The ongoing BP disaster: besserwissers everywhere, some of who see through lies perpetrated by others. Kevin Costner leaving Home Shopping Network to peddle his own 'Set It And Forget It' oil spill cleaner. Tweeters like Christina Applegate and the ubiquitous Alyssa Milano condemning BP left and right.
Midnight Oil hit Exxon where it hurts when last this hit big scale. Peter Garrett held a press conference afterwards with Greenpeace, condemning Exxon. They made a DVD out of this at the time.
Monday, 31 May 2010
Armistice Day
R Hirst, J Moginie, M Rotsey
You're watching people fighting
You're watching people losing
On Armistice Day
The watchers do the wincing
Reporters so convincing
The TV never lies
I went looking for a war
And the only guns I saw
Were never used in anger
The fixers do the fixing
The locals do the lynching
The papers deny
I went looking for a headline
Got taken to the back line
They'd never seen the action
You're watching people fighting
You're watching people losing
On Armistice Day
The watchers do the wincing
Reporters so convincing
The TV never lies
I went looking for a war
And the only guns I saw
Were never used in anger
The fixers do the fixing
The locals do the lynching
The papers deny
I went looking for a headline
Got taken to the back line
They'd never seen the action
Sunday, 30 May 2010
Winning Lyrics
Germany won Eurovision. Thank goodness the lyrics of Kristian Lagerström were nowhere near the final.
Herewith the lyrics of the winning entry. These to compare with the 'work' of Kristian Lagerström.
I went everywhere for you
I even did my hair for you
I bought new underwear they're blue
And I wore 'em just the other day
Love you know I'll fight for you
I left on the porch light for you
Whether you are sweet or cruel
I'm gonna love you either way
Love oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Like a satellite I'm in an orbit all the way around you
And I would fall out into the night
Can't go a minute without your love
Love I got it bad for you
I saved the best I have for you
You sometimes make me sad and blue
Wouldn't have it any other way
Love my aim is straight and true
Cupid's arrow is just for you
I even painted my toe nails for you
I did it just the other day
Love oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Like a satellite I'm in an orbit all the way around you
And I would fall out into the night
Can't go a minute without your love
Oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Where you go I'll follow
You set the pace we'll take it fast and slow
I'll follow in your way
You got me you got me
A force more powerful than gravity
It's physics there's no escape
Love my aim is straight and true
Cupid's arrow is just for you
I even painted my toe nails for you
I did it just the other day
Love oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Like a satellite I'm in orbit all the way around you
And I would fall out into the night
Can't go a minute without your
Love oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Love love love love love
Herewith the lyrics of the winning entry. These to compare with the 'work' of Kristian Lagerström.
I went everywhere for you
I even did my hair for you
I bought new underwear they're blue
And I wore 'em just the other day
Love you know I'll fight for you
I left on the porch light for you
Whether you are sweet or cruel
I'm gonna love you either way
Love oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Like a satellite I'm in an orbit all the way around you
And I would fall out into the night
Can't go a minute without your love
Love I got it bad for you
I saved the best I have for you
You sometimes make me sad and blue
Wouldn't have it any other way
Love my aim is straight and true
Cupid's arrow is just for you
I even painted my toe nails for you
I did it just the other day
Love oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Like a satellite I'm in an orbit all the way around you
And I would fall out into the night
Can't go a minute without your love
Oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Where you go I'll follow
You set the pace we'll take it fast and slow
I'll follow in your way
You got me you got me
A force more powerful than gravity
It's physics there's no escape
Love my aim is straight and true
Cupid's arrow is just for you
I even painted my toe nails for you
I did it just the other day
Love oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Like a satellite I'm in orbit all the way around you
And I would fall out into the night
Can't go a minute without your
Love oh love I gotta tell you how I feel about you
'Cause I oh I can't go a minute without your love
Love love love love love
Friday, 28 May 2010
This Should Have Been Sent, This Would Have Won
Now they're admitting they made a mistake. Now they're saying this should have been sent instead. Now...
