Have you heard of this band?

Old folk,they are just so cute 😉 😆 🤣

Kids, eh?  My first ever proper gig, late 1981.  Jools Holland had already moved on by then.

I know who Jools Holland is and know that he used to be in a band but that’s it. I’m 47 for reference.

I am just about to turn 40.

I know exactly who squeeze because of a couple of random punk covers.

With the exception of totp2 when would you expect him to have heard of them.

They were effectively done before he was born. So a good what 12years later when music began to resonate they hardly lived on.

And if the only tie is jools holland... The dullest music tv show of all time... It's not going to inspire looking further into his back catalogue.

haha had exactly the same with a few (middle aged, not young pups) at work.  mentioned squeeze and was met with puzzled looks.  you know, jools holland was in them..... yep heard of jools holland but not even heard of squeeze let alone that JH was in them.  i couldnt quite believe it.

Is a Jools Holland ticket cheaper than a Taylor Swift ticket though?

The people need to know 😃

Try working with people under 25 and having greatest hits radio on at work. 95% of the music was a hit before they were born which they describe as "grandad music"

I think you’d get the same reaction for all but a dozen punk/new wave era bands. Try him again with XTC.

I'm 44, Squeeze just soymd like smug pretentious nonescence, maybe my age has allowed me to miss their historical context

My daughter was impressed that the randomized playlist on my phone started playing Pink Floyd's Time when we were driving in the car. I gather that the song was in one of the MCU movies and she was amazed that, "You know this song?"

With the exception of totp2 when would you expect him to have heard of them

Purely because he is a big music fan with lots of music knowledge and, even if he didn't know the name of the band, I assumed he would have at least recognised the songs when I played them to him.

I'd have expected most people to have heard of Jools Holland from the Hootenanny if nothing else.  Squeeze as a band mostly passed me by.  I know the songs you listed, but I'd have drawn a blank until you did.

I actually saw them live in Milton Keynes in I think 1991, "Rock The Bowl" festival.  Thunder, Little Angels, Squeeze, Bryan Adams, ZZ Top.  Curiously, MK Bowl's own website lists "The Law" instead of Squeeze, I'm 99% certain that's incorrect.

I'm 42 and I've heard of Squeeze, Joolze Holland and XTC.

My colleagues all the take the Mickey about my lack of knowledge of popular culture (last week getting Robert De Nero and Danny Divito confused 🤷)

Thunder, Little Angels, Squeeze, Bryan Adams, ZZ Top.

That's a great line up!

Surprised the OPs friend didn't know the songs if not the group. Glen Tillbrook played a local festival c2001 round here and although I didn't recognise the name, he just stood on stage and belted Squeeze's greatest hits out, was amazing. (Way better than Bryan Adams who was headlining).

I think I saw Squeeze are supporting Heart on their next tour. Don't tell me you don't know who Heart are....

Purely because he is a big music fan with lots of music knowledge and, even if he didn’t know the name of the band, I assumed he would have at least recognised the songs when I played them to him.

But when? Like let's  say the most likely way you hear old also ran bands these days is in a rabbit hole of "also listened to" on spotify. Or on a tv or film playlist.

He'd have to have an interest in some sort of link, and like that enough to listen to some more "similar". So who is going to lead you to squeeze? I can't think of it popping up on a tv show or film. So similar music?... Joe Jackson seems unlikely. Elvis Costello? More likely. 10cc? Possibly but none of them are exactly pumping them out these days so unless you already have an awaredness i don't think its that surprising.

Some bands just don't stand the test of time and just fade away. And as someone alluded to... Its a bit... Tedious. Cool for cat is great as is take me i'm Yours too. But alot of it is croony guff.

maybe my age has allowed me to miss their historical context

I'm pretty sure Up The Junction still has some "resonance".

