TV Smith
Immortal Rich
By Geordie Pleathur
(SugarBuzz Nation)
SugarBuzz Magazine
SUICIDE BREAKFAST AND I STILL FEEL SICK....
It's a crime, how we Americans have been dumbed-down, in recent generations. The budgets for education have been rechanneled into bailouts for billionaires and endless imperialist invasions and occupations of other nation's oil wells and opium fields. We vote a new guy in, nothing changes, no one says a peep. The public are controlled with media monopolies and misinformation. Myspace prohibits posting pictures of any form of authoritarian abuse, from tasers and protest clampdowns, to flag covered coffins, or casualties of war. Most people are content to discuss old episodes of "Friends", or their "Guitar Hero" scores. No one reads books, anymore. What passes for intellectual is the Dungeons And Dragons kids, who quote South Park.
What passes for punk is completely apolitical, unrebellious, boppy haircut music, and product shills. NO TRUTH, NO SOUL, NO GUTS, NO COMMITMENT. What passes for art rock is
any random millionaire's kid, flirting with dobros, synthesizers, facial hair, and maybe Mardi Gras costumes. The media monopolies have done a real bang-up job, insuring that you're familiar with all the words to Fergie's latest hit, but you ain't hip at all to Manic Street Preachers, are you?
We all know when Fall Out Boy had a tiff with his plastic surgery Hollywood wife, but quick-tell me what group TV Smith used to be in. Spin Magazine never mentions Carbon/Silicon, but we all know tedious details about Avril Lavigne and that Sum 41 kid's divorce. So I'm always trying to put the bar back where it's supposed to be, nudge folks out of their cable tv/Government Pills shopping daze, and remind you of what real rock'n'roll is supposed to sound like. Some of you do the same for me, and I am always grateful.
Yep, plenty of smirking emo richboys, and cute girl bands with expensive haircuts and tight clothes, but no one is making any real statement, are they? TAYLOR SWIFT? She's all yours, Wal-Mart shoppers. Here's an example of an authentic album, okay? "IMMORTAL RICH", by TV SMITH.
Oddly enough, TV's raggedy bullfrog croak sounds an awful lot like Psychedelic Furs vocalist, Richard Butler, on some of the poppier material. If you like torch and twang, campfire songs with biting social commentary and real passion, this L.P. is an overlooked gem. This is driving, powerful, acoustic-based, spaghetti western punk. Like Joe Strummer's ballads, the Pogues, "Knife Feels Like Justice" era Brian Setzer, Ricky Warwick from the
Almighty's solo protest rock, Steve Earle, New Model Army, Stiff Little Fingers, Billy Bragg, or Paul K. And The Weathermen. Like music you'd hear in an Alex Cox film. "Straight To Hell" Unplugged. If you've been craving some real rock'n'roll, with actual content, you might find this cut-out bin classic of powerful inspiration, really satisfying. The lyrics are vivid and potent: "The whole family sleeps here/six to a room/my wife threads a needle/I push a broom..." You know-good, imagery-rich, truthful, emotive, Woody Guthrie/James McMurtry style, protest punk. This guy's a true rock'n'roller, and a real songwriter.
Alrite, if the name sounds familiar, you might recognize TV from the ADVERTS, recall his eighties power-pop/new wave outfit, TV SMITH and the Explorers, dig the Bored Teenagers, or love the TV penned classic, "Lord's Prayer", by the Lords Of The New Church. Anyhow, this is the sort of authentic statement I keep waiting for one of my former peers, or the greasy kid punks to make, but it never comes my way...TV was having problems with American Immigration officials, but if he does visit the States, and you get a chance to attend one of his heart-felt performances, by all means, get yourself to the show.
(-Geordie Pleathur)
http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/4-presidential-candidates-join-afghan-war-protest/