Fourth-and-ten macht frei!In an unrelated story, I found the most perfectly succinct encapsulation of indie culture's nostalgic self-cannibalization:
Damn it I miss the 90's. I need to move to portland.Commenting on this video, naturally. And evidently feeling no shame in re-viewing the most embarrassing & amateur music video by revered countercultural icons since "Dancing In the Street".
Oh, and why no long-form rants or raves recently? Honestly, the still-unfolding situation in Egypt is crushing my mind grapes, and there's already enough analysis - both good and batshit lunatic - to choke a pelican. Meditating upon (speaking of embarrassment) Jesus Jones' "Right Here, Right Now", Simon Reynolds addressed the awkwardness of watching the gears of history shift from a safe seat on the sofa:
he sings "right here right now, there is no other place I want to be"...which, of course, it bloody well isn't. I'm not dodging American-made tear gas canisters whilst dragging armed goons off their camels; I'm sitting in a heated apartment wondering which Nick Cave record I want to listen to next. I'm in greater danger of being hit by a North Korean nuke than of being trampled in an anti-government riot. I'm sitting pretty. The temptation to pontificate is only so seductive because it involves no actual risk on my part. So I'm keeping my mouth fucking shut.
but "right here" = sat on a sofa, in front of a screen
what's changed in the 20 years since that song is that the real-time mediation of politics has been amped up so drastically that there's an even more electrifying and involving illusion of witnessing History
which is where the temptation to pontificate comes in... because to analyse and "take a position" seems active, a contribution of some kind
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3 comments:
Have you ever read U.S. columnist Charles Pierce? I think he is one of the most gifted writers on both politics and sports. Sort of latter day Hunter S. Thompson, without the hand guns and drugs.
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/wolcott/2011/02/charles-p-pierce-has-a.html
Don't knock Goo, damn it,it's got some cracking tunes, especially that one.
Jeffrey - Y'know, I've heard Pierce's name batted around enough I really should pay more attention to his writing. Cheers for the link!
JM - Lord, I wasn't knocking Goo, I was knocking the video. Hell, I'm listening to Goo right now! (For real, I'm not making that up.) Seriously, though, the "Kool Thing" video is the only clip Tamra Davis has directed that wasn't mawkish & corny as hell.
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