And of course they're right. It's still trash but it's Eurovision-winning trash.
But no. The obvious choice was too difficult for them. At the time...
There's nothing quite like corruption and there's nothing quite as dumb as a swede...
Visit the girls at their site. Their first full length CD is already out and they're currently on tour.
http://www.timoteij.se/
And of course they're right. It's still trash but it's Eurovision-winning trash.
But no. The obvious choice was too difficult for them. At the time...
There's nothing quite like corruption and there's nothing quite as dumb as a swede...
Visit the girls at their site. Their first full length CD is already out and they're currently on tour.
http://www.timoteij.se/
Lick Yer Wounds, Sweden
As predicted here long ago, Sweden made a mess of Eurovision with the abominably abortive 'This Is My Life' by the less than talented Anna Bergendahl and with the perhaps worst song lyric ever written by the catastrophically self-deluded Kristian Lagerström. That Lagerström would be let loose on the song is total testimony to buddy-buddy business and perhaps nepotism (or a close relative).
The song is a total abomination, the lyrics the most embarrassing thing to hit popular music in a long long time.
One can criticise the airhead Bergendahl for not refusing the song, for standing on stage after stage with her repulsive voice and acting as if she's moved by the totally nonsense lyrics. One can criticise Lagerström for being such a total twit, one can criticise the publishing company for accepting those lyrics. But above all one must criticise the Swedish people and the Swedish Eurovision voting system for totally not getting it and for not letting the people themselves decide.
Swedes don't determine their winner - the fat cats sitting on the insulated seats in the state-owned Swedish television company still have a say. Word has it these useless people (who only serve to demonstrate how much taxpayer money can be wasted) count for 50% of the total vote. Once upon a time they were the only ones who could vote - and the opinions of the Swedish people didn't count for anything.
But that's not good enough. Eurovision will always be Eurovision - a blight on culture and a form of audio torture for all those who care for and/or create music themselves. But more: the Eurovision entry isn't fashioned as ordinary popular music. There are elements to a Eurovision entry that make (or at least should make) ordinary reasonable sensible people cringe under ordinary circumstances. And most often they do.
1. Slow quiet start, perhaps single piano or acoustic guitar.
2. Not so gradual buildup to full orchestral sound for the chorus.
3. Nothing sophisticated thank you very much - the same old 3-4 chards.
4. A key change for the coda - bump it up a full step or a half step.
The last point is one of the most inevitable (and feared) elements of the Eurovision entry. You know it's coming, you know it and you fear it, you can hope against hope it won't happen, but it will. In fact, about the only time it didn't happen was with ABBA's Waterloo. Because Björn and Benny write better and found a different way to add pizzazz to songs - a technique they continued to use throughout their long and successful careers.
Nobody likes Eurovision. It hurts. It's painful. But Sweden's musical talents are many and disparaging the country with the airhead Bergendahl is a national crime. Sweden's talents include Björn and Benny of course, and Per Gessle with Roxette, and the 'Max Martin' songwriters and producers who've worked with the likes of Bon Jovi, Britney Spears, Celine Dion - the entire gamut and always big names.
Swedes know their business. Then how could a full blown twat like Kristian Lagerström get involved? How could Anna Bergendahl? How could the worthless state employees cheer that on? How could the Swedish people go along with it?
These are questions people in Sweden will have to ask themselves as they lick their wounds. But don't expect any upheavals. The wrong people - the stupid people - always win and always get their way.
IceNews: Eurovision final: Denmark in, Sweden out
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/05/27/eurovision-final-denmark-in-sweden-out/
The Foreigner: Eurovision 2010 News: No more 'Dancing Queen' for Sweden
http://theforeigner.no/pages/news/eurovision-2010-news-no-more-dancing-queen-for-sweden/
Stockholm News: Sweden not qualified for Eurovision final
http://www.stockholmnews.com/more.aspx?NID=5382
ESC Today: Sweden in shock at missing Eurovision, Media madness grips nation
http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/15868
The song is a total abomination, the lyrics the most embarrassing thing to hit popular music in a long long time.
