| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| GypsyDeath |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 03:47:52
Article in the guardian:
Working 9 to 5
David Stubbs wants more musicians to get a proper job
Saturday November 27, 2004
The Guardian
Learning that David Lee Roth, formerly of Van Halen, is now training as a paramedic, you wonder how other rock stars could and would cope in the civilian after-life. Then you realise to your alarm that they simply don't have to. Sometime, somewhere, somehow, there's somebody willing to pay you to ply your ancient musical wares. Even groups like Styx never die. They ply a living, I kid you not, on cruise ships, entertaining middle-aged poodle-haired passengers who don't quite feel ready for quoits.
There have been some high-profile switches. Kim Wilde, her pop career at last spent like a paper plate put in the dishwasher once too often, took up gardening. However, that was on the understanding that gardening was about to become the new rock'n'roll (it hasn't - gardening remains the old gardening). Jah Wobble, former bassist with PiL, joined London Underground in the 1980s. Legendarily, he one day hijacked the tannoy system and commenced ranting to bewildered passengers on the Piccadilly line about how he "used to be somebody". Yet even he was gathered in by the benevolent music industry once more - he remains a working musician today.
Granted, time was that you'd look into the vacant eyes of some slightly out-of-focus drummer for some gone-tomorrow indie band on the cover of Melody Maker or NME and realise that you were witnessing the future of mini-cab driving. Conversely, Spandau Ballet's Kemp brothers went into acting but that doesn't count. (In any case, the role of the Krays should have gone to Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks.)
Generally, however, the situation is exasperating. Music should be more like football was in the 1960s and 1970s - glamorous, high-profile career one year, plumber, publican or insurance salesman the next. Money's the problem. Sting, for instance, would make an excellent greengrocer, I'm sure of it. But with his millions, could we rely on his whim to become one? The answer is for Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell to step in and declare that the past, present and future earnings/royalties of UK pop stars be confiscated, forcing them to do a Roth and eke out interesting livings in Civvy Street. You may say I'm a dreamer - but you reckon without the sincerity and altruism of our popsters. Once it was put to them that the monies they forfeited would be used to provide vital infrastructure for deprived third world citizens, that they could raise far more this way than by piddling singalongs like Band Aid, they'd be cheering deliriously as they emptied their bank accounts. Then, they could take up proper jobs. Robbie Williams as a pestering charity mugger. Paul Weller as a milkman. The members of Busted and McFly on work experience stints given pointless photocopying tasks to keep them occupied. Geri Halliwell as despised call centre manager. Van Morrison as a department store Santa. Thom Yorke as children's entertainer, twisting balloons into giraffe shapes. Come on, Tessa - for the children of Africa's sake, act now.
Now I do as I please and lie through my teeth. Someone might get hurt but it won't be me. I should probably feel cheap but I just feel free and a little bit empty. No it isn't so hard to get close to me. There will be no arguments. We will always agree. And I will try and be kind when I ask you to leave. We will both take it easy. But if you stay too long inside my memory, I will trap you in a song tied to a melody and I will keep you there so you can't bother me. |
| 2 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| GypsyDeath |
Posted - 12/07/2004 : 14:34:33
hah, my sentiments entirely, out of interst are you fro the UK? Just you mentioned brit pop which...for obvious reasons didnt really make it else where..
Now I do as I please and lie through my teeth. Someone might get hurt but it won't be me. I should probably feel cheap but I just feel free and a little bit empty. No it isn't so hard to get close to me. There will be no arguments. We will always agree. And I will try and be kind when I ask you to leave. We will both take it easy. But if you stay too long inside my memory, I will trap you in a song tied to a melody and I will keep you there so you can't bother me. |
| frank black conspiracy |
Posted - 12/07/2004 : 06:01:41
I try and keep away from shit pop (MTV, charts etc), much later confused with brit pop, but this would do it a world of good. Pay them less, half of them don't write what they sing, some of them don't even sing. Sack off the fame game, for that is what popular music is now, you thinks? I blame the big corporate machine that is the Record Companies, but sometimes they get it right. I love it when they exploit pop wannabes, chew em up, play them like puppets, then spit them out like they mean nothing. Because they don't. Too many of these 'artists' take themselves way too seriously and society and glossy mags fuels their hype. Thank fuck I listen to decent music.
This could have so turned into a rant about 'slop' music but I save you from that Gypsy.
Loved the article. |
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