“if ever I would stop thinking about music and politics”

History is made at night: The great disco debate

On elitism vs utopianism in disco. Great stuff, though I can’t help siding with H.I.M.A.N. on this one. Quite clearly capitalism is glued together by stuff like elitism, hierarchies, celebrity status, etc so it’s hardly surprising that these appear in social movements as well. More interesting to trace the liberatory currents which exist in spite of all the pressure to turn everything into one big shopping mall stuffed with copies of “Hello” magazine. That said, I had to wait until acid house before I felt comfortable setting foot in a nightclub.

Intellectuals with Street Cred?

Over at Mute, the Melancholic Troglodytes review a new book on the lash up between academics and activists in the anti-capitalist movement. I glazed over during the discussions of Negri et al, but there are some great graphics and discussions around DIY cultures like punk, and scathing critiques of certain lifestylist dumpster diving anarchists.

One Comment

  1. One of the reasons I like to read these sorts of things here is cuz they are so alien to me. American punk just didnt take politics all that seriously with few exceptions. I tried to read that second article but failed. I never walked those trails, I dont know the map, the reference points just confuse me. Still its worth a shot to see some think different. Its like being a tourist in a way.

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