MICK
FARREN
TRANSATLANTIC TRA 212
AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT RECORD to review and not, I might add, primarily
because Mick has long associations with IT. Indeed it's his lengthy
attachment to the paper and the fact that IT exists at all that highlights
the incongruity of socio-political revolutionary philosophy in this
country in relation to the so-called Underground - one of the reasons, I
suspect, for the concept of Mick's first solo album. Before explaining
this statement in full, let me say that the greatest problem with the
album is that Mick, on Germaine Greer's assertion if not his own, is not a
brilliant singer. One shouldn't pay too much attention to the quality of
the product though (and the Deviants' success is a testimony to the
perceptiveness of British audiences - paying 8/6 to hear all that goddam
racous NOISE), because Mick is playing games on a bigger pitch than the
pop field. So if you think Mick can't sing and the back-up band's a bore
that's your cop-out for not bothering to get beneath the surface and a
lousy cop-out at that. So let's get back to the Revolution....
One of the basic tenets of Revolution is that of taking over the
machinery of power and giving it to the people. Possibly the most
influential power structure in modern civilisation is the mass media - it
has always proved a popular target for subversive tacticians who've also,
as if making provision for a moral retreat, established inter-party media,
usually of a duplicated variety, to communicate their feelings of
repression and their plans to thwart it. In other words, the whole
media/revolution trip has so far existed on one level; a media set up by
revolutionary groups to preach revolution to the uninitiated (if they come
across it - which is unlikely) and the initiated (who accept if, often
with a begrudging attitude), largely because it provides a justification
for their own paranoia, which is always smugly reassuring.
POINT ONE: So far no one person, body
or movement has launched a mass medium which actually in essence serves
the purpose of revolution - affecting socio/political change thru mass
readership credibility. No preaching, no dynamic vitriol, instead the
subtle subversion of careful editorial planning.
In Britain we have an Underground Press (and although I disagree with
the validity of the term I use it because of its general acceptance)
which, as long as it is controlled vacuously, (i.e. without any real idea
of the specific aims it is going to have, the means to best achieve them
and the necessity for a strong governing structure to co-ordinate the
two), has its potential limited to welding together the two consciences of
a readership that is receptive and responsive to the U/g press in the
first place. Secondary potentials are (1) Turning other people on to the
U/g press which is a very slow process unless other, more influential
media speed the process (e.g. pop music, daily papers, colour supplements
etc.)
(2)Turning consciousness into positive action (very difficult except in
isolated instances or vaguely possible if a readership has implicit faith
in a medium which has already proved its integrity.
POINT TWO: On a National scale, as far
as Great Britain is concerned, the Underground Press is impotent
Now Farren (remember him), has courted the Underground since IT began
in the days of 'Flower Power'. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on
which side of the rose bed you are, the only major U/g medium, IT has
changed little since those days, in terms of pre-ordained organisation
ethos and lack of definite direction. This means that, far from realising
the the potential to effect change implied in Point One, we have
demonstrated by our frequent farting about, that we are happy to accept
the implications made in Point Two.
Why bother with all this inconsolable image shattering, you ask? Well
brothers & sisters, you see that Farren is into Media too. He is also
heavily into the theory of revolution and whilst his new platter is far
from a fusion of his personal concepts of both, it represents the
frustration of his inability to relate to and accept the steps taken and
being taken into media, the media he has very personal experience of, to
effect revolutionary change. Let's not kid ourselves anymore, getting out
and fighting in the streets isn't going to achieve much except a few
broken hippy skulls - our fuzz mayn't be as far into violence as the
Chicago pigs - but then neither have the minority groups who theoretically
abuse the 'law'.
If a confrontation, a real massed confrontation came about, our fuzz
would learn how to wield a nightstick pretty damn quick, you'd better
believe it. So whilst we've still got time let's use the media to effect
change, let's screw the system by the same means it's screwing us. And
farren whilst realising all this, like everyone he's into this media trip
hasn't really been able to get a tight enough grip on the machinery of
media. Additionally the internecine rifts that are a constant courtier to
Underground enterprises invalidate his efforts even further. And after
three years where is the Underground? Where is Mick Farren?......