One can criticise the airhead Bergendahl for not refusing the song, for standing on stage after stage with her repulsive voice and acting as if she's moved by the totally nonsense lyrics. One can criticise Lagerström for being such a total twit, one can criticise the publishing company for accepting those lyrics. But above all one must criticise the Swedish people and the Swedish Eurovision voting system for totally not getting it and for not letting the people themselves decide.
Swedes don't determine their winner - the fat cats sitting on the insulated seats in the state-owned Swedish television company still have a say. Word has it these useless people (who only serve to demonstrate how much taxpayer money can be wasted) count for 50% of the total vote. Once upon a time they were the only ones who could vote - and the opinions of the Swedish people didn't count for anything.
But that's not good enough. Eurovision will always be Eurovision - a blight on culture and a form of audio torture for all those who care for and/or create music themselves. But more: the Eurovision entry isn't fashioned as ordinary popular music. There are elements to a Eurovision entry that make (or at least should make) ordinary reasonable sensible people cringe under ordinary circumstances. And most often they do.
1. Slow quiet start, perhaps single piano or acoustic guitar.
2. Not so gradual buildup to full orchestral sound for the chorus.
3. Nothing sophisticated thank you very much - the same old 3-4 chards.
4. A key change for the coda - bump it up a full step or a half step.
The last point is one of the most inevitable (and feared) elements of the Eurovision entry. You know it's coming, you know it and you fear it, you can hope against hope it won't happen, but it will. In fact, about the only time it didn't happen was with ABBA's Waterloo. Because Björn and Benny write better and found a different way to add pizzazz to songs - a technique they continued to use throughout their long and successful careers.
Nobody likes Eurovision. It hurts. It's painful. But Sweden's musical talents are many and disparaging the country with the airhead Bergendahl is a national crime. Sweden's talents include Björn and Benny of course, and Per Gessle with Roxette, and the 'Max Martin' songwriters and producers who've worked with the likes of Bon Jovi, Britney Spears, Celine Dion - the entire gamut and always big names.
Swedes know their business. Then how could a full blown twat like Kristian Lagerström get involved? How could Anna Bergendahl? How could the worthless state employees cheer that on? How could the Swedish people go along with it?
These are questions people in Sweden will have to ask themselves as they lick their wounds. But don't expect any upheavals. The wrong people - the stupid people - always win and always get their way.
IceNews: Eurovision final: Denmark in, Sweden out
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/05/27/eurovision-final-denmark-in-sweden-out/
The Foreigner: Eurovision 2010 News: No more 'Dancing Queen' for Sweden
http://theforeigner.no/pages/news/eurovision-2010-news-no-more-dancing-queen-for-sweden/
Stockholm News: Sweden not qualified for Eurovision final
http://www.stockholmnews.com/more.aspx?NID=5382
ESC Today: Sweden in shock at missing Eurovision, Media madness grips nation
http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/15868
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
A Conversation with Anna Bergendahl
I had a conversation with Sweden's Anna Bergendahl the other day. I got the impression she was reciting the lyrics to her abortive entry in the ESC but I can't be sure. The conversation went like this.
'I go down the beaten track'
You mean now? Or figuratively? What's the beaten track? Where is it? What does it symbolise?
'along the river with an empty bag'
What river? What's the connection with the beaten track? There's a beaten track along the river? Where is it? What the F does that symbolise?
'At the end she said to me:'
She? Who is 'she'? You haven't introduced her yet. Is she some bloody voice in your head? Who the fuck is 'she'? And you mean at the end of the beaten track along the river where you carried your empty bag? And for that matter: why is your bag empty? What would be in it if it was full? You do realise you're making no bloody sense at all, don't you?
'why are you here with the autumn leaves?'
You have autumn leaves? Where? In your bag? I thought you said your bag was empty! Or maybe it's the time of year? It's the autumn? All this transpires/transpired in the autumn? What significance does that have? What do the autumn leaves represent? This is really stupid, Anna - no one has a bloody clue what you're talking about.
