Clash of Values

Joe Strummer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Driving round today, I saw a white van covered in a logo and advert that made me laugh:

The Rock Project:
School of Rock and Pop
(Franchises Available Nationwide)

It reminded me of some lyrics by Joe Strummer from back in the day:

The new groups are not concerned

With what there is to be learned.

They've got Burton suits,

They think it's funny,

Turning rebellion into money.

(From White Man in Hammersmith Palais by the Clash. Go on, have a listen. You know you want to.)  





If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

Persecution

From Pakistan to Iraq, Vietnam to Cuba, the persecution of Christians is on the rise as 2010 draws to a close.

I hope to write a fuller article on the subject in due course. For now, here's a musical meditation on the issue by The Frontline, a Preacher Boy Music/Open Doors Youth production.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

Hugh Masekela BBC4

Image by H.L.I.T. via Flickr

Enjoyed last night's Welcome to South Africa, profiling Jazz trumpeter and singer Hugh Masekela.

Having seen the silver-trumpeted one live a couple of times, I was both mesmerized by some of the songs featured, and a little unsure about the choice of the predominately white British choir accompanying him at the Barbican, where he played his 70th Birthday concert last December.

Only when I spotted choir-master Gareth Malone on stage for the final song did I put the pieces together and, with a bit of help from google, figure out that the choir was the London Symphony Orchestra's St Luke's Community Choir and that the concert featured on the programme was probably the last performance of the choir with Malone as musical director.

To me, the performances lacked something of the rawness and energy of Masekela's younger days, but the fusion of the orchestra, choir, jazz, mbaqanga, Hugh's gravelly voice and his silky smooth trumpet playing did, without a doubt, create a beautiful sound.

If you missed the programme, it's on iPlayer right here (but only for seven days, you know how it goes).

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Gareth Malone's challenge for boys (bbc.co.uk)
• BBC4 'Wonderful Africa Season' (audleyblog.com)
• Gareth Malone on how to sing (telegraph.co.uk)
• My Life In Travel: Hugh Masekela, jazz musician (independent.co.uk)

Martin Luther Rap

In the week that the Pope visits the UK, a new take on an old dispute.

Any artist who can incorporate the phrase "hypostatic union" into a rap song is worth a listen, in my opinion.

95 Theses Rap from 8BIT Network on Vimeo.

Broke: A Film About Music

As one interested in small businesses, self-employment and finding new ways of working in the post-recession age, I was interested in this short video about making it independently in the music business.

Broke* Trailer (in production) - http://www.brokedoc.com from Mindfree Entertainment on Vimeo.

For those not looking for fame and fortune, it appears that a solid fan base of 1,000, coupled with producing and selling their own CDs can enable an independent artist to make a full-time living.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

Fellow Stranger at Glastonbury

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

OK Go

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

The Low Anthem

Was interested to read Wikipedia's extensive article on electronic music recently, especially its links to articles on the Theremin, computer music and circuit bending.

An interesting development of the form in a folk context follows. Stay watching to the end.

The Low Anthem - "This God Damn House" - HearYa Live Session 8/9/09 from HearYa.com on Vimeo.

I knew you'ld love it.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

So That's How it Works

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

Shape Note Singing

Just picked up the video from a friend on Facebook.

I thought I had a reasonable (though fairly general) grasp of traditional American musical styles. I had obviously missed this one!

There's a good article on shape note singing on Wikipedia here and on the Sacred Harp variety, which is a traditional Protestant version of the choral form.

If you don't want to click on the links, here is Shape Note Singing in a nutshell:

• the music is written with shaped notes corresponding to the notes in the musical scale, enabling easier reading of the melody for those not trained in formal notation
  
• there are four-note and seven-note systems of notation
• it's been around in written form since the C18 but has its roots a century earlier in rural England
• it's typically sung a-capella and is not written with a key signature. Song leaders select an appropriate pitch at the start of the song
  
• songs are polyphonic in nature (with typically four melodic voices of equal importance)
• Sacred Harp songs use a lot of pentatonic scales (octaves based on a five note progression rather than the traditional seven). Have a listen. These scales feature in a lot of traditional folk music across Europe and Asia.
  

There's a bunch of similar material on YouTube.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

My Favourite Eurovision Quote

You know a music programme has run its course when the background commentary is more memorable than than the main performances.

My favourite quote from Terry Wogan's musings at tonight's Eurovision Song Contest from Belgrade was when he was describing the Polish entry. His words were:

"She's an attractive looking woman. Though after a few minutes one's gaze is drawn to her teeth. The quantity of them, I mean. One almost feels tempted to offer her a sugar lump."

For the background to tonight's show, please click here.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

Chris de Burgh to Play in Tehran?

Irish singer Chris de Burgh will visit Iran in May before making a final decision on whether to perform there later in the year with local group Arian.

His Persian partners, with whom he was recored previously, are featured below.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

Eurovision Buries its Head in the Balkan Sand

I was worried sick.

What with all the burning of EU flags and rioting in the streets of Belgrade, I feared the worst.

