people that absolutely no one doesn't like". He continued by reflecting on their shared ambition to become "the best musicians" they possibly could. Marr said: "Throughout our teens, we played in various bands around south Manchester before making our reputations with The Smiths from 1982 to 1987, and it was on those Smiths records that Andy reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player." Marr also noted that Andy's baselines were "dazzling". He concluded his message by saying: "Andy will always be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by everyone who knew him, and as a supremely gifted musician by people who love music. Well done, Andy. We'll miss you, brother". Fans took to the comments section of the YouTube video to express their admiration for Andy Rourke's contribution to The Smiths. One fan posted: "RIP Andy Rourke. Often extremely overlooked how vital the rhythm section was for the Smiths". Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "Andy Rourke is a completely underrated bass player," another echoed in tribute. Someone else suggested greater recognition for the bass player, saying: "When people think of The Smiths, they always concentrate on Moz and Marr, but they should also concentrate on the great rhythm section, especially those Andy Rourke bass lines". Praising his musical prowess, a YouTube user exclaimed: "Anyone who knows bass playing understands the true genius of the riff is not just coming up with actually playing the damn thing repetitively for nearly 7 minutes without dropping a note. "Watch them do it live in front of not only a live audience but also millions watching at home LIVE. Andy not only had imagination and obvious skill but b***s the size of talent".
BBC News
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Johnny Marr 'record store legend' plaque unveiled in Manchester
A plaque has been unveiled in Manchester honouring musician, Johnny Marr, who has been awarded the title of "record store legend".The 61-year-old's support of independent record stores worldwide has been commemorated with a plaque at Piccadilly Records, situated in the city where he co-founded rock band The Smiths in accolade is a joint honour presented by both Record Store Day US and UK, and follows on from Sir Elton John becoming the first recipient of the award in said he had known staff in Piccadilly Records for 20 years and "this plaque is a very nice thing to be associated with". He said going to a record store was "a nice pastime" and "if they were to completely disappear, the high street or the city centre would be a much worse-off place".Marr described them as "magical", saying "there's something about the presence of a record store".Andy McQueen, of Piccadilly Records, said: "Johnny Marr is our favourite living artist and his music has sound tracked our lives for over 40 years."To be associated with him in this beautiful way; well, the pleasure, the privilege, is ours." For Record Store Day 2025, Marr will release a special edition of album Look Out Live! which captured his Hammersmith Apollo show in London track listing includes hits such as Hi Hello and The Smiths classics This Charming Man and How Soon Is Now?.The 18th annual celebration of Record Store Day 2025 will take place on Saturday 12 April and will see thousand of record shops take part with in-store performances, parties and limited-edition releases from more than 300 artists. In 1982, Marr and fellow Mancunian, Morrissey formed The Smiths, also comprised of bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike band had hits with songs including Bigmouth Strikes Again and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, but Marr left to undertake other projects in 2024, following news of the Oasis reunion, he revealed he had turned down the chance of a reunion tour with The solo career has seen him collaborate with US pop star Billie Eilish and rock bands, Modest Mouse and Talking Heads as well Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Independent
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Johnny Marr honoured with huge Record Store Day accolade
Manchester has honoured hometown hero and musician Johnny Marr with the title of "Record Store Legend". A plaque commemorating the 61-year-old's global support of independent record stores was unveiled at Piccadilly Records, a fitting location in the city where Marr co-founded the iconic band The Smiths in 1982. The transatlantic accolade, bestowed jointly by Record Store Day US and UK, follows Sir Elton John who was the inaugural recipient in 2017. Marr said: 'Going out to a record store, it's a nice pastime. 'It's a part of the culture, if they were to completely disappear the high street or the city centre would be a much worse-off place. There's something about the presence of a record store. 'It's a magical thing. I've known the staff in Piccadilly Records for 20 years … this plaque is a very nice thing to be associated with.' For Record Store Day 2025, Marr will release a special edition of album Look Out Live! which captured his Hammersmith Apollo show in London 2024. The track listing includes hits such as Hi Hello and The Smiths classics This Charming Man and How Soon Is Now?. Andy McQueen, of Piccadilly Records, said: 'Johnny Marr is our favourite living artist and his music has soundtracked our lives for over forty years. 'To be associated with him in this beautiful way; well, the pleasure, the privilege, is ours.' In 1982, Marr and fellow Mancunian Morrissey formed The Smiths, also comprised of bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up The band had hits with songs including Bigmouth Strikes Again and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, but Marr walked out to undertake other projects in 1987. In 2024, following news of the Oasis reunion, he revealed he had turned down the chance of a reunion tour with The Smiths. Marr's solo career has seen him collaborate with US pop star Billie Eilish and rock bands Modest Mouse and Talking Heads as well Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer. The 18th annual celebration of Record Store Day 2025 will take place on Saturday April 12 and will see thousand of record shops take part with parties, in-store performances and limited-edition releases from more than 300 artists.