'I'm done tipping on my toes'
You're done what? You've been walking on your tippy toes? Why? Or maybe it's just a symbol for something? Oh so maybe you mean you've been playing it too careful in your life? OK. A bit of sense. Finally. Maybe.
'strike an iron and attack my soul'
WHAT? Strike an iron? What is 'striking an iron', pray tell? That's bad enough but 'attack my soul' - what in the name of all that is sophomoric nonsense does 'attack my soul' mean? You're going to attack yourself? It's not even English, girl. It's bloody nonsense!
'Cause this is my life, my friend, and this is my time to stand'
Anything you say. Don't expect anyone to take you seriously is all.
'Cause this is my life, my friend, and I can't be no one else'
The expression is 'I can't be anyone else'. Only a retard would say 'no one else'. Even a retard song lyricist would never say it.
'I don't wanna run, I don't wanna fight, I don't wanna hide, I just wanna stay free, to be me'
You've got some serious issues, Anna Bergendahl! First you have to stop spouting such gibberish. Then you have to do something about your appearance. You look like an airhead.
Then you have to slip quietly out of Oslo under the cover of night. And then you have to sack that idiot lyricist.
'I go down the beaten track'
You mean now? Or figuratively? What's the beaten track? Where is it? What does it symbolise?
'along the river with an empty bag'
What river? What's the connection with the beaten track? There's a beaten track along the river? Where is it? What the F does that symbolise?
'At the end she said to me:'
She? Who is 'she'? You haven't introduced her yet. Is she some bloody voice in your head? Who the fuck is 'she'? And you mean at the end of the beaten track along the river where you carried your empty bag? And for that matter: why is your bag empty? What would be in it if it was full? You do realise you're making no bloody sense at all, don't you?
'why are you here with the autumn leaves?'
You have autumn leaves? Where? In your bag? I thought you said your bag was empty! Or maybe it's the time of year? It's the autumn? All this transpires/transpired in the autumn? What significance does that have? What do the autumn leaves represent? This is really stupid, Anna - no one has a bloody clue what you're talking about.
'I'm done tipping on my toes'
You're done what? You've been walking on your tippy toes? Why? Or maybe it's just a symbol for something? Oh so maybe you mean you've been playing it too careful in your life? OK. A bit of sense. Finally. Maybe.
'strike an iron and attack my soul'
WHAT? Strike an iron? What is 'striking an iron', pray tell? That's bad enough but 'attack my soul' - what in the name of all that is sophomoric nonsense does 'attack my soul' mean? You're going to attack yourself? It's not even English, girl. It's bloody nonsense!
'Cause this is my life, my friend, and this is my time to stand'
Anything you say. Don't expect anyone to take you seriously is all.
'Cause this is my life, my friend, and I can't be no one else'
The expression is 'I can't be anyone else'. Only a retard would say 'no one else'. Even a retard song lyricist would never say it.
'I don't wanna run, I don't wanna fight, I don't wanna hide, I just wanna stay free, to be me'
You've got some serious issues, Anna Bergendahl! First you have to stop spouting such gibberish. Then you have to do something about your appearance. You look like an airhead.
Then you have to slip quietly out of Oslo under the cover of night. And then you have to sack that idiot lyricist.
Friday, 14 May 2010
The Real Pirates, the Real Heroes
The brouhaha over good old Rupert Murdoch gives rise to looking a bit at Mr Wrinkle again and some of those who've opposed him over the years.
http://torrentfreak.com/fox-news-rupert-murdoch-all-pirates-100503/
Murdoch is Australian. Or was once upon a time. He was the emperor of Aussie media along with Alan Bond. He invented the media blackout to deal with his opponents: don't write bad things about them - just don't write anything at all.