With the Eurovision Song Contest only three months away, there seemed every prospect that recent political upheavals in Kosovo might jeopardize the contest, to be held in the Serbian capital on May 24th.

Thankfully, the organisers have reassured Europe's music-loving masses that, independence or not, the show must go on - in Belgrade.

The official statement from the European Broadcasting Union acknowledges that it has of course been following the recent development [sic] in Serbia but has concluded that the recent irregularities in Belgrade will not cause any delays in the event in May." Hurray!! I'd hate any irregularities - the formation of a new state or the subsequent rioting of its disaffected ethnic minority - to delay the fun.

Furthermore, we are assured, the EBU has no plans to move the 53rd contest from Belgrade and will, furthermore, obtain a security guarantee from the government of Serbia regarding a complete and absolute safety [sic] of all participants and visitors.

Phew! So no duffing up the Albanian entrant, then?

Certainly not, continues the EBU, who are giving its full support to the [host broadcaster] RTS in producing a successful Eurovision Song Contest in May.

Well, at least that's clear. I can book my flights and accommodation with a clear mind now. And I suppose that if the Serbian government can't provide "a security guarantee" for their own citizens in Kosovo, the next best thing is to provide one for the visiting musicians, singers and media types from Belgium, Latvia and Portugal.

I do wonder, however, how the Former Republic of Yugoslavia's well-rehearsed block voting will work this time and what new artistic alliances will be formed under the spotlights of the vast Belgrade Arena? Stronger-than-average antagonism towards Britain's entry on the part of Bulgaria, Serbia and Russia, methinks.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.

Serj Tankian, Sparks and Al Yankovic

Right. You need to listen to your old man more. If you don't, you will miss brilliant and impressive insights such as this one.......

As you know, System of a Down's front man Serj Tankian (as Armenian a name as you're likely to hear this side of the Black Sea) has recently released a solo track, Empty Walls. The question is, on whom is his bearded persona in the video based? To refresh your memory, here is the said video.





The character in the video is, I'm sure you will agree, based on the enigmatic keyboard player Ron Mael, founder member of 70s electro pop group Sparks. Don't believe me? Watch and learn....




Interestingly, Ron Mael has also been copied in a recent video by the father of humor-rock, Al Yankovic. How else can you explain the appearance of the mustached keyboard player in the video of Al's marvelous Virus Alert?






Clearly, Serj Tankian (not to mention Al Yankovic) is one of the many serious musicians to owe an artistic debt to Sparks, who are also cited by Depeche Mode, New Order and, obviously, the Pet Shop Boys as having had a major influence on their own musical development. With Tankian and Yankovic, the influence appears to have extended beyond the music to the facial hair.

What do you think? Your thoughts welcome on the comments tab below.

The WOMBATS - Let's Dance to Joy Division

While listening to Mark Kermode's review of the new film Control (see a clip here) I realised that I must have seen Joy Division in 1979 when they played support to the Buzzcocks on their UK tour of that year. I must confess I don't remember the support act, being more interested in the antics of Pete Shelley and Howard Deveto at the time.

Interestingly, the venue was right opposite the Baptist Church - Upton Vale - where I first heard the Christian message clearly set out, as result of which I believed in Jesus and my life took a major change of direction. More on that here.

I think the Wombats have captured the spirit of what it means to celebrate Joy Division. Love the irony.

The Intolerance of Elton John

Here's a quote from Elton John that ought to be on the front page of every newspaper in the world. If anyone else in public life said it, they would face consequences for their intolerance. The statement appears in the course of a wide-ranging discussion with Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears on the current state of the gay scene and is printed in the Observer newspaper.

The discussion turns to religion: "From my point of view I would ban religion completely, even though there are some wonderful things about it. I love the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beautiful stories about it .... but the reality is that organised religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate."

Here we have a prime example of the intolerance that is rife at the heart of the gay-so-called-rights movement. It's easy to see the steps that have lead to this arrogant opinion. First, Elton John assumes that gay sex is acceptable - an opinion held by many people; second, he identifies those who he sees as opposing this view (participants in "organised religion") ; third, he wants such people "banned" from holding those beliefs, if they are based in a religious world-view.

Admittedly, Elton John is not quite calling for a legal ban on organised religion (though one suspects that if one were put before Parliament, the logic of his view would be to support it.) He is expressing an opinion - that religion makes people hateful. That's his view and he's free to express it. The problem is what he wants to do in the light of his view on religion. If his only response to those who oppose homosexual acts on moral or religious grounds is to wish such people could be "banned", Elton John has become as intolerant as those he opposes.

Elton John apparently finds it difficult to conceive of living in a society where different people can co-exist while holding a variety of beliefs and opinions - some of which are strongly at odds with the beliefs of others. This, it seems to me, is at the heart of a free society. Banning opposing views is what fascists do. It's unworthy of a free and civilized society.

I'm reminded of a piece of graffiti I saw which read: "Oppress all oppressors and then hang yourself."

People who love freedom should be very concerned about Elton John's intolerance.