I may be biased on this subject and am pretty sure of at least one dissenter to this view. I have been thinking on what would be the music best suited to support a popular uprising against this current authoritarian government should it somehow manage to obtain power in the upcoming election. I shall list as many genres as I can think of an attempt to argue both sides for each genre.
House/Techno/Garage... the rave/club music.
Pro: When the rave scene first came about Thatcher made laws to stop it such was the fear the establishment felt of it. Connected with a disregard of authorities.
Cons: Disconnected from politics, its disregard of authority is through apathy and ignorance rather than deliberate.
Classical
Pro: Music that can inspire people to great deeds, from a time before current politics, disconnected from politics
Con: Seen as an elitist genre of music, can be too complex for many people, too long
Musicals
Pro: Written for groups songs, some very connected to the people's struggle against power 'Les Miserables', populist and catching
Con: Popular contemporary musicals are mechanically produced, contrived, escapist and fail to engage with any principles of a liberal revolutionary.
R n B (rhyme n beatz)
Pro: Large popularity base to access
Con: Complete absence of politics, escapist, contrived by suits
Hip Hop
Pro: Politically motivated music genre, real passion in music, about struggle against authoritarian power
Con: Modern version (krunk) is contrived and removed from politics, struggle was not just liberal but also racial
Pop
Pro: Popular
Con: Contived by men in suits, only apolitical if no threat to status quo that wasn't contrived by the suits
Jazz
Pro: Apolitical
Con: Elitist, lacking emotion necessary for revolution
Blues
Pro: Music of political struggle, extremely emotive, popular not populist
Con: Already music of a political struggle, struggle more racial than political
Punk:
Pro: Very political, extremely passionate
Con: Used in prior political struggle, declined since end of Thatcher
Metal
Pro: Sometimes political, extremely passionate, continuous hard-core large fan-base over all generations
Con: Lacks huge support, politics vary
The last three genres are listed in order from 3rd to 1st.
I believe that metal would be the correct candidate. Blues was for the black man against the white master. Punk was the middle finger at Tatcher. Metal has yet to really have its fight against the authority. The lyricists of metal bands may vary from left to right, but when you tell them what to do they will casually light up a fag, flip the fingers at you, blow smoke in your face and tell you in so many words to "go away and leave us alone or unpleasant things will happen to your body." Metal does have its softer side, its remorseful side, its melancholic side. The songs that are sung to remember the beloved deceased, but come battle what other genre is there to compare. There is no 'Battle Punk' or 'War Blues'. I doubt there are any other genres so popular that are so inclusive either. How many popluar/significant genres had their 'dress code' decided by a gay man. This is a genre that simply demands respect, give it and you shall be shown an equal measure, show intolerance and you shall be scorned.
Please do disagree, this has been written when tired and tipsy, and I know that I have forgotten rock, I shall do it as an editorial tomorrow or something. But in the war of the liberals against the authoritarians, I know which genre should own the anthem for the liberals.
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3 comments:
I think you're wrong on metal, mainly because it had it's turn at rebellion in the early 80's over in the states fighting against the corporate and TV culture. Then the bands became popular and hair metal took over.
It was also used in the early 90's as a rebellion against religion, particularly in Scandinavia with the black metal scene.
I believe that punk is on the comeback politically - look at things like the 'Rock Against Bush' albums and bands like The King Blues, Sonic Boom Six, Suicide Bid, Random Hand, The Skints, Frank Turner and many more who are all championing the 'liberal' political scene. Frank Turner is even trying to get audiences at shows on his current tour to join LPUK!
Looks like I stand corrected. It probably was just my personal preference of metal that leads me to name it top. I do believe however that Battery by Metallica was the favourite track being blared from tanks on the drive into Iraq in 2003. So, I think, I win on best fighting music at least.
Yup you win on fighting music.
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