Aussie rockers Midnight Oil were also hit by this tactic early on. Murdoch never liked them. When they released their 2nd album 'Head Injuries', his staff were instructed to not review the album, not write anything at all. Amazingly the album went gold several times over on word of mouth alone and remains the sole evidence in rock history worldwide that an album can succeed with no advertising whatsoever.
Midnight Oil later penned and recorded 'Read About It' in love of Rupert Murdoch. You can find the lyrics elsewhere; they're typically eloquent of Midnight Oil and basically say that no matter what's happening in the world at large, you won't hear about it if Rupert Murdoch doesn't want you to know.
Midnight Oil started as a surfer club group at the Hotel Adlon on the Sydney coast. They caused quite the sensation because they concentrated only on musical gymnastics, pulling off some of the most incredible acrobatics heard to this day.
No major label would sign them on their terms - retain rights to masters, full artistic control, and so forth - so they bundled together some cash and recorded and produced their first album themselves. It was a huge hit.
Midnight Oil then took the proceeds from their sales to start an artist management company for the Sydney coast and succeeded in signing up most big groups at the time. Their objective - which was met - was to force the venue owners to treat their guests better: more reasonable entry fees and nice bouncers. They effectively held the entire coastal entertainment business in an iron grip.
The ABS and other media - such as Rupert's - wanted contact with them back then but the group weren't interested in participating in silly 'pop' shows. They became the enemy of the media and of Rupert.
Their second album 'Head Injuries' really took off. It was at this point Herb Alpert became interested in them and sent two emissaries with a suitcase full of songs to meet them. The A&M reps were told to turn up at 2JJJ to find out where the group were playing. 2JJJ told them Midnight Oil were in fact playing at the MCG. The A&M reps asked if the group had left any free tickets. They had not.
The reps traveled to Melbourne and bought tickets to attend the concert. Back in Sydney they met the group who were recording with Glyn Johns. They were met politely. They asked if there had been a misunderstanding so their concert tickets weren't supplied in time. The group explained that free tickets were only for their friends.
The reps then opened their suitcase full of songs. 'You guys are going to be the sensation of the 1980s', they were told. But A&M didn't believe their material had a broad enough appeal, what with its Australian references and its all too complex musical structure. 'And so here we are with a suitcase full of covers we'd like you to look at', they ended.
The reply from the group was 'when's your flight back?' The A&M reps, offering a multimillion dollar contract with A&M, were perfunctorily turned away.
Midnight Oil went back to work in the studio and wrote and recorded a song about the incident called 'Don't Wanna Be The One'.
I'm an innocent victim, I'm just like you
We end up in home units with a brick wall view
I can't believe the perfect families on my colour TV
If I don't make it to the top it'll never bother me
I'm an innocent bystander caught in the path
Waiting out the back while the corporate attack
Assaults the senses with relentless scenes of passion and delight
I cut up all the options and went running for my life
And I don't wanna be the one
England joined the EU at long last, Australia lost their favoured trading status, and unemployment became rampant in the Lucky Country. Midnight Oil responded by organising a series of pan-Pacific concert telecasts and funneling all the proceeds to the labour unemployment compensation funds. At this point they were no longer controversial - they were heroes.
Rupert Murdoch? He got as big as he could in Australia and set his sights on the US. But the US has a rule about who can own media corporations: you have to be a US citizen. Murdoch traveled to Las Vegas, was given contacts with mobsters, and the mobsters pulled strings so Murdoch could pick up a US passport in a single fortnight.
Now the problems began back home because Australia had the same rule. But no worries! Rupert had the PM in his back pocket. So when the issue arose in Canberra, the PM simply killed it. Rupert was now the king of Aussie media but no longer able legally to retain his hold - yet he just did anyway. And his sojourn in the US didn't last long - he moved to the UK instead where he's been ever since.
http://torrentfreak.com/fox-news-rupert-murdoch-all-pirates-100503/
Murdoch is Australian. Or was once upon a time. He was the emperor of Aussie media along with Alan Bond. He invented the media blackout to deal with his opponents: don't write bad things about them - just don't write anything at all.
