I am currently back in South East Asia. A place I have spent a bit of my life in. I lived in Singapore for 15 months or so, many years ag now About 11 to be exact. Shows you how old I am really doesn't it. It is a part of the world that I really like in many ways, and what is not to like? Weather is always nice and warm to hot, people are friendly, food is good. Food is very good.
However, and there is a very big however on this one. There is a pretty high level of censorship when it comes to the arts in this and other regions. Some of this is because of the Muslim nature of the people and the culture reflects that. Another reason is that the governement is trying to control the information. There has long been a sense that popular music and youth culture can be combined in order to start revolution. I feel passionately about music, but I am not sure it would incite me to take a bullet for the ideals of the song. Sure if my ideals were already in place and then there was a song that could be used as a ralling point, then I get how this could happen. After all the people of the uk united against the record industry a little bit to make this the christmas number 1
Whilst this is a very angry song about a very worthwhile sentiment, the statement of making it a christmas number 1 is a small one in comparison to the events unfolding in libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Ivory Coast. etc. This is not a political blog and I am not going to get into the incredibly complex nature of regime change and the reasons for it. I will say that I believe in the power of the people as long as the corruption is eradicated. We need strong idealistic leaders taking us to a better place. Not trying to win votes.
Trying to censor music has long been the favourite past time of governments around the world. This is not restricted to one party states of left or right extremes either. As I said many times before I grew up during the age of hair metal, the begginings of rap and the explosion of information around the world. Metal and rap during the 80s received the atttentions of the hated PMRC. The Parents Musical Resource Centre, which was formed in 1985 in order to control the music that was made available to children. It was a long battle led by Tipper Gore, Al Gores wife (ex now i think) who led senate inquiries into the music that the kids of then were listening to. The vanguard of the metal scene at least was led by Dee Schnider of Twisted Sister
here is some Twisted Sister for some fun
I like TS. They are no nonsense loud guitars, anthenmic tunes and it is alll about the show. Seriously though, did that song make you worried for the childrens future? This is the thing that got me about this censorship movement. What exactly was different from Alice Cooper? The Doors? Led Zeppelin? The story wasn't new, it so rarely is. I guess the music was different, in so far as now it was pretty heavy in compaison the the late 70s. It was also taking about sex in a very open way. But really, I stilll fail to see the danger. The upshot of hearings and court cases and the like was that all music deemed to be inappropriate had to carry a PMRC sticker, saying Parental Advisory. Dumb Asses. I mean really. This was like a beacon to me and my ilk to go and get those albums. Literally I was a little upset if I liked some music and it didn't have that sticker on it.
This is what they hated
As I said, I lived in Singapore. It was hard there. It was a combination of nothing being played on the radio and no one being alllowed to tour. No one came to Singapore too play whilst I was there. This is not entirely the governments issue. To be honest , if some of the bigger acts had come through, let's say Korn, or Tool, I doubt many if any of the people living there would have goone. There just didn't seem too be much of an interest in anything that wasn't happy and straight forward. This has too be something to do with the weather. Honestly, I tried listening to The Cure and Radiohead and it was incredibly hard to feel it. It is hard to feel grey when it is either nice and sunny and hot, or a violent rain storm outside. That said, the people do not know what they are missing if they do not know it is there.
This has been the very interesting thing about the last few years and the violent struggles that are going on around the world. People are very much starting to know what is going on in other places. The wonders that have brought us the magnificent Digital age that have alllowed us to go back in time and discover brilliant music, have also allowed ourr brothers and sisters around the world to have access to the same things we do. I see from the stats of this blog that I have a reasoonable readership in Iran. That is about the coolest thing I can think of. The fact that people there are reading this and hopefully getting some access to the music I like to talk about is brilliant. Sorry that I am not a better writer about it.
Maybe one day there will be a band that comes out of the oppression and conquers the world, Like the mighty Sepultura
I doubt it is going to come from Singapore though.
No comments:
Post a Comment