21st century music mags - even the ones on old-fashioned paper - these days run a modern equivalent of the Best Album Of All Time feature, after they realised The Beatles, Dylan and Radiohead, like Alexander the Great, had no new worlds to conquer.
The new feature, as run by Q, NME and Rolling Stone, is the Best Music People on Twitter.
It’s probably not a bad rule of thumb that if you like someone’s personality on their records (not always the same as liking their records), his or her Twitter presence will appeal. That’s why band Twitter feeds, even with a band like @thesonicyouth , rarely follow the lights and shades of an individual be it @lilyroseallen or @johncmayer. Personal recommendations include Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij (@matsoR), Mogwai guitarist Stuart Braithwaite (@plasmatron), Calvin Harris (@calvinharris) or former Boo Radley Martin Carr (@martin_carr).
Hip hop was made for Twitter with music recommendations from Q Tip (@QTipTheAbstract), bare-knuckle confessional (@kanyewest) exclamation mark Tourettes (@iamdiddy) or product placement (@snoopdogg). Mike Skinner (@skinnermike) tweeted a fair whack of The Streets’ final songs.
One musical mover and shaker writes down his mood swings, petty outbursts, idle boasts, streams of semi-consciousness, flights of fancy and meanders down the odd cul-de-sac - everything that makes Twitter an essential tool for those serious about time-wasting.
This is not any person. It’s Richard Russell from XL Recordings, the label behind The Prodigy, the man who signed The White Stripes, Basement Jaxx and M.I.A., the fella to whom Thom Yorke took his solo record The Eraser, who encouraged the great Gil Scott-Heron to rouse himself back into the recording studio and, bang up to date, is scaling the charts on both sides of the Atlantic with Adele’s 21.
In their own way, the tweets of @richardxl are as brilliant as his career. He calls out Innocent Smoothies for suggesting they don’t mean the open invitation to their office on the cartons, rails against Sainsbury’s self-service check-in, and is happy to be controversial - “NWA were better than the Rolling Stones” was one such tweet. Here’s a recent sample of his inner thoughts:-
On success:
“There are infinite levels of "success". If one other artist you respect likes your music, that is success.”
On The White Stripes:
“The White Stripes are a perfect example of how you can be brilliantly ORIGINAL and still succeed at the highest level. Pure inspiration.”
“Jack White, like Prince, does everything- writes, plays, sings, produces, conceptualises- and all to the highest level. That’s very rare.”
“But it was the chemistry between Jack and Meg that held the magic. It was perfect balance. She as gentle as he is intense.”
“Of course they borrowed from the past. As the Beatles were inspired by Blues and Blues from Africa. Everything comes from somewhere.”
On shaving:
“My shaving gel says it’s ‘pro gel’. ‘Pro’ means ‘professional’ which means you get paid to shave. Who do I invoice?”
On beauty:
“I think people who are too attractive often have stunted personalities. Because of their looks, they didn't need to develop.”
“This is balanced by the fact that unattractive people also tend to have flawed personalities (being human and everything).”
“Anyway, I hope my children will be minging.”
On technology:
“Stan asked me for some help understanding his new Sony Vivaz phone. After an hour I suggested the bin and an Apple store.”
On The Kings Speech:
Why would u go and see The King’s Speech if you don't give a f*** about the royal family? That was my mistake.”
“Why are we supposed to care about a king’s stutter? Surely royals need disabilities in order to experience some reality.”
“I don’t think people really understand what goes on in the UK. Royal weddings and films are just heroin to keep everyone half-asleep.”
“I don't get the royal family. The Prince of Wales is not even Welsh.”
On music (his favourite subject):
“I believe in music as a force for individuality, rebellion and expression. In music you can succeed coming from anywhere, anyhow.”
On a good night out:
“I've been to some good dances in my time but Kenyan circumcision raves are off the chain.”
On the Top 40:
“The charts are always full of crap, with the occasional gem shining out. Always been that way. Don't let nostalgia fool you.”
On writing new music:
“I have made what u could call a love song about the music business. it's called "Criminals, Thieves, and Bastards"
On image:
“Playing an instrument well is fantastic. Singing well is also great. But it’s good if you can communicate yourself outside of your music.”
“Thinking about the non-music side of your music is important if for no other reason than: thinking like that can help your music.”
“If your music & message is strong enough, the visual needn't be complicated. Portishead have got a lot of mileage from a blue and white ‘P’ “
“David Bowie created a whole lot of fantasy with no technology to rely on. Now most of the tools are virtually free.”
“If you're Gorillaz, you create a whole other audio-visual world of fantasy. If you're Florence: theatricality, drama, costume.”
“If you're Adele, beyond your music, you can communicate via your amazing personality. your realness.”
“It’s not about being style-orientated. Or (God forbid) fashionable. It’s being so good that the non-music side is locked as well as the music.”
On colleagues:
“Gil Scott-Heron in studio: ‘I'm gonna smoke a cigarette indoors now. Get me an ashtray and a lawyer.’ "
On Take That
“Take That. Damn. Come back New Edition. In fact East 17 would do at this point.”
On Twitter
“If you like swearing in public but don't have the balls for stand-up comedy: Twitter is the place for you.”
“You may or may not find me funny on Twitter. either way: in real life, I'm less funny.”
Russell once spoke on the same platform as Island’s Chris Blackwell, Creation’s Alan McGee and the late Tony Wilson on a panel entitled “I Wasn’t Born To Follow.” But he is certainly worth being followed.
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