Saw them at Liverpool University in 1988. They had definitely waned from the charts by then. Wasn’t a massive fan per se but had a few singles and thought it was an opportunity not to miss them.

re the surprising youngsters with music- my daughter was into Stranger Things so was astonished that I knew a lot of the songs and even had some as singles/ albums.

She was watching a YT challenge clip where teams had to guess the song and artist of tracks played in the show. Got to the last one that was “really hard” - first few notes and I say it’s Atmosphere by Joy Division. Cue look of shock from her that I knew it. The adulation only last for a few seconds, then back to normal!

my daughter was into Stranger Things so was astonished that I knew a lot of the songs and even had some as singles/ albums.

Yeah, we fostered a 10 yr old who was into Stranger Things and he was very impressed with my playlists in the car (and when he streamed his music, I was equally impressed) 🙂

I'm old enough to just about vaguely remember Squeeze.  But my question is, is the blonde in this video Lesley Ash?

I'm 44 and a bit and yes, heard of and know of them

In fairness, I've always listened to stuff before my time, typically anything from 40s through 70s into early mid 80s

I find I know this better than anything after about 1988...

it's not Lesley Ash.  I see Squeeze are doing a 50th anniversary tour which is largely sold out in decent sized venues.

Although I'll cheerfully admit that most of today's music is lost on me, what surprises is just how enduring older music is (as in, just how much you hear in the background in public spaces) and would have expected younger generations might have thought "i wonder what that is?" - not necessarily because it is the best tune written but because it was unknown - and tried Shazam to fill a knowledge gap.

Jeeeze! re the above I got squeeze mixed up with sparx - put me on the same list as your mate 🙂

I got squeeze mixed up with sparx

This town isn't big enough
Not big enough for both of them

That’s a great line up!

Aye. I was ambivalent at best about ZZ Top beforehand, but they put on a great show and were clearly having a lot of fun.

Although I’ll cheerfully admit that most of today’s music is lost on me

I was watching a music quiz on TV a little while back. You could draw a line at the year 2000, questions prior to that I was killing it and my partner's mid-20s daughter had no idea, after that she was on fire and I was lost.

Pulling Mussels is a great song.

Although I’ll cheerfully admit that most of today’s music is lost on me, what surprises is just how enduring older music is

That's just survivorship bias: the classics still get played, but the cruft (and there was a lot of it) is thankfully lost to history. Watch old episodes of TOTP on YouTube, from the years before you started listening to music, and there'll be 1 or 2 acts you know, and the rest is crap.

Saw them live at the Odeon in Edinburgh. IIRC they were the last act to play their before the venue was split up to create a "multiplex".

My favourite track would probably be Up the Junction with its very non-standard structure.

Talking of names who were big Back in the Day, I see Declan MacManus is touring this year too.

“I see Squeeze are doing a 50th anniversary tour which is largely sold out in decent sized venues.”

They’ve been selling out every venue for the last 10 years. I’d love to see them, but the tickets are always too expensive (not Taylor Swift expensive, but around £50, which I think is too much).
I think Alison Moyet was the most expensive ticket I've bought at £45, she was excellent, I think Beth Hart was a similar price too.

Re ticket prices: when I am trying to work out whether I am being unreasonable about the cost of events, I gauge it off what a Premier League football ticket costs me, which is c£40 for 90 minutes (or a fair bit more given VAR) c25 times a year, whereas a concert is probably longer (including support acts) and being rather more infrequent is a bit more of an event.  So £50 is ball park in my view.

That’s just survivorship bias: the classics still get played, but the cruft (and there was a lot of it) is thankfully lost to history. Watch old episodes of TOTP on YouTube, from the years before you started listening to music, and there’ll be 1 or 2 acts you know, and the rest is crap.

Exactly. City Boy anyone?

I'd say there's artists who transcend a genre, an era or who simply have enough plays to command awareness from most music fans.

Can't see Squeeze hitting any of those 3 to be honest.

