MUSIC REVIEW
"BEING FAMOUS"
BY BRAD PITTANCE/AKA FEATURING CLIFF RICHER
by Colette Coleman
Sixties creator of pop art Andy Warhol once opined that "in the future everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes". A glance at today's showbiz filled tabloids or at television schedules crammed with talent shows and celebrity vehicles would suggest his prophecy has been fulfilled. Remote contr
ols and the click, click, philosophy of the internet result in a perpetually challenged attention span but our hunger for unsavory information on a chosen few seems greater than ever. Cue an appraisal of today's "15 minuters" who grace the front pages and plasmas one day but can be replaced by a new
"wannabe" faster than they can invent their latest press release. The entire scenario is superbly outlined in a track entitled "Being Famous" by Singer/Songwriter, Brad Pittance aka/featuring Clifford Richer (if you follow!). The song kicks off with Warhol's quote is part original composition, pa
rt pastiche and gives a critique on the vagaries of fame while taking a tongue in cheek swipe at celebrity. Homage's to Bowies "Fame", the Bros chart topper "When will I be famous" and Sting's cameo vocal on the Dire Strait's track with the line "I want my MTV" are all teasingly combined with the l
atter intended in much more personal fashion. "Being Famous" features a solid drumbeat, thumping bass-line, tremolo guitar, soaring fender rhodes and angst driven vocals which veer between Marc Bolan, Morrisey and somewhere else altogether. A stadium rock chorus with Megaphone vocal ensues, suggesti
ng it's better to get a real job than to be a celebrity. Lyrics are clever without being "too clever for their own good" whilst the vocal style is distinctive but remains difficult to place. Kate Moss, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Simon Cowell and if I'm not mistaken, which I'm confident I'm not, G
eorge Michael and Robbie Williams are just a few of the celebrities to come to Pittance/Richer's attention. Plastic surgery, almost a pre-requisite for long established A-listers (think Cher, Maddonna, John Travolta) is cited as part of the deal, a penchant for religion ties in the likes of Tom Crui
se and Travolta again, drink and drugs comes up too which covers everybody from Keith Richard to Amy Winehouse and sex is also thrown in which covers just about everybody else who enjoys a higher profile in the gossip columns than in their supposed discipline. MTV brought the music video into our ho
mes and no less than 30 separate music channels now air on Sky digital alone every day. Is Celebrity "Being Famous" for 3 or 4 minutes at a time? There are some wonderful ideas and some interesting parodies in "Being Famous" and this song and the doubtless ensuing video are definitely going to be a
round for more than 15 minutes. Lyrics In the future everybody will be famous for 15 minutes Fame, Fame, Fame I'm not on a flight across the Atlantic Not on a trip with the stars I'm not cruising on Hyde Park Corner Or sleeping at the lights in my new sports car I wish I could be a pop star Sin
ging my hits at Wembley Drinking bolly with Kate Moss in a blacked out Limo Making videos for MTV Chorus I need a career some security If I am gonna listen to Mummy and Daddy I'm not unique don't have the sound on the street Let me entertain you -- being Famous Fame Fame Fame When will I, will I b
e famous (I want my MTV) When will I see my picture in the papers (I want my MTV) I wish I was a poor little rich kid That's been sent out to play I could enjoy one night in Paris Hilton Then find another place to stay I could shave off my hair and say I'm being Britney Get drunk, feel up lot's of
women and be Charlie Sheen Won't pay my rehab bills -- I'm being Courtney Love Be miserable like Morrisey or moody like James Dean Repeat Chorus I could audition for the X Factor Or try for Fame Academy I could put on weight and go for sympathy after all -- it's glorified Karaoke I could find m
yself an aging rich bitch Become a toy boy in the big city It would be nice having all that cash to spend But where would I be with no sexual chemistry Repeat Chorus Now I'm flying over the Atlantic On a sky high trip with super stars City to City, concert halls and stadiums Then I'm drinking d
ry the hotel minibar For every icon that's found in rehab (Biology) a new star is born (Psychology) I'm into sex, drugs and plastic surgery I can afford to be or I might be a Christian reborn (Scientology) Final chorus I got a career some security I didn't listen to my mummy and my daddy I'm n
ot unique, don't have the sound on the street let me entertain you -- being famous I wish I didn't have to be a pop star Singing my hits at Wembley Drinking bolly with Kate Moss in a blacked out Limo Making videos for the boys at MTV

See more videos uploaded by cliffordls