The subversive gorilla

[imomus]

Today's topic is gorillas. First of all, my latest piece for the New York Times is about a 23 year-old French artist called Stephan Goldrajch, who makes woolly masks capable of transforming your face into a colourful gorilla face.



As I explain in the piece, Goldrajch (who calls himself a "eudemonist", a person dedicated to pleasure) likes fairy tales, and has written a few of his own, including the Tale of Bryone, the beautiful and rich daughter of a king who ultimately slits her throat for venturing too far outside his castle walls. Do not under any circumstances miss the fabulous and bizarre Bryone Song, which sounds like something from my Analog Baroque period (or perhaps the songs of Rroland).

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Here's the other gorilla thing: an English translation which has just gone up on YouTube of Georges Brassens' song The Gorilla. Listening to this song -- in which a hanging judge is raped by a gorilla -- you can't help thinking that an enormous mistake has been made by historians of popular song. Rebellion has been equated, since the 1950s (when this song was released, making Brassens a star) with pelvic thrusts and songs about "rocking around the clock". In fact, rebellion is much more reliably to be found in this deceptively-gentle song about a gorilla. It still packs a huge subversive punch, and there are countries all over the world -- including, perhaps, our own -- where you still couldn't sing this gorilla song on TV, though you could shake your pelvis and rock until the cows come home.

Finally, my various record labels have asked me to point out to you that the Joemus album is available as a digital download. Here it is direct from Cherry Red in the UK and via eMusic in the US.

Comments

[jermynsavile.livejournal.com]

Sad to say there was a time when you could sing this song on British TV.



And Jake Thackray was more beautiful in his prime than Elvis was in his.

Rock's "rebellion" has always been far more about sex than anything else. And capitalism, if you'll excuse the pun, doesn't really give a toss about sex, it's just something else to market. Musically, rock isn't any more or less radical than any other genre.

And as for the period that supposedly contained its finest and most radical flowering, well, there are different takes (http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article4909710.ece) on that too.

[robincarmody.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Thackray was wonderful. And/but he was the antithesis of rock culture in every possible way, right down to pretending that he came from rural Yorkshire when in fact he came from Leeds (which, by rock culture's norms, is almost as frowned upon as pretending you were privately educated if you weren't).

I would agree with a large part of the essence, if not all the details, of Dr Fowler's theory. I think he might be judging 60s rock culture slightly too much from the perspective of its influence on the radical-reactionary mix of Thatcherism (which could not have been foreseen when it began, in the days of Macmillan grouse-shooting on the moors, etc.) but I think he is brave, and correct, to attempt to rehabilitate Rolf Gardiner - or, at least, to not judge him as irredeemable without even studying his actual ideas (see also, here, what Henry Williamson's youngest son got up to).

[jermynsavile.livejournal.com]

I am slightly biased against Rolf Gardiner owing to have, last week, been unable to get into a favourite restaurant due to its being co-opted by the local branch of the Soil Association. I hold him (in)directly responsible.

I agree with you about rock hardly being able to predict the reactionary narcissism of Thatcher, but think that rock's state of perpetual adolescence and self-indulgence was always likely to turn sour. But good points all and I'm not far from your thoughts on the matter.

Incidentally, is your comment missing a link at "here"?

[robincarmody.livejournal.com]

Sadly not. In case you don't know, Harry Williamson - born when Henry W was 54 - was heavily involved with Gong et al in the 1970s. I have an epic screenplay developing in my head which is built around characters based on these two, and their relationship with those who plotted to undermine the Wilson government in the mid-70s (the usual ratings-topping themes, then).

Certainly some Old Leftists (including Hoggart, but probably not Raymond Williams) *always* thought rock would end up pretty much as it has.