by Ramin Mazaheri for The Saker Blog
I’m not a huge Pink Floyd fan, but everyone else in the West apparently is – the album The Dark Side of the Moon spent 33 years (1,716 weeks) on the top-sellers charts.
A lot of their early stuff is just noise, but they have enough of a blues foundation to get both really heavy and pretty funky often enough for such a fundamentally depressing band: half their musical output is actually about ex-leader Syd Barrett, who took so much acid he went insane. His flatmates repeatedly dosed his daily coffee with acid without warning him, proving that hippies can be even worse than the CIA. Barrett is the obvious inspiration for the album and movie The Wall, which primarily illustrates Barrett’s horrible existence of hopping from one negative acid-flashback to the next for his entire life. Ever-political Pink Floyd surprisingly turned Barrett’s character into a fascist leader (the character in The Wall was never a rock star, we finally discover at the end), rather kicking poor Barrett when he was already down in a never-ending bad trip.
Conversely, I am huge fan of the Yellow vests, but it seems that very few Western reporters are.
I was watching the excellent concert movie Pink Floyd: Live in Pompeii recently – free, and in director’s cut format, thanks to Russia here. Really a lost treasure: progressive Pink Floyd, playing among the ruined psychedelic/pantheistic murals of Pompeii, interspersed with the usual Floydian universe-wide sense of space, history and humanity. It’s one of the great cinematic achievements of rock ’n roll.
Floyd guitarist David Gilmour was recently in the news, providing us with the latest example of the Quantitative Easing-created asset bubble in luxury goods: $21 million for his guitar collection and $4 million for one guitar – both broke the all-time records. Give Gilmour credit: it went to charity, which is very in keeping with Floyd’s genuine political consciousness.
Bassist Roger Waters is beloved for being seemingly the greatest Palestinian supporter in not just rock ‘n roll but in all of Western music. His political hipness is unparalleled – after all, he hates teachers, bogus authority, questioning why he has to eat his meat before he eats his pudding, etc.
That’s why it’s little wonder he said something in the movie which resonates beautifully in 2019:
“People are saying constantly saying, ‘Rock’s dying.’ Every 6 months somebody says it – with enormous conviction! It’s not going to happen.”
We can easily rephrase Waters when describing Western Mainstream Media coverage of the repression of France’s Yellow Vest movement:
“People are saying constantly saying, ‘Rock’s dying. The Yellow Vests are dying.’ Every 6 months Every day somebody says it – with enormous conviction! It’s not going to happen.”
From the very beginning Western Mainstream Media news reporters have said with enormous conviction that the Yellow Vests are a dying movement – it’s not going to happen.
I’ve had to cover them from beginning, so I can absolutely testify that this premature postmortem was the case. Just for fun I English Googled “Yellow Vests dwindling numbers”, and I’m still waiting for the final count to be added up; I French Googled “gilets jaunes à bout de souffle (out of breath, as that’s the preferred cliché in French)” and they have apparently been panting since early December.
It’s incredible how incredibly uncool Western reporters are – they want to kill something good, which is democratically supported by the majority, but for who knows what reasons?
Their square minds cannot bend around the Yellow Vests love for both country, kin and fellow Yellow Vest braves; they cannot hang with the feeling, and thus they already know that there ain’t no room for them in the Yellow Vest part of town; they have no cosmic notions – even though the cosmos is an absolutely real and tangible thing which scientists are learning more about every day – beyond daily economic tallies.
The coverage of the Yellow Vests has been absolutely, incredibly and shamelessly dominated by a tactic reserved for covering quarterly economic growth: are total numbers up or down? And because there are thousands of Yellow Vest political prisoners which have resulted from nearly eight months of guaranteed police brutality – which is the most sustained, most brutal and most hypocritical police violence in the world’s 21st century history – their turnout numbers have indeed decreased.
On Act 32, when we officially crossed into 7 months – only 1,000 people were in Paris and 40,000 nationwide. This is not nothing – this is being comfortably numb after all the media, police and judicial onslaughts. Forty thousand nationwide on a regular basis is – in the French context, which is a context that contains a lot of regular demonstrations – by far the most vibrant political movement in the country and in recent history.
