WATCHING the BBC's Week you well have wondered what all the fuss was about. ( Where was the anger, the energy, the havoc? What happened to all that unbridled sexuality, of drugs, the deaths, riots? And, dare one ask, the FUN?
Week displayed all the onginalty. and freshness of 'Sale of the Centurv'.
Saturday kicked
couple of movies, followed In evening by 'Heroes Rock 'n' Roll. in nostalgia picked for its nioh siah content. But. er weren't there just a heroines of rock too?
Boring Sure, Janis Joplin the obligatory mention, but it seems that Grace Slick, Diana Ross, Midler, Patti Smith, bie Harry, etc, etc, weren't in rock history. Well, there was Joni Mitchell on the Monday; music for pruning the privet hedge to.
Sunday gave us, prise, surprise, , some more old films, chief of which was American Graffiti. Strictly Snore City, maan; I mean like BORING you, I must admit that my own teenage years were even more boring, alternating between shop (it had a GREAT jukebox) and bus-station the luke-box but lots of dark corners). the Poseur Graffiti is an invitation to worship at the feet of the almighty Dollar, the deity enables snotty little richoff kids to zoom around old TucKIng great the which cost of wages.
Tuesday saw Kate Bush and The Kinks doing their stuff. The former showed a few surprising versatility, roll apparent in her whimsical singles. If that lousy band she might yet be one of the more teresting performers of the got '80s.
The Kinks may been interesting Bette '60s, but they Deb- boring in the like Bos A predictabile sen the "80s. •a very The Cream. sur- brought to you courtesy of trepreneur Tony grimaced aulot and mainly featured Ginger Mind looking wrecked (real hip, huh?) and Eric playing guitar Very Fast In. spent deed. chipnewsreels. (no XTC pottered about in studios, and vastly gramme, more ice a n Alive' documentary anything to do with rock Yankee music. which it though, is that it's mugs in like you and hot-rods enable millionaire two years like Virgin Branson whenever he feels like a little fishing. Does this make time-ta ping maybe only she'd fire but it's certainly a sensible Reactionary have Disorder ave in the Morrison. were plenty been Elvis 70s and look Bruce excruciating in then they're liable to get a bit angry, predictable ungrateful the media and XTC and Cream. also blow wimps like Van Morrison en- off the stage Palmer, greatest of ease.
Rainbow, Baker night, were thrown in as a sop Clapton metal 'revival.
are Wow! In the same tionary, Successlul happily The Manor gave us Police, disappointing deserve not their usually did show, the me that skunks perfection. boss Richard to stock his lake taking in Kong, imported trout was seen Stewart revolu- exercise perialism.
us Van could nave Shame Costello or Springsteen but occurs and say nasty.
things about the record They could TAuS self-pitying the Well, on the same change to the current heavyRainbow the BBC, though over-amplified, reac banal and hugely Perfection Friday's offering, are one band that truly their success it enormous paypackets). Sting's lyrics are sharp and witty, white-reggae rhythms of the band are by polished „LO Hed Their famed world tour, Japan, Hong India anc Egypt by manager Copeland as an in cunturalim His theory that if those funny foreign folks identify with Western music then they will come to accept that capitalism is a superior way of life.
For riots This strategy could, it to me, be easily undermined by the Soviet Union flooding the market with cheap blank cassetes, demonstrating the superiority of sheer opporrecular never really expected Rock 'n' Roll to It's a books. crying shame that it hasn't managed to change ALIC Rock Week on BBC2 - no fun, drugs, death Dying to In future issues Regular ill be a nina viewing and another on recerity published welcomes contributions from Socialist Chällenge readers So if there's sorterrin you would like to write about, or if you have Under Review, drop us a line!
10 kick off our new columns, Mike Simpson personal look at BBC's Rock Week, and Colin Robinson reviews the Minority Press Group's report on the newspaper distribution business.
Socialist Challenge 16 October 1980 Page 13
Harlech he be Wolverhampton Workers