(This is presumably Mick's response and it
immediately followed the above 'record review of sorts starting on the
same page.)
NOW'S THE TIME TO DECIDE, BROTHERS, ABOUT YOUR PURPOSE ON THE
PLANET. ARE YOU GOING TO BE PART OF THE PROBLEM OR ARE YOU GOING TO BE THE
SOLUTION:M.C.5.
TALKING EVEN BRIEFLY ABOUT REVOLUTION, when it is a subject with
which you are closely involved, both emotionally and career wise, becomes
immediately difficult. I had hoped for this issue to set up a dialogue
with Edgar Broughton, but i found that Edgar was on tour in Denmark, which
made it impossible; so all I can really do is put down my own thoughts on
the subject and hope that Edgar can add his in a later issue.
It is only the totally blind who could deny that there is a great deal
wrong with our current situation. I could list all the bummers that the
social structure throws at the individual, but this, in the present
context, is surely hardly necessary. Basically we are being ruled by a
bunch of fat rich honkeys who are going to do nothing that will benefit us
unless we really force them to, and forcing honkeys to do what they don't
want is commonly called revolution. That's what it's all about, even if it
means yelling and screaming and tearing down everything and keeps us
slaves to an evil and degenerate system.
Every individual when he, (like Tommy), 'becomes aware', is presented
with a choice: either to join the rat race, lose his soul and go all
out for the maximum animal comfort in order to insulate himself against
the daily evils. Or alternatively, he can decide to attempt to change the
way the system operates in order that everyone may have a chance to
realise their desires and fantasies. The choice that most of us in the
underground have made is an uneasy compromise between the two.
DO IT IN THE ROAD
It is very easy to rationalise to the point where one can congratulate
oneself that every time you have a fuck, or smoke a joint it is a blow for
freedom, This is not true unless you do it in the road. Getting
stoned, drunk or laid is maybe the aim of the revolution, but it is not
the sole means to achieve it. If it was, Ladbroke Grove would be a free
state.
The function of Rock n' Roll as Revolutionary media is basically one of
propaganda. The function of the rock band is to set up a temporary
environment inside the concert hall, or club, or what have you, which
demonstrates the way things could be if....THIS was the function of the
UFO: to give thousands of kids a glimpse of some kind of alternative to
the factory, the TV and the pub. As a musician this is what I am dedicated
insofar as I am dedicated to anything.
If this tiny alternative is to expand into something larger and more
general, it needs a great deal of work and organisation such as is
happening in Ann Arbor and Detroit, in San Francisco &, to a very much
lesser degree, in London.
What will stop the alternative fantasy becoming general reality is if
an individual or organisation attempts to turn it into product that they
then try to market in the same way as deodorant or cornflakes, putting the
highest possible price on it, restricting the supply to create a demand
etc. This is as good a way to put a stop to revolution as arresting all
the freaks. It is also much less trouble.
EASY TO CRUSH THE SYSTEM
The rock musician who goes seriously in to the idea of revolutionary
tactics is immediately confronted with a whole bag of moral problems. If
you are going to be effective it is likely that that you will also be a
commercial success which presents the temptation to make continued
commerciality the sole reason for working. If the system has given you
nothing, it is easy to say crush it; it is much harder to crush a system
that has given you, as an individual, a degree of personal luxury.
In order to be an effective propagandist, one also has to deal with the
straight recording/ management/ agency side of show business and, since
their only motive (with a very few exceptions) is one of pure profit, one
is forced to deal with them (in fact, often actually con them) on their
terms. This can hopefully lead to subverting their organisations to some
degree: it can also lead, however, to them subverting you (and don't
believe they won't try).
FLOWER POWER LESSONS
This duality between revolutionary and commercial interests is the main
conflict of rock, the underground, and in fact society as a whole. Rock n'
Roll is one of the few means of expression in which every one can have
some of the benefits of an alternative society while still attempting to
create it. The twin dangers of the situation are concentrating on the
benefits of an alternative society while ignoring the need to gain ground,
and being ripped-off for one's energy & ideas. Hopefully
'Flower-Power' taught us some sort of lesson.
Mick Farren
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