This is more relevant now than it ever has been. We are living in a lifeless future, the vision of which pushed thousands of young people in the mid-70s towards a cultural revolt. In this future, the scene is dead. As children we move through an education system where the strongest, prettiest and most popular reign supreme. Now, as we graduate to a creative sphere – art/music/bright lights, there’s a glimmer of hope that this time, it might be different. But it’s not. “Another cheap product for the consumers head/ Bubblegum rock on plastic transistors/ Schoolboy sedition backed by big time promoters” – has never been so relevant. In this shallow world 3 chords and an ironic haircut does the job. YOU ARE BORING / YOU ARE BORED. I mean no personal attack on the individual, but I can no longer watch this all unravel without saying what I see. This is no alternative. This is another perpetuated popularity contest, with creative action the tool of choice. MONO DOESN’T CARE ABOUT YOU. It’s a manufactured music factory where we mean nothing - this is not a scene for us. Every major cultural shift that lies in the melting pot of our influence – 1960s psychedelics, 1970s punks, 90s indie heroes etc. etc. – has happened because the unheard, the downtrodden, the truly weird ones finally had their say. They happened because someone got sick of being un-cool. The C-WORD, still rules our thoughts all these years on. This is what we must do. Gather around the weirdest ones, let them be the influence for a new scene, a real scene. Let a voice be heard that is not interested in popularity. This is where the gold is – do you think if Daniel Johnston were starting his (now seen as genius) musical career here and now that he’d get a gig at MONO? THEY DON’T CARE THEY DON’T CARE. I am not bitter, I am not jealous, and i am not saying i could do any better. But i want to try. I think if I had to pinpoint the feeling it would be disappointment. I am disappointed that the promise of a scene has not delivered. I am disappointed at how close it is to the classic school time scenario, with guitars replacing footballs for the in-crowd and the weird kids on the peripheral once again. WAKE UP. Make-a-scene. Be angry at what you see. Be angry at the pomp and circumstance. Be angry that they don’t care. And make something new, have a voice and give a voice to others. We finally have a chance to be inclusive, to be diverse, to be different. Don’t waste your time on those that aren’t. This scene will eat itself but we will be remarkable.
2 Comments
Max the Hat
12/8/2015 04:37:30 am
Fucking right on !
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The wet fart you had on tuesday
12/8/2015 05:21:00 am
Do agree that subcultures have an important part to play in the development of cultural phenomena especially in the arts and with young people in general. We are the music makers etc. but doesn't this need for individual identity always rear its ugly head between 14-24? Being a teenager (an important idea to this whole debate) comes with the territory of finding yourself as an individual, growing up and discovering who you are; meeting boys/girls, going to parties (social growth of independence) and changing image. Punk culture in the 70's emerged from the idea of anarchism (let's thank situationists) which emerged from 2 bloody world wars. People lived in fear and it was a 2 fingers up to that fear which gave rise to the first hippies and beatknicks. Alt culture. Hey it wasn't until the 1920's that the concept of teenager even existed as a concept. So don't be disappointed at your perceived lack of expression of the weirdos, now is the time of globalization where we live influenced by SO many more ideas. Our future is not lifeless we've [human beings] never had it so good!
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