It's a shame. Love 'em or loathe 'em, they were the first British rock band for years to be right on the verge of true international megastardom. They got on the telly, in the daily papers and for a month or two even old ladies, small children and dogs had heard of them.
The first album had some great songs, but I think it started to go wrong when they took so long over the follow-up - they should have just rush-released any old shitee and stayed in the public eye, but instead they took 2 years. Everyone had forgotten them - and the album was still shitee.
They always got accused of being a joke band. I don't think they were, they believed in the music but they (or at least Justin) were smart guys with a keen sense of their own ridiculousness. If it was a joke, it was one the audience was in on. What a pity they've succumbed to the usual boring old rock star clichés - musical differences, "difficult" second album, eating disorders, substance abuse.
The rest of them might as well split now. Richie Edwards could be the greatest singer in the world, but no-one's going to care. They've had their 15 minutes and they blew it. :(
