what's more offensive? (this morning 8:47am)

Music-making still performs the normal functions Background noise for people eating and talking and drinking and smoking That's alright by us. Don't think that we're complaining After all it's only leisure time, isn't it?

That's a verse from the BBC version of Soft Machine's 'Moon in June' and it's probably my favourite version of that song. The 'us' of course is Soft Machine, making the background music. I am not sure that the band were all of a mind on that one but I can't know. It would have seemed arrogant or weird for Robert Wyatt to just say 'that's alright by me...'

Anyway this morning I was in Mr Tulk awaiting the annual staff day, held this year in the State Library, and I was reminded once again that most people don't even notice, much less like or dislike, the background music played in places like this, and also, that the only thing they would notice is if there wasn't background music. I suppose this is where spotify sees a market for lame non-music* to be pumped into public spaces to its own profit. 

Anyway, this morning, AC/DC's 'TNT', a version (not the actual Beatles version, slightly faster, though it did sound like George Harrison singing) of 'Here Comes the Sun', and Supertramp's fucking fucking fucked 'Give a Little Bit' were paraded before me saying 'we won, we won, bland old shit music is here forever and you can't do anything about it', all that was required was a visual of Trump jigging and swaying to it.** 

Now, the music has been drowned out by 12 yarra trams ticket inspectors around the central table. I actually think that's preferable. I can hear something pumping underneath but luckily I can't identify it. 

* ie the music it pays people a pittance to create and sign over to Spotify forever. 

** Later song was Stevie Wonder's 'Isn't She Lovely' which I can handle but the point still stands. Although I read on wikipedia that 'Wonder performed the song live for Queen Elizabeth II at her Diamond Jubilee Concert on June 4, 2012, with lyrics modified to refer to the Queen' which is gross. 

end of an ear

 

...and you know, just when you think your covid has basically left you, then you start to feel its influence on you again, so I shouldn't be exposing myself to frankly brutal things like this record, which is not a sweet record but a bit of a bludgeoning one. Robert Wyatt was sacked from Soft Machine I think because they didn't like his lyrics/vocals, which were of course almost always the best thing, and because they wanted to turn shit and he was getting in the way. But it seems he took it fairly hard and decided to make a record without lyrics, and a minimum of vocals. I don't get it. What I also don't get is I had very fond memories of this record but listening to it now it doesn't sound the way I remember it at all. 

The Pintandwefall album however is a different kettle of fish, a bit like the Monks and Heart and gosh, I don't know who else, I need to think about it. 

In between I listened to another record that came today, Manfred Krug's Greens which is a bit of a disappointment because so much of it is in English, but also has a lot to recommend it in terms of being funny and upbeat. He does covers of great songs like Gilbert O'Sullivan's 'Alone Again Naturally'. But I will stop writing these bland non-reviews of records now, I think Nancy's attitude to records is the healthiest.

I was thinking today how annoying it was that there aren't fanzines anymore. If I had an extra day in the week I'd make a little fanzine on a regular basis. But I don't.