Amadeus Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Neil Young Admits Music Can't Change World Move over Bob Geldof, Bono and Sting. Madonna and Justin, don't worry, you don't need four minutes or even to worry about saving the world any more with your music. Indeed, if you believe what rock guru Neil Young said on Friday in Berlin, music can't save the world -- at all. "I think that the time when music could change the world is past," Young told reporters, according to the AP. "I think it would be very naïve to think that in this day and age." All these great concerts for nuffin, ey.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollag Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Nooooo ! do you mean all those great lyrics were'nt true Say it aint so Truly the day the music died Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneaky Dolores Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Call me naive but, much as I love Neil Young, I think he's wrong on this one. Remember the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia took place just 19 years ago - okay, the music that sparked it dated from the 60s but that's beside the point. I think that if you speak to anyone who's moved away from a politically oppressive country to a more liberal one, they'll tell you about the seductive power of tapes of tapes of tapes of music from outside their country, and how it inspired them towards escape or change. Here's a link to a good article about the Velvet Revolution and Vaclav Havel "Havel told a startled Lou Reed when he met the Velvet Underground's former frontman in 1990, "Did you know that I am president because of you?"" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 If only Osma Bin Laden had heard "Venus In Furs" or "Heroin"! Young said "Music can't change the world anymore". The World has changed and the Velvet Revolution was a long time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneaky Dolores Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Young said "Music can't change the world anymore". The World has changed and the Velvet Revolution was a long time ago. Has the whole world changed? Tried being gay in Nigeria recently? Or Iraq? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 And "Walk on the Wild Side " is going to change that is it? Czechoslovakia was essentially, a Central European country, and it's people had similar aspirations and outlook to their counterparts in West Germany or Austria. Naturally, Western pop music was going move them and inspire them. The examples you give are from very different cultures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneaky Dolores Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 And "Walk on the Wild Side " is going to change that is it? The Czechoslovakia was essentially, a Central European country, and it's people had similar aspirations and outlook to their counterparts in West Germany or Austria. Naturally, Western pop music was going move them and inspire them. The examples you give are from very different cultures. I think it's liberalism in music that is the inspiration for revolution. Imagine living in fear of being stoned or tortured for your sexuality and hearing a 20th generation cassette of cheesy gay disco floor fillers like "You make me feel mighty real", "Outside" etc. - how would that make you feel? Hopeful? Like you say, it seems ridiculous that the music of the Velvet Underground sparked a revolution, but the fact is, it did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Peculiar sort of article that. Seems to view changing the world and saving the world as the same thing. Saving the world from what exactly? Music that has made a huge difference hasn't done so on purely musical terms but has been a part of the particular contemporary circumstances. And if the world is taken as a sentient being's conciousness of it, then music, ie ALL music changes it constantly. Even though most people don't like music very much, but rather just what it represents a part of. Maybe Mr Young was just trying to discourage a few idealistic Teutons from realising yet more of that soulless techno they churn out by the lorryload and take up science instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Are you suggesting that music is a product of the cultural and social changes going on when it is created rather than a catalyst for those changes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 if u find god then he will save the world, o sorry talking utter bollocks again well it is 3 o clock ish what u expect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollag Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Oh well, if we are all talking bollox then here we go I wonder how many men went to war and ultimatly their death because of the pipes and drums? they are so primeval and emotive, soon as i hear a Scots regiment band fire up, the hackles rise and the adreniline flows, i cant help it. Oh yes, music has power even without a lyric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonan3 Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 I wonder how many men went to war and ultimatly their death because of the pipes and drums? Yep, the sounds of gunfire would have been something of a relief after that kind of assault on their eardrums! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollag Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 I wonder how many men went to war and ultimatly their death because of the pipes and drums? Yep, the sounds of gunfire would have been something of a relief after that kind of assault on their eardrums! Aint dat da trooth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ride Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Young said "Music can't change the world anymore". The World has changed and the Velvet Revolution was a long time ago. Has the whole world changed? Tried being gay in Nigeria recently? Or Iraq? Only got as far as Nigeria, and got stoned to death. Total pain in the arse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hboy Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Young said "Music can't change the world anymore". The World has changed and the Velvet Revolution was a long time ago. Has the whole world changed? Tried being gay in Nigeria recently? Or Iraq? Only got as far as Nigeria, and got stoned to death. Total pain in the arse. Some of those stories are horrific ... Alan Thomas, was a 23 year old, Christian gay Iraqi who lived in al-Gadeer, a Shia majority district of Baghdad. He received many threats for being gay and was eventually kidnapped and executed by Shia death squads in late 2006. A christian, gay, iraqi - christ was that guy was sooo living in the wrong country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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