Never heard of Squeeze (ofc familiar with that cool for cats song). But my finger is in the pulse, I came across an amazing new band the other day  - The Smile... Then discovered they were just Radiohead.

43, grew up on Squeeze as my dad loved them.

*wanders off humming 'I never thought it would happen with me and the girl from Clapham *

That’s just survivorship bias: the classics still get played, but the cruft (and there was a lot of it) is thankfully lost to history.

Think this is missing the word populist. It's the populist classics that still get air time, see technotronic, snap, salt n pepper 😏

Although I’ll cheerfully admit that most of today’s music is lost on me

My daughter has been at Parklife all weekend. I looked at the line up and I’d not heard of any of them.

This is surely the way things are meant to be?

Squeeze were the thing in the late 70's to mid 80's. Music was definitely uplifting, compared to most rock bands of the era.

But who can forget Sigue Sigue sputnik, who were popular about the same time as Squeeze

Think this is missing the word populist. It’s the populist classics that still get air time, see technotronic, snap, salt n pepper 😏

To a certain point - most classics are top 10 hits with a certain level of musical quality. But there are exceptions: you'll still hear Lou Reed/Velvet Underground songs on the radio, despite not being huge hits at the time. I'd argue that the the 3 artists you mention are of their time but not actually that bad.

Thankfully it's been a while since I last heard Agadoo or Star Trekkin' 🙂

Early 80’s is a blind spot in my musical knowledge other than Bad Brains, Gang of Four and Dead Kennedys. I’m guessing squeeze weren’t popular enough to continue to be played now or cult enough to still have a following years later.

Anyway, the debate about Squeeze reminds me of this:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billie-eilish-van-halen-920487/

(and Van Halen were a lot, lot bigger than Squeeze!)

I saw Squeeze along with Radio Stars and Eddie and The Hot Rods at Swindon Oasis. Also saw Dire Straits supporting Talking Heads there, touring the album 77, in 1977.

I doubt any Gen X, Y, Z or anyone younger than 50 is likely to have heard of them. 🤷🏼

The thing is, Squeeze were active 1974-82, 85-99, and 2007- present. Some people just don’t pay attention.

It’s not about paying attention, more about relevance to ones own musical sphere. I listen to a lot of music from different eras but squeeze have never really been on my radar. Listened to a few of their tracks since this thread started and I won’t be adding any of their albums or tracks to my catalogue. Okay and of their time would best describe them from my pov.

The thing is, Squeeze were active 1974-82, 85-99, and 2007- present. Some people just don’t pay attention.

Yeah but they had a couple of minor hits when they started out, since then nothing. Not so much not paying attention, more that they were non-existant in popular culture.

I fell asleep at a Jules Holland's Big Band gig at the Assembly Rooms Edinburgh Festival

In my defence I was very, very drunk.

City Boy anyone?

Supporting The Sutherland Brothers (and Quiver)  at the Usher Hall..(77)

I am sure they only had the one song..  5.7.0.5

Jeez...I feel my age now 🫤🤣🤣🤣

If he’s not heard of Squeeze, and claims to be a music fan, then he’s probably a fan of shit music.

😉

"Thankfully it’s been a while since I last heard Agadoo"

And you probably won't again, at least not live - Colin Gibb died last week.

As for not knowing who Squeeze was - if you are interested in the history of British rock/punk/soul bands then you'll always have heard of them - if you 'just like listening to bands' then you probably won't. See also The Undertones, Killing Joke, The Fall, Pil, New Model Army, The Alarm and X ray Spex. All influential bands but not really hit makers.

I doubt any Gen X, Y, Z or anyone younger than 50 is likely to have heard of them.

surely Gen X are the age group that will have heard them? Childhood in 70s/80s

We had a lady in the shop yesterday who had just returned from living in Texas. She used to live in Suffolk but married an American airman in the 70s. He died so she returned back here.

Labelled with love come true.

 Watch old episodes of TOTP on YouTube, from the years before you started listening to music, and there’ll be 1 or 2 acts you know, and the rest is crap.

