One thing Covid (and, to a lesser degree, Trump's election) exposed was how many of those old punks had turned into sheep and wankers. Maybe they always were and their hard edge was just a pose.
Robust piece that resonates whether or not you ever heard of the central characters (I hadn't, tho I dimly recall Big Black being a thing); every sentence lands like the ring of, ahem, flint on steel. Except the last. Isn't Jaz Coleman, with his trickster kicks & sleazy rituals, just a bit less further up the slippery slope that Sotos is nr the slimy bottom of?
Could be; I know he has some peculiar social views ('synarchy') which inform some of his more questionable lyrics (e.g, European Super-State, or The Village). On the other hand, he did speak out against the covid psy-op, for whatever it's worth. In any case, on a purely musical level, I just prefer Geordie White's riffing to Steve Albini's!
Out here in Latvia, there were no illicit gigs held by alternative/underground bands. Just one by a classical pianist in a warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Other pushback, by and large, came from country musicians (schlager), who refused to play to just the encoded.
As a former underground musician (well, drummer) myself, I have lost a lot of friends from this. We (alternative types in youth and middle age), I think, were always a bit of an arrogant bunch, which was okay when we didn’t hold the establishment position. When we were in accord with the diktats of dystopian authoritarians, most of us/them became openly sinister and condescending to the new Untermenschen, Albini being a case in point.
I have been here for about 25 years. I wrote a few posts about what was happening during the Cvd time to get some righteous bile out of my system (why I’m here (Substack) - along with many others, I imagine). By the way, the first time I stumbled on your blog was your interview with the teacher and musician from the Waldorf School in Lithuania. It was notable synchronicity, as we’d been down there not long before. It was a very enjoyable listen, too. Hope you enjoyed the last pagan outpost in Europe (as it’s claimed).
One thing Covid (and, to a lesser degree, Trump's election) exposed was how many of those old punks had turned into sheep and wankers. Maybe they always were and their hard edge was just a pose.
He should have stuck to being behind a mixing desk.
OMG, wtf, I had no idea. I wasn't into his music but as an engineer back in the day, of course he was well regarded. Shit.
Robust piece that resonates whether or not you ever heard of the central characters (I hadn't, tho I dimly recall Big Black being a thing); every sentence lands like the ring of, ahem, flint on steel. Except the last. Isn't Jaz Coleman, with his trickster kicks & sleazy rituals, just a bit less further up the slippery slope that Sotos is nr the slimy bottom of?
Could be; I know he has some peculiar social views ('synarchy') which inform some of his more questionable lyrics (e.g, European Super-State, or The Village). On the other hand, he did speak out against the covid psy-op, for whatever it's worth. In any case, on a purely musical level, I just prefer Geordie White's riffing to Steve Albini's!
Sure i get it, & good on him for going out on that limb.
Out here in Latvia, there were no illicit gigs held by alternative/underground bands. Just one by a classical pianist in a warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Other pushback, by and large, came from country musicians (schlager), who refused to play to just the encoded.
As a former underground musician (well, drummer) myself, I have lost a lot of friends from this. We (alternative types in youth and middle age), I think, were always a bit of an arrogant bunch, which was okay when we didn’t hold the establishment position. When we were in accord with the diktats of dystopian authoritarians, most of us/them became openly sinister and condescending to the new Untermenschen, Albini being a case in point.
I didn't realise you were in Latvia. I spent a couple of days in Riga after visiting Lithuania last year.
I have been here for about 25 years. I wrote a few posts about what was happening during the Cvd time to get some righteous bile out of my system (why I’m here (Substack) - along with many others, I imagine). By the way, the first time I stumbled on your blog was your interview with the teacher and musician from the Waldorf School in Lithuania. It was notable synchronicity, as we’d been down there not long before. It was a very enjoyable listen, too. Hope you enjoyed the last pagan outpost in Europe (as it’s claimed).
Right! Yes, fascinating part of the world. I'll take a look at your blog, thanks.
Another one bites the dust. It is almost as tiring to hear their obituaries as it was to hear their platitudes when they were alive.
A mulatto, an an el gato, a mosquettie, dead Albini