KICK OUT YOUR GODS

Today, getting a regular job is more remote and rare than becoming a rockstar it would appear.  Well, get a myspace, pluck a few chords, meet up with some pals, get a drug or chick habit, and Bob’s your uncle. Surely.

Er, surely not.  It may be a twenty first century phenomenon, the superstar syndrome, but the reality of the real deal remains more elusive than ever. Characters so rich in belief and overflowing with vitality and passion….where are they?  All I get is a string of references to past acts. I don’t need to have a conversation with an encyclopaedia. I want to meet a force of nature.

Sometimes an idea is so strong, it blows away old structures, relationships, clichés and habits. It can be so strong, it appears to be destructive (e.g. The Sex Pistols, Kurt Cobain). It can isolate you to such an extent, you feel paralysed with fear and self-doubt.

But rock and roll is all about commitment to an idea, to music and the whole sex about rock and roll is that all you need is belief, 200% belief in your idea and the cunning to execute it. The people will come, the right ones. The right musicians, the people who hear you, really hear you (commonly called fans although they are so much more than that).

Rock and roll is not held together by contracts, by history, by traditions, genres, the press, protocol, family, friends, good connections, beautiful people, sex, drugs or violent behaviour.

Rock and roll is where the rubber hits the road. It is the connection between belief and reality. It’s the audacity to believe your thoughts can overcome the reality of the world outside or inside you, a belief you’re so committed to, others can believe it too.  Everything else is just merchandising and chip paper.

Rock and roll is Liam Gallagher singing ‘I’m a Rock and Roll Star’ in front of a couple of Mancunians at the Broadway when he was on the dole and only known for nicking bikes and being annoying. Oh yeah, you can say he still is but….he’s a rock and roll star too and the whole world now knows it.  Rock and roll is daring to defeat reality with your idea by making it real. And that’s why he can put two fingers up to the paparazzi because he did it and they can never.

And real rock and roll is the scariest thing you’ll probably never do. More scary than getting married or getting a mortgage. Because your dreams are out there for the world and its mother to rip up. And, believe me, given half a chance, it will.  So you better be more than ready.
So go ahead, retreat in defeat – slag it off and listen to your geeky, cross-genrefied safe muzak.  And wonder why your intake of Prozac is going up by the day.

If you took out the sex and drugs, would there still be the rock and roll? Na. Thought not.  But I’m still waiting and I believe it’s just round the corner…