| Angst |
| "Anger is a gift" - those who have done your musical homework will know this line was stated by Zack De la Rocha, and those of you with a sense of self, an opinion, or are easily persuaded, will know that this statement is true. Anger has the power to enrage people to heroic acts of selflessness, rise up against and resist persecuting establishments and, in our case, enable us to write some outstanding music. Someone also said that "those who cannot create simply destroy". At Stutter HQ we get pissed off about a bunch of stuff, because we have decided to educate ourselves, and see the inadequacies of society as it is. We are, i think it's safe to say, not radicals, but we do have opinions. This section of the site is a place to express those feelings, open others minds to seeing situations in different ways, rant about music, and hint at possible future song titles. "Tools" for example was written after being severely pissed off at work. So there you go. And if you cheeky scamps agree disagree or don't care about anything you read here, e-mail us. Peace out. |
| Pap-Punk |
| Comrade Red: Who the fuck does Avril Lavigne think she is? Sk8er Boi? WHAT? Not only is that an incorrect spelling of "Cash in" it's also completely stereotyping all "Punkers" as skaters, boys, straight, and rich. Forgive me if i'm wrong, and i usually am, but wasn't punk a genre to smash stereotypes? Punk got into a lot of trouble as a genre when it used the swastika in much of it's art. What people didn't know was that it used the swastika to display a de-empowering of a sign traditionally seen in a certain light. Personally i could never see why it chose the swastika, but it proved a point. Anyway back to the theme. She claims that she is punk rock, with her "attitude" and her love of all things punk (even though famously when asked who the sex pistols were she had no idea). Why can't we all stop buying here records, lead her into desperation for status, until she finally does what all failed actors and musicians do, star in some porn. But it's not just dear old Ms.Lavigne, it's these "post hardcore" bands out there. Imagine the scene, your at the record company meeting, they're out of ideas, since everyone realised that ska punk hasn't been good since Operation Ivy (and if you enjoy ska punk and don't know who this band is then i hate you), and that everyone realised that the "new rock revolution" was just some old ideas re-hashed for the 21st century, music sales are down. The boss says that the "alternative" kids need something new. "I know" says someone in the back, "everyone likes a good love song, skateboarding is still popular and everyone likes feeling depressed, lets add some melody to some shouting". "Post Hardcore" was then born. Of course like everything "new" it's old. Anyone remember The Get Up Kids? Well they were doing quality emo years ago, as were loads of bands, old Ataris stuff was even quite good. Then by fusing it with punk (although the shouty nature of the genre is closer to actual Hardcore) you have the perfect product for unscrupable record companies and spineless bands to latch onto, promote like bugger on MTV and sell sell sell. The increase in "pop-punk" also annoys me. Bands like New Found Glory, Sum 41, and Bowling for Soup have mastered this genre, and i'm glad, because they've taken the two-fingers-up-at-authority nature of punk and made it a joke, which i think is a good thing, but more importantly they've captured the essense of the past masters. Billy Idol, The Ramones, Jilted John, they all had catchy tunes and that was the element that made them pop. The catchiness factor. This other crap that plagues the airwaves is just drivel and the sooner we all stop buying they're stuff, paying attention to the bands, and dismissing it as harmless music the better. It's destroying the music industry, and more importnantly making fans of alternative music look stupid. And image is everything. Right? At the moment i'm listening to Bad Religion, masters of the catchy factor, harmonious voices and just enough pace. It's genius. Why can't all punk bands take some history lessons and discover the masters of their genre, and if not improve on it, then just plaguerise it to hell? At least they're won't be any more trendy kids singing lines like "Girls don't like boys girls like ya di ya di yada......." |
| Shallow as a puddle? |
| Skunkmonkey: Every time I turn on the TV, listen to the radio, TRY to surf the internet (cheers, Bill Gates), read a magazine or in communicate with wider society at all I find myself asking "are people getting shallower?". Or more importanly why, and what can be done. Apart from the vacuos shit that occupies the music industry, as Comrade has already discussed, I find it really quite staggering that now more people are now buying/downloading (thanks again, Bill) RINGTONES that actually buying singles or albums. People prefer to hear "music" on their fucking phones than on their cheap argos stereos. Imagine the joy of hearing "Yeah" by Usher or "Insania" by Peter Andre come bleeping forth from your Nokia 3310, and finding to orgasmic delight that one of your "friends " has phoned you. Call me crazy, but id get more joy from seeing and talking to my friends in person, wouldnt you? I think this musical decline and assent in ringtones probably arises from the fact that whatever inspiration, motivation and all round enjoyment people once got out of music is now being provided by our old friend television. I mean, why bother playing guitar or even listening to a record when you can turn on the box and be treated to such poetic delights as "Eastenders", "Footballer's Wives", "Fame Academy" (showcasing fresh new musical talent) and of course everyone's favourtie "Big Brother". What makes these shows so tortureous is that people assume THIS IS WHAT LIFE IS LIKE AND THIS IS HOW I SHOULD LIVE. If this was in fact bollocks then i wouldnt hate them so much, but the sick irony of it all is that more and more these programs actually do reflect real life. Not just the meaningless exsitance of the followers of our beloved chav culture, but MY OWN LIFE and those around me. Are we just living life comparing ourselves to people on coronation street? Which poses the other burning question for all of us, and that is who should we admire? whos hould be our role models? More often than not, people seem to really respect celebrities - soap opera characters who ARENT EVEN REAL PEOPLE but fictional entities. Their activites - who they slept with, how much they drunk, what their next "single " will be etc etc, seems to be of utmost improtance and internest to the majority of people. It dominates our newspapers. Buying a copy of The Daily Star you would be more likely to find a story concerning David Beckham on the front page than a story regarding the situation in Iraq. This is what we are telling people is important? This is what we are telling people to concern themselves with? I would bet 50 pounds that if i were to walk down Tonbridge hi street, acccost the first peson i see and show them a picture of Kat Slater (an eastenders character, although i would have trouble naming the actress) and a picture of Karl Marx or even Steven Hawking, they would be able to identify one and not the other. which one? its painfully clear. But think about this: if everyone is content to model themselves on people who arent even real, then will they cease to exsist? probably not, although it would be difficult to see a marked change from the way things are now. |