A VC« The South Will Rise Again | Main | Refusinik to Confusnik »
Live Earth
I am boycotting this event. First, there are hardly any acts that I want to see. Second, I agree with the Arctic Monkeys.
"It's a bit patronising for us 21 year olds to try to start to change the world," said Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders, explaining why the group is not on the bill at any of Al Gore's charity concerts.
"Especially when we're using enough power for 10 houses just for (stage) lighting. It'd be a bit hypocritical," he told AFP in an interview before a concert in Paris.
I'll go to the beach instead. Speaking of the boys from Sheffield, here's a video of them from Glastonbury 2007 covering Shirley Bassey's James Bond theme song, Diamonds Are Forever.
Comments (19) | Posted July 7, 2007 in My Music , Politics
Comments
as ever, the voice of reason comes from sheffield(!).
a monkey talks more sense than gore, more often than not.
just been watching some of the coverage and yes it's incredibly lame and inappropriate, anyway; to compound matters the odious razorlight and the utterly bland snow patrol have just been on stage - zzzzzzzzzz.
at least the sun's shining.
beach? enjoy. no such option in yorkshire - so, we're off to the hills - it's drier up there.
Posted by: carl rahn griffith | Jul 7, 2007 9:59:22 AM
You mean drive to the beach?
Posted by: Albert Francis | Jul 7, 2007 10:56:33 AM
i am very fortunate that i get to walk to the beach.
fred
Posted by: fred wilson | Jul 7, 2007 11:01:16 AM
Lame. I'm sure we can dissect the ironies in the extra emissions the show will create, as well as the ironies of musicians-as-activists, but this is an amazing event -- logistically and musically. I do not understand what would compel someone to "cheer against" this.
If I were walking distance from the beach I wouldn't make an effort to see the show, but to "boycott?" And to advocate such an approach on a blog that ~50k readers see? Just shaking my head in disbelief at the usually positive and encouraging words that flow from this site in support of those doing progressive things for good.
Posted by: Chris | Jul 7, 2007 11:11:33 AM
Irony of ironies, the London show opened with Genesis playing "Turn it on again"!
I shall tune in for Spinal Tap to make sense of it all!
Posted by: John Dodds | Jul 7, 2007 12:42:22 PM
I feel that the second set of criticisms that the Monkey's advance here, namely that the use of electricity at the event is not a wise investment of resources, is of the same flawed variety as Matt Drudge criticizing Al Gore for expending carbon dioxide while making "An Inconvenient Truth."
Fred, you invest is attention-economy companies, and make your money by making decisions regarding investment of resources.
If this event drives attention to, and recognition of climate change as an issue across hundreds of millions of people, isn't that net positive worth the costs in terms of carbon output?
It's unclear how to model it exactly(what's the value of an incremental person made aware of why this is important? What's the cost of an incremental ton of carbon output--we don't have that market yet.) But driving attention to this problem is valuable, even if it takes ten house's worth of electricity.
Posted by: Peter Kazanjy | Jul 7, 2007 2:03:50 PM
Yeah, c'mon Fred, a 'Boycott', that's just silly. You aren't boycotting anything, you just don't care. If your precious Arctic Monkeys were playing, you'd be singing a diiferent tune. And as for Mayy Helders fatalistic attitued, well, what do you expect from a child. I'm glad most people think differently.
Shit, I know you - you aren't like that at all - what's wrong?
We CAN change the world.
You are in the doghouse.......
Posted by: jackson | Jul 7, 2007 3:06:00 PM
Matt Helders succinctly nails it when he says people shouldn't be listening to Artic Monkeys. After all, they make terribly boring music!
Can't wait to see what kind of hipster-cool quotes Helders comes up with for the inevitable "Remember Them/Where Are They Now" piece NME will write about this band in five years.
Indie rock is dead. Long live indie rock.
Posted by: jim | Jul 7, 2007 3:50:35 PM
I'm actually watching the Live Earth concert now, and got into g-reader to see if my favorite blogger(s) wrote something about the event, that is not related to that phone.. and boy was I disappointed.
