[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 104, Political Blues

[Martin Shakeshaft <mshakeshaft@xxxxxxxxx>]

Bill

We have a phrase here in the UK, get over yourself. The Blues is about life and politics. If its not your thing and you are really offend, feel free to leave the room (I don't think anyone will miss you). In a true democracy people should be allowed to express their feelings, thats what music and art are about. Music is about, expressing love, feeling, passion and yes politics. Without that it emulated painting by numbers…. Whist I am not a religious person, I like to listen to Handle, it is music celebrating someones beliefs, there is true passion in it. Folk and Blues music reflects people lives, their struggles, it has to be political by its very nature.

If you take politics away from the blues, you castrate it. It becomes supermarket ambiance music, wall paper, designed to offend no one. Great art/music makes you think or stimulates you in some way. 

Feel free to express your views, no one has a right to stop you. But at the same time don't try to stifle other peoples creativity. The same arguments that you use were foisted by the Nazi's in the 1930's. Thats not the type of world I want to live in.

Martin