Like the annoying reporter/director in Live in Pompeii asking if rock is dead, the Yellow Vests are not dead despite all the false claims and begging that we believe that it is. The Yellow Vests are new, groundbreaking and unstoppable, just as rock ‘n roll was.
I visited Iran to enjoy the end of Ramadan: there was a rock and roll band playing in public at a food festival downtown Tehran the night before the Eid morning celebrations. I didn’t hear any Floyd from them, but they did do a lot of rather aimless, endless noodling – must have been Grateful Dead fans.
The Western Mainstream Media can’t imagine that Iran, too, has gone electric, and they also can’t imagine that Yellow Vests are still going strong despite all the repression; they can’t imagine that rock isn’t dead in 2019, just like it wasn’t in 1972 when Live in Pompeii was made.
Back on the night before Eid: the solo, traditionally-dressed, bearded Sufi singer/daft drummer rocked a song hard for 10+ minutes straight… even though I’m sure that 1,200 years ago unhip court-reporters said with great conviction, “The ghazals are dead!”. It was amusing to see him on his smartphone and drinking bottled water while taking a break between songs – technology changes, but the song remains the same.
In 1974 The New York Times, declared Live at Pompeii to be dead on arrival: “Since its principals possess neither interesting personalities nor captivating philosophies, it is fortunate that the bulk of the film is given over to their music. It is unfortunate that their music, which ranges from traditional rock to sci-fi, fails the test one of the group sets for it—moving the listener—despite the array of electronic equipment marshaled in its behalf.’Pink Floyd’ may be for Pink Floyd fans. It may be for rock fans. But it’s not for movie fans.”
Hilariously bad journalism in every declaration, despite the critic’s great conviction.
They wrote that in 1974 – it’s amazing how they were way, way behind the trends: it’s not like rock and roll was a new thing back then, yet that listener wasn’t “moved”; that was written 6 months after The Dark Side of the Moon was released, which would go on to be bought by everyone, and their kids, too – it is estimated that 1 in 4 British households owns a copy of the album, and 1 in 14 people in the USA. Similarly, 50% of France still supports or sympathies with the Yellow Vests, according to the last poll on the subject (from nearly 3 months ago, amazingly.)
Such “top” reporters and critics also feel that individual Yellow Vests do not have “interesting personalities nor captivating philosophies”… mainly because Mainstream Media reporters are totally uncool, cynical snobs who have no idea what the hell they are talking about most of the time.
The reality about reporting on the Yellow Vests is that they only get Mainstream Media attention when they use civil disobedience and violence, but that’s an important subject for another article.
A final snippet of movie dialogue which shows just how deep Floyd’s leftism is – Waters didn’t become so pro-Palestinian by mere chance:
“There’s a danger that we could all be slaves to our equipment, and in the past we have been. But what we’re trying to do is sort it all out. So that we’re out. But I agree that it worries me sometimes – that we have this much equipment. And you can hide behind it.”
Yellow Vests definitely aren’t hiding behind anything – that’s pretty rock ’n roll. Why don’t Western journalists think that’s cool?
Ramin Mazaheri is the chief correspondent in Paris for Press TV and has lived in France since 2009. He has been a daily newspaper reporter in the US, and has reported from Iran, Cuba, Egypt, Tunisia, South Korea and elsewhere. He is the author of I’ll Ruin Everything You Are: Ending Western Propaganda on Red China. His work has appeared in various journals, magazines and websites, as well as on radio and television. He can be reached on Facebook.
Growing up I never was a big fan of Pink Floyd, nor a non fan really but from what they’ve done in the last few years they’ve gone way way up my list of favorites… One thing that the yellow vests are building is a memory and a latent anger that will resurface many times more powerful when there is a catalyzing event.
I was introduced to Pink Floyd in their very early days when around 16. Have been a fan since. My son has carried this interest into his generation and also plays “electric guitar.
