The Bad Habits: Demo

In a shocking case of a pot calling a kettle black, The Bad Habits‘ Myspace finds the band indulging in some less than friendly banter with a non-fan, during which they take him to task thus: “To be honest its not only your spelling thats shocking, its your grammar…. and finally i dont know what impession you have but my personal hygiene is perfectly fine thank you very much.” All this after describing their singer, Jade Hammant, as a “song writing jenius” in their biog. And there I was thinking simply calling your band The Bad Habits was criminal in its sheer, blinding tediousness.

If nothing else The Bad Habits have a surfeit of self-confidence. Actually, thinking about it, they really do have nothing else. No soul, no wit, no originality, nothing that might, for one fleeting moment, separate them from a bunch of desperate Fame Academy-bothering utter fucking non-entities whose ambition is inversely proportional to their talent.

By-rote guitar fuzz of the Disney-goes-grunge variety, and the odd Guns’n’Roses steal backs up a twee, shrill female voice so utterly bereft of character you wonder whether sticking it through Cubase might actually inject some humanity into it. Fat chance. I mean, she makes Avril Lavigne sound like Kat Bjelland; this coupled with a lyrical depth that makes Miley Cyrus look like Ian Curtis. Mind you, what do you expect from a band who quote Alanis Morrisette as a primary influence?

The band promises that “We now deliver dirty rock mixed with sexy, heartfelt vocals right to your door”, although with songs like this, the only thing they’re ever likely to be delivering to people’s doors are Domino’s pizzas. If they’re considering changing their name – and they really should – might we suggest Bettie Bland and the Soulless Tedium Band? It would at least give any potential listeners a fair idea what they were in for before wasting any precious time.

The Bad Habits Myspace

  • Liam Yeo

    You know what, i have been to a few of The Bad Habits gigs and quite frankly i think you bang out of order. Give them a fucking break its not like they are middle-aged people trying to make a break, they are a young and very talented group of people both on their own and in the group. I think quite possibly you can expect to hear from the band one day if you still have your job and get told how succesfull they have become. I think you felt like bullying someone and you used the vocalist Jade Hammant as an example. I think her voice will be outstanding one day… in time to come. so maybe you should publish and apology for your fucking nasty opinion, you can’t knock the group for trying. Sort yourself out…. idiot

  • http://www.gappytooth.com gappy

    It’s meaningless to publish an apology for an opinion, I would have thought. You either change it, or stick with what you think.

    Anyway, having read the review, I’d say there’s nothing in it that can’t square with your own thoughts, Liam, that the band a) are young, b) are “talented”, however that may be defined, c) have a vocalist who may be good at some future point, d) might possibly do something that ZH might hear of (“and I don’t mean a postcard”, as Barton Fink would put it) one day.

    There’s no reason why all that can’t be true, & the music still be pig awful. I’ve not listened to it yet, so that’s not my opinion, but it does continually surprise me how many people think there’s an ulterior motive behind reviews. If you don’t think that acts who get a good review have been round to offer chocolates and oral relief to secure the deal, then there’s no reason to suggest that acts who get a bad review are on the receiving end of some grudge or insecurity the reviewer harbours.

    Sometimes you just dislike something. I bet you’d say it yourself, Liam, “Turn that Girls Aloud/Feeder/Merzbow/Xenakis off, it’s terrible”. Everyone thinks like that, but for some reason a large proportion of people claim that reviewers shouldn’t. Odd.

  • http://www.gappytooth.com gappy

    PS In case you’re wqondering, Feeder are the ones who are crap in that list, the rest are pretty good.

  • Beaver Fuel

    You know that bit on the Nightshift demo page where it says “if you can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo”…? Perhaps a similar disclaimer would be in order on this site, although it would mean less inane rantings to laugh at. Can I also point out that going to a gig is nothing like listening to a record and the two can rarely be compared as such. And what does “if you still have your job” mean? Nobody gets paid on this website!

  • http://www.gappytooth.com gappy

    Presumably they’d be told how successful the band had become even if they didn’t still have their job, so the qualification is pretty meaningless.

  • Mrs. B. Wadbury

    Dear Sir or Madam,

    Good heavens! Is all this really necessary?! I for one do not find this review funny in the least, the review is unecessarily padded out with vicious bile which is bordering on the libellous and that is not the way that a a mature and respectable woman should behave.

    It seems to me that the erosion of standards and respect for one another through the fragmentation of familes and communities caused by the New Labour government has lead to this sort of “review” being inflicted upon the masses, it is a sad reflection of the breakdown of society.

    I shall be writing to my M. P!

    These fine young bands such as the outstanding “The Bad Habits” need encouragement in what they do, they do not need bullying, this is not the way to solve the problem of modern society and reviewers such as this have a responsibility to all in order to ensure the future well being of our children and our children’s children (our grandchildren).

    So come on people, let’s have some positivity, we are living in difficult times and need to pull together!

    I hope how that you’ve had your silly little game you can move on and be better people.

    Mrs. B. Wadbury.

  • http://www.myspace.com/thingreencandles thin green fred

    Zoë did not like the demo, So what! She is a reviewer it is her job to giver her opinion. If THE BAD HABITS are really being described as “the best young talent around and already are being tipped to hit the charts” by someone other than there Mum’s I would not worry what oxfordband said. I have listen to the stuff on myspace and found it crap to be honest not just the style of music but the way it was put together, the only good bit is the first 17 second of the first track. But hay I like dark, moody, atmospheric music. Not Disneygrungelite I am sure their are people who will really like the sound that The Bad Habits make, It the kind of band that would pop up playing in the Bronz in a episode of Buffy or at the club in Charmed, or the canteen in Saved by the Bell TV friendly safe bland music.

