Sid's swastika t-shirt, Radio Birdman and their armbands, Keith Moon & Ron Asheton in full uniform, Joy Division/New Order's noms du guerre, Bowie's Thin White Duke, nice Jewish kids The Dictators and their "Master Race Rock" & the Ramones' comic book kraut jokes, Michael Jackson's Stalinesque statuary, etc.
Pop stars' flirtations with overt fascist imagery. Is it:
a) contemptible in all its guises?
b) in-jokes to shock the squares?
c) a clever satire of the facsistic under-pinnings of all youth culture/ pop idolatry?
d) evidence of megalomania?
― fritz, Friday, 19 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
I'll go with none of the above as well, but must add that the new
Dictators album is available now. It's probably the album of the year.
― Dan, Friday, 19 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
Sid: a bit of (b) plus a lot of deliberate self-identification with one of history's major losers.
Bowie: he was coked out of his head.
Michael Jackson: "Who's Hitler? Who's Stalin?"
― mark s, Friday, 19 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
You don't really believe the premise behind 'c', do you?
― dave q, Saturday, 20 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
*I* believe the premise behind 'c'. But then I would, wouldn't I?
― Robin Carmody, Saturday, 20 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
Leni Riefenstahl is alive and well and directed Hammer's '2 Legit 2
Quit' video. She was also a consultant on Janet Jackson's 'Rhythm
Nation'.
We survived 'The Wall' - though the image of Bob Geldof shaving his
eyebrows is a pain that lingers - We'll survive this, too.
The current fascist-proppop is counterbalanced nicely by the video
efforts of Jewel, REM, Destiny's Child, and company.
For every KISS, there's a Loggins AND a Messina
for every Thin White Duke, there's an A and a B and a B and an A
Foghat, Charlie Daniels, and Lynryd Skynryd formed a bulwark in the
70's against fascist prop: I should know, I'm the guy that
yelled 'Free Bird' on the live album.
For every MJ Stalin-esque video, there's Rock With You and the 'Do
You Remember the Time' video. So, he's self-neutralizing.
New Order has their nemeses Flock of Seagulls and Duran Duran. And I
happen to think their 'Slapping' video is one of the greatest
videos .... ever.
So, fear not- the kids are all right.
― chaki, Monday, 22 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)