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would be happy to see a united Ireland •
it would be more efficient. Shit, in
economic terms we already exploit the
south more effectively than the north.
A united Ireland would be good for
business, record business too.
The IRA arc fighting for something
w else. History, religion, a culture that
^
isn’t ours and certainly isn ’ t much to do
-
vi& rrea \ ^ W suspected of pill pushing was summarily
with youth and counter culture and all
that crap. Fuck off John Lennon. A girl
*
*
tarred and feathered. Doing the IRA hop
w which isn't John Sinclair ' s. It's difficult
® to work up the correct fervour of sup-
port.1 keep expecting tosee Mayor Daley
M at an IRA press conference.
* of the Freaks for Ulster Campaign
And the settlers dig in their heels. A
recent IT carried the first Communique
(“Well not give up the blue skies of
^
* p \t\csMj Ulster for the grey mists of Eire "). After
the necessary dopc/sex/ecology/
all
peace bits it concluded:
Prince of Orange, and of the glorious
Nostalgia gets gloomier day by day. nounced. You’ve got an up wing and a We are the true sons of William
revolution and we pledge ourselves to
The first rock loser 1 ever saw was down wing while we ' re still stuck with maintain and defend the Ulster
Screaming Lord Sutch. He stumbled out boring old left and right. Our eighteen Orange way of life for which our
of a coffin and neither his shrieks nor year old vote has not made a happorth forefathers fought and died.
the green filters could hide the water of difference to anyone. The only Blue skies, green grass and happy
dripping down the walls of a half empty political campaign that ' s ever been trips
cinema. The girl sitting in front of me aimed at the youth/rock vote was for
was knitting baby socks. — commercial radio. The Tories liked it Yeah. Colour me green.
Last week he was still at it leading too and it ' s almost on us. Giving The Meanwhile, this summer’s record has
naked women up Downing Street and Public What It Wants and it ain’t going been “School’s Out.' I love it and I ve
'
*
into a Black Maria, publicising yet to be anything upsetting. Twenty four been out of school for nearly ten years.
another Grand Spectacular Rock ' n ' Roll hours a day of old rock’n 'roll probably, How to put the two together?
Revival Show. I went as expected. Gary take yer mind off Ireland. Part of it is that rock fans don't age
Glitter played for eighteen hours. Little The thing that most amazes me very well (all the nostalgia) but more of
Richard was booed. Seven different about Northern Ireland is that they get it is that rock musicians age even worse.
groups claimed to be the original the same radio programmes as we do. They get nostalgic too or, worse, they
Coasters or Drifters or both. Elvis didn’t On the news it’s like a foreign country, mellow and I can't take all that
—
show. Soggy memories and Jonathan the war looks like it ' s taking place sweetness and light. We’re having a
King said it bubble rock is here to twenty years ago. But listening to some rough summer and we aren ' t wearing it
stay. Only Chuck Berry was as housewife’s radio programme like well. Not just Ireland but also (old
wonderful as ever. Johnny Walker's there’s suddenly a fashioned?) class conflict and the police
I ' m used enough to being a rock request from Belfast , for mum and dad moving against picket lines. We've got
-
parasite - I was too feeble to make it and all at number 7. It ' s a jolt. When the our own conspiracy trials Peter Hain,
even as a roadie. What scares me is the sun’s out Slade mingles with the heavy the “ Angry Brigade," the Welsh
idea of being a rock maggot, picking tread of armoured cars. Presumably all Language Society. School really is out
over dead bones. We're in the grip of the kids - army, Catholic, Protestant - for the summer. For the last week
manic revivalism. Donny Osmond’s listen to the same music, for what it 's black/whitc gang fights have been raging
“Puppy Love’’ and the * Partridge worth. The few groups that have had in Liverpool, last night a lad was killed
Family’s "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” the courage to do live gigs there by skins in Wakefield. We need rough
in the top twenty not to speak of the (Stackridge, Rory Gallagher) have music and I ' d take Alice Cooper over
originals of “My Guy, M “The Loco- played in the emotional atmosphere of a Rod Stewart any day.
motion ' * and “Nut Rocker. ’ Bobby temporary truce, like the Christmas The left in England have never been
*
Vee is on tour and my faith is beginning football games in the trenches of the sure about rock. They tend to have the
to waver. The case for rock as fust world war. A hint of something else wrong expectations, wanting messages,
revolution has never been proved in from the outside, soon forgotten for quotations to write on the wall. But
England and it’s looking increasingly more serious affairs. Apart from, vitally, rock’s never had much to say — what
unlikely. I 've been reading Rolling giving pleasure to sad people, rock mattered is how it’s said it. An
Stone on McGovern and CREEM’s hasn’t had much relevance for Ireland. epigrammatic writer like Bob Dylan has
apocalyptic visions and I envy your The direct records have all been been responsible for far more mindless -
certainties. All those dramatic things crummy, avoiding any thought, ignoring ness than Grand Funk. No one expects
going down and rock is there, center any reality. It’s a three way fight. The
stage even. Ralph Gleason has pro - English government (American too) CONTINUED ON PAGE 72.
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