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Should the BNP stop selling the musician's songs?

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anotheoldgit | 14:03 Thu 28th May 2009 | News
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/may/28 /bnp-selling-british-musicians-songs

Nigel McCune, a national organiser at the Musicians' Union, told the Times that musicians needed a safeguard against these sorts of associations.

'Needing a safeguard against these sorts of associations' that is rich coming from the squeaky clean musicians, who have done more harm towards our youngsters than the BNP could ever hope to do.
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Please do elaborate.
Interesting question.

I assume that when you mention the 'harm towards our youngsters' by musicians you are referring to the music that glorifies gang behaviour as opposed to the drug taking by certain musicians.

I think that the majority of musicians mentioned haven't really had a negative affect on any of of the youth in this country.

Should the BNP stop selling it? Honest answer is, I am not sure. On one hand I can see how cheesed off you would be if your music was 'engineered' to make it sound like a fascist song - but then I would presume that the songs are being sold as is (ie the full song with no alterations).

My first though (as I am typing this out) is that, no, they shouldn't be stopped from selling it. (and presumably they can't be which is why the union want it 'on record' that they oppose it).
musicians, who have done more harm towards our youngsters than the BNP could ever hope to do.

Another classic AOG sweeping statement without any facts to support it.
Gromit, bear in mind that the Beatles taught our ignorant youth that all you need is love. The Rolling Stones assured them they couldn't always get what they wanted. Cornershop inculcated the evil belief that everyone needs a bosom for a pillow. Is it any wonder young people are running wild?
And Dexy's Midnight Runners told us to come on Eileen.

Poor woman.
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A sound and genuine sensible answer from Oneeyedvic, only to be brought down to ridiculous conjecture started off by Gromit and his two chattering side kicks, jno & Quinlad.

Half term will soon be over, thank goodness.

Yes, in your face you lot. I got top marks. Ha ha ha. You're in trouble, you're in trouble.......




Sorry, couldn't resist :-P
Actually, AOG, I asked you to elaborate and you've decided not to.
I'd like to thank Quin for the elaborate display of splattered water on my computer screen and the strange looks I am now getting from my collegues... The song is also stuck in my head.

That said, I agree with Vic. It doesn't look like it can be stopped but if I was one of the muscians then personally I would want to distance myself from the party involved.
well, I was led astray by The Singing Nun. Her song Dominique praises St Dominic for his part in the stamping out of the Albigensian heresy - a notorious 13th-century genocide that you don't normally hear in the charts.

She later left the order, was pursued by the authorities for unpaid tax (she claimed the convent had taken all her royalties), and died in a suicide pact with her lesbian lover.

This is all true, but I don't know if it's the sort of corrupt loose living oldgit has in mind.
Quinlad

The 'Come On Eileen' joke...celebrating it's 25th birthday next year :-)

AOG...let's say you were a musician who strongly opposed BNP policies. It would be infuriating to see your name on their product, because the purchasers would assume that you supported them.

For someone like Billy Bragg (who was one of the co-founders of 'Rock Against Racism'), that must be particularly galling.

Wouldn't it make more sense for the BNP to contact musicians who are genuinely sympathetic to their cause and use their tracks?
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sp1814

Wouldn't it make more sense for the BNP to contact musicians who are genuinely sympathetic to their cause and use their tracks?

Why should they, do you think all other political parties should first contact the relevant musicians to see if they are sympathetic to their cause before using any of their tracks?

I don't know about 'sympathetic', I think it is 'pathetic'.
I suppose it would make more sense in rallying the troops so to speak... If you had a muscian/person in the public eye who was sympathetic to your cause then they would be happy to speak out in encouragement about your polices and aims whereas some of the artists the BNP used are more likely to do the exact opposite. It could make the BNP look a bit silly in the long term.
I am not really certain of copyright laws, but it appears that no laws are being broken.

I don't think that there is much weight in the argument of tacit support - in the same way that I don't think that on a Top Gear compilation, all the artists are petrolheads.

You hear music playing at various events that I go to - from rugby matches through to charity nights - again I don't see the musicians or band condoning the rugby team or charity.

The only people likely to buy this compilation are BNP supporters - I doubt that this CD is going on sale in HMV etc.

The musicians are of course allowed to state that they are not fans of the BNP but I can't really see any problem with it. As China Doll says, if anything, the BNP are getting negative publicity about it.
The BNP may be reviled by however many people in this country but would we be having this debate had lefty Labour, right wing Tory, or fence sitting Lib Dems been at the centre of it?

Because, like it or lump it, the BNP are regarded by some as legitimate a political party as any of the other three, therefore I say if you don't want to buy their CDs, don't: simple as that.

It's as bit like moaning and whingeing about what's on the telly and not bothering to switch channels. Besides, given that we pride ourselves in being such a great democracy, isn't it only right that all sections of our society, no matter how controversial, should be entitled to be heard? (no pun!).
AOG

It's not pathetic. It's common sense.

The major parties never use the services of those who oppose their views!

Common sense dictates that the BNP would, through local supporter, contact musicians who genuinely hold similar views and could provide the appropriate songs.

I mean...why didn't they think of calling on Morrissey? He's a lovely old racist nowadays...and I'm sure that Briget Bardot could've given a couple of ditties from her 60s catalogue.
paraffin

It is not that BNP members are able to buy this music, it is that the people who created it do not want to be associated with the BNP.

I take it you are not a Labour supporter. If the Labour party used a photograph of you in their campaigning leaflet, you would object. Likewise, these musicians do not want themselves to be connected to a party whose beliefs they do not agree with.

The question is not about the BNPs right to sell CDs or BNP members being able to buy them, it is about artists trying to restrict their work from being distributed by people they do not like.
Reagan used 'Born in the USA' in one of his campagins. Springsteen objected furiously, poiting out that the song was actually about the mistreatment of Vietnam veterans. The Reaganites dropped the song in embarrassment. I think that is probably the answer. If Bragg and Co make a fuss and denounce the BNP, it gets into the news and the publicity backfires on the BNP.

Or of course maybe it backfires on Bragg, if oldgit thinks he is someone who harms our vulnerable youngsters.
Gromit:

"I take it you are not a Labour supporter."

You must be from the same school of clairvoyance as vic who also reaches conclusions without a shred of evidence to support the claims? Can you tell me how you do it?

When and where was it that I made such a declaration of anti socialist leanings? Perhaps you'd be so good as to enlighten me?
You must be from the same school of clairvoyance as vic who also reaches conclusions without a shred of evidence to support the claims? Can you tell me how you do it?

I try and conduct myself pretty well on here. I disagree with a lot of posts and although I can be sarcastic, I try to e too personal in attacking anybody.

If I make a mistake, I am happy to apologise or clarify my point.

You, Paraffin are an ignorant idiot who doesn't seem to be able to read English clearly and doesn't have the decency to apologise when you are clearly wrong.

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