Rock is not dead, but lives outside of the dopiest of present day Main stream media ever which insults the intelligence of generations. Whether advertising “news” or music …. its just plain crap.
The yellow vests and their disgust with the EU system imposed on them is definitely here to stay and their anger – restrained – is deepening in society.
When the gap between the have nots and the elites reaches a point whatever that is the mass s will revolt in other ways.
Europe from west to east is fractured. It is flooded with victims by the millions (8 million latest estimate) of undocumented mostly males of an alien culture s to european culture s. They will integrate we are conned into believing ….. Their demands and expectations whether justified or not are not being met for most. Thus they cant work earn money plus ….
Thus a smouldering mass of energy waiting for a trigger I know not what.
France has changed dramatically in the last 20 years as have most nations in this northern land mass have.
Europe is becoming less attractive and less safe but the mass s walk around in the hope it will become more up market again…. as the NATO displaced are still keep being shipped in illegally by aid agences and national government navies to european shores…..
I used to believe in europe and the the then EEC when immersed in european studies ….. But not any more….
The unelected political class of the EU have a different program which is exampled by Macron and other elected representatives of washington s programs and their many deep state advisors with atlantist leanings….
what an unbelievable mess.
Who’s Pink Floyd?
Not my style.
Actually I’ve always considered that about 95% of Rock and Roll was rubbish, especially when I visited Frank Trainor’s in Little Lonsdale Street back in the mid 60’s. There I met the likes of Danny Spooner and Margaret Roadknight.
Of course there is also some very good classical music, not all but much, and the same goes for ‘Folk’ music, and then of course there’s Donald MacLeod, but only if you’re into the pipes.
I doubt very much if in the future Rock and Roll will record the fight of the ‘Yellow Vest’, but with a certainty, the ‘Folk’ will and much of history has been recorded in that format, and I believe it will continue to do so
The Yellow Vests are real human beings but they were seeded by the French deep state. Their arrival was predicted on the cover of the 2017 The Economist 2017 Year in Review magazine. Specifically in the Hermit image inwhich can be seen the Yellow Vests streaming out of the countryside holding banners aloft demanding an end to Nato and the EU. Even more specifically in the same Hermit image can be seen the depiction ofthe constellation Leo passing under the moon waning its last quarter. That event occured mid November 2018, precisely corrosponding with the advent of the Yellow Vests. An examination of the Tower image on the same cover shows the Tower of Christendom struck with fire its reaches brought to ruination.
The word ‘macron’ you understand, like you do understand right, it means ‘a mark.’
Thank you for posting your observations in regards to ‘The Economist’ 2017 cover.
I am off to have a re-look at that cover.
Cheers
Is it this cover : https://vigilantcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Economist-2017-front-cover-Doom.jpg
An over view of the preceeding year 2017. The demonstrators have posters against EU, TTIP and TPP . The later being the Trans Pacific Partnership, nothing to do with Yellow Vests nor Europe. Two other signs say “STOP” and “NO”, i see no reference to NATO in the image. The complete colour/color of the marching people, from head to toe is yellow, not specific yellow vets.
In the lower right hand side of the image is a picture of a part of the world, North America not Europe.
I conclude that the image is not a prediction specific to the “Yellow Vests “.
Very soon you’ll notice that rock fans are not as progressive as MSM has decades claimed. Whole thing is mostly just big business. I personally stopped listening rock after mid 1980’s and turn to classical and old church music. Dmitri Shostakovits and Arvo Pärt give more “kicks” to me than any rock band ever has done. I feel symphathy to Brian Eno who turned his back to rock music which never gave him positive vibrations. Eno, the real man of Roxy Music, wanted something more when moving ambient music.
Only a fool will claim Rolling Stones as “rebells”. These blokes wanted to become rich, fuck and live luxury life. Jagger backed Maggie Thatcher and neolibs. What a joke. The whole rock “revolutionary” reputation is step to lame and weak mentally lazy younger generation very easy to be brainwashed by Empire propaganda. Your hairstyle or/and clothes are no proof of your progressive attitude.
Rock music is business. It’s also very well controlled by corporates. Nowadays they don’t even pretend to be dissidents and youth as we have noticed is mostly sheep.
