Posted on 06/06/2005 4:02:42 PM PDT by quidnunc
"DJ Attacks Live 8 Line-Up As 'Too White'," ran the headline in the Independent on Sunday. No good turn goes unpunished, and the trouble with all the good turns lined up for the Rock Against Bush mega-bash is that they're overwhelmingly of the Caucasian persuasion.
That's the crux of the "row" that "broke out" over the weekend between Bob Geldof, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and Andy Kershaw, Jockey of the Discs at the British Broadcasting Corporation.
"If we are going to change the West's perception of Africa, events like this are the perfect opportunity to do something for Africa's self-esteem," said Kershaw. "But the choice of artists for the Live 8 concerts will simply reinforce the global perception of Africa's inferiority." And when Midge Ure gives you an inferiority complex you know you've got a self-esteem problem.
In this epic clash between St Bob and DJ Andy, one recalls Henry Kissinger's observation on the Iran/Iraq war: it's a shame they both can't lose. I've always had a certain regard for Bob Geldof, and it's disappointing to see him lending his name to a feeble bit of poseur politics chiefly aimed at certain Western leaders who are entirely blameless for Africa's current woes and severely constrained in their ability to do anything to alleviate them. So I reckon Live 8 is a dud, with or without Midge Ure, Pat Boone and Val Doonican.
On the other hand, I've always quite liked those radio shows where Andy Kershaw takes a tape recorder to Niger or Mali and comes back with the latest groovy sounds. But come on, man, what a lame-o complaint.
-snip-
Stein is so good it stings....
DANG!!!!
Poeple, read it ALL!!!
Steyn bump.
Did the DJ suggest any specific acts for the show?
The question shouldn't be skin color but whether the performers bring in ticket sales.
Good article. Thanks.
And getting sillier by the day.
That's the crux of the "row" that "broke out" over the weekend between Bob Geldof, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and Andy Kershaw, Jockey of the Discs at the British Broadcasting Corporation.
"If we are going to change the West's perception of Africa, events like this are the perfect opportunity to do something for Africa's self-esteem," said Kershaw. "But the choice of artists for the Live 8 concerts will simply reinforce the global perception of Africa's inferiority." And when Midge Ure gives you an inferiority complex you know you've got a self-esteem problem.
In this epic clash between St Bob and DJ Andy, one recalls Henry Kissinger's observation on the Iran/Iraq war: it's a shame they both can't lose. I've always had a certain regard for Bob Geldof, and it's disappointing to see him lending his name to a feeble bit of poseur politics chiefly aimed at certain Western leaders who are entirely blameless for Africa's current woes and severely constrained in their ability to do anything to alleviate them. So I reckon Live 8 is a dud, with or without Midge Ure, Pat Boone and Val Doonican.
On the other hand, I've always quite liked those radio shows where Andy Kershaw takes a tape recorder to Niger or Mali and comes back with the latest groovy sounds. But come on, man, what a lame-o complaint.
Given that you and Bob and "Make Poverty History" and all the rest are as one in your indestructible conviction that Africa's such a hopeless case it needs to be put on an ever-more lavish drip feed of Western "aid", it's surely a bit late in the day to begin raising self-esteem issues. I'd have low self-esteem if I'd been taken on by Western do-gooders as a permanent poster child for the world's irredeemable losers.
Bob and Andy agree that paternalism and condescension are the only ways to deal with Africa, they're just quibbling over the particular form of condescension. After all, Kershaw's remedy for avoiding the "reinforcement" of "global perceptions" about Africa would surely reinforce the oldest stereotype of all - that say what you like about these darkies, but they've got the most marvellous sense of rhythm.
The point is we all know Africa can produce wild, vibrant, exciting jungle rhythms. What's unclear is whether it can produce anything boring, humdrum and routine. Accountancy firms, for example. I mentioned in The Spectator a few weeks ago the extraordinary number of US tax returns that are now prepared by accountants in India.
Small hospitals in America have their patients' CAT scans analysed overnight by radiologists in India. These and a thousand other niche businesses were not facilitated by government leaders meeting at international summits. That said, government leaders did not actively obstruct their creation and growth, as governments do all over the Dark Continent.
It's hardly news that Western pop stars are so deeply concerned about Africa that they're willing to climb into wacky gear and caterwaul geriatric rock hits in a stadium for a couple of hours every decade. But would they be prepared to outsource the book-keeping for their music publishing to a guy in Ouagadougou or Niamey?
That's tougher than another spasm of feelgood agitprop aimed at that brave band of guilt-ridden Western liberals who got such a frisson out of wasting their money on the tsunami appeal they're itching to waste a ton more. (One quarter of all the tsunami aid sent to Sri Lanka has been sitting on the dock at Colombo since January, unclaimed and/or unprocessed. Maybe St Bob could do Sitting on the Dock of the Bay for his next charity single.)
