I had a good chat with el presidente yesterday. He was up for the tv smith gig as we reminisced and discussed world affairs as we prepared to our ears for the sounds of TV Smith playing some Adverts songs. That first Adverts album is an absolute classic. Crossing the Red Sea with The Adverts. It should go into any end of century lists. While it may not have the anger fuelled passion of The Clash it compares to pretty much everything else that spawned form that era. Criminally ignored.
So we spoke about that and Irish punk as we listened to the Lee Harveys. They remind me of a Good Vibes era pop punk band, el presidente says its more the Lurkers or the Members. There’s similaritaries in them there descriptions. It was good to chat with el presidente. we spoke of community resistance and how politics is more relevant when communities are empowered. be that in South or Central Americ where it can happen frequently or in paces like Marinaleda in Spain. There are communities like Ballyhea or Rossport in Ireland that are speaking up. Little buds are growing throughout the country as the water tax protest gather momentum. We agree it’s not just about water but hopefully this generation will have a different body politic when they are discussing times gone by in twenty years.
We were trying to figure out when we saw Paranoid Visions for the first time. For me it was the ivy Rooms, ironically where Fibbers now stands which is where we were. El presidente isn’t sure, maybe the Project. We both agreed they were chaotic and fearful events. Tonight the chaos is gone, the fear has imploded but there is still something there. Some anger and some great songs.
It was easy for us back in the 80’s to get drawn into music and poitics. There was a culture of it. Kids have different genres to cling on to, be that rude boy, mod, punk or hippy. We wondered what this homogenised generation do? Anyone know? I’ve asked my teenage kids and it really seems to boil down whether what size heel you were, all the rest are the same. Maybe I’m missing something. Maybe the young punks of todays are the teddy boys of my generation. There was a few Elvis fans when I was a teenager but they seemed so irrelevant…..
TV Smith is not irrelevant, to us anyway. He is still bringing out music, doing it his own way and hoping yu might join in. The Bored Teenagers are named after a song from the adverts first album. Imagine their delight, as three young men from Barcelona, when asked to join tv on a tour playing those songs they love. No Time to be 21, Gary Gilmores Eyes, Bored Teenagers. great, great songs. Even better when they played some songs from tav smiths excellent new album.
A joy
niallhope