Yeah, young people today have no idea what you're talking about when you drop a mention to Ernie.

As for not knowing who Squeeze was – if you are interested in the history of British rock/punk/soul bands then you’ll always have heard of them

Or even wider than that, the history of modern music since 1950.  I have heard of loads of groups and singers from way before my birth just because I was interested in and open to listening to a lot of different music.

This was at a time when you had to hunt it out rather than it just turn up in streaming, Youtube etc,.  In the 80's when I was a teenager my favourite bands tended to be current but I was also listening to groups/singers that other kids in my school had never heard of then and no doubt still haven't heard of now.

.

I fell asleep at a Jules Holland’s Big Band gig at the Assembly Rooms Edinburgh Festival

In my defence I was very, very drunk.

MrsMC fell asleep in front of The Shamen at Glastonbury 30 years ago.

She still can't stand the smell of Southern Comfort.  There may be a connection.....

They do it down at Camber Sands, they do it Waikiki...

35 here, Squeeze Greatest Hits was one of those CDs I remember being driven around to as a kid. Still recall the Rebus
puzzle on the cover. I think I enjoy pop music from any time really, I think it's easy to forget the stuff that pervades from decades past is largely the better quality distilate. Listening to pick of the pops for example where there isn't so much selective filtering, some weeks are utter pap!

I await my medal/cookie/pat on the head in the post!

 Have you heard of this band?

Yep. My big brother had Cool For Cats on 7". I saved all his 7" records from being chucked in a skip, so it's in a box under my stairs now.

The rest of this discussion is actually quite weird.

Try working with people under 25 and having greatest hits radio on at work. 95% of the music was a hit before they were born which they describe as “grandad music”

Took my then 14 year-old to the Bluedot festival, went with friends who had kids of similar age. When I asked why they don't come and watch a band (Pixies, who my daughter has grown up with). I got the response why would I want to stand in a field with a bunch of old people listening to old peoples music? I left them with the face painter! As a responsible parent, I spent most of the festival following them around while making sure they didn't spot me.

I’m guessing squeeze weren’t popular enough to continue to be played now

I'd say they do still get played quite a bit (certainly 'Cool for Cats' and 'Up the Junction') on stations like Radio 2 (and even Radio 6 sometimes) and all of the Bauer Media stations.

Remember seeing seeing Squeeze supporting Thin Lizzy at the Hammersmith Odeon.

I saw Chris Difford doing a solo (almost) set last year. I'm well aware of Squeeze, having grown up through the 70s/80s, but was amazed by how good he was on stage. He played a lot of songs but mainly told stories and was extremely funny. His pedal steel player, the only other person on stage was crying laughing at the stories about the music industry of this period and how Squeeze managed to fail at every hurdle. I would happily go and see him again - Squeeze as a band, I'm not sure as their tickets are quite pricey.

And Difford is a very clever song writer. The posters describing the songs as boring, crooner Dad rock are obviously not listening very hard.

Yeah but they had a couple of minor hits when they started out, since then nothing.

8 or 9 top 40 hits, including 2 x number 2s, at a time when you had to sell a lot of records to get in the charts. Pulling Mussels, one of their better known songs, didn't even get into the top 40! It's just that it's a long , long time ago. (As a puerile comparison, how many people can name more than one - if that - of Ken Dodd's 18 top 40 hits? He had the third best selling single of the 60s so we should be able to name it. 😀 )

Growing up in South London during that era you couldn't help but know Squeeze - my mum had a habit of singing along to Labelled With Love whilst doing housework for years.

Most of them have had careers away from Squeeze, sometimes together, and one of my highlights of Glastonbury in '94 was seeing Glenn Tilbrook play.

As @winston said, they were in that influential group of 'new wave' bands that influenced so much of what came next.

