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Socialist Review Index (1993–1996) | Socialist Review 178 Contents
From Socialist Review, No. 178, September 1994.
Copyright © Socialist Review.
Copied with thanks from the Socialist Review Archive.
Marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.
There has been much talk in the music press and elsewhere over the past couple of years about the ‘return of politics to the musical stage’ – an alleged revival of rebellion in popular and rock music. The music press point to artists such as Rage Against The Machine, Credit to The Nation and others.
While the bands and songwriters around at the moment who are overtly political and anti-fascist must be welcomed and praised, this point of view appears to me to have a couple of things wrong with it.
First of all, it appears to proclaim that politics in popular music is something new and unprecedented. Any musical history would tell a different story.
Many accept there is a long tradition of rebellion in music, but declare (particularly music journalists) that the new batch of rock rebels are somehow much more sophisticated, skilled and less ‘sloganeering’ or ‘dogmatic’ than their forerunners in the 1980s. One music journalist pointed to the Redskins’ lyric, ‘The boss don’t like the Union, ’cos the Union makes the worker strong’, as weak and sloganeering – as if this is any less valid than ‘Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me’.
The point must also be made that it is in some ways easier to be a political band nowadays, especially when two years ago everyone was agreeing with Arthur Scargill. In 1984 and 1985, when the miners were pilloried, it was much harder for lefty bands. This was displayed in the attitude of the music press towards artists like the Redskins, Billy Bragg or the Style Council. The music press briefly flirted with all these three examples, but when the chips were down they ditched them and criticised them for the very radicalism/preachiness which nowadays (in many cases) is seen to be a virtue.
One more point. The political songs of Credit to The Nation/Chumbawamba must be praised – but it is a pity that they often appear to spend more time criticising fellow workers in the music industry (i.e. other bands) than they do the political figures which deserve it. This is not to ignore that there is much wrong within the music industry which needs to be attacked – exploitation, manipulation, pretentiousness, propagation of reactionary ideas – but there is a difference between taking the piss out of super-groups and record company bosses and taking the piss out of working musicians such as the Rebel MC or East 17 (even if these have faults/views worth criticising) for earning a working wage. One revealing question as to the political commitment of artists is, ‘How involved do they try to become in their union?’ however difficult that can be.
In 1984 Chumbawamba threw red paint over the recently reformed Clash. A more class conscious activity was to be seen in the people who threw paint over Michael Heseltine.
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