What do you mean, who? The Reverend of Reverend and The Makers has only gone and announced that he is retiring from music after the release of his next album. Hotlines have been set up and the Army is poised to mobilise to break up any demonstrations which might turn ugly.
The reason the Reverend – or Jon McClure to his mum and dozens of fans – is that he is depressed by the lack of political interest in music at the moment. there’s no activism, see, no Red Wedge and this upsets Jon somewhat. Now, the cynical amongst us might say that McClure’s 15 minutes are about seven seconds away from ending and he’s just getting in there first before the record company drops him, but that would be unfair, if probably true.
McClure has done his bit; he’s organised several anti-BNP and anti-racism events, and fair play to him for that. Muscially, he’s about as politicised as Alphabeat, but in his extra-curricular attempts, he’s done a clumsy but decent job (and doesn’t deserve all the oppobrium heaped on him. Well, not all of it.) But it got me to thinking – who is out there writing the tunes that inspire political dissent?
The top bands in the firmament at the moment – Arctic Monkeys, Glasvegas, Bloc Party etc – write from an intensely personal point of view. There aren’t a glut of bands issuing calls-to-arms, which is odd when you consider the times we find ourselves in.
Why is this? Well, it’s a tough skill; for every Billy Bragg there’s a S#M#A#S#H making a howling arse of themselves. Secondly – and this is a major consideration – visas. If you write, say, an overtly anti-America song, it could well mess up royally your chances of getting permission to work there. Maybe bands feel it isn’t worth the risk.
And there’s the rub; at a time when we need them most, our pop masters are clamming up and singing about life in the abstract. It’s a shame, but it is understandable – we all have to eat.
Filed under: General Stuff | Tagged: Politics, Pop, reverend and the makers
