The two recent ‘political’ songs about the coalition, Captain Ska’s Liar, Liar and the excellent Andrew Lansley Rap stand out from the dross in these days of bland Britain’s Got X-Factor drivel which seems to be what is left of what used to be called popular music.
Or perhaps it is fair to say that about the music that filters through the media, because I’m sure there must be some really excellent bands pumping out stuff that never gets an airing on radio or television. Bands that are playing real hard-edged music of the sort that used to be typified by the Clash or The Specials, and even the early UB40 stuff before they turned in to a classic reggae parody of themselves.
Anyway, I’m writing this because I’m quite taken by the latest album by The King Blues – Punk & Poetry. Their last album wasn’t half bad, but I liked the titles almost as much as the music. Let’s face it, songs entitled Let’s Hang the Landlord, The Streets Are Ours and What If Punk Never Happened must have something going for them.
They’ve still got good titles on the new one, Headbutt, We Are F***ing Angry and Shooting Fascists which contains the catchy chorus of “Remember, your grandad didn’t vote for fascists… he shot ‘em!”
Give them a listen, they’re good!
One of the few disappointing things about the album is that they omitted ‘Holiday’, which is a single they released last year. It’s excellent.
Nice to see you are keeping up with things outside of the mainstream, John. Actually, I loved “I got hate” off the same single… particularly the “I hate Jeremy Clarkson” bit at the end.
Bob,
I am the counterculture.
I’m sure I’ve heard you described as something like that.
Hi Bob; Just finished my reply to your “Zealots” post and just noticed this piece about punk; that losd of crap(with the exception of one or two groups and albums) shrieking, swearing and spitting that they tried to pass off as music.They could never have heard Chuck Berry, Ray Charles(even in his Country&Western phase)Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Ricky Nelson and many others;if they had they would know what real music sounded like. As a socialist Ialways thought that while they tried to pass it off as youthful rebellion, with ripped trousers,body piercing and hairstyles that belonged in a lunatic asylum, it was anarchy and drug binging, and that can never have any place in a socialist society. And lo and behold; the leading lights became millionaires and the footsoldiers all became conforming complacent adults, embarrassed by their youthful excesses, and who knows all joined New Labour.
“come mothers and fathers throughout the land, don’t criticise what you can’t understand, your sons and your daughters are beyond your command, your old road is rapidly aging”
The old fogies before you Gerald used to get equally hysterical about Chuck and Jerry Lee. Stuck in a time warp, I suppose, although I realise Elvis was a socialist revolutionary trapped in a fat cabaret body.
Hi Bob; It must be a generational thing, but regarding that Andrew Lansley u-tube clip(as a piece of campaigning propaganda I hope it gets 2-3000000 hits or more) I think the end of it was spoiled by that plate of crap the clip lingered on, surely we can put a message that hammers these B******s without being so crude. I’m presuming the words of the song you have quoted in your piece are from Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A’ Changing”( why Joan Baez chose him over me I’ll never know) I was a fan of his from the early 60s until he exposed himself for the charlatan he was, and went commercial, oh and btw he never could sing;but I always thought that he owed a lot to old fogies like Woodie Guthrie, Pete Seeger and the denizens of Greenwich Village. Oh how I pity the punk generations(and if Iknew what this present generation meant by House, Garage,Indie Uncle Tom Cobbly and all) and their so called music, they did’nt have to go back too many years to listen to the music of those Imentioned yesterday plus the likes of Freddy Cannon, Freddy Fender, Connie Francis, Andy Williams,Jim Reeves, Everley Bro’s, Patsy Cline, Minnie Ripperton and many others. More than likely, there was never any chance of Elvis being any sort of revolutionary, never mind a social one, and he could’nt have been very bright or he would have realised Good Ol’ Uncle “Col” Tom Parker was ripping him off right, left and centre, but thats show business.While we’re on the music scene, before it crops up I always preferred the Rolling Stones to the Beatles.
I suspect the size of his wallet, combined with a genius for words may have clinched it for Bobby over you when Joan was casting around for a new Beau, gerald.
Of course, “The Times…” was written in his early 60′s period, but the point is simply that many older folk glory in their own generation’s rebellious mood whilst being totally unable to comprehend that of later generations. My reference to Elvis was of course to the fact that you dissed the punks for making a few shillings before becoming swallowed by the establishment, but were drooling over Col. Tom’s boy who joined the army and became an establishment icon.