Fevered Distraction.....The Eighties Were NOT a Real Time of Greatness....

"Push, push.......STRUGGLE" Video: "Eighties" by the great Killing Joke



Of course the only sources I find to question the current fascination with the 1980s are usually in Australia, European and UK papers. This is a particularly biting article about that strange nostalgia. What, joblessness, "greed is good", emotional and physical exploitation of the poor is just so groovy! As the great Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke screams "feather the nest and fuck the rest".....this is not an era I value. I value honesty, not someone trying to sell me soured milk as fresh. I can hardly wait for the 1929 Stock Market Crash craze! I would like to send everyone back to the 1980s that has made a career out of extolling the uber mediocrity, Voodoo trickle down economics and cruel policies which took jobs from hard working people and cut the social safety net. I look to the future while glancing with malice at this oh too recent past, and those who selectively agrandize it. Squeegee the Third Eye!!!!!!!!!


From "The Age" (Australia):
"But that's the thing about nostalgia - it cares little for facts. It filters, sanitises and simplifies history. Nostalgia is as much a forgetting as a remembrance of things past. That's why America is able to have its own '80s nostalgia for Ronald Reagan, even as the evidence mounts that the Gipper's great legacy is to have put his country in a great economic shithole. (The push for Reagan to be the face of the $50 bill is ironic, given millions of Americans would be unlikely to see such a large denomination anyway.)

But the pull of nostalgia will always be strong when people feel insecure about the present and worried about the future. We head towards an election with both parties shamelessly seeking to exploit fear, and with Labor campaigning under the vapid slogan ''moving forward''. With word and action so emptied of meaning, it's hardly surprising many of us want to look back."
http://www.theage.com.au/national/melbourne-life/going-gaga-for-the-80s-20100727-10ud7.html

Fevered Distraction: Hair of The Dog

Yeah, I know what you might be thinking.....how is this not narcissistic? Really, according to Christopher Lasch criteria, this rockin' tune is not, since it IS a rockin' tune. Narcissism in music today is image before the music. The cart before the horse, as it were. It is a psychotic abuse of the concept of music. Also, involving hypersexualized children in "pop music" is exploitational with a capital "E" (and no, this isn't a "think about the children" rant). But this doesn't signify the deterioration of anything, huh?
Anyway, I dare you to listen to this without wanting to sing along with the chorus. Dare you. Triple dare you.

All this time I thought this band was from the American South....but they are actually Scottish, and got their name from the song "The Weight" by The Band. You know, I wondered for awhile if it wasn't a reference to Jesus. As an aside, I want a movie where Jesus starts out turning over the table of the money changers in fury. This riff is playing (the lyrics just wouldn't fit, unfortunately).....I want my kick ass Jesus back. Why does society always neuter its prophets after killing them? Rant over.

Fevered Distraction: Black Sabbath "Black Sabbath"

Damn, I love this album and this band. I adore this video because it highlights the brillance of the guitarist, Mr Iomma, who despite losing the fingertips of two fingers, really is one of the greatest rock guitarists ever. No violin bows or dry ice needed, a la Jimmy Page. And, Ozzy.....man what happened to him? This is how I want to see Ozzy. I feel if he retired after a short solo career he would still be viewed as "The Prince of Darkness". He ironically to my mind would have made far more money as the dark, gothic and scarce enigma who fronted this very influential band. Now people just scream "Sharon" at him. It seems that so many people can only look at things in the very short term, and the Oz man is one of them. Rock is supposed to be about mystery and voodoo chile, honey.....not reality television money.

Is It My Body?

I know I mentioned this song before, but the Alice Cooper (well, just Vince) interview made me think of it. This is to me what Glam Rock was about. There was an improvisational quality to it, and a distinct humour. The actual band also is incredible in their prowess. But when Alice/Vince takes off his spacey jumpsuit it is very amusing. However, it is not all about image. Back in 1973 they rocked when even though they were in goofy costumes. And, of course I had to post this because this was done in the Motor City. I am trying to remember that the city had a rocking past.

Fevered Distraction of the Day (FDD): When Alice was Alice: "I Want the Audience To Be Tribal"

You know, this interview reminds me of the time a friend showed me a picture of her father from the 70s. He was in the height of cool fashion, and had a surly, funny see-saw grin on his face. Much different than the "Get off my lawn, ya whippersnappers!" attitude he affected now.

Of course, Alice Cooper has changed also, like we all do....but he has become very safe, like the father of my close friend. "Poison" compared to "Is It My Body"? You make the call. He was so incredible with the actual band "Alice Cooper".

But this interview shows the "cool dad", or the Alice I discovered, and was so sad that I never got to see, the one from 1973. Scruffy 5 O'Clock Shadow, beer in hand and eccentric teeth (sounds like a song title for Devo). He was true and poignantly vulnerable then, and that is what it is all about. A real man showing you glimpses of his observations instead of hoping his video is in heavy rotation.

First Fevered Distraction of the Day: Obama and Bowie

This is in my "Favorites" because it is just so silly. I also have to commend the editor on this, it is really great how in sync the song is with Obama's "version" of the Bowie song "Heroes". This must have taken a shitload of time. That would be the song I would play for Obama now, "Time" off of "Alladin Sane"........his trick is you and me. Anyway, I can remember (I remember), no not standing by the wall with the guards, but watching Obama make this speech. So much hope in the eyes of the people.

Hey Everyone: Transmission and Transition

Whoa, had to read the copious amount of emails I received about my absence (yeah, those three were really taking up my day).  Honestly, I like to be on the Web, but I detest talking about myself, my immediate environment or any other things of that nature.  I am an old school woman and I think that people sometimes just put out too much shit about themselves.  Often I have read blog posts from both genders chronicling the person's day.......it is like something else I hate:  "Reality" television.  Fuck that.  However, since I am going to be putting out some grooves soon, and showing you what I have been creating in addition to that, I thought this would be a good time to start blogging more regularly.  My topic will be my next post.  By the way, the above image is not made by me, but it is some stunning Dia De Los Muertos work and I couldn't resist.