Perdita
02-07-2008, 09:31
It was always going to take something special to knock Madonna's '4 Minutes' off the top spot. The Queen of Pop pulled every trick in the book - lesbian snogs, nights out with Justin Timberlake, even a live appearance in Maidstone - to ensure her comeback single enjoyed a decent spell at number one. What Mrs. Ciccone / Ritchie hadn't banked on, however, was a pair of DIY pop fanatics from Manchester releasing the first truly classic single of 2008.
The Ting Tings reaching number one with 'That's Not My Name' is an incredible feat - not just because they toppled Madonna, but because it very nearly didn't happen. One Ting, Jules De Martino, is well past his pop sell-by-date at 35, while the other, the relatively fresh-faced Katie White, has been rejected by the industry twice before, once with girl group TKO, and then with indie three-piece Dear Eskiimo, a group which also featured De Martino. In fact, Columbia Records had to pull out their big guns, ex-Hacienda DJ Mike Pickering and US super-producer Rick Rubin, to persuade the duo to give pop stardom another crack.
So what was it that made the nation's A&R men so desperate to sign The Ting Tings? White's glamorous looks are undeniably saleable, but the group seem completely out of step with the scruffy indie oiks (Kooks, Arctics) and soul sirens (Winehouse, Duffy) who've been dominating the charts of late. Fortunately for White and De Martino, they have something pretty big working in their favour - they know their way to a whopping great chorus.
Aside from their number one, there are at least four other hits-in-waiting on We Started Nothing. Opening track and former single 'Great DJ' is an infectious ditty that slips a chugging guitar riff and some cheeky bleeps around De Martino's hypnotic bass drum. Equally impressive are 'Impacilla Carpisung', all squelchy sound effects and funky disco beats, and the title track, which offers six minutes of pure guitar-funk sunshine.
Better than all of the above is guaranteed future single 'Shut Up And Let Me Go', a song that's already appearing on the latest iPod TV ad. With its Chic-style bassline, irresistible chorus and sassy vocals from White - sure to win her a legion of male admirers - it's the perfect centre-piece for the record.
Perhaps the only disappointment is that the group's rough-'n'-ready approach occasionally veers towards sloppy amateurism. While the Tings should be applauded for eschewing the pop polish of Girls Aloud and co., their aesthetic can sometimes seem less Do It Yourself and more Can't Be Arsed. The languid 'Traffic Light' and uninspired, trashy 'Fruit Machine' are examples of their occasional lack of focus.
However, it seems unfair to dwell on such matters when, taken as a whole, this debut sparkles more often than it grates. Despite their age and false starts, We Started Nothing sounds like the work of two young whippersnappers ready to take on the world. Whatever happens next, nobody will be forgetting their name from now on.
Ting Tings announce autumn tour dates
The Ting Tings have announced dates and venues for their autumn tour.
The indie pop duo will play 14 cities in support of debut album We Started Nothing.
The tour kicks off on September 20 at Liverpool's Carling Academy before heading to cities including Glasgow, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff.
The live shows finish in October with gigs at London's Shepherds Bush Empire (October 8) and The Forum (October 9).
We Started Nothing and last single 'That's Not My Name' both charted at number one.
The Ting Tings reaching number one with 'That's Not My Name' is an incredible feat - not just because they toppled Madonna, but because it very nearly didn't happen. One Ting, Jules De Martino, is well past his pop sell-by-date at 35, while the other, the relatively fresh-faced Katie White, has been rejected by the industry twice before, once with girl group TKO, and then with indie three-piece Dear Eskiimo, a group which also featured De Martino. In fact, Columbia Records had to pull out their big guns, ex-Hacienda DJ Mike Pickering and US super-producer Rick Rubin, to persuade the duo to give pop stardom another crack.
So what was it that made the nation's A&R men so desperate to sign The Ting Tings? White's glamorous looks are undeniably saleable, but the group seem completely out of step with the scruffy indie oiks (Kooks, Arctics) and soul sirens (Winehouse, Duffy) who've been dominating the charts of late. Fortunately for White and De Martino, they have something pretty big working in their favour - they know their way to a whopping great chorus.
Aside from their number one, there are at least four other hits-in-waiting on We Started Nothing. Opening track and former single 'Great DJ' is an infectious ditty that slips a chugging guitar riff and some cheeky bleeps around De Martino's hypnotic bass drum. Equally impressive are 'Impacilla Carpisung', all squelchy sound effects and funky disco beats, and the title track, which offers six minutes of pure guitar-funk sunshine.
Better than all of the above is guaranteed future single 'Shut Up And Let Me Go', a song that's already appearing on the latest iPod TV ad. With its Chic-style bassline, irresistible chorus and sassy vocals from White - sure to win her a legion of male admirers - it's the perfect centre-piece for the record.
Perhaps the only disappointment is that the group's rough-'n'-ready approach occasionally veers towards sloppy amateurism. While the Tings should be applauded for eschewing the pop polish of Girls Aloud and co., their aesthetic can sometimes seem less Do It Yourself and more Can't Be Arsed. The languid 'Traffic Light' and uninspired, trashy 'Fruit Machine' are examples of their occasional lack of focus.
However, it seems unfair to dwell on such matters when, taken as a whole, this debut sparkles more often than it grates. Despite their age and false starts, We Started Nothing sounds like the work of two young whippersnappers ready to take on the world. Whatever happens next, nobody will be forgetting their name from now on.
Ting Tings announce autumn tour dates
The Ting Tings have announced dates and venues for their autumn tour.
The indie pop duo will play 14 cities in support of debut album We Started Nothing.
The tour kicks off on September 20 at Liverpool's Carling Academy before heading to cities including Glasgow, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff.
The live shows finish in October with gigs at London's Shepherds Bush Empire (October 8) and The Forum (October 9).
We Started Nothing and last single 'That's Not My Name' both charted at number one.