Post by marveloushagler on Mar 26, 2005 16:43:32 GMT -5
Ugh! Where do I start? I guess the best place is with some counter-questions.
Are we interested in going "beyond the skinhead thing to connect with a larger working class scene and have a larger political/ cultural influence?". Are you fucking serious?
This is the USA, dude. What "larger working-class scene" are you talking about? Maybe in Europe redskins can be part of some "larger working-class scene". But as for the States, you will have to be more specific if you want an honest answer because I have yet to find this mythic scene.
What do we think about trying to "bring this kind
of class-conscious rock'n'roll, ska, reggae and soul to a broader audience?". What the fuck is stopping people who are interested from buying these albums now? Are you suggesting we magically pull some sort of MTV-sized advertising budget out of our ass and tone down our skinhead image? And do you really believe that the mainstream media industry in the States (Rolling Stone, MTV, VH1, etc.) will promote "class-conscious rock'n'roll, ska, reggae and soul"? Are these values transmitted in any other area of the USA?
As for keeping isolated, we do our best to grow with an "each one-teach one" philosophy. That's how you grow effectively AND keep it real. There ain't shit for us in this country. Let's solidify our own scene first- our influence, our finances and our muscle. Then we can entertain these wet dreams of yours.
There are bands that have captured mainstream success and still held on to their anger (The Clash, Public Enemy, Rage Against The Machine). And many more have kept it underground. The two are not mutually exclusive. Some people can play the big festivals and others will play the small clubs. Best of luck to them both. However we reach people, I'm okay with it.
But as for me, there must always be an underground. There must always be an anti-fascist skinhead subculture. There must always be that shady street-level network. That shit is my lifeblood, and it's what makes us legit. It's like a working-class gem. Fuck trying to convince everybody else. They'll listen if they want, but some culture has to be strictly for us. The die-hards. The no sellouts.
How presumptious of you to assume that the music is not already connected to a broader vision and working-class organizing...
And you're not into fashion? Well you better GET into fashion. 'Cause if you show up to our shows and look dumpy, we're gonna crack on your ass. Bet!
-marvelous hagler
PS The skinhead scene has ALWAYS been mainly young, male, white and blue-collar, even in the 60's. And there are plenty of women, Blacks and Latinos (especially) in the scene. And if people aren't attracted to our scene and they'd rather listen to hip-hop, why the fuck should we care? If people want to hang out then they'll hang out. Trying to recruit and sending people invites goes against the gang-mod mentality. It's fake-ass fake. Always.
Are we interested in going "beyond the skinhead thing to connect with a larger working class scene and have a larger political/ cultural influence?". Are you fucking serious?
This is the USA, dude. What "larger working-class scene" are you talking about? Maybe in Europe redskins can be part of some "larger working-class scene". But as for the States, you will have to be more specific if you want an honest answer because I have yet to find this mythic scene.
What do we think about trying to "bring this kind
of class-conscious rock'n'roll, ska, reggae and soul to a broader audience?". What the fuck is stopping people who are interested from buying these albums now? Are you suggesting we magically pull some sort of MTV-sized advertising budget out of our ass and tone down our skinhead image? And do you really believe that the mainstream media industry in the States (Rolling Stone, MTV, VH1, etc.) will promote "class-conscious rock'n'roll, ska, reggae and soul"? Are these values transmitted in any other area of the USA?
As for keeping isolated, we do our best to grow with an "each one-teach one" philosophy. That's how you grow effectively AND keep it real. There ain't shit for us in this country. Let's solidify our own scene first- our influence, our finances and our muscle. Then we can entertain these wet dreams of yours.
There are bands that have captured mainstream success and still held on to their anger (The Clash, Public Enemy, Rage Against The Machine). And many more have kept it underground. The two are not mutually exclusive. Some people can play the big festivals and others will play the small clubs. Best of luck to them both. However we reach people, I'm okay with it.
But as for me, there must always be an underground. There must always be an anti-fascist skinhead subculture. There must always be that shady street-level network. That shit is my lifeblood, and it's what makes us legit. It's like a working-class gem. Fuck trying to convince everybody else. They'll listen if they want, but some culture has to be strictly for us. The die-hards. The no sellouts.
How presumptious of you to assume that the music is not already connected to a broader vision and working-class organizing...
And you're not into fashion? Well you better GET into fashion. 'Cause if you show up to our shows and look dumpy, we're gonna crack on your ass. Bet!
-marvelous hagler
PS The skinhead scene has ALWAYS been mainly young, male, white and blue-collar, even in the 60's. And there are plenty of women, Blacks and Latinos (especially) in the scene. And if people aren't attracted to our scene and they'd rather listen to hip-hop, why the fuck should we care? If people want to hang out then they'll hang out. Trying to recruit and sending people invites goes against the gang-mod mentality. It's fake-ass fake. Always.