smokebelch

Just in case anyone was still wondering about the legacy of rock and roll …

And this reissue “campaign” [ugh, isn't that an appalling appropriation of language] sums up everything wrong with corpse worship as popular culture. Especially when we’ve just had a stunning run of number one singles from the Robyn-Timbaland-Rihanna axis [with the magical Kate Nash topping the download chart]. But no, the Elvis Necromancers will chunter about “manufactured” as if deliberately hi-hacking the national charts in a cynical attempt to cash in on the anniversary of a blessed [although bloated] death somehow DOESN’T represent everything wrong with the way pop’s been ruined by the ‘haven’t-they-died-yet?’ generation.

What will be almost as bad [although perhaps amusing in context] will be the uber-relativists who’ll present Heartbreak Hotel as just another consumer choice in this world of popism. Just another way to waste three minutes. “It’s all about the music” they’ll chorus [as if it's EVER all about the music]. I say “amusing in context” because at least this kind of talk will royally piss off the ‘proper’ Elvis fans.

Elvis was shit [although I'll happily watch that Vegas version of Suspicious Minds over and over again - somehow that captures what could have been] and the last thing we need is anything that encourages more smug idiot children of the 50s to act on their ridiculous “vision” of the world. I swear, if this reissue campaign is a success, we’ll be invading Iran in a couple of weeks …

… spend time with this instead.

[This take on Elvis and racism is interesting. The point I'd make is that the man can't be blamed for all that was done in his name. But those who are still "doing it in his name" in 2007 are quite clearly culpable.]