‘Rock music is a business’ is there any thing else one needs to know. Totaly controled by you know who. The message has always been ‘control’, sorta like intermarryng a Trump to a Kushner, keeps it close and controled.
Depends on where you look and what you’re looking for; does anyone really think that Throbbing Gristle or The Fall were a product of ‘control’?
Somehow, I rather doubt it.
Throbbing who………..never heard of them, same for the Fall, they are not mainstream pushed by A&R people on the masses. That’s the point, anyone can be or call themselves musican/artist, but only those ‘chosen’ get to play the big shows. Try telling an A&R person you’re going to do it ‘your way’. As for main stream music/art, once you try to stay true to who you are, and don’t do what the Labels/Art Houses want, you get no coverage, unless it’s underground. Though living if you are a musician or artist of any kind. In days of old, true artists had patrons who suppored them, that’s been coopted out of the game by marketing and those who control it.
Great article except – Floyd’s beyond awesome. The fact that they turned their talents toward commercial music in their later years to make some cash in no way negates the decades that they explored non commercial artforms that no others would. (Speaking of noise, some very ancient music forms are equally difficult to get into. I believe you have bagpipes? :-) ) I agree that the hippie movement was degenerate. Many foud that out the hard way.
Oi! Ralph,
Music is not noise and neither are the pipes unless the piper skirls, which is a nasty horrible sound created when the fingers slide off the holes in the chanter.
I stated at the tender age of ten. my elder sister, my brother and I. Just think of the torture my mother went through as we did our hourly session each night, and the bulldogs in the back yard howled!
They’re also difficult to tune! Sometimes that’s more important than playing skill.
Dear Ralph,
They are not so bad these days with the invention of synthetic bags and drone reeds both of which do not take in moisture, and thus are far more stable. Similar advances in technology years ago replaced the old rope tensions on the heads of drums to give a smoother, stable sound with less tuning and a far more accurate pitch.
Drums are exceedingly important as that is where the tempo is maintained and with modern skills really lift the piping tunes, both in rhythm and tempo as well as adding to the visual spectacle.
“Peborah” pipe music…very meditative…. but Macedonian and Bulgarian pipe music for folk dancing…oh the hairs stand up eg “gaida”….hopefully Pavel has found some on his hols……sorry Ramin this column is turning into more of a cafe column but I appreciate your article and style of writing. And most of fameous uk prog rocks came from art schools and found they could say much much more via music…. brilliant Ian Dury spasticus artitisticus..the Who…Peter Gabriel with Genesis etc
Rock’n roll might not be dead yet, but just as with all things West it doesn’t come across as an invincible, gargantuan force anymore. It would be a most interesting litmus test if Juan Guaidó sang Nussiminen’s dismissed submission to the Eurovision ”Song” Contest ’El Presidente verdadero’ doing well-rehearsed playback to a very dexterous lead guitarist. The lyrics:
Would Nussiminen’s awesome Spanish lyrics and Guaidós awesome performance as a rock’n roll singer (while pretending to play lead guitar) eventually oust Maduro?
As regards the Yellow Vests in France, they had better keep their powder dry. Macron is a full-fledged member of the Zionazi bankster cabal and once he and his government begin to sense victory, they will go on a rampage, sparing not one single Yellow Vest the ensuing carnival of pitch black fascist reaction.
Great article Ramin!
Rock is not dead but in the 21st century, i feel hip hop has become the voice.of rage and pain and suffering.
Twenty One Pilots is hitting home for me at the moment. Tyler shares his journey fighting depression and anxiety with us. For me and my wife, the tough winter we had, Twenty One Pilots helped us get through.
Listen to car radio.
Thank you ramin and thank you saker and saker community!
Rock n Roll (an invention of Tavistock) was/is just another “control mechanism” by the Uber EL-ites for the masses.
–
As for the “Yellow Vests”, especially considering this is France, I constantly wonder how ‘organic’ was/is this protest.
Hegelian Dialect anyone!