As long as Western progressives are divided into those who wish to keep Africa in a backward subsistence agriculture economy and those who wish to keep Africa in a backward subsistence agriculture economy but if the rude fieldhands break into something catchy enough when Andy Kershaw's passing they'll be in with a shot as the warm-up to Bananarama at the next all-star charity gala, the do-gooders will have no useful contribution to make to Africa's future.
According to the World Bank's Doing Business report, in Canada it takes two days to incorporate a company; in Mozambique, it takes 153 days. And Mozambique's company law has been unchanged since 1888. In the midst of the unending demands that Bush do this, Blair do that, do more, do it now, would it be unreasonable to suggest that, after 117 years, the government of Mozambique might also be obligated to do something about its regulatory regime?
Meanwhile, next door in Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe's government is being given hundreds of thousands of tons of emergency supplies from the UN's World Food Programme. At the press conference, James Morris, head of the WFP, was at pains to emphasise that the famine was all due to drought and Aids, and certainly nothing to do with Mr Mugabe's stewardship of the economy. Some of us remember that during the 2002 G8 summit, also devoted to Africa, Zimbabwe's government ordered commercial farmers to cease all operations.
But still neither the UN nor his fellow African leaders will hear a word against Mr Mugabe. Listening to Mr Morris, the old monster must have laughed so hard his Chinese-made rubber penis fell off. (A popular Harare rumour, which I mention only in the hopes that old 1970s supergroups will organise a "Codpieces for Africa" fundraiser. It's outrageous that dictators should have to make do with these cheapjack Chinese models.)
The issue in Africa in every one of its crises - from economic liberty to Aids - is government. Until the do-gooders get serious about that, their efforts will remain a silly distraction. But, if you want some black music to cheer up the silly distraction, I recommend the lyrics of Andy Razaf, nephew of Queen Ranavalona III of Madagascar. If they ever clean up their kleptocratic act, Ain't Misbehavin' would make a great group anthem for Africa's heads of state. Until then, more than a few of their hapless peoples must wonder, "What Did I Do to be so Black and Blue?"
Bingo... if you want money from white kids you need bands they know and like to separate them from their money, not no-name nobodies from africa no matter how much it will help their self-esteem!!! these kids are there for the music not some altruistic reason and most of them prolly don't know where africa is anyway!!!
He has sometimes fallen victim to PC bullclinton regarding Bush but has also praised him:
You'll think I'm off my trolley when I say this, but the Bush administration is the most radical - in a positive sense - in its approach to Africa since Kennedy," Geldof told the Guardian.
The neo-conservatives and religious rightwingers who surrounded President George Bush were proving unexpectedly receptive to appeals for help, he said. "You can get the weirdest politicians on your side."
Former president Bill Clinton had not helped Africa much, despite his high-profile visits and apparent empathy with the downtrodden, the organiser of Live Aid, claimed. "Clinton was a good guy, but he did f--- all."
Geldof on Mugabe:
Geldof: Mugabe a 'scar on the face of Africa'
Rock star backs fund to stop Zimbabwe rights abuses
Wednesday, April 21, 2004 Posted: 10:30 AM EDT (1430 GMT)
LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Live Aid founder Bob Geldof called President Robert Mugabe a "grotesque tyrant" and lent his backing to a fund to counter human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.
The Irish rock star turned poverty campaigner endorsed the fund at a media briefing on Tuesday evening.
"(British Prime Minister) Tony Blair has said Africa is a scar on the conscience of the world. Mugabe is a scar on the face of Africa," Geldof said.
"He's one of the grotesque tyrants of the planet, and the sooner we can get rid of him, the better," he added.
-Eric
pinging for a later read
there are no ticket sales. the shows are free. at least the main one in london.
Steyn nails it again (although its no secret)
"Rock star?" I think musician would be more appropriate. One shaky hit ("I Don't Like Mondays") hardly constitutes rock star status in the true sense of the word.
Unfortunately, the terrorists have figured out a very profitable answer...They're mining diamonds in a major way to finance their (ahem) "projects". An enlightening read: "Blood from Stones...The secret financial network of terror" by Douglas Farah
Sir Bob has run into PC before. I read in his (surprisingly well-written autobiography: "Is that It?") when he was organizing the first Live Aid concert the same sort of characters whined that he hadn't lined up enough black performers. He went ballistic and refused to play ball, after giving them a piece of his mind, of course.
For all of his initial enthusiasm, he drifted away from this endeavor not long afterwards. He learned pretty quickly that food aid could not save africa from its thug dictators. I personally believe he has taken up this sword again out of pure boredom and loneliness. He's weathered some awful tragedies over the years. The marriage that had seemed so fairytale when he wrote his book, came to grief when his beautiful wife Paula went back on the drugs, took the kids and left him for the INXS guy Michael Hutchence, and not long afterwards OD'd.
"There has never been a famine in a country with a democratically elected government."
-PJ O'Rourke
As an aside, Sir Bob held a conference call yesterday with bloggers, and some of them, Powerline for example, were quite smitten with him. Go figure.
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