First, from someone who just recently wrote so much about how youngsters take a leading role on the Internet, giving stage to such an excuse ("I'm to young to think for myself. I'll leave the grownups the job of taking care for my future, since they did such a fine job till now") is almost hypocritical. If a 21 y/o can start up the hottest social network app on the web or (less recently) invent Group Theory and duel to the death for his loved one, that damn drummer can just as well play a couple of songs for a good cause.
As for you, well, since you own a beach house, I'd imagine you'll have a larger vested interest than the rest of us, but maybe not.
Other than that, you're still my favorite blogger, perhaps a bit more human, though..
Posted by: eran shir | Jul 7, 2007 4:04:37 PM
Got to say... I don't think it's patronizing to expect anyone to try to make a difference or a change. Now... people can disagree with whether or not LiveEarth will do anything, but the spirit behind it isn't patronizing.
In fact... isn't it more patronizing to assume that 21 year olds *can't* change the world?
Posted by: Chris Lehmann | Jul 7, 2007 4:08:42 PM
I boycotted most of it for the same reasons, but watched some of Madonna. There is a contradiction the size of a planet in Madonna telling us to save the world. Not leaving your TV on standby is pointless if Madonna is going to use private jets to go to Africa and adopt a child. Saving the planet is mostly up to the 2.5 billion people in China and India who weren't paying much attention I suspect.
Posted by: Andy | Jul 7, 2007 6:03:54 PM
Peter, it goes beyond Drudge calling out Gore for having a large carbon footprint to promote the movie. I won't even bother with the reasoning that you need large amounts of carbon emissions to create awareness.
Do you think these hypocrites who are participating in this event will start walking to their next gig? Or not use massive light and sound effects for their next gig? or cancel their aggressive touring schedule and go on a modest tour where they have less carbon emissions than the yearly output by me and my family?
The bottom line is that the message is great for people who can't think for themselves. For the rest, it just shows how disconnected these rockstars are to common people with jobs, commutes and kids.
It is sad that in this information age, some people would still get their opinions from rockstars and holywood celebrities, while the internet is full of knowledge bases that help you understand the issues and make up your mind with your own logical thinking.
Posted by: Mo | Jul 7, 2007 6:33:22 PM
Thank God the music acts of the late 1960's felt like they had a higher calling because in the 1960's, music did change the world and that is why self-indulgent band like the Arctic Monkeys will never walk in the shoes of the great ones...
Posted by: Dan | Jul 7, 2007 10:10:59 PM
I sat incredulous as I watched Al Gore's movie and observed him peering out the window of the jet pondering how we were destroying the earth.
I seriously looked around and thought, "Am I the only lunatic in the audience? Does anyone else see what I see?" It's like someone doing a movie about wasting water and all the while pouring water down the drain.
Good for the Arctic Monkeys for pointing out the hypocrisy without making a big deal of it.
Posted by: Douglas Karr | Jul 7, 2007 11:06:52 PM
I'm not into the political discussion... I just appreciated the video. Sah-weet.
Posted by: Charlie | Jul 8, 2007 3:12:16 AM
I think the Monkeys would be better described as apathetic for NOT trying to make a difference....oh well....another one bites the dust.
Posted by: rob | Jul 8, 2007 10:49:11 AM
tell ya what, like they say, just act local. put in compact flourescent, get a car with good mph.. i'm putting in solar.
concerts are self-indulgent celebrations, but actions speak louder.
Posted by: ben s | Jul 8, 2007 11:48:59 AM
The idea that these guys don't understand their musical pull and the political pull associated with it is a bit disturbing to me. I'm not saying bands need be compelled to make a difference, but that he thinks 21 year olds would be "patronising" to try is inaccurate and deflating for me (24).
It's patronizing to say you can't and that those with more experience can. And the power concerts use...let's just drop them altogether. Wait, wait...they ARE our bread & butter so let's keep touring, just not try to make a difference or associate ourselves with a good cause.
Fred, you honestly agree with this? I must be missing something.
Posted by: Robert John Ed | Jul 9, 2007 1:18:28 PM
I read a beautiful summary of Live Earth: Insanely rich people telling the middle class to live like the poor.
Posted by: rick | Jul 10, 2007 10:02:50 AM
Main RSS Feed of All Posts
VC and Technology Posts Only
