Recent events have meant that the column which I was going to write today will appear next week. In it, I will praise the arrival of summer, talk about some upcoming music and events and introduce you to a budding Young filmmaker.
Today’s column is being written from the perspective of an old, white, straight man, which is the only perspective that I can speak from with any authority.
We just passed another Beatle milestone on October 9th. It would have been John Lennon’s 75th birthday (and as many pointed out in Socialmedialand, his son Sean’s 40th). The world continues the nostalgic hypothesizing and speculating as to the what ifs had Lennon lived.
The column due today, “Stopping the Stupid”, will be here next Friday. In the meantime, here’s a rerun from 2011 about politics, rock stars and the silliness that is part of the political landscape despite its incredibly loopy connection. With the exception of President Obama, there don’t seem to be any politicians worthy of a decent song for their campaign or party or office. The Republicans, however, are looking pretty good for “Get Out of Compton…and Everywhere Else”. Stephen Harper could go with “I’m a Loser”, but I don’t think the Beatles know who he is. I just wish WE didn’t….
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Usually, any 50th anniversary is a cause for celebration. But the 50th anniversary of The Beatles first appearance on the Ed Sullivan TV Show in New York was especially fun. And if you’re not tired of all The Beatles coverage, here’s a little more for you to digest. As most of the world knows by now, these four Liverpool lads – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – along with manager Brian Epstein and record producer George Martin, revolutionized music, fashion and merchandising from 1964 through to the end of the decade. And Canada played a major part in much of it.
I’m not much of a political animal. Never learned the game or played it well, which is why I’m not a household name or King of All Media. Further, as much as all pursuits in life have a political bent to them, (marriage, your job, getting a decent deal on a used car), the Arts have a very checkered past with actual politics, the ones that feature elected leaders and CEOs and the like, who are supposed to lead us, the Great Unwashed, around by our noses. It seems an odd footnote to me, seeing popular musical artists taking a photo op with the leader of a Nation, Religion, Donald Trump, or vise versa.
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Bullseye Records of Canada
Segarini: Don't Believe a Word I Say 