thinks you're a bastard
Elvis Costello, "This Town,"
1989.One of my favorite artists is Elvis Costello. Love the artist--but hate his politics.
The erstwhile Declan MacManus' latest outrage is his decision to cancel two summer concerts in Israel.
It is after considerable contemplation that I have lately arrived at the decision that I must withdraw from the two performances scheduled in Israel on the 30th of June and the 1st of July.Blimey! They're just concerts.
One lives in hope that music is more than mere noise, filling up idle time, whether intending to elate or lament.
Then there are occasions when merely having your name added to a concert schedule may be interpreted as a political act that resonates more than anything that might be sung and it may be assumed that one has no mind for the suffering of the innocent.
I took a look at Costello's summer itinerary, and I found that there were no other Middle Eastern concerts on it. The Arab world is cultural backwater, particularly regarding music, as Bernard Lewis points out in "What Went Wrong? : The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East."
Generally the reception of Western music has been remarkably limited. To this day the Middle East--with the exception of Westernized enclaves--remains a blank on the itinerary of the great Western virtuosos as they go on world tours. They go the Western and Eastern Europe, to North and South America, and now increasingly to South Asia and the Far East. Western art music is now listened to, performed, and composed in China, and in India. It remains profoundly alien in most of the Middle East.Yes, Lewis is speaking of classical music, but rock, jazz, and country artists generally do not include Damascus or Tripoli as a part of their "world tours." Israel of course is different, besides Iraq, it's the only nation in the Middle East that's a democracy.
But the Arabs have to be march to the beat of a different drummer. Which of course is Israel's fault. Actually, I don't believe that, but plenty of others, perhaps even Costello, subscribe to that mindset.
I wonder what would happen if Costello performed a pro bono gig in the Gaza Strip? My guess is that he would be taken hostage. Who would be to blame? Israel.
But there is hope. Last week Elton John performed in Morocco. There were protests, but they centered upon John being a gay man.
They are just concerts.
Related posts:
Elvis Costello disparages Sarah Palin in 2008 video
Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint: Ascension Day
Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint: River In Reverse
Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint: Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further
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