Laibach, are they commies?

[RedDawn]

Laibach has always been intentionally vague, but it is pretty clear to me that they are a bunch of Yugo-philes coming from the left of the Stalinist line.

In their latest video, their interpretation of the Slovenian natl. anthem ends with a red Russia imposing over the world and the line "let freedom rise."
(search youtube.com for "Laibach - Slovania"won't let me post links)

Please discuss.

[Robespierre2.0]

Laibach are awesome, but I really have no idea where they stand politically- I don't think they've ever broken character.

If you check out their earlier albums, though, you'll find a lot of stuff that could be interpreted as pro-socialist- "Drzava", "Panorama" et cetera.
Of course, that means they were supporting Titoite revisionism, but their music is so damn cool I don't care.

Their later albums are more difficult to interpret, because they tend to shift subject with every album- "Jesus Christ Superstar" focusing on religion, "NATO" focusing on NATOs involvement in the Balkans...

I interpret the lyrics on WAT as being very critical of American imperialism, both economic and cultural.

"Barbarians are coming, from the east.
With knives in their pockets, and bombs in their hands
they will burn down your cities, and your Disneylands"

[palotin]

Zizek has a worthwhile article on them in the edited volume The Universal Exception. They've often been taken for fascists. Quite unfairly, in my opinion.

[Angry Young Man]

I've a friend who likes them. I think they're a bloody dreadful band without two braincells to rub between them.
p.s. no I'm not a mopesy indiekid in black tubes and yes I do listen to the Smiths, who are blatantly not racist because they come from Manchester and hate Tories and NME are a bunch of twats anyway, and I always thought Moz was pretty left-of-centre anyway.

[RedDawn]

WTF, Laibach are not brainless. You haven't seen jack by them.

[RedDawn]

Seriously, I can't get enough of this video.


Laibach - Slovania
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZicTSUXOlSg

Anglia, cover of God Save the Queen, natl. anthem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF0AqPujjaM

Tanz Mit Laibach, club hit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zSRcFxZVAA

Geburt Einter Nation, classic Laibach!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YE_j0xIsJA

Laibach cover of Euro's Final Countdown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4VMDxSyLAU

Cover of God is God released prior to the original song's release
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7SFcB0vOhQ

Rossiya, cover of Russian national anthem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTXvDeUR-6g