–
Believing NOTHING is truly organic in this insane Orwellian world, I compare this “protest” to the French-Illuminati/Bankster “French Revolution”… and all its anti-Human so-called “liberty”.
–
I consider Paris, France to be one of the main DEMONIC places on Earth.
Along with London (the City), Brussels, Vatican City, all of ‘is-ra-hell’, NYNY and WARshigton DC to name a few.
If ANYTHING changes for the betterment of Mankind, I will then readjust my cognitive thinking.
Alas I will not hold my breath having watched the psychos in action for over 50 years.
–
Oceania is here, and the insanity of it all, is there for all to see.
If one has Eyes to See.
Tepid rock history, rumors and legends aside, anyone who thinks legitimate music is dead need look no further than the Harakiri Diat channel on YouTube; Negative Space, Marbled Eye, Witchface, Filmmaker, VR Sex, Logo Vastok, Primitive Knot, Cutie, Low Life or Imposition Man are but a few immediate standouts from the last 2-3 years, hardly lacking in what might be characterized as forward thrust.
-The slow-motion, schizo-frenetic disintegration of the West may well have resulted in some of the most credible music released in decades.
Yeah! Thanks for that! Music is a mystery and Tavistock invented nothing – psychopaths are not known for their creativity – they are known rather for designing a process and doing that over and over again. And the part of rock that they or similar controlled is not worth listening to. And there is a stack of rock ‘n roll that tells the truth, no matter the attempts at control and owning and managing the message. In fact, the message was passed along. One only has to look at the roots of rock to see that there is nothing Tavistockian about it but a growth of a genre that suited the times to a T.
Rock tells the story of our civilization for the past 70 or so years.
The Yellow Vests live the story of today. Again, they now have to battle the control that is being imposed. There are many examples of social derangement being whipped up and used to push an outcome in false flag types of control – we know that. But, as with rock, where the message came through anyway, so with the yellow vests. The message is there, and they are being brutalized because of it.
Well stated.
Thank you for well thought out and coherent reply.
I couldn’t agree more. -Interesting days ahead, no doubt.
And Boris Johnson-sighs- believes Islam has held back countries development by 300 years……meanwhile I still “enjoy” getting into King Crimson later incarnations somewhat introvert depressive self absorbent expressionism unpretentious pretentious anarchy- well I think that is what it is ..(how does anyone else describe) especially when has 3 drummers and brilliant Tony Lewin on that amazing base guitar stick and Incredible Adrian Belew…….https://youtu.be/ZiS2LZhLvYw
And what about Nat King Cole or the Platters or am I showing my age. All as smooth as Loch An Ora.
Music & ALL ART = change. Consciousness changing. Via awakening. Certainly can be via the opposite. Unfortunately the Sentient Beings do not lead. A group of the worst of our species (for eons) control an agenda. Called 21 in the USA and Georgia Guidestones indeed do enlighten what it is. Future is a mystery. Perhaps all sentient earth beings practicing the art of doing absolutely nothing ~~ can be ~~ THE, the change, that changes “reality” into an art form of bliss? Saker your site is always super chi thought provoking! Thank You.
Ramin, after all these years, still struggling to tell the wheat from the chaff.
Rock’n’Roll (including Pink Flyod) is a creation of the Zionist Intel services for goy entertainment, goy confusion, and goy mocking.
The Yellow Wests, on the other hand, are Zionist Intel infiltrated, yes, but non the less mostly organic, and grass roots.
That’s the whole mystery, Ramin.
weekend protests were invented by the capitalists
this is my new song
when the election
and even riots
they are faked
what’s left?
BOYCOTT
you do not have to storm the barricades
or hang around the street corners
waving flag and freezing
useful idiot to be
is more effective
and much less comprehensive
just shake your head
shrug your shoulders and do nothing
do not do or say anything … boycott
do not vote in elections
they do not matter
escape from television
messages, junk, lies
do not repeat the declaration
nor company credo
never let them
use you
be open
question everything
think for yourself
do not follow trends
boycott the empire
refuse to cooperate
vote with your wallet
no processors
disobedience
you can throw the key into modes
without doing or saying anything
Not too many people get it, lots more fun running around making noise………………the silence of doing nothing, spending nothing, is such a complicated concept. I’d rather hear the roar of silence as bankrupted boycotted businesses go belly up.
