Some background on why The Fiery Furnaces are idiots:

The New York City indie band, whilst trying to create a buzz that never wuzz for their summer 2009 release, I’m Going Away (OK, perhaps there was a mini-buzz), have taken to familiar tactics amongst music world douchebags by nonsensically (or possibly sarcastically or ironically?) trashing Radiohead in interviews. Fiery Fungi’s lead singer, Matt Whoever was quoted yesterday calling “Harry Patch (In Memory Of)” (Radiohead’s recent one-off fundraising tribute to the last surviving British soldier of World War I) a “bogus” attempt at “brazenly and arbitrarily associating yourself with things that you know people consider cool.” Huh? Someone sounds confused.

Another comment in the interview has Friedberger (AKA Matt Whoever) asking if the new Radiohead song is “48 notes to the octave.” This would imply that he mistakenly (or intentionally mistakenly) thought that Radiohead wrote a song about American composer Harry PaRtch, and not World War I veteran Harry Patch. Cause yeah, nothing is more brazenly and arbitrarily hip than World War I veterans. Seemingly not knowing what he was going on about, Friedberger continued, “That’s a put-on. That’s a branding technique and Radiohead have their brand that they’re popular and intelligent.” Not even going to touch that one.

After the music world quickly branded Friedberger as unpopular and stupid, the band released a 200+ word drivel fest trying to cover their tracks. The aimless prattle of a statement is heavy on the satire and tries to pass off the insulting Radiohead comments as completely facetious. The opening line is both a bold attempt at verifying yesterday’s “JK” cred and a thinly veiled admission of fandom and/or jealousy; “Like most creative musicians, Matt Friedberger is not a fan of Radiohead and their various chartbusters.” I’ll give you a little LOL for that one.

“Matt naturally thought it would be interesting to pretend that they wrote a song about the celebrated American composer with a similar sounding name, hence his joking in the interview about Radiohead composing a song with something like 48 notes to an octave.” Naturally.

Matt, what are you talking about and what are you talking about? You wouldn’t have to release statements to clarify unfunny jokes about other bands if you didn’t make them in the first place. Even if you were kidding, is it really appropriate to use a tribute to a veteran as the platform for your ever so perceptive wit? Unless, of course, you take into account the plethora of free press your band has received for a couple of insults, this seems like an all around unnecessary risk. You’ll be lucky not to lose half of your indie rock Brooklyn based fan club with Radiohead bashing (whether it’s sarcastic or not), and everyone else is just going to think you’re an insensitive prick.

I think you’re trying too hard, Fungus. I think you’re an idiot.

JK!

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