Comments on: Pop’s Biggest BRAIN

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:54:03 +0000

Tom, please to have a poll on Pop’s Biggest BRIAN

By: swanstep

swanstep — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:19:28 +0000

@Rory. I saw the Bad Romance vid. for the first time today, and may finally have been won over by Gaga too. The level of inventiveness and commitment to performance there (around a song that’s on one level just OK, but *does* zig where it should zag a few times, so manages to sound fresh) is remarkable, and just isn’t dismissible (as I’ve previously tended to) as Madonna- and Roisin Murphy-imitation/theft.

By: Rory

Rory — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:32:04 +0000

After experiencing a Road to Damascus moment over Lady Gaga in the past 48 hours, I wish I could vote again, even though I picked the hivemind’s top five. Chemistry @32 makes a good case for Shakira, too.

By: The Chemistry is Dead

The Chemistry is Dead — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:50:56 +0000

I’m going to put my case forward for Shakira. She’s fluent in four languages, can play guitar, drums and harmonica and always comes across as very intelligent in interviews.

Also, love this from her Wikipedia:

“Shakira is intensely interested in world history. She frequently studies the history and languages of the countries she visits. After her Oral Fixation tour ended in summer 2007, Shakira audited a class in Los Angeles at UCLA, on the History of Western Civilization. She used her middle and last names, Isabel Mebarak, and told the professor she was visiting from Colombia so as to avoid being recognized as a celebrity”.

By: unlogged moggy

unlogged moggy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:44:38 +0000

Wot no Kele Orekeke? Also where is Lady Stush? I am surprised the Lex didn’t nom her.

By: will

will — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:41:43 +0000

By the way, who or what is E-40?

By: BEATRIZ

BEATRIZ — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:42:09 +0000

I would like to vote DAVID BOWIE!

By: Kat but logged out innit

Kat but logged out innit — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:20:51 +0000

I’d venture that Lily Allen is about as intelligent as I am – neither of us can write very good lyrics though :(

By: koganbot

koganbot — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:14:35 +0000

(Ignoring my own criteria, I ticked Kanye, Bouncy, Jay-Z, and Lily.)

By: koganbot

koganbot — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:10:59 +0000

Did people nominate for musical intelligence (or music-related intelligence, anyway) or for “S/he seems really intelligent in interviews and in other things (other than the inexplicable decision to pursue a musical career)”? Nominees seem to meet conventional attributes of intelligence rather than “apply their intellect better than others at what actually matters most here, i.e., making music.”

In any event, had I been on Twitter I’d have made my criteria (1) made almost-always-interesting and generally very good music over a significant period of time, and (2) is still doing so now. (Without criterion #2 I’d have nominated James Brown and Elvis Presley.) And I come up with one name. And I balk at saying it, since I’ve got conventional ideas about intelligence and this guy has never written inspired lyrics, for instance. But all right: Max Martin!

By: AndyPandy

AndyPandy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:02:37 +0000

What no Donald Fagen or Walter Becker?!

By: Steve Mannion

Steve Mannion — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:58:19 +0000

Cowell strikes me as fairly clever, shrewd blah blah – a scientist’s approach to the entertainment biz (and perhaps to music appreciation too? hard to get a sense of his passion compared to actual producers like Waterman), and I can’t help admiring him for his success. Git.

By: thefatgit

thefatgit — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:29:04 +0000

#9 – Blessed are the Cheesemakers!

By: pink champale

pink champale — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:42:57 +0000

what no dylan? i vote cowell. you all know it’s true.

By: Mark M

Mark M — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:24:40 +0000

Re 16: surely we’re all on Lex’s perennial idiot list.

By: a tanned rested and unlogged lørd sükråt wötsît

a tanned rested and unlogged lørd sükråt wötsît — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:17:44 +0000

you are our elephant in the room

By: Steve Mannion

Steve Mannion — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:13:34 +0000

Pleased that a related article to ‘Pop’s Biggest BRAIN’ is ‘When ILX – or rather Steve M on ILX’.

By: a tanned rested and unlogged lørd sükråt wötsît

a tanned rested and unlogged lørd sükråt wötsît — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:09:36 +0000

to be fair, “s/he is intelligent” and “s/he is an idiot” are hardly mutually exclusive

By: TomLane

TomLane — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:48:16 +0000

If he was here, I’d vote for Paul Simon.

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:43:19 +0000

I guess this list should be taken with a grain of salt, coz I see the list and I can only see 3-4 that are actually brainy. OK, in the spirit of fun and nothing to do, I voted for Cocker (dude has Hon.d), West, Lil Wayne, Beyonce, Brian May (dude has PhD). No sarcasm, they are really intelligent.
@ #2 Lex, those are less than half of the list. Just because Jarvis is all over the tabloids and make a fool of himself, saying wanky things and sucked in QT doesn’t mean he’s an idiot. He’s annoying but let’s be real, he’s wittier than you think. Same goes for Kanye. His douchebagerry overshadows his genius just like Lily Allen. Alex James was like involve in a documentary about Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty’s favorite white stuff and is earning critical praise. I would love to be on your perennial idiot list, Lex.

By: a tanned rested and unlogged lørd sükråt wötsît

a tanned rested and unlogged lørd sükråt wötsît — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:16:26 +0000

“Tash! Tash! Inexorable Tash!”

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:04:49 +0000

#12 Now you’ve done it, Jobbo’ll be back round again shouting the odds in no time.

By: CarsmileSteve

CarsmileSteve — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:49:35 +0000

also, where is the “none of the above” option pls!

By: a tanned rested and unlogged lørd sükråt wötsît

a tanned rested and unlogged lørd sükråt wötsît — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:44:52 +0000

Richard Jobson once pointed out a quite large and full bookcase to an NME journalist, and proudly told him he had read the FIRST PAGE OF EVERY BOOK IN IT. You start laughing when you hear this story, except then you think, hang on! Who is the laugh actually on?

By: Steve Mannion

Steve Mannion — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:31:31 +0000

I think all the members of Blur are reasonably smart guys – I suppose this is based on the ‘evidence’ of the things they’ve done outside of the band e.g. Rowntree getting into politics, Albarn’s omnivorous arty projects, James…making cheese (ok but he’s always been eloquent) and I understand Coxon has read a lot of books.