Rock and Roll started with Jerry Lee Lewis, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Gene Vincent , Elvis Presley, etc..
Having been a fan of both of rock ‘n’ roll and Pink Floyd i cannot understand how anyone can put Floyd under the label/ genre of rock ‘n’ roll.
What’s there to understand? maybe your rock n’ roll label is a bit too narrow
Here you can read about Pink Floyd’s bio and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/pink-floyd
Or here:
http://www.pinkfloydonline.com/miscellaneous/rockhall/
And the following is what is written on the back of The Wall display at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame by Roger Waters:
In the Old Days, pre-Dark Side of the Moon,
Pink Floyd played to audiences which,
by virtue of their size, allowed an intimacy of
connection that was magical.
However, success overtook us and by 1977
we were playing in football stadiums.
The magic, crushed beneath the weight of
numbers. We were becoming addicted to
the trappings of popularity.
I found myself increasingly alienated in
that atmosphere of avarice and ego until
one night in the Olympic Stadium, Montreal,
the boil of my frustrations burst.
Some crazed teenage fan was clawing his
way up the storm netting that separated
us from the human cattle pen in front of the
stage screaming his devotion to the demi-gods
beyond his reach.
Incensed by his misunderstanding and
my own connivance, I spat my frustration in
his face.
Later that night; back at the hotel
shocked by my behaviour I was faced with a choice.
To deny my addiction and embrace that
“comfortably numb” but “magic-less” existence
or accept the burden of insight, take
the road less travelled and embark on the
often painful journey to discover who I was
and where I fit.
The Wall was the picture I drew for myself
to help me make that choice.
Roger Waters
Summer, 1995
From “Arnold Layne ” and ” See Emily Play ” through “Atom Heart Mother ” and ” Umma Gumma ” i considered Floyd, both with Barret and without, to be of a genre of their own . Not of “rock and roll” , and certainly not back in those hippy days.
Only later seems they get labeled within “rock and roll ” as other genres become forgotten and all music of the era placed under one umbrella.
Kulbhushan Jadhav Verdict by International Court Of Justice(ICJ). ICJ decided to announce the verdict about Kulbhushan Jadhav on 17 July 2019 that faces a claimed of spying in Pakistan by Pak Army. Pakistan Army said Jadhav came in to being for doing terror activity in Pakistan. Pak Army continuously stated that Kulbhushan Jadhav works for Indian Intelligence Agency( RAW) and he involved in many terrorist attacks that were happening in Balochistan but India restricted the Pakistan Claim continuously. DGISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor said RAW gives support for doing his job because Jadhav is a RAW agent
Kulbhushan Jadhav Case Moving Next Level in (ICJ) International Court Of justice Kulbhushan Jadhav works for Indian Intelligence Agency( RAW). he is arrested by Pakistan intelligence agency ISI near Balochistan. Jadhav involved many terror activities against Pakistan. DG ISPR major general Asif Ghafoor stated that ” Kulbhushan Jadhav is an Indian Spy and he got a task for transferring secret information of Pakistan Army to the Indian Army.” Pak Army continuously check the movement of Jadhav and than ISI arrested based on evidence
RT
Yellow Vests protest in Paris on Bastille Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3UK8sleY0I – 8:07:16
Or you can watch Ramin wrap it up in just 10 minutes for Press TV. Great live reporting from the Champs-Elysées on Bastille Day.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2019/07/14/600929/France-police-Yellow-Vest-protests-tear-gas-Macron?fbclid=IwAR2faXUc0aOvHvVlrSlAtZQBeQtBXMwhQqj9OvHVibdGrhIl0-KAPStRaIc
asking if rock is dead, the Yellow Vests are not dead despite all the false claims and begging that we believe that it is. The Yellow Vests are new, groundbreaking and unstoppable, just as rock ‘n roll was.