I was glossing over the MOG gazette and saw a link to candymanlive's post that was more or less a reply to Bawston Sean's missive on race relations in music which I think some may ask of the MOG-osphere. Simply put, as a melanin covered man, I don't think there's a lot of people of color who even know that MOG exists, hell, I meet people (of all, er, stripes) in the music industry on the regular who don't know about MOG yet, but I'm certain that that will change with time. Until the latter unfolds, however, I get, like Paul on the road to Damascus and, continue to spread the MOG-spell which I think, given time, will seep into the very music industry itself and shatter a lot of that pigeonholing and scatter those who do to the four winds...
The above reminds me of articles I've read about the RAR Movement that took place over in England during the 70'S when up-and-coming musicians of all colors joined forces to "Rock Against Racism" while they performed in dives overrun with National Front Skins (neo-Nazis and their lot) who would wreak havoc, throw bottles, start fights and spit in the faces of the musicians on stage...I particularly recall an interview with David Hinds, the lead singer for the reggae band Steel Pulse. He spoke on playing in such places back in the UK and how it inspired him to write the tune "Jah Pickney" which is a cut featured on their seminal (and now out of print) Tribute to the Martyrs LP back in 80-81; the cut can now be found on Soundsystem: The Island Anthology ,however...
"They believe in Aparthied, for that we gonna whoop their hides..I won't rest 'till I'm satisfied...The National Front, said we're gonna hunt the National Front...Jah Pickney show them..."
That tune inspired me, a teenager when I first heard it, to write a (really bad) play that was performed in front of the student body of my highschool. And while that might seem inconsequential to some, still, I think it supports my initial point...No matter what kind of racial scape I got into when I was on the road, especially in the deep south, (and there were many) I never forgot about the hardships endured by the (then) fledgling acts like the Pulse Posse and the Clash (they were down with the RAR movement too and that's word). All of this stayed in my mind's eye and helped me push on through whatever SNAFU that I was embroiled in at any given moment and get to wherever I was going...
All of that stated, from what I've seen since I've joined MOG, I think I'm preaching to the choir. To all newcomers (of any color) I say: be passionate; be champions; post your thoughts on the muse and do so to your heart's content; spread the word and, as long as the point of the whole exercise is kept in play, we've got nothing to fear on the racial tip...those who forget the past are destined to repeat it,yo...variety is the spice of life...MOG it and they will come...R.A.R., y'all...
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It's interesting that we have moggers from all over the world (it seems) but very few black moggers. I hope no one comes across mog and just sees it as a haven for indie lovers and decides to forgo it. Mog is a great forum for exposing us all to music we have never heard about before. Wouldn't it be great if mog turned into the anti-mtv? The Roots instead of the Ying Yang Twins. Regina Spektor instead of Britney?
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Nice post, Crash. As far as getting more and more people of all colors on MOG, as they say in Kingston, soon come.
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Once again, you are so right, CP.
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I'll start telling people about MOG at my school. Maybe it'll conversation fodder, since they pretty much are on MySpace and Facebook already.
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That's what I found so cool about the late-70's punk scene; they accepted all kinds into the fold. The 2Tone movement (which you've written about) was an example of that. RAR indeed, and keep preaching that MOG-spel bro!
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Funny how Clapton, who owes his life to the delta bluesmen (and Bob Marley for one of his biggest hits) is the person who touched that all off with his comments about the UK becoming a "black colony". ugh. But as you point out, righteousness triumphs over adversity. Witness The Specials, Selecter etc, and the 2Tone movement. Real Unity Rockers.... bo!
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well, I'm sure that, as word gets out, those who love music, REGARDLESS of color ("race" makes it sound... tangible) will come. I did, and I am certainly telling my friends.
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My 13-year-old daughter tells me that at her high school cafeteria, at the "indie-kids" table, word's out that Myspace is dead and MOG is ascendant. Prepare for the onslaught of new teenage recruits. Fresh young minds to twist with our one-worlder propaganda....
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...I'll get my coat
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dammit this is an inspiring post.
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This is awesome, and more of that MOGaganda!
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Diversity rules!
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A huge F'IN YEAH to that!
And, even though I wrote a post on how I'm all "disillusioned" about believing in my musical idols as anything more than that, I still can't help but be shocked and disappointed to hear that someone as out-and-out worshipful of black culture ("If you didn't know who Robert Johnson was, I didn't even want to talk to you") as Eric Clapton, would make such comments. He used to be my very favorite artist, although we parted ways a while back. Wow. It's like John Turturro's character in Do The Right Thing whose rational brain seems to short circuit and avoid reality when Spike Lee's character points out that all of Turturro's heroes are black, yet he still clings to racist thinking. Really hard to fathom, although my cousin met him once, and insists the guy is really a huge A-hole.
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man it's all about rock-roll of the 50's and 60's which finall brought the races together in the venues and saw that each and every one one had the same thing in common/differences!(agape) it came way before the 70's in my opinoin. and chuck berry and liitle richard are to thank for this (and others) AND the blues gr8 post my friend
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Makes me want to cry. All these people, this is a beautiful thing. Power to all of you.
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@crashpryor - your words truly helped me today. I needed to read them! Thank you! Missing you kid!