tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post115315932770723654..comments2024-03-26T15:57:13.443+00:00Comments on On An Overgrown Path: Maxwell Davies rages at musical garbageUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1153690694159559812006-07-23T22:38:00.000+01:002006-07-23T22:38:00.000+01:00Yes, good points Horace. On that focus group: see ...Yes, good points Horace. On that focus group: see the response of sfmike. Cameron's choice reads like the choice of someone who likes to have the appearance of having musical taste.<BR/><BR/>"Return to Sender" performed by Elvis can be really appreciated by a love sick teenager, but if that is still your favorite music when you're leader of the Conservative Party, you have to question how much these people have actually grown up.<BR/><BR/>Choosing music in order to appear to have taste is quite sad. Choosing music which has touched you or said something to you is more revealing. It changes with time. You cannot have grown up and still feel touched by "Return to Sender". Let alone with "Fake Plastic Trees".Berend de Boerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11433622686361556089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1153433961693230102006-07-20T23:19:00.000+01:002006-07-20T23:19:00.000+01:00It's true that Cameron's selection is that of man ...It's true that Cameron's selection is that of man with very little genuine appreciation of music. I can't believe that it's the work of a focus group. I mean to say: WHO exactly are they focusing on?<BR/><BR/>I would be inclined to side with Peter Maxwell-Davis in lamenting the anti-intellectual posturing of the political class, but this nonsense about turning us all into consumers and "lining their bosses pockets" is just plain stupid. This is the vacuous rhetoric of the paranoid anti-globalisation crowd. It seems that there's not much difference between Maxwell-Davis's intellectual posturing and the anti-intellectual posturing he derides. What a silly man.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1153361450941434072006-07-20T03:10:00.000+01:002006-07-20T03:10:00.000+01:00Though none of the artists are particular favorite...Though none of the artists are particular favorites of mine, people whose musical taste I totally respect adore Dylan, Radiohead, R.E.M., Pink Floyd and the Smiths.<BR/><BR/>And I believe Cameron was pulling everyone's leg with the Benny Hill choice (though personally I will never get over the genius of Mr. Hill playing Farrah-Fawcett Majors in her "Charlie's Angels" days with an implacable look of self-satisfaction).<BR/><BR/>Interesting that the only classical selection would include the Divine Kiri who warbled at The Wedding.<BR/><BR/>And Cameron may actually be serious. I put together a music compilation for a retirement party for the CEO of a major United States bank once, and was given his three favorite albums: a Willie Nelson disc, a terrible recording of "La Boheme," and a group of mock-Gaelic ditties from some Irish film soundtrack. It was fairly horrendous (and amusing) mixing all three together.Civic Centerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12362422142667230626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1153353203342116872006-07-20T00:53:00.000+01:002006-07-20T00:53:00.000+01:00Heh, just heard Rush Limbaugh mentioning a song of...Heh, just heard Rush Limbaugh mentioning a song of Bob Dylan. The answer to what you would take to an island (he used it for another example) was given by a song of Bob Dylan in which he sang something like "was blowing in the polls".<BR/><BR/>Not sure if there is such a song, but if there was it would be quite applicable.Berend de Boerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11433622686361556089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1153340816971306452006-07-19T21:26:00.000+01:002006-07-19T21:26:00.000+01:00Berend, your last comment is the most perceptive.T...Berend, your last comment is the most perceptive.<BR/><BR/>The Conservative Party and David Cameron's 'comeback' (not difficult when the opposition is Tony Blair) has been masterminded by an <A HREF="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4000439.stm" REL="nofollow">Australian spin doctor Lynton Crosby.</A><BR/><BR/>Garbage or not, David Cameron's music choices are definitely dysfunctional. When I saw them I too suspected they were the work of focus groups, not David Cameron.Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1153339688303653742006-07-19T21:08:00.000+01:002006-07-19T21:08:00.000+01:00Heh, educated at Eton and Oxford. There goes the r...Heh, educated at Eton and Oxford. There goes the reputation of these schools.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me of his selection was carefully tested for its response on the widest possible audience. There aren't many authentic politicians left on the conservative side. Even this neocon would vote for Tony.Berend de Boerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11433622686361556089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1153339546141153432006-07-19T21:05:00.000+01:002006-07-19T21:05:00.000+01:00On David Cameron: what schools has he been to? Sta...On David Cameron: what schools has he been to? State schools?Berend de Boerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11433622686361556089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1153339371381730792006-07-19T21:02:00.000+01:002006-07-19T21:02:00.000+01:00As I suppose the taxpayer foots the Proms bill, wh...As I suppose the taxpayer foots the Proms bill, why not give the taxpayers what they want?<BR/><BR/>I mean let's not fool ourselves, this is not a case where someone has to produce something that others like. It's socialism, so you get paid no matter what you do, no matter what the results are, and no matter if anyone listens.<BR/><BR/>Government interference will make anything worse and classical music isn't an exception on that.Berend de Boerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11433622686361556089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1153336544281920732006-07-19T20:15:00.000+01:002006-07-19T20:15:00.000+01:00Well, I guess some people think that the post-indu...Well, I guess some people think that the post-industrial "creative class" is supposed to be "one big tent" and should embrace producers and consumers of both classical music and lizard music -- (whatever that is). <BR/><BR/>From your Conservative Pary link:<BR/>"Born in October 1966, David has worked at a high level in both business and Government. He spent almost seven years at Carlton Communications plc, one of the UK's leading media companies, where he was Director of Corporate Affairs and served on the Executive Board. <BR/><BR/>Before joining Carlton, he worked as a Special Adviser, first to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and then to the Home Secretary, working closely with Ministers on major legislation, budgets and spending rounds. <BR/><BR/>David is married to Samantha, who is the Creative Director of Smythsons of Bond Street. They have homes in West Oxfordshire and London and have three children."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com