The Devil's music they called it. The Blues bedded Bluegrass to conceive rock and roll, and God-fearing folk were outraged. Convinced this new music had come to steal the souls of America's youth, the devout railed against the voodoo beat, urging young people back to their churches. In their righteousness, they failed to notice just how much this thumping and gyrating had in common with religious worship.
Monday, 25 June 2012
Carr trouble
In the modern world, bad news arrives in a heartbeat.
It started in The Times. Keen to claim their share of the glory which followed the enormo-scoops of MPs’ expenses (The Telegraph) and phone hacking (The Guardian), the paper splashed on a tax avoidance scheme called K2. (In case you’re not up to speed, ‘tax avoidance’ refers to methods of legally reducing one’s payments to HMRC, while ‘tax evasion’ is criminal activity designed to defraud the revenue).
Thankfully, I am not an accountant. But I understand K2 allows participants to give their incomes to a Jersey company, which then ‘lends’ the money back. Loans are free of taxation, so a person can pocket the money without the usual deductions. The ‘loan’ would never be repaid. It’s slightly more complex than that, but there’s the gist of it.
It started in The Times. Keen to claim their share of the glory which followed the enormo-scoops of MPs’ expenses (The Telegraph) and phone hacking (The Guardian), the paper splashed on a tax avoidance scheme called K2. (In case you’re not up to speed, ‘tax avoidance’ refers to methods of legally reducing one’s payments to HMRC, while ‘tax evasion’ is criminal activity designed to defraud the revenue).
Thankfully, I am not an accountant. But I understand K2 allows participants to give their incomes to a Jersey company, which then ‘lends’ the money back. Loans are free of taxation, so a person can pocket the money without the usual deductions. The ‘loan’ would never be repaid. It’s slightly more complex than that, but there’s the gist of it.
I see ..
This is what I see.
A cabal of multi-millionaires, without mandate or majority, exploiting a perfect storm of fear, instability and crisis to unleash a self-serving ideological agenda. Focusing a policy of dis-empowerment and abandonment of the poorest, weakest and most vulnerable, they gradually remove the re-assurance of civil support from as many as possible. Simultaneously, they manipulate legislation to favour those at the highest levels of the economic structure, who in turn, bank roll the cabal. The pace of this concerted campaign escalates with every passing week, while the economy sinks and shrivels for want of sensible, unifying and supportive thinking.
A cabal of multi-millionaires, without mandate or majority, exploiting a perfect storm of fear, instability and crisis to unleash a self-serving ideological agenda. Focusing a policy of dis-empowerment and abandonment of the poorest, weakest and most vulnerable, they gradually remove the re-assurance of civil support from as many as possible. Simultaneously, they manipulate legislation to favour those at the highest levels of the economic structure, who in turn, bank roll the cabal. The pace of this concerted campaign escalates with every passing week, while the economy sinks and shrivels for want of sensible, unifying and supportive thinking.
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Hall or nothing?
What is The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for? I only ask because, while in the USA last week, I caught the induction ceremony on HBO and still don't have the faintest idea.
The institution was formed in 1986 with the stated aim of 'celebrating music and musicians whose contributions have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll by inducting them.' Slightly long-winded but at least it's clear what they do - I just don't understand why.
Punk Notts dead
When punk happened I was in just the right place at just the right time. Raised in a squat by robbers and hookers, in 1976 I was staying in a flat above Malcolm McLaren's Sex shop on the King's Road. The obvious choice, I was recruited to manage The Damned, X-Ray Spex and Alternative TV, before launching my own legendary punk band, which took the music industry by storm.
None of this is true. In fact, I was the wrong age (at least in practical terms, as I couldn't see bands in licensed premises), living 130 miles north of the capital and of rather middle class stock. When 'Never Mind The Bollocks' was released I was 14, living with my teacher/actress mum in a leafy area of Nottingham. Books and plays came before most things in our house, but musically my mother favoured baroque classical, a bit of modern jazz, a touch of Mike Oldfield and a sliver of Steeleye Span. We both quite liked Abba and on a whim I bought Slade In Flame and T-Rex's Hot Love.
He took it all too far ...
On 3 July 1973 David Bowie was performing at the Hammersmith Odeon. Towards the end of the show he approached the microphone saying: "Not only is this the last concert of the tour - it is the last concert we will ever do." The audience reaction was instant and dramatic. A piercing cry, followed by a wave of audible dismay, tears even. The crowd had taken the announcement to mean David was retiring, when he was actually referring to the character he had been playing on the tour: Ziggy Stardust.
The fans didn't appreciate the difference. The trouble was, neither did Bowie.
Not bright
Earlier today I had a phone call. When you’re a freelance working from home, these are exciting moments. Unfortunately it was a sales call, which took much of the excitement out of this specific moment. But I hadn’t spoken to anyone since breakfast, so I played along. It was from Orange – my broadband provider. They want to be my telephone provider.
So they ask me how much I pay monthly for my landline. I make a total guess at £20 (I’m like the anti-Martin Lewis, in that I haven’t the faintest idea what anything is costing me, but £20 seems about right). The young fellow on the phone becomes quite animated, telling me Orange can do my phone and broadband for £23 per month. They’ll also let me call any of my close friends (in reality, about five people) for free – as long as it is in the evening or at weekends. He’s right, that would save me money. But I don’t bite. What’s more, I would never bite. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.
So they ask me how much I pay monthly for my landline. I make a total guess at £20 (I’m like the anti-Martin Lewis, in that I haven’t the faintest idea what anything is costing me, but £20 seems about right). The young fellow on the phone becomes quite animated, telling me Orange can do my phone and broadband for £23 per month. They’ll also let me call any of my close friends (in reality, about five people) for free – as long as it is in the evening or at weekends. He’s right, that would save me money. But I don’t bite. What’s more, I would never bite. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.
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