You might hate the music, but...

[Alex_UK]

I'd much rather see a Sting or a Bono using their status to try and improve the world rather than the complete wastes of oxygen most celebrities are, mentioning no names. (Oh all right, Robbie Williams & Jordan are my two most hated!)

[Marco]

I'd much rather see a Sting or a Bono using their status to try and improve the world rather than the complete wastes of oxygen most celebrities are...

Hear, hear, Alex - too bloody right!

The word 'celebrity' is so devalued these days, it's almost meaningless...

Bloody talent-less non-entities creaming off the dim-witted and brainless public's insatiable appetite for banal gossip and 'celebrity lifestyle' culture; I hate everything to do with it with a passion!!!

The idiots who buy the magazines, watch the programmes, and those who promote and support all this bullshit nonsense, occupy the real "knobhead stakes"!

{Rant over}, so as you were, chaps...

Marco.

[Peter Galbavy]

I think what irritates me most about Sting, Bono and that whole genre is the hypocracy. Here we have multi-multi-millionaires crying into their hands in the media about the starving, the poor, the uneducated children ("think of the children!") and "climate change" and yet they are very much part of the glitteratti, attending lavish conspicuous-consumption events, riding around in private jets and huge entourages of gas-guzzling Rnage Rovers (for security, of course). I don't see them giving up their vast wealth to help the subjects of their publicity seeking tirades, they don't live on a meagre amount like they are trying to get us developed-country inhabitants to do, to help "the poor".

While their publicity probably helps raise awareness I am always in doubt - no, make that cynical disbelief - of their true sincerity.

The music they produce is usually great, but the it's the whole package that makes me cringe.

I would like to think I am not simply envious, but hey, who knows

[DSJR]

If any of you ever get to own "Message In A Box," take a look at the booklet that comes within and read some of the band-member's comments on the making of some of the later tracks and the totally childish antics that went on - Sting refusing to sing on other band-member's compositions for example.

Marco, it's not that the man is successful, it's the "attitude" that goes with it and the "holier-than-thou" vibe that can surround these sorts of people - Bono "saving the world" while reportedly using every tax loophole he can to keep a few extra pennies for himself (as if he needs them...). On audio forums, I don't appreciate the sometimes condescending "online Mick Parry" persona either, although like you Marco, the reality of the man may well be something different to what we read online, as I'm informed he's a bit of a wind-up merchant on the side

When I worked in the West End a million years ago (it seems), we had clients from Belgravia who were charming, genuinely friendly people, who used expensive antiques as furniture and who NEVER EVER spoke down to you. They radiated something that often warmed you to them as people and not once did they ever demand discounts.....

When I then moved on to a home counties dealership not far from St Albans, the B&O crowd were the snootiest of snooties, wanting the engine driver and regarding all else as the "oily rags," even though we knew more than the engine driver at that point. Any antiques in their homes were almost behind glass and woe betide you if you didn't take your shoes off when entering their show-homes to set up or take (for service) their precious B&O set. There were a few exceptions though, but they were exceptions on the whole.

I know the kind of wealthy people I'd rather have dealt with - and it wasn't always the "electrician made good........."

Perhaps in milder areas of the country this is different, but around London and the M4 corridor, the second type I referred to did used to exist and perhaps still does...

[Jonboy]

The word 'celebrity' is so devalued these days, it's almost meaningless...

Bloody talent-less non-entities creaming off the dim-witted and brainless public's insatiable appetite for banal gossip and 'celebrity lifestyle' culture; I hate everything to do with it with a passion!!!

The idiots who buy the magazines, watch the programmes, and those who promote and support all this bullshit nonsense, occupy the real "knobhead stakes"!

{Rant over}, so as you were, chaps...

Marco.

I though this was called the X factor but it makes Simon Cowell a lot of money, but i still watch it with the family every week

[Joe]

Hear, hear, Alex - too bloody right!

The word 'celebrity' is so devalued these days, it's almost meaningless...

Bloody talent-less non-entities creaming off the dim-witted and brainless public's insatiable appetite for banal gossip and 'celebrity lifestyle' culture; I hate everything to do with it with a passion!!!
.

Are you sure you're not just envious of their success?

[Joe]

The music they produce is usually great, but the it's the whole package that makes me cringe.

I would like to think I am not simply envious, but hey, who knows

I dislike their music almost as much as their attitude!

[Marco]

Are you sure you're not just envious of their success?

Absolutely, because I'm a serious underachiever and a total failure. Jealousy permeates my whole being.

Guys, I'll come back to this intriguing discussion later after din-dins!

Marco.

[Joe]

Absolutely, because I'm a serious underachiever and a total failure. Jealousy permeates my whole being.
.

At least you're honest about it.

[Ali Tait]

Was it Sting who did that album of 16th century lute music or similar? Supposed to be very good SQ too.