"How can we expect anyone to listen...

[Fawkes]

...if we're using the same old voice, we need new noise, new art for the real people"
- Refused

Truer words have never been said about the revolutionary potential of art and music.

I was just listening to Star Fucking Hipsters and I started thinking to myself: how the hell could anyone take their revolutionary calls serious when they're using the same structures and themes that so many other punk bands have been doing for the last 35 years.

There's a reason why Rage Against the Machine was so successful at pushing a revolutionary message (other than major label backing). I'll temporarily forget my dislike of Zack de la Rocha's rapping, but RATM's music was new, innovative, challenging, dangerous, imaginative: it was revolutionary. As such, it served as the perfect backdrop for Zack's admittedly far too blatant calls for revolution. There's a reason why Black Flag, Atari Teenage Riot, Velvet Underground, Fela Kuti, and Public Enemy were so relevant, what they were doing was brand new and innovative.

I mean, let's face it, three chords and a mohawk ain't revolutionary anymore; neither is using the same illuminati references and flow over looped piano tracks. It doesn't matter how revolutionary your lyrics are, if it's being sung over the same old rehashed shit, it loses its significance and impact and relevancy.

Of course the counterargument could be made that the best way to reach people that aren't actively seeking out new musical forms is by using existing ones, but I don't know how much I buy that.

Thoughts?

[Bright Banana Beard]

How about triple mohawk and fitted suit pants with wifebeater?

[Fawkes]

How about triple mohawk and fitted suit pants with wifebeater?

That's like democratic socialism status.

[Bright Banana Beard]

That's like democratic socialism status.

and with flashy glasses? (not the hipster one) more like what you see the celebrity wearing.

[Fawkes]

and with flashy glasses? (not the hipster one) more like what you see the celebrity wearing.

Yes, yes of course.

I love chit chat, but I'm looking mostly for serious responses on this one.

[Widerstand]

>RATM
>done anything except selling records to 14yos

hahaohwow.png

[Fawkes]

>RATM
>done anything except selling records to 14yos

hahaohwow.png

That's not really true, but even if it was, it doesn't diminish my argument, they were just an example.

[Widerstand]

I haven't read your argument, but I agree we need less Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus songs.

(RATM doesn't have many non-VCVCBC's afaik)

[Fawkes]

I haven't read your argument, but I agree we need less Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus songs.

(RATM doesn't have many non-VCVCBC's afaik)

Yeah, I know they use some standard song structures, but most of their musical elements, particularly Morello's playing, were pretty innovative.

Edit: The purpose of using RATM as an example was merely for accessibility as more people are familiar with their music than Throbbing Gristle's or some other similarly groundbreaking group/artist.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

I feel like listening to bands like Star Fucking Hipsters or other big "indie" label bands isn't really indicative of the huge amount of exciting and engaging music happening in DIY scenes. I mean, don't get me wrong, I like Star Fucking Hipsters, but what really makes me happy is the fantastic ukulele cover of Two Cups of Tea I heard at a house show last week.
No "music" is going to revolutionize anyone, except insofar as it engages people with a broader project. More anarchists, I think, have come out of small "Let's throw an all-ages ARA benefit!" type scenes than out of Rage Against The Machine's mainstream success. Further, those communities are where the experimentation is happening (and gradually filtering "upward" from).
Recently, I've been super-stoked on "Sissyfist" from Montreal. Check that shit out.

[Fawkes]

I feel like listening to bands like Star Fucking Hipsters or other big "indie" label bands isn't really indicative of the huge amount of exciting and engaging music happening in DIY scenes. I mean, don't get me wrong, I like Star Fucking Hipsters, but what really makes me happy is the fantastic ukulele cover of Two Cups of Tea I heard at a house show last week.


Of course there is exciting music going on, but so many people (an example being the punk scene, at least here in NYC) are still doing the same old shit.


No "music" is going to revolutionize anyone, except insofar as it engages people with a broader project.
Yes, of course, and music can serve as an important impetus in doing so.


More anarchists, I think, have come out of small "Let's throw an all-ages ARA benefit!" type scenes than out of Rage Against The Machine's mainstream success.
I don't know how true that is, but either way, perhaps Rage weren't the best example, but what about Refused? They were incredibly innovative and played "all ages ARA benefits" and I'm sure they got a lot of people into politics.


Further, those communities are where the experimentation is happening (and gradually filtering "upward" from).
Yeah, which is why they're awesome and should be encouraged, but too many people are caught up in, for example, three chords and a mohawk.


Recently, I've been super-stoked on "Sissyfist" from Montreal. Check that shit out.
Cool, I will.