Could Bono be the arch-example of the BBC’s corrosive effect on Britain? The BBC recently delighted in U2’s “surprise” little open air concert . Think about how the age profile of the BBC and that of Bono’s boys have so many synergetic properties. Combine that with Coldplay’s and you have a fait accompli. Both gangs of lads coincide wonderfully with the BBC’s ideology- enviro-sappiness and redistributive politics; the air-headedness of Bono and the soft-girlyness of Martin don’t harm the feminist agenda, neither. Little wonder then that for years the BBC has selected them as cultural representatives, preserving them as cultural artefacts even beyond the point where their natural pop-appeal would have waned. Since at least Band Aid and St Bob the BBC have been dabbling like this, or rather controlling like this, and today a little squeak goes up against their cultural hegemon. Overreach? One can but hope. And get a little angrier.
(I should add, I actually quite like(d) all the above-mentioned acts, but they should stand and fall- as once they did- solely on the basis of the freest possible popular vote. Which they certainly no longer do)
Blimey, Ed, I’m the world’s biggest B-BBC fan, but I really can’t understand what you’re on about here.
“Think about how the age profile of the BBC and that of Bono’s boys has so many synergetic properties. Combine that with Coldplay’s and you have a fait accompli. Both gangs of lads coincide wonderfully with the BBC’s ideology- enviro-sappiness and redistributive politics; the air-headedness of Bono and the soft-girlyness of Martin don’t harm the feminist agenda, neither. ”
You WHAT!!??
I do think it’s odd that no-one has noticed how Coldplay’s lead singer did so well winning the Grand Prix yesterday.
Hi Chuffs- I mean that Bono and the majority of BBC staff are middle aged. Those that aren’t are about the same age as Chris Martin of Coldplay. The two bands generally crusade either for the environment or against world poverty, as does the BBC. Neither Bono nor Martin have masculine attributes like practicality or straightforward assertiveness. The BBC loves them as model “new” men. There you go. Translated. Clear enough, I hope!
The fog has lifted…..
Actually Honda spent 3 years promoting their ‘Earth car’ and all that happened is they ended up killing the racing company. So much for eco friendly.
As far as Coldplay are concerned, I have never known what all the fuss was about.
Still, getting involved in BBC-inspired environmental activism is probably a financially lucrative way for a bunch of limp-wristed Radiohead clones to enhance their faceless careers.
Rock ‘n Roll it is not!
There might well be a specific issue re: the Beeb’s “support” for Coldplay, but in fairness to them R1 has done pretty well in pushing new British music and holding out against the tide of Simon Cowell crap. Anyway never fear, even if U2 have lost it Spandau Ballet are back to save us 🙂
Anyway never fear, even if U2 have lost it Spandau Ballet are back to save us
In that case we’re all doomed!
PS have added Bono to my most punchable face list (just inbetween Alistair Campbell and Elton John)
What do Coldplay and Jacqui Spliff, the Second-Home Secretary, have in common? Both have their plugs paid at public expense.
I bet (though haven’t had time to check) that the BBC have not reported a story about Bono that was big in the Sundays I read – he’s outraged his neighbours in that working class idyll that is Malibu Beach by winning planning application to build a £30m complex in green belt overlooking the Pacific ocean.
His “spokesman” (Bono being far too grand to talk to newspapers himself, except when he wants cheap publicity for his derivative music) patronisingly dismissed residents’ fears on the grounds that they didn’t know how painstakingly careful the development would be.
What tosh! he’s a selfish, self-obsessed prat who doesn’t actually give a stuff about anything but his own lifestyle and the sound of his own voice.
The BBC love him because he wants aid for Africa, which fits in with their patronising view of how to treat the natives.
Right then – at last I can rant about a bit of bias on Radio 2!
I’m a big New Country fan – thats country music with rock infusion and fiddles rather than the Tammy Wynette variety. Its most commercial and populist exponent is Garth Brooks but also witty blokes like Dwight Yoakam and Alan Jackson.
A couple of years ago, the enthusiastic and knowledgeable presenter of the Country programme was booted out and self-confessed no-nothing whispering Bob Harris installed.
Ive hated the show since then – he plays ‘Americana’ – which tends to be soft country rock by urban studenty types, women and endlessly recycled Emmy Lou Harris.
I couldnt put my finger on why i didnt like it – apart from Harris’s endless wet drone.
Then it dawned on me – gone is the atmosphere of big sky music of the working man and his gals and of the raunchy music about saturday nights by those gals – in are dreary, fey women singers with PC left-leaning ideals and lyrics – especially Emmylou.
Thats it! – the regular stuff tends to have the right wing slant of the hardened male worker up against it – so even Garth Brooks – one of the biggest stars ever – has gone – along with all the other guys.
I used to escape from everyday PC nonsense in this show – but now its right on-message – like everything else.
So why do i pay the license? – theres not much left for me to listen to (jazz has already disappeared)
cold play etc. what a load of gay crap.
How does Bono get to work from his place in Malibu ?
Liquid P Gasse,
Thank you for your ‘recommendation’! I shall listen to the show you mention, as Emmylou Harris is one of the few country artists I’ve ever much liked. And you can guarantee there’s no jazz? Even better!
Liquid P Gasse:
Right then – at last I can rant about a bit of bias on Radio 2!
I’m a big New Country fan – thats country music with rock infusion and fiddles rather than the Tammy Wynette variety. Its most commercial and populist exponent is Garth Brooks but also witty blokes like Dwight Yoakam and Alan Jackson.
A couple of years ago, the enthusiastic and knowledgeable presenter of the Country programme was booted out and self-confessed no-nothing whispering Bob Harris installed.
Ive hated the show since then – he plays ‘Americana’ – which tends to be soft country rock by urban studenty types, women and endlessly recycled Emmy Lou Harris.
I couldnt put my finger on why i didnt like it – apart from Harris’s endless wet drone.
Then it dawned on me – gone is the atmosphere of big sky music of the working man and his gals and of the raunchy music about saturday nights by those gals – in are dreary, fey women singers with PC left-leaning ideals and lyrics – especially Emmylou.
Thats it! – the regular stuff tends to have the right wing slant of the hardened male worker up against it – so even Garth Brooks – one of the biggest stars ever – has gone – along with all the other guys.
I used to escape from everyday PC nonsense in this show – but now its right on-message – like everything else.
So why do i pay the license? – theres not much left for me to listen to (jazz has already disappeared)
Liquid P Gasse | 30.03.09 – 12:44 pm | #
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I don’t listen to that programme so I don’ know what it is like or what the new country music is like but I do love the old Country music – so old I should call it Ye Olde Country, I suppose! I mean like Hank Williams, Your Cheating Heart etc, old songs like Springtme in the Rockies and all those songs about railroads like the Orange Blossom Special and the Wabash Cannonball. Also, I love Willie Nelson. Do they not have him on R2?
As far as jazz goes, there is the excellent Jazz Record Requests on Radio 3 on Saturday evenings. For donkeys’ years, it has been on at 5pm for an hour and I have always thought of it as the start of the weekend when all the bustle and rushing about of Saturday comes to an end and the pleasures of Saturday night come into their own.
However, in the last few weeks the blighters have suddenly moved it to some unfixed hour which could be 8pm one week, 9pm the next and as a result I am all at sixes and sevens and not at all happy. I have managed to miss all or most of it since they started messing about with it. Grrrrrrrrr.