Music and other things

Saw a story on BBC News earlier that reminded me that for all the angels in this world, there's some absolute scumbags who try to drag the better people down. The story was on Little Boots, who's gotten fed up at rumours going around about her being a bit bigger than all those Stick Insect people the media seem to like.

One of the cruellest things to say about a person is to comment about their weight, for most people it's an incredibly sensitive subject. Someone who used to work on the same project as me saw me for the first time in a few years (big site, we bump into people like that). The only thing he could think of to say was "Cor Pete, you've put weight on". My weight's actually been stable for the past few years and the fella who said that found out what I thought of it due to me then refusing to talk to him (if that's all his conversation was going to amount to, heh heh heh sorry not interested).

Saying someone is fat is one of the most hurtful things to say to someone, hence why it seems to be the insult of choice when someone is trying to compete with a person far more talented and/or pretty than they are. It causes all sorts of problems, including pushing people into health issues like bulimia. It's usually an insult that comes from very small minded people and tends to be the limit of their creativity.

Hey ! That's enough about bullies, this post is supposed to be in appreciation of one of the prettier and most talented young ladies to hit the music biz for a few years :

Little Boots !

If you haven't heard anything by Little Boots so far, check out this one which was on Later with Jools Holland a while ago. It's the track Remedy from Hands, hopefully the first of many albums.

What isn't apparent from that video is the reaction from another singer on that show, Lisa Hannigan. Ms Hannigan sang "I don't Know" before Little Boots took her turn and did rather well. However, the Remedy performance appeared to blow her away, the two tracks from later on weren't nearly so accomplished, she actually looked shaken by the sheer class of the competition.

And that's the impression you get when you watch Little Boots play, you start by being enchanted by the little Pop Pixie but then you get drawn in by the quality of the music being played. There's those big eyes which catch the soul, making the ears listen in rapture to that perfect voice. She did it again on Friday night's Children in Need, following and showing up a rather tired performance by Alison Moyet. Big shame it was the last one of the night, coming on at almost 2am. Glad I stayed up for it :-)

There's only one Little Boots album so far, Hands. It starts with New In Town (Jools Holland again) and then storms through another 14 tracks. Hopefully there will be many more :-) I'll be keeping an eye out for news on Little Boots Facebook fan area.

It's distinctive high class music from someone who really can sing. You see so many pretend Wannabe people out there (have I commented on how much Emma Bunton butchered Edie Brickell's What I Am ?) I sat through (and fastforwarded/muted) a lot of Children in Need the other night, you listen for a bit to the latest Music Factory Special stick insect with mic and then you go "meh", NEXT! Not so with the Little Booted wonder.

She's gorgeous, has those "Make Me A Happy Slave" eyes, writes great songs and tops it off with a wonderful voice.

MORE PLEASE !

Right - time to get back to ignoring recorded Fringe episodes while being incredibly tempted to run that Remedy video ... just ... one ... more ... time ...

PS Fat v skinny - I prefer looking at people who look healthy rather than skeletal ... Everyone's body has a preferred shape, mine just happens to be slightly bigger than average :-) Trick is to be comfortable with who you are, big or small. That way leads to more confidence than any number of diet fads or pills. And that confidence is the true path to inner beauty.