I always liked Del Amitri, and some would say that it is silly to allow this kind of thing to affect your enjoyment of music, but somehow, his voice will never sound quite the same to me again, harbouring, as it seems to, so much self loathing... Although, maybe he likes himself and just sees other Scots as repugnant beings.
As he hasn't specified that it is only YES Scots he feels like that about, I'd love to be there at his next Glasgow concert, behind some protective barrier, that is!
******
Click on pic to enlarge.
Oh dear.
ReplyDeleteI too liked Del Amitri (saw them live years ago at the Playhouse) but as you say, I'll not be able to listen with quite the same enjoyment.
I wonder why he said it? Bit of a kick in the nuts for their loyal Scots fans I'd say...
Just... Oh dear...
Reading further...
ReplyDeleteMight be a piss take... I mean it has to be.
I don't know the man's sense of humour but I'm not buying it.
Well, if it is Pa... I apologise to him, but it's not very funny, given that he starts with a 'NO'.
DeleteHe sounds a right charmer I'm so glad I have never heard of him
ReplyDeleteFrontman and singer for a band from, I suppose, the 80s Fairfor. I liked them, although they don't seem to do much now. He has a sort of solo career and has a new album out later this year.
DeleteEven if it is a joke, as has been suggested, I'd not like to have to arrange his promotion with Glasgow and Edinburgh radio stations.
Dear o dear. Lighten up, he's taking the piss.
ReplyDeleteDon't you think it's a pretty silly way to take the piss, Ratzo.
DeleteMaybe you're right. I just don't share his sense of humour maybe. I don't think it's funny, and I think it was a bit silly.
Indeed, we are all that, and more ( he forgot self-loathing), for
ReplyDelete“Without country you have neither name, token, voice, nor rights, no admission as brothers into the fellowship of the Peoples. You are the bastards of Humanity. Soldiers without a banner, Israelites among the nations, you will find neither faith nor protection; none will be sureties for you. Do not beguile yourselves with the hope of emancipation from unjust social conditions if you do not first conquer a Country for yourselves.”
Ah, a learned quotation. Mazinni.
DeleteBut I don't think we are really. A bit lacking in self confidence in places (no wonder after 300+ years of being subjuncts. A bit tied to mommy's apron strings, but full of potential if someone can just give us that little push to go out and start life on our own.
He's having a laugh, come on folks!!!!
ReplyDeleteAs I said, maybe he is, but I'm finding it hard to see a funny side of it.
DeleteDel Amitri are responsible for at least two of my all time favourite songs, Nothing Ever Happens and Driving With The Brakes On.
ReplyDeleteNeither are positive in tone. That last one is about wretched man returning home with his partner who's just had an abortion - cheery stuff. The former is about a Scottish town although I forget which one, might be Coatbridge maybe?
;-)
Both good songs, Pa, but as you say, hardly positive.
DeleteI thought it was funny. Channeling the spirit of scottish cringe as exemplifed by those clowns at Bitter ti'gither.
ReplyDeleteWell maybe I just missed the point of it... but it would have made a better joke if at the end if it he'd said "YES", instead of saying "NO" at the beginning...
Deletetris
ReplyDeletehas anybody made a complaint to the police ????
We've yet to find out if he actually said it or if The Scotsman merely said, he said it.
Delete;-)
I don't know, Niko.
DeleteI didn't see it in the Scotsman. It was on one of the YES Facebook sites.
If the Scotsman says he said it I'm beginning to wonder. Like they ever print the truth about independence.
I wasnt sure if he was trying to be funny or not but like Tris I found it about as funny as toothache. If it's for real then he might be happier living elsewhere. And if he lives elsewhere surely he doesn''t have a vote? I know several no voters but none of them say they are voting No because they hate Scots. As well takes all sorts.
ReplyDeleteNot sure where he lives PP. He has been working in Texas recently recording, so perhaps he lives there.
DeleteI've never met any Scots who said that they hated Scots. I'm still trying to find out if it is a joke...
pa
ReplyDeleteIf the scotsman said he said it then he may of said it or he may not of said it
matters not a fig as the saying goes
When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
or in the scotsmans case
When the legend becomes fact, print the bullshite crap anti snp story'
LOL yes, that's true.
DeleteIf the scotsman printed it, doubtless the theme would be that everyone crative would leave Scotland for London if the country were to become independent.
There would be no more entertainment. Every star would refuse to come here (except Rolf Harris).
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money
ReplyDeletetrench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and
pimps run free, and good men die like dogs.
There's also a negative side.”
Ha ha... true... another wise quote! :)
DeleteIf it is a spoof it doesn't work for me whoever the guy is.
ReplyDeleteNor me, CH, and it