February 4th – We've talked about this before, you and me,
but still it happens and it’s creeping, seeping unpleasantness is set to
continue draining the life-blood from music.
Great opening, huh? I’ll use that as the teaser for my next
novel... I refer to the use politicians make of seminal music tracks and
seemingly riske' social movements in order to claim some sort of camaraderie
with ‘the people’ (proles) in general, and with youth
(yoof) in particular; IMHO a cynical recognition by the status quo of how they
see the young’s place and fears in-and-of society as well as a deeply
suspicious political punt at forming a ‘hep-ness’ profile with the Facebook
generation. So…
It was on this day in 2008 that John
Cougar (that’s not his real name, surely) John Cougar Mellancamp got quite
cross with John MacCain (US
Bonaparte claimed Beethoven symphonies
as his clarion call (and Beethoven rescinded it; I'd like to have been in on
THAT conversation). The Nazis used symphonies (Wagner) and contemporary singers
to create a mythic oneness with the Allgemeinheit (who fucked them off out of
power but only after a war…and even then they still cling on in places). And in
this modern era and famously (infamously?) the use by that…thing, T.B. and his
gang of hoodwinkers (think that’s spelt right) of the pop tune ‘Things Will
Only Get Better’ by D-ream which seemed to pass muster with most of the voting
public ’cos we believed it, mugs that we were…you’d think, after learning the
truth that ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again?’ would be our considered reply, wouldn’t
you?
Seems the rich and famous pop
glitterati take umbrage when unsolicited, unwelcome (in the political sense)
and sometimes unpaid-for liberties are taken with their work. However, I’d like
to think that, if a party with the title, ‘Up Against the Wall Motherfuckers’
wanted to use a rock track of mine or anyone else’s there’d be a queue around
the block to give it away.
Now onto even more tragic things.
Karen Carpenter died on this day in
1983 after suffering from anorexia for years. She was 32. A subject I know a
little bit about, I still can’t work it out; that all the sufferer can see is
their ugliness and worthlessness, no matter how beautiful or talented they are;
and Karen Carpenter was both. With her brother, Richard, who had his own share
of sometime self-induced health problems, they toured, as ‘Carpenters’,
incessantly; six and seven days a week, week-on-week-on-week…management and
tour bookers, huh? I know, I
know, “You’re always coming down hard on management and tour bookers, Peter”.
Well, yes, I am. You see, they’re the people who’re supposed to be protecting
their investment, their property…the ones closest to the talent (the words they
use about what are, after all is said and done, human beings should give you a guide
as to how they view them; I do believe it wouldn’t be out of place to hear
management refer to the singers and songwriters they represent as cash-cows…bastards.
OK, OK, I have to admit it wasn't
just the fault of management and tour bookers; her brother also later regretted
the weight of the touring and performing schedule they’d accepted…notice it’s
always AFTER the money and fame have been made that the guilt kicks in…is that
unkind of me? Sorry. There’s none so blind as them that won’t see, is there, and
it’s just…well, you’d reckon, if you were partly responsible for constructing then
living in it, that you’d notice the building was insecure and about to collapse
and you’d close it down to repair it…wouldn't you?
Anyhow, purely on a performance base,
her rendition of ‘Goodbye to Love’ with that extra-special guitar break (who
played that…anyone know?) and ‘Rainy Days and Mondays’, make her a stand-out
singer for me…and, you know what, she was a drummer first and foremost… What is
it with drummers…? (See Jan 29th)
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