You know, it's easy to make fun of Bono and Co. for their earnestness -- guys, you're a rock band, not a goddamned turtle with the weight of the world on its back --
-- but God bless 'em for doing this anyway.
Monday, December 14, 2015
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8 comments:
It's nice they gave them some stage time, but gawd I HATE that song.
I sorta liked the Eagles of Death Metal till I saw this. Nooooo. How embarrassingly awful.
VR - Zipper Up
I guess the sentiment and the gesture don't count for much with certain people.
That's hardly my favorite Patti Smith song, but I still think this was a great gesture (needed, BTW) and kinda moving.
But I'm a sentimental old fluff, in Groucho Marx's immortal phrase.
I just had a concert buddy of mine put in the ground a couple of days ago. You know, not a friend, but an acquaintance that I bumped into many times in record stores and at concerts. I had his business card in my wallet but it wasn't like I ever called him. We talked impersonally about music, which we shared a passion for. He got wasted by a couple of jihadists in Berdoo.
People can sing "Imagine," and "People Got the Power" all they want if it makes them feel better. But naive tripe like that ain't gonna solve this problem. It almost makes me wanna barf. Given the recent circumstances in my neighborhood, I hope you can understand my sentiments and gestures.
Besides, it's a lousy version of a half-baked song.
VR
We all know that tripe won't solve political problems. Only political action can. But such tripe can motivate others -- sometimes -- to think, and learn, and perhaps act in a useful manner, maybe even politically. And if it takes U2, or the Eagles of Death Metal to get people to think, and maybe, just maybe, act in a politically or socially useful manner, then I think the event, which is about Paris, after all, and not California, or Mali, or Syria, or anywhere else in the world, is worthwhile, and U2 should be applauded for their involvement. Even if they got paid. And I haven't been a fan of U2 since BOY, am only mildly interested in the Eagles of Death Metal and Patti Smith (as a musician, that is), and I've never been to Paris.
Sadly, as you get older, you remember more, but you tend to forget one important thing that you really shouldn't if you're an observer at the intersection of politics and culture: what's old hat to you is the latest thing to others younger and less fatigued.
Give 'em a break, VR. More than 125 folks died, God-knows-how-many were injured, and hundreds and hundreds of families were affected. I'm sure you know that.
Mark: Thanks for the balance and wisdom.
I've been to Paris and the rest of Europe many times since I was five years old. I have lots of peeps out there. Met a bunch of my long-term European friends on the Bikecentennial during 1976, an experience of a lifetime which I almost passed up.
I've actually seen a couple of shows at Le Bataclan, one of which was the original Pretenders. I can picture the place in my mind. It is so sad. But it also makes me angry.
Concert kum ba yah moments can be moving and make everyone feel like connected brothers and sisters. I get it. It's the hot ticket and you can even get it on HBO. Bono may have a messianic do-gooder streak in him, but, his vanity and band image aside, I'd say he's sincere. And perhaps inspirational.
But I don't think this is a problem which can be solved with political action. It goes beyond politics, unfortunately.
And I still think it's a lousy version of a half-baked song..... Super easy to play, though.
VR - Born to touch your feelings
Anything that eclipses those other Eagles is alright by me, Alf.
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