Aussie rockers Midnight Oil were also hit by this tactic early on. Murdoch never liked them. When they released their 2nd album 'Head Injuries', his staff were instructed to not review the album, not write anything at all. Amazingly the album went gold several times over on word of mouth alone and remains the sole evidence in rock history worldwide that an album can succeed with no advertising whatsoever.
Midnight Oil later penned and recorded 'Read About It' in love of Rupert Murdoch. You can find the lyrics elsewhere; they're typically eloquent of Midnight Oil and basically say that no matter what's happening in the world at large, you won't hear about it if Rupert Murdoch doesn't want you to know.
Midnight Oil started as a surfer club group at the Hotel Adlon on the Sydney coast. They caused quite the sensation because they concentrated only on musical gymnastics, pulling off some of the most incredible acrobatics heard to this day.
No major label would sign them on their terms - retain rights to masters, full artistic control, and so forth - so they bundled together some cash and recorded and produced their first album themselves. It was a huge hit.
Midnight Oil then took the proceeds from their sales to start an artist management company for the Sydney coast and succeeded in signing up most big groups at the time. Their objective - which was met - was to force the venue owners to treat their guests better: more reasonable entry fees and nice bouncers. They effectively held the entire coastal entertainment business in an iron grip.
The ABS and other media - such as Rupert's - wanted contact with them back then but the group weren't interested in participating in silly 'pop' shows. They became the enemy of the media and of Rupert.
Their second album 'Head Injuries' really took off. It was at this point Herb Alpert became interested in them and sent two emissaries with a suitcase full of songs to meet them. The A&M reps were told to turn up at 2JJJ to find out where the group were playing. 2JJJ told them Midnight Oil were in fact playing at the MCG. The A&M reps asked if the group had left any free tickets. They had not.
The reps traveled to Melbourne and bought tickets to attend the concert. Back in Sydney they met the group who were recording with Glyn Johns. They were met politely. They asked if there had been a misunderstanding so their concert tickets weren't supplied in time. The group explained that free tickets were only for their friends.
The reps then opened their suitcase full of songs. 'You guys are going to be the sensation of the 1980s', they were told. But A&M didn't believe their material had a broad enough appeal, what with its Australian references and its all too complex musical structure. 'And so here we are with a suitcase full of covers we'd like you to look at', they ended.
The reply from the group was 'when's your flight back?' The A&M reps, offering a multimillion dollar contract with A&M, were perfunctorily turned away.
Midnight Oil went back to work in the studio and wrote and recorded a song about the incident called 'Don't Wanna Be The One'.
I'm an innocent victim, I'm just like you
We end up in home units with a brick wall view
I can't believe the perfect families on my colour TV
If I don't make it to the top it'll never bother me
I'm an innocent bystander caught in the path
Waiting out the back while the corporate attack
Assaults the senses with relentless scenes of passion and delight
I cut up all the options and went running for my life
And I don't wanna be the one
England joined the EU at long last, Australia lost their favoured trading status, and unemployment became rampant in the Lucky Country. Midnight Oil responded by organising a series of pan-Pacific concert telecasts and funneling all the proceeds to the labour unemployment compensation funds. At this point they were no longer controversial - they were heroes.
Rupert Murdoch? He got as big as he could in Australia and set his sights on the US. But the US has a rule about who can own media corporations: you have to be a US citizen. Murdoch traveled to Las Vegas, was given contacts with mobsters, and the mobsters pulled strings so Murdoch could pick up a US passport in a single fortnight.
Now the problems began back home because Australia had the same rule. But no worries! Rupert had the PM in his back pocket. So when the issue arose in Canberra, the PM simply killed it. Rupert was now the king of Aussie media but no longer able legally to retain his hold - yet he just did anyway. And his sojourn in the US didn't last long - he moved to the UK instead where he's been ever since.
Saturday, 1 May 2010
The End of the Law
Magnificent episode of Kavanagh QC today. First episode of season 6. Extraordinary. And this was for television.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)