  • http://www.gappytooth.com gappy

    I don’t know whether I’d be happier if MR B Wadbury were real or a joke. Best post on here ever, anyway.

  • http://www.myspace.com/thingreencandles thin green fred

    Who is she?

  • Big Tim

    I had a listen to the myspace too, I quite liked the songs but the attempt at a massive overblown production went a bit wrong. Just wasn’t well enough executed for what they were trying to achieve. It might sound better on CD where it hasn’t been mauled by the MySpace compression. I agree that the vocals are pretty annoying, but again I could see where they put the effort in and in a year or two’s time they could be pretty good.

    And personally I think there’s nothing wrong with a bit of misplaced overconfidence if you’re a very young band. There’s something wrong with you if you don’t believe your first band is destined for world domination.

  • JAY RIVAL

    Jesus so one person dont like your demo..thats music like Gappy said you must have mates who are into bands that you think are gash…bottom line is you send it in you take the risk i dont expect for a second everyone in Oxofrd to bend over and take it for my band but having been reviewed live i really do feel the reviewers are pretty fair in Oxford you cant say Zoe is wrong or bad at her job for not liking your demo and saying so in her review….Like i always say if your that good a band let the reviewers come to you, i presume your demo is not a national release that needs hyping so it baffles me why bands send them in…just play more giggs and like it or not you will get reviews anyway, Im sure the good people at Oxbands wont mind me saying there hardly likely to make or break your band so dont worry about it but dont get the piss either if your told your tosh…its all opinion at the end of the day and by sending your link in youve asked for Zoes opinion to be made public!

  • jamess

    you’ve no idea how tempting it is to put them on with the treat……

    half the problem would be taking the basic ingredients of a song, regarding chord progressions etc, and then formatting the sound. This lays it wide open to interpretation by anyone as to whether they enjoy the sound or not – thought i’d be fair to them and give a listen. “unlucky child” has an interesting composition, but in my mind i’ve re-mixed it a damn sight more spatial and darker, to the point of downright ugliness. Then, and only then, would i find it something i’d really want to listen to.

  • http://www.myspace.com/thingreencandles thin green fred

    Please do James.
    The treat and The Bad Habits. I honestly think it would be a top night. you are right about unlucky child, needs to be darker, Maybe when they have grown up a bit and listend to some nico . thinks will get better.

  • oli

    there SHOULD be a thin line between a good and bad review. nobody wants to hear about mediocre bands. its just not worth the read. either love it or slate it and it makes a good review. otherwise whats the point in reading.

    at the end of the day it is somebodys oppinion. its not the oppinion of the general public. they can make their own minds up as to whether they like your music.

    i think the bad habits are alright. nothing special tho. who said the singer was a song writing genious? a drunk shouting in the street? give it a few years and they might make their mark. but it will probably be a gig flyer scrawled in pen on the inside of a cubicle.

    i cant stress it enough
    let the public make up their own minds!!!

  • thin green fred

    genius

  • matt

    might be time to send a scarletts domo, cant be worse than that can it?

  • oli

    just had a listen.

    and i wouldnt bother 😛

  • Paul

    I think confidence is a great thing , and if you don’t think your the best you will not become the best.
    I think there music is quite an interesting mix and can imagine when these guys grow up they will be making some seriously good music.
    And as from the review personally i thought some of it was a bit harsh but hey, it was a top review and the writers obviously been to some master-classes.

  • jade

    hey guys.. I’m from the bad habits and was just reading some of the comments. really good to hear what people have to say and I think criticism is key in improving so thanks for everything you’ve said. we will consider what some of you guys say an we appreciate that we may not be to everyone’s taste but hey we a re a young band just making music.
    “Disney-goes-grunge” is obviously not to the reviewers taste and we accept that but other people like it.
    it good to hear your opinions:) xx

  • thin green fred

    nice one Jade!
    a young band just making music is good have fun!

  • AlanAlan

    i read the blog on myspace…. its funny how this reviewer never quotes the “non-fan” And what he said. I don’t think it was over confidence i just think it was a reaction to someone being plain rude.

    Go Them

  • Andy

    I’m not a big fan of fawning reviews. On the other hand, I have next to no interest in reading a review where like the first commenter, Liam, says it sounds like you felt like bullying someone. You guys must get enough material to be able to take a quick listen and say, “right – crap”, put it aside, and move onto something else. It’s true that bands should be ready to take criticism but it’s also true that reviewers shouldn’t feel obliged to review something they don’t like. Especially if it’s just going to be out of spite. It makes you seem small and petty. Life’s too short, mate.

  • thomas le payne

    The Bad Habits are one of the best unsigned bands around. People can’t capture such an audience as Bad Habits do. If you watch them live you will kick yourself in the foot putting that review. You watch other bands, they are rubbish compared to these lot. No originality? what are you talking about!

  • Joe

    “You watch other bands, they are rubbish compared to these lot.”
    Oh my God it’s a f**king comedian.

    “People can’t capture such an audience as Bad Habits do”
    They have to capture their audience? They must be bad. Baboom tish!