“There is a rooted assumption that popular culture is easy, especially popular music. But millions who try and fail to create it find out the hard way that it is just that – hard. And that’s why the Spice Girls – so denigrated by the toffee-nosed culture snobs – have managed to notch up a remarkable 500 million sales worldwide, whereas a posh, pampered ‘hard-to-work-out-what-they’re-saying’ writer like Henry James has yet to make any mark on the pop charts.” – The Guardian 09/15/00