REBEL REBEL

REBEL REBEL

Jan 7, 2023 | CULTURE, CULTURE, MUSIC, MUSIC, ROCK, ROCK

Rebel Rebel is the picture disc I received as a gift from Elisa Mirko and Diego.

Elisa had already given me the Oh bej oh bej pictures as a gift.

Mirko had already given me the logo as a gift.

They both love David Bowie, as I do and as a large large percentage of humanity does, I think.

These days mark two dates, of which I like to remember more the first: his birthday.

David Bowie made history, and I won’t add “of music” because The White Duke is forever art, genius, style and communication that never stopped obliterating barriers.

Some have referred to Rebel Rebel as the anthem of glam, but I believe its unmistakable riff has the power to immediately captivate anyone who listen to it.

The Riff

Dsus2 E

e|———–0——–(0)——————|

B|——(3)—–3–2—0-0—–2–0——–|

G|——(2)————1-1———–1—–|

D|——-0————(2)—2———–2–|

A|—————————————–|

E|–(3)————————————|

Polly also agrees.

Instead, this is the version at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium, London, on July 13, 1985.

Yes, I know, I always take you back to the 1980s, Rebel Rebel however is part of the 1974 album Diamond Dogs and at that time I was still unaware of it.

The image on the picture disc is part of the cover of Diamond Dogs signed by Guy Peellaert on the MoMA website the full version censored by RCA.

The album is steeped in references to George Orwell’s 1984.

Paradoxically, if you will, to look through the lens, I point you to this exhibition at the State Archives in Turin. 

America Dreams Rights show David Bowie on the U.S. tour promoting Diamond Dogs through Steve Shapiro’s shots.

It is very sad to think that almost fifty years have passed and yet we have not made much progress in terms of rights, or even in terms of dreams.

May be we are not Rebels enough, aren’t we?

IN GOOD COMPANY

IN GOOD COMPANY

Dec 5, 2020 | A COFFEE WITH, CHRONICLE, MOVIES, WOMEN, WORLD

It’s the title of one of Scarlett Johansson’s many movies, but I’d say it’s a great caption for this image too.

Natalie Portman is indeed a good company to share a coffee with.

With her Scarlett also shared the sisterhood on the set of the film in which they played Anna and Maria Bolena which unfortunately I have not yet seen. You?

On the other hand, I have seen many others, starting with The Horse Whisperer, although she had already worked in other films: in fact she started very young and her career was a varied crescendo of characters and genres in which she always ranged with success.

In recent days, however, I was struck by her image rigorously without superstructures, as if to underline even more the accuracy of the appeal for the release of four people detained in Egypt, among whom we know in particular the case of Patrick Zaki. 

Before being arrested during a visit to his family, Patrick Zaki attended the University of Bologna which in recent months has undertaken many initiatives in his favor, also by the rector himself who mentioned him in the opening address of the University.

But it is Scarlett’s words that hit the mark: “Speaking out loud has become dangerous today in Egypt” and for me they sound particularly terrible even in the light of what happened to Giulio Regeni.

After this message three people were released, but not Patrick Zaki, even if surprisingly, today there will be the hearing that after the renewal of the pre-trial detention was scheduled for January.

We therefore join the hopes that Zaki will soon find himself in good company.

And above all, we all continue to defend a fundamental and very important value: freedom of thought and speech.

I had already mentioned Evelyn Beatrice Hall: 

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

And since I recently talked about George Orwell I would also mention

If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.

ON-BOARD DIARY FROM THE RED ZONE LOCKDOWN DAY 1

ON-BOARD DIARY FROM THE RED ZONE LOCKDOWN DAY 1

Nov 7, 2020 | BOOKS, ROCK

The sensation that is perceived is perhaps comparable to when you are in the last cone of light before entering the tunnel.

The lighting inside is annoying because there are no lights but intermittent glare.

The main feature is in fact these regular intervals, with almost telegraphic interruptions, at the end of which the monotone litany of any type of communication or information on the TV resumes.

I don’t know about you, but I have begun to hate some words that are adopted as mantras.

And instead of rainbows now only dividing colors remain: the colors of zones.

Personally I feel the need for my refuge: music and therefore I would say that the perfect song for today is The Resistance by Muse.

Starting from the cover, which to stay on the subject of colors, represents them in a psychedelic vision.
It is no coincidence that it was judged the best of the year 2009.

To continue with the multiple meanings contained in words, texts, metaphors, such as the fact that The Resistance represents a reference to 1984 by George Orwell, which Matthew Bellamy was inspired by.

 

The passage that directly quotes Eurasia is another, but in reality The Resistance itself evokes a lot of Winston and Julia forced into hiding so as not to be discovered by the Party.

Returning to United States of Eurasia instead, for many it represents plagiarism rather than a quote from Bohemian Rapsody, what do you think?

Also according to the detractors, who do not even like the ghost track Collateral Damage with the sonata Notturno n. 9 by Chopin, the influences that are heard are many and referable to a sort of musical pot pourri.

Did you notice them on first listen?
What impressions does this Muse work leave you?
Do you find the atmosphere of 1984?

Although it is a classic, I, as usual, have read it very late, that is “ahead in the years” and therefore it may be that my way of perceiving it has been influenced.

1984, as is known, is obtained by inverting the digits of the year in which it was written: 1948.

A curious coincidence: 1984 was an important year in my life, a year of change, a year of which I remember much more than other particular memories and I keep memories.

On the other hand, I am not as inclined to identify the current context with as much affection.
The downward curve towards the points where Orwell’s dystopian vision aligns with reality is accentuated more and more evidently.

A bit like the famous ball on the inclined plane, although I would like to continue to hope for a decline, albeit sadly obvious, at least not as accelerated and irreversible because, to return to The Resistance:
“If we live our life in fear” …

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