I wouldn't say that the activism of the 80's fell flat. An event like Live Aid was unheard of at the time in terms of its scope and benefitted a lot more people than Woodstock ever did. Yes, they were very different things, but while the pop musicians of the 80's did not represent the counter-culture, they represented a segment of the "haves" that made sure to remind us of the "have-nots", which in the "me" decade, perhaps was a bit counter-culture.
Artists like U2 were certainly protesting. Springsteen was certainly protesting. (despite what Reagan might have thought) Just because they didn't represent a counter-culture didn't make their message less relevant. Personally, a lot of the people in that overly-romanticised counter-culture of the 60's weren't doing much more than being self-indulgent - especially in rock. Folk was the more socially-minded music of the time anyway.
I agree with you, up to a point. There is romanticizing of the Sixties, but it comes from both sides: the worshipers and the detractors.
Over the last year, I've done some reading on the history of People's Park, for instance. It's not something that was ever mentioned in the mass media nostalgia trips that took place in the Eighties when the Sixties were being discussed. I think one reason it wasn't mentioned is because it flew in the face of many myths about the era: both pro and con.
I have mixed feelings about events like Live Aid. Yes, they pointed towards the generosity of some very wealthy, influential people. But they also pushed a notion that it was no longer realistic for we, the "commoners" to expect economic and social justice from our own elected leaders. Our main hope was random largesse from celebrities. (I feel the same way about events like Comic Relief, which grew against a backdrop of social programs being slashed all over the place during the Reagan Era.)
Hey, Kids! My "Cranky and Kitschy" collage art is now viewable on DeviantArt! Drop by and tell me that I sent you. *updated often!*
Trying desperately to jump-start my day here. I started with the Traditional Jazz show on KMHD. Now I've moved on to a mix of Black Watch songs. (The California pop band I've plugged here before, not the Scots with bagpipes.)
Though if I can't pull myself together soon, I might need some bagpipes. Or else a collection of Viridis Lament's Greatest Hits.
"Maybe maybe maybe you just haven't met The Wrong People yet..."
Hey, Kids! My "Cranky and Kitschy" collage art is now viewable on DeviantArt! Drop by and tell me that I sent you. *updated often!*
Parliament - Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome Beastie Boys - Anthology Jack White - Blunderbuss Soundgarden - King Animal Tragically Hip - Now for Plan A Sheepdogs -Sheepdogs Black Keys - El Camino
After coming across an article talking about a recent reissue, I decided to listen to an album I'd heard referenced a lot over the years, but never got around to checking out, the prototypical shoegaze album, My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless":
In the half-year or so since I made the above discovery, I did listen to "Loveless" again... and again... and again.
I was basically kicking myself for letting what was the perfect capstone to the music of my youth fly under my radar for so long (21 years!). After listening this thing to death, I can say that "Loveless" feels like the definitive statement on the mid to late '80s wave of post-punk, goth, and shoegaze music that defined my teens.
On the other hand... if I had discovered it any earlier, I would have had to wait the over 2 decades that everyone else did for My Bloody Valentine to issue their follow-up album.
As it stands, I only had a six month wait as - this past weekend - the new My Bloody Valentine album, simply called "m b v", was released... and it's freaking amazing.
Apparently, "m b v" was started just after "Loveless" but wound up getting shelved for the next two decades. The first few songs definitely feel that way, almost as though they could have been "Loveless" outtakes that have been polished up for reissue. Somewhere around track four, though, the entire thing takes a sharp turn into the unknown... and blows my mind.
I don't know if there are any other My Bloody Valentine fans on LW, but - if so:
Am going through a classical phase - Brandenburg Concerto by JS Bach (especially part 3 in G major). Ol has Muse Black Holes and Revelations playing almost constantly from his room these days and Bach makes a nice counterpoint to that racket.
I dug out some Belle and Sebastian last weekend! I'd almost forgotten how much they channeled Roxy Music at time in particular the Blues are still Blue.
Legion Worlds NINE - wait, there's even more ongoing amazing adventures? Yup, and you'll only find them in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
The "Rock/Pop" setting on iTunes. Does that now officially count as either a quaint or passe' way to listen to music?
"Meet Za Monsta" by PJ Harvey (from To Bring You My Love) is playing. If that doesn't wake me up in the next minute, I probably died in my sleep and just haven't admitted it to myself yet.
Last edited by cleome46; 02/24/1302:34 PM.
Hey, Kids! My "Cranky and Kitschy" collage art is now viewable on DeviantArt! Drop by and tell me that I sent you. *updated often!*
Ol's addiction to Muse has reminded me that I used to quite like Queen so I've dug up my copy of Innuendo. A good friend passed away two years ago and had These Are The Days of Our Lives played at his funeral. It makes me sad, but in a strangely good way.
Legion Worlds NINE - wait, there's even more ongoing amazing adventures? Yup, and you'll only find them in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
Lately... mostly country music and sports news. I'm very out of touch with anything new in rock. Not to much real rock out there for me (and by real rock, I mean rock as I know it. Other's mileage may vary.)
Damn you, you kids! Get off my lawn or I'm callin' tha cops!
If you go to the full reply screen, one of the buttons at the top is "Enter a media tag" (It's the fourth one over from the smiley face). Click that, then select "Youtube Video", and copy/paste the link to that.
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