Matt James - Drummer of Gene talks about The Smiths comparisons

as part of a Q and A for the upcoming Gene reissues.



Gene were a good little band in the way The Bluetones and BlackBox recorder were. To give them their due they are the best of the Moz soundalike groups.
Still basically shit though most of the fans are just Moz fans. The singer is shit though, sounds like he sings through his nose, looks a bit like a pig and the most unnatural moz alike out there, his try to be moz act is hilariously bad.
The reason there were Smiths/Morrissey comparisons is because the singer of Gene was a super moz fan who tired to get close to Moz finally only managing it because he knew one of the band, his songs and image were not just based on Moz some of the songs were about him.
To give them their credit, they did sellout venues but is was all Moz related.
He was outclassed by Bret, Jarvis, Liam and a host of others
 
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What a silly nasty pointless post.. Gene were a fine band.
Any one who gets in any way close to Morrissey gets slaughtered around here. Very sad
This is a great site... Ruined by a few poor bitter souls
 
The only shit thing around here are your opinions you spawn of Satan's pet goat and Hitler's left bollock.

And if you think so poorly of Gene fans your Mozziah himself chose them to play at Meltdown in 2004. So beg his forgiveness you cretinous crusty crab.

Why don't you do something constructive with your life like trying to break the world record of going over Niagara Falls whilst pleasuring yourself with a cheese grater and yodeling 'Wonderwall'.

Gene were a good little band in the way The Bluetones and BlackBox recorder were. To give them their due they are the best of the Moz soundalike groups.
Still basically shit though most of the fans are just Moz fans. The singer is shit though, sounds like he sings through his nose, looks a bit like a pig and the most unnatural moz alike out there, his try to be moz act is hilariously bad.
The reason there were Smiths/Morrissey comparisons is because the singer of Gene was a super moz fan who tired to get close to Moz finally only managing it because he knew one of the band, his songs and image were not just based on Moz some of the songs were about him.
To give them their credit, they did sellout venues but is was all Moz related.
He was outclassed by Bret, Jarvis, Liam and a host of others
 
gene were a very cool band back then,the singer had good style,something that's lacking big time nowadays,skinny runts in skinny jeans,looking like they just slept a night in a skip full of sh*t.
 
Morrissey actually said of Rossiter that "he can sing," (implying that many of the Britpop contemporaries couldn't). I don't think Moz would've selected them for the edition of Meltdown he curated (mentioned in the autobiog) if he didn't think they were a decent band. He liked Fighting Fit, too, which I think is as good as any of Morrissey solo's best. Saw them live a couple times and they put on a very good show.

Looks a bit like a pig?? Martin and Steve were pretty cool-looking in the early years of the band.

Anyway, your overall estimation of their status being in line with The Bluetones and BBR is about right, but don't feel they deserve the other nastiness.

Gene were a good little band in the way The Bluetones and BlackBox recorder were. To give them their due they are the best of the Moz soundalike groups.
Still basically shit though most of the fans are just Moz fans. The singer is shit though, sounds like he sings through his nose, looks a bit like a pig and the most unnatural moz alike out there, his try to be moz act is hilariously bad.
The reason there were Smiths/Morrissey comparisons is because the singer of Gene was a super moz fan who tired to get close to Moz finally only managing it because he knew one of the band, his songs and image were not just based on Moz some of the songs were about him.
To give them their credit, they did sellout venues but is was all Moz related.
He was outclassed by Bret, Jarvis, Liam and a host of others
 
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Yet another anonymous person with nothing useful to say. Gene was a fantastic band in the 90's and I was saddened when they broke up, having never achieved the success or recognition they deserved. Each Gene album is a gem and they were not Moz-copycats at all. The singer (Martin Rossiter) released a stellar solo album entitled 'the defenestration of st.martin' late last year and it is well worth buying and listening to. It certainly outguns and outclasses anything Moz has done since Quarry. Pulp and Oasis are static compared to the musical value of Gene. Also: the vocalist didn't and doesn't look anything like a pig. Your silly comments belong in the playground so why don't you go back to school and try to re-educate yourself? Now I am off to listen to the Gene 'John Peel' sessions.




Gene were a good little band in the way The Bluetones and BlackBox recorder were. To give them their due they are the best of the Moz soundalike groups.
Still basically shit though most of the fans are just Moz fans. The singer is shit though, sounds like he sings through his nose, looks a bit like a pig and the most unnatural moz alike out there, his try to be moz act is hilariously bad.
The reason there were Smiths/Morrissey comparisons is because the singer of Gene was a super moz fan who tired to get close to Moz finally only managing it because he knew one of the band, his songs and image were not just based on Moz some of the songs were about him.
To give them their credit, they did sellout venues but is was all Moz related.
He was outclassed by Bret, Jarvis, Liam and a host of others
 
Gene were an absolutely incredible band, one of the best of the 90's and please, don't even dare to compare Gene to third-rate bands like The Bluetones or Oasis
 
Gene were a great band, one of the best of the era along with Suede. Initially people were drawn to them by the lazy Smiths comparisons so I think it did help them early on. To See The Lights still gets a regular spin in my house (inevitably when that was released it cued many Hatful Of Hollow-copy jibes). Saw them live a couple of times, I can remember a T Shirt they sold which was some kind of AC Milan type footy shirt which was a bit odd.

Martin recent solo effort is also excellent, to the Anon 'Gene are bollocks' posters, why not compare Martin's last solo album with Moz's ? I know which I've played most.

Waldo.
 
I don't ofter wade into these debates but one or two posters are showing wilful ignorance as regards to Gene.

They really were a superb band and their only minus for me was that they were unable to fully capture their live dynamics on record.

As said previously Rossiter's solo album has met with more critical aclaim than anything Morrissey has done since Vauxhall and I.

A breathtaking album.
 
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Gene were a great band, one of the best of the era along with Suede. Initially people were drawn to them by the lazy Smiths comparisons so I think it did help them early on. To See The Lights still gets a regular spin in my house (inevitably when that was released it cued many Hatful Of Hollow-copy jibes). Saw them live a couple of times, I can remember a T Shirt they sold which was some kind of AC Milan type footy shirt which was a bit odd.

Martin recent solo effort is also excellent, to these Anon 'Gene are bollocks' posts, why not compare Martin's last solo album with Moz's ? I know which I've played most.
 

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