Style and Songwriting
Influences
Due to their penchant for androgynous attire/makeup and raw guitar riffs, Placebo have been described by some as a glam version of Nirvana.[19] The multi-national band were influenced by the likes of Sonic Youth, the Pixies, the Smashing Pumpkins, and the aforementioned Nirvana.
Humanity and emotions
Placebo are known for addressing various emotional issues, primarily regarding failed romantic relationships. In general, their intent is to address "the human condition". Often the roles that Molko takes on in Placebo's songs are based on the experiences, and corresponding psychological sicknesses, of both himself and others whom he is acquainted with. When addressing Placebo's second album, Without You I'm Nothing, Molko said: "Most of these are love songs where I'm trying to come to grips with relationships. They're frequently told from the point of view of ex-lovers, so at first it may seem like I'm being arrogant, but actually I'm eating humble pie. I'm cutting open a vein and letting it bleed for you."
Each album is laced with songs about love, loss, and failure. Their first album set the precedent with songs such as: Come Home which is about the sadness of a break-up the the desire for the return of the protagonist's ex-partner; 36 Degrees which depicts a failed romantic relationship and references to the protagonist's humanity via his temperature; Teenage Angst which, as the title suggests, is about teenage angst; and Bionic, which is about one not meeting some standard set forth. The trend has continued through Meds. Molko has stated that the newest album Battle for the Sun will be more optimistic than its predecessors.
Their name draws attention to the psychology aspect of humanity, because it refers to a drug with no therapeutic effects, so any reaction at all is purely psychological (see placebo effect). In other words, there is a tacit reference to the fact that one's reaction to something can be completely determined by a psychological predisposition, which justifies Placebo's heavy emphasis on the topic.
Gender
Another objective of Placebo is to challenge gender norms. One of their most popular songs, "Nancy Boy" (a slang term for an effeminate male), is an example of this. The song displays Molko's "nancy boy" like tendencies, in an attempt to encourage listeners, with similar predispositions, to be more comfortable with themselves. Molko's androgyny is partially explained in this way. The song "Nancy Boy", however, is not the only example of the band's continuous promotion of alternative lifestyles. Molko, himself, is openly bisexual and guitarist/bassist Stefan Olsdal is gay. In addition, numerous other Placebo songs, besides "Nancy Boy", have addressed non-normative identities within their lyrics, including homosexuality.
Drugs
Molko has been open about his use of recreational drugs; in a 1997 interview with New York Doll, he admitted at one point that heroin was "probably the only drug on this planet I haven’t tried." However, he later admitted to experimenting with heroin as well. The band holds that the drug references within their music reflects the nature of current times and to reduce them would deteriorate the meaningfulness of their songs.
Source : Wikipedia
Influences
Due to their penchant for androgynous attire/makeup and raw guitar riffs, Placebo have been described by some as a glam version of Nirvana.[19] The multi-national band were influenced by the likes of Sonic Youth, the Pixies, the Smashing Pumpkins, and the aforementioned Nirvana.
Humanity and emotions
Placebo are known for addressing various emotional issues, primarily regarding failed romantic relationships. In general, their intent is to address "the human condition". Often the roles that Molko takes on in Placebo's songs are based on the experiences, and corresponding psychological sicknesses, of both himself and others whom he is acquainted with. When addressing Placebo's second album, Without You I'm Nothing, Molko said: "Most of these are love songs where I'm trying to come to grips with relationships. They're frequently told from the point of view of ex-lovers, so at first it may seem like I'm being arrogant, but actually I'm eating humble pie. I'm cutting open a vein and letting it bleed for you."
Each album is laced with songs about love, loss, and failure. Their first album set the precedent with songs such as: Come Home which is about the sadness of a break-up the the desire for the return of the protagonist's ex-partner; 36 Degrees which depicts a failed romantic relationship and references to the protagonist's humanity via his temperature; Teenage Angst which, as the title suggests, is about teenage angst; and Bionic, which is about one not meeting some standard set forth. The trend has continued through Meds. Molko has stated that the newest album Battle for the Sun will be more optimistic than its predecessors.
Their name draws attention to the psychology aspect of humanity, because it refers to a drug with no therapeutic effects, so any reaction at all is purely psychological (see placebo effect). In other words, there is a tacit reference to the fact that one's reaction to something can be completely determined by a psychological predisposition, which justifies Placebo's heavy emphasis on the topic.
Gender
Another objective of Placebo is to challenge gender norms. One of their most popular songs, "Nancy Boy" (a slang term for an effeminate male), is an example of this. The song displays Molko's "nancy boy" like tendencies, in an attempt to encourage listeners, with similar predispositions, to be more comfortable with themselves. Molko's androgyny is partially explained in this way. The song "Nancy Boy", however, is not the only example of the band's continuous promotion of alternative lifestyles. Molko, himself, is openly bisexual and guitarist/bassist Stefan Olsdal is gay. In addition, numerous other Placebo songs, besides "Nancy Boy", have addressed non-normative identities within their lyrics, including homosexuality.
Drugs
Molko has been open about his use of recreational drugs; in a 1997 interview with New York Doll, he admitted at one point that heroin was "probably the only drug on this planet I haven’t tried." However, he later admitted to experimenting with heroin as well. The band holds that the drug references within their music reflects the nature of current times and to reduce them would deteriorate the meaningfulness of their songs.
Source : Wikipedia
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