Photo: PA

Pet Shop Boys have branded modern pop music "very ego-driven".

The electro duo, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, send up the self-obsessed approach of today's chart stars in 'Ego Music', a track from their new album 'Elysium'. The song features tongue-in-cheek lyrics such as "I am my own demographic, what does that say about me?" and "In a sea of negativity, I am statue of liberty, that's why people love me".

When asked whether the song was inspired by Lady Gaga, Tennant told Attitude: "It's not specifically about Lady Gaga, it's about the modern pop star. Pop music is very ego-driven these days. The modern pop lyric is like a diary almost. In other words, people don't imagine, they just say what it is... A lot of lines [in the song] are direct quotes from what people say in interviews. 'I am my own demographic' is a direct quote."

Tennant also claimed that today's pop artists are only able to present their thoughts in a very literal fashion. He added: "If you look at the lyrics that Boy George wrote in Culture Club, or even Adam Ant and Gary Numan - 'Are "Friends" Electric?' - and compare that, or 'Karma Chameleon' with a contemporary pop song, they don't have the artistry or the imagination or the sense of metaphor. It's like it hasn't even occurred to anyone to have that."

Pet Shop Boys are preparing to release their 11th studio album, 'Elysium', on September 10. The album was recorded in LA with producer Andrew Dawson, who has worked regularly in the past with Kanye West. Discussing the decision to "go west" to record an album for the first time, the duo explained: "We wanted to make this album in a different environment. Despite frequent visits there we have never made an album in Los Angeles. Working there with Andrew Dawson has enabled us to make a very fresh-sounding album."

What are the odds of this!!! I became a fan right after the Olympics closing ceremony and they're releasing a new CD

purplethunder3121 said:

Tennant also claimed that today's pop artists are only able to present their thoughts in a very literal fashion. He added: "If you look at the lyrics that Boy George wrote in Culture Club, or even Adam Ant and Gary Numan - 'Are "Friends" Electric?' - and compare that, or 'Karma Chameleon' with a contemporary pop song, they don't have the artistry or the imagination or the sense of metaphor. It's like it hasn't even occurred to anyone to have that."

the new cd is wonderful, just sayin

jthad1129 said:

the new cd is wonderful, just sayin

I Love Neil.

Cinny said:

Cinny said:

purplethunder3121 said:

Tennant also claimed that today's pop artists are only able to present their thoughts in a very literal fashion. He added: "If you look at the lyrics that Boy George wrote in Culture Club, or even Adam Ant and Gary Numan - 'Are "Friends" Electric?' - and compare that, or 'Karma Chameleon' with a contemporary pop song, they don't have the artistry or the imagination or the sense of metaphor. It's like it hasn't even occurred to anyone to have that."

He hasn't just cottoned onto this has he? Even Chris Rock did a joke about this over ten years ago.

ForgottenPassword said:

Cinny said:

He hasn't just cottoned onto this has he? Even Chris Rock did a joke about this over ten years ago.

No but it needs to be said again sometimes. I just like the examples he cited.

Cinny said:

ForgottenPassword said:

He hasn't just cottoned onto this has he? Even Chris Rock did a joke about this over ten years ago.

No but it needs to be said again sometimes. I just like the examples he cited.

Sad part is those acts that most need to hear this... won't. And a good many of them won't even know who Neil Tennant is.

It's interesting he mentioned Boy George because although George used metaphors in Culture Club, in his solo work he writes very literal lyrics. George wrote that way in CC because he didn't want people to know he was gay and having an affair with the drummer, not because of some great artistic thing.

I see nothing wrong with people writing direct lyrics about their lives. All art is egotistical in a way, because it's the product of an individual and we all have an ego, whether we want to admit it or not.

Lammastide said:

Sad part is those acts that most need to hear this... won't. And a good many of them won't even know who Neil Tennant is.

Sad part is that most of the USA will never hear it, mainstream etc...thats the main problem with music now, its lost its own relevance overall as an art form

The song is a trip.

He's dead on.

We have in the UK a TV advert for a popular national Radio Station which features today's current crop of 'stars' (Jessie J, Cheryl Cole, Rihanna etc) It's pretty weird seeing them extol the virtues of said radio station. "Let's make some HITS!" as they punch towards camera.

In no time at all, they'll be passed their sell by date and radio will ignore them. They're just not credible artists to me. Seems to me they've got nothing to fall back on when that day comes.

Bunch of puppets. That is all.

Here's their thoughts on the current charts and face book, from the Artdesk interview.

NT: I looked at the chart the other day and I realised that since the last album, only three years ago, we’ve entered this strange world of somebody or other featuring somebody or other. Every other track is Calvin Harris featuring Nikki Minaj or with Snoop Doggy Dogg or someone.

CL: Or featuring three. David Guetta doesn’t just have one or two.

NT: Well, why would you? And I suddenly thought we are not in that world.

CL: Why not throw Jessie J in there?

NT: Why not throw in Jessie J, why wouldn’t you?

CL: Is it to get each other’s Facebook friends? I bet that’s what it is. You could accumulate everyone else's friend list.

NT: We’re not on Facebook. We think it’s sinister and horrible. Pet Shop Boys are but we’re not.

CL: It’s great watching their share price tumble, isn’t it? I have really been enjoying the schadenfreude.