"Really awful is more interesting to listen to than pretty good" - Eno ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. welcome to the drivel blog of "music detractor, Simon Reynolds"
There was an interesting debate on Twitter the other day about John Lydon, inspired by his coming out as a Brexiteer. Someone was saying that, while depressing, it should not be at all surprising: Lydon and his sad stupid friend Sid were the worst type of weak, selfish, small-minded rock stars, always unable to see beyond their own narrow self-interest. Fates as drug casualties or butter-advertising right-wing expats were all you could have expected of them, the argument went. They were too limited to realise that the Britain of the 1970s, which they claimed to want to destroy, was much more supportive of working-class kids like them than anything that came after it.
Someone drew a contrast with The Clash, pointing out that privately-educated Strummer and art-school Jones at least had some awareness of their privilege, and attempted to show solidarity with people who faced greater challenges.
All of which is true, I think. And yet... The Clash made a couple of great rock records. Lydon created some of the most important art of the 20th century.
i don't think Lydon was weak - it took tremendous guts to stand up and make the statements he did, especially as he's a thinker not a fighter, he's not a physical person in that way. but he was always limited in his politics - basically an individualist. so his "evolution" has a logic to it.
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There was an interesting debate on Twitter the other day about John Lydon, inspired by his coming out as a Brexiteer. Someone was saying that, while depressing, it should not be at all surprising: Lydon and his sad stupid friend Sid were the worst type of weak, selfish, small-minded rock stars, always unable to see beyond their own narrow self-interest. Fates as drug casualties or butter-advertising right-wing expats were all you could have expected of them, the argument went. They were too limited to realise that the Britain of the 1970s, which they claimed to want to destroy, was much more supportive of working-class kids like them than anything that came after it.
Someone drew a contrast with The Clash, pointing out that privately-educated Strummer and art-school Jones at least had some awareness of their privilege, and attempted to show solidarity with people who faced greater challenges.
All of which is true, I think. And yet... The Clash made a couple of great rock records. Lydon created some of the most important art of the 20th century.
i don't think Lydon was weak - it took tremendous guts to stand up and make the statements he did, especially as he's a thinker not a fighter, he's not a physical person in that way. but he was always limited in his politics - basically an individualist. so his "evolution" has a logic to it.
Note how this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIAZ8unRm2c
Plainly begat this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrh5kaWfyMQ
Which obviously begat this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scif2vfg1ug
and there's a U2 song that sounds very "Public Image" - "I Will Follow" i think it is.
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