I never thought I'd say that considering Ilike the band, the music and think they are pretty intelligent..

However I don't know what they think they doing.. over enthusiastically entering battles for Christmas #1s and reducing to desperately offering free gigs in order to achieve it...
and saying crap like ' this campaign is a historical revolt'. what in the redneck f'ck?

A hot damn mess.

Oh dear. I take it your a full on X Factor fan who is miffed.

Fact is chart battles are good for the charts in general and this has been a great week of sales for the UK music industry. Enjoy that and get off your high horses people.

No I'm not miffed about the competition at all. Believe it or not, there is competition for the Christmas number 1 every christmas people buy whatever they want, but hey whatev!

But when you have a band like RATM known for their political 'rebellious' music resorting
to the depths they are resorting to delude themselves that this is some sort of historical event then they need to be called up on it.

They didn't start this campaign- somebody on facebook did.

You like the band, they're intelligent, they care about their fans, they give money to charity, they offer you a free gig, and that makes them an embarrassment?

Did I miss something?

Rage Against The Monkeys = Cheap Sex Pistols wannabes!

But having said that Cowell is a Bar....d and I hate all the shit coming off the X-factor if I have to hear Leona Bleeding lewis or Alexandre I band bad boys the Burke!

Clearly you have. Where is the 'going to give money to charity' coming from?
And the gig is simply a rouse to secure the #1 spot.
I just find it rather ridiculous that they are taking time out to declare this as some historical event.

They sound nothing like the sex pistols! RATM songs are slower, and more funk metal influenced- their singer is more influenced by hip-hop, and their guitarist is famed for his technical ability, and for using unusual guitar effects.

They do both have loud, angry sentiments to express though- maybe this was where you were coming from? Otherwise, I think calling them 'cheap sex pistols wannabes', is pretty weak.

That is exactly where I was coming from, to compare the two musically would be a crime, one group are Gods the others are well politely put not!

You say I have clearly missed something, yet don't offer any explanation as to what I may have missed?

What do you mean "where is the going to give money to charity coming from"? The band are giving the profits of the single to a uk charity.

I have no idea why you would consider this an embarrassment?

And offering a free gig- the band have clearly shown they aren't interested in money and that they respect their fans.

If you think they are an embarrassment, fair enough, but don't make out everyone is 'missing something' if they don't happen to agree.

Right after reading a supposed interview with that little dipshit Knuckleberry I may buy this song. This'll be a first for me, buying a single that I don't like just for the sake of seeing another fail.

Yes, but now you're just going down 'subjectivity road'

Are you telling me that Rage Against The Machine are better than Sex Pistols? Different I get but better? Let me get my inhaler

Really? You have trouble accepting someone might have different preferances to you?

I'm not sure why that would shock you so much- look around the forum- there's a multitude of people who prefer Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas to the sex pistols! I take it you must reach for that inhaler quite often

I'm not a huge fan of RATM anymore, but yes I do prefer them to the sex pistols- I don't like the sex pistols music at all.

Correction I'm not a fan of the Sex Pistols, hell I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum (Gabriel, Collins, Bush, Lennox to name a few) but historically they will be remembered, whilst Rage against monkeys I doubt will. Despite that I hope they get number one this Christmas as it is the lesser of two evils. Maybe that will b their calling card in a few years time "Do you remember when we created anarchy of facebook for a week!"

I don't care if the majority of people remember the sex pistols over RATM- this will not affect my memory, or music taste

When deciding which bands I prefer, it just comes down to what I like. Whether other people will remember them or not, doesn't factor into the equation

The Pistols could barely play their instruments. THAT is what Punk was all about.. Anyone can do it... I know I was a punk in those days and still love the Pistols but RATM are much MUCH better technically.....
And don't get me stated on Sid Vicious....

ironic that the op started a thread on the x factor forum saying he hates all the sheep comming onto that forum and slagging off the x factor.....hypocript comes to mind.

Rage are embarrising the fake factor and he don't like it...I hope rage win and i can go onto that forum tomorrow night and start more pointless threads about this.

sorry for the spelling

put it this way...

What do you think people would say if Cowell promised free X factor shows on the tour if Joe got to number one...

a. That it was a lovely gesture?

Or

b. That there was no low he would stoop to to secure the Xmas number one?

Iain

That's fine. I don't agree, but the OP is entitled to his opinion.

I just wish he wouldn't be so damn rude about it in the process.

erm... it IS a historic event in british pop music... its the first time ever ive known a track be released deliberately to counter another as a political gesture... the ONLY reason it was released is to try to stop a karaoke act off a tv reality show getting to the top.

good for them, i hope they do it and i hope theres a real musical alternative to cowells drivel every year from now on...

So was that a. or b.?

Iain

I can't speak for other people but I personally wouldn't think he was any more desperate than I already think he is.

I'd actually think it was a nice gesture- he seems such a serious businessman at times, it'd be nice to see that he doesn't always just care about making money- like when he's given to charity before.

And I think it's the same with RATM. It is a nice gesture to offer a free tour- people can't say they are cashing in- they're giving the profits to charity too- they're probably excited they are being mentioned with some relevance again- yes, but they're only human.

It's nice to see they've put charity and their fans first- it actually makes me respect them a bit more, and as I said earlier, I'm not a huge fan. They probably just can't wait to start touring, and that's how it should be. They'd only get slated for cashing in if they charged. That's just the way I see it.

I'm not convinced about it being a nice gesture - I think if Cowell did it, it would be a cynical and low attempt to ensure the number 1 spot....

I think you might be right about their concerns about being seen as cashing in. Call me cynical, but I'd be inclined to think they were more concerned about being seen as cashing in than they necessarily were about the charity.

Or have they donated proceeds from other releases to charity?

Iain

Well I can only give you my opinion. It probably would be seen that way by others- though I think people also consider a persons history and personality when jumping to such conclusions- as such, actions are percieved differently, according to who it is doing them. We get suspicious when people break from their character norms.

Have RATM given proceeds to charity before? I'm not sure... I know Tom vehemently supports homeless charities though, so it wouldn't surprise me. His guitar has had "arm the homeless" written on it for years. I know homeless charities are close to his heart. Actually, you only have to listen to some RATM songs to see it.

As for how they are viewed, I think you can analyse something so much that there would be no satisfactory conclusion. They have had this put upon them by a facebook group, and I think they have reacted in the best way possible.

Do I think they are pleased? Of course! Like I said, they are only human- but whatever they had chosen to do would have probably got them criticism from some people.