I don't really find it surprising that someone hasn't heard of someone. I haven't heard of half the people in the famous people thread and had no idea who the bloke who died on holiday was. I have heard of Squeeze though and Glen Tilbrook was fantastic when I saw him at the Guildford Festival many years ago 🤷

"I’d say they do still get played quite a bit (certainly ‘Cool for Cats’ and ‘Up the Junction’) on stations like Radio 2 (and even Radio 6 sometimes) and all of the Bauer Media stations."

Maybe so, but I reckon there's also a correlation between age and regular radio listener too.

"8 or 9 top 40 hits, including 2 x number 2s, at a time when you had to sell a lot of records to get in the charts."

For someone aged 40, wouldn't all of those songs be released before your birth? So somewhat unlikely to come across them by accident. And perhaps I'm being simplistic but looking back on the late 70's and early 80's there's a number of more significant artists than Squeeze playing that sort of music.

but looking back on the late 70’s and early 80’s there’s a number of more significant artists than Squeeze playing that sort of music.

Sums it up nicely for me. Nothing outstanding to appeal to the next generation(s). Just an okay band with an okay set of albums.

8 or 9 top 40 hits, including 2 x number 2s, at a time when you had to sell a lot of records to get in the charts.

By way of comparison. T'Pau had eight Top 40 hits including a number 1 here and in multiple other countries.

"A lot of records" is relative, you just have to sell more than everyone else.

It's 45 years old.  If you're under 40 you'll have heard them on the radio once or twice, but it's not standout music.

By way of comparison. T’Pau had eight Top 40 hits including a number 1

How many people can name any other song than China in Your Hands? Gawd they were awful 😂

How many people can name any other song than China in Your Hands? Gawd they were awful

Awful? I disagree. Would happily go and see them 🙂

Awful? I disagree. Would happily go and see them

I did see them back in the day. Trivia fact – T'Pau was a Vulcan Matriarch in Star Trek (rumoured to be Spock's grandmother).

I went with my daughter (early 20s) to see Extreme and Scorpions on Saturday at Wembuuurleee.

I consider the proper  education of  the next generation to be important.

AC/DC next.

Awful? I disagree. Would happily go and see them

I'd have been with you except I followed Carol Decker on Twitter. She was a full on brexit-supporting covid-denying loon, so I unfollowed her. Still, you can like the music without liking the musician I suppose

I think you’d get the same reaction for all but a dozen punk/new wave era bands. Try him again with XTC.

That's a perfect suggestion. Couple of hits but largely a muso's band just like Squeeze.

But who can forget Sigue Sigue sputnik

Well that track was a banger, and featured in a couple of big movies IIRC - but it's easy to forget the rest of their output.

Awful? I disagree. Would happily go and see them

I just newed that would happen 😅

How many people can name any other song than China in Your Hands? Gawd they were awful 😂

Precisely my point - most would consider them a one-hit wonder (though you probably know more than you think), but they had as many 'hits' by that metric as Squeeze did.

had no idea who the bloke who died on holiday was.

You never heard of George Orwell?

How many people can name any other song than China in Your Hands? Gawd they were awful 😂
Precisely my point – most would consider them a one-hit wonder (though you probably know more than you think), but they had as many ‘hits’ by that metric as Squeeze did.

But T'Pau still get played on the 80s radio stations and plenty of people will be able to name their one hit (!), whereas Squeeze don't get played and nobody knows who they are. Does anyone know what the point is anymore?  Other than T'Pau being awful, which is demonstrably true. Almost as awful as the Lady in Red bloke. 😀

Oddly enough,

Who the hell is Jerry Fish?

CougarFull Member
Oddly enough,....

Apropos of nothing, I was given a bodhran as a present a few years ago and a Youtube search for 'bodhran' led me to a clip of Liam O Maonlai, (the lead singer of Hothouse Flowers) who is a wiz on a bodhran, apparently. Sadly for him, my wife looked at the wreck on screen playing a drum and said, 'Awww, and he used to be so pretty!'.