Private Eye used to do an occasional "9/11 watch" column, noting when journos would make spurious links with the Twin Towers disaster = eg "the pyramid jewellery-selling business has never been the same since 9/11" "people are wary of buying holiday homes on the Costa del Sol ever since 9/11".
Well, you know I never do politics (frankly, because I find it hard to care) but I think you could do a similar thing with just how much is ALL THE GOVERNMENT'S FAULT.
A prime example of what I mean is Alexis Petridis' Observer article on What Happened To Rock Under Blair? I didn't even read it, to be honest. I know Blair made a lot of mistakes, and you can blame him for a lot of things - the whole mess of Iraq, the continuing dismantlement of the NHS - but can we really blame him for Coldplay and Snow Patrol?
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I don't think the government have much to do with music especially mainstream music which is generally much of a muchness with occasional moments of lunacy/genius.
In fact in all of popular music the only directly government-influenced music I can think of is Maggie's Farm by the Specials, and that was a Dylan cover!
Anyone who chooses a song by D:Ream as their signature anthem is bound to come a cropper and is certainly not cool!
I don't see why not.
Billy - 'government influenced music' is a phrase to give you chills.
RoMo - right, but would we really want a cool PM who tries too hard to keep up with the kids?
Timbo - in my job we love a good moan about the government as much as anybody, but sometimes I'm aware that we must sound like Kevin the Teenager - 'It's just so unfair - you don't understand...' They already act towards the public like we are recalcitrant teenagers, and this probably encourages it...
I love Coldplay!
Murph, IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT.
I would defend to the death your right to love Coldplay - Alexis Petridis doesn't like 'em much, because they are not political like what punk bands used to be. But that's like blaming Abba for lacking a hiphop element in their music...
The election of Blair signalled the end of the confrontational politics that Thatcher had kicked off, as both main parties moved towards the centre ground. Politics became less tribalised, less about dogma and issues, more about nuances. Content-free, in other words. Coldplay in other words. Petridis is right. Probably. I haven't read it either.
Okay,now I've read it. 'it's rock music as light entertainment... It's the sound of economic prosperity...'
Yeah, selfish baaastards, making us all wealthy and employed and contented. He seems to argue that there are less 'issues' for bands to make songs about these days. (Right, there can be no song writing inspiration in the rise of fundamentalism and homegrown terrorism, or the rows over immigration, or our continuing involvement in Iraq...)
I guess because I have friends who work in politics and I come to see things through their eyes - it just seems naive to blame everything in the world on politicians, (as well as making people seem like passive spoon-fed morons with zero autonomy) including the state of music - what exactly is the government meant to do? Offer an Arts Council grant to the angriest young band to make some protest songs?
And like Billy said, mainstream music is generally bland,this is why it appeals to the widest audience.
>>>can we really blame him for Coldplay and Snow Patrol?
Tough on whine, tough on the causes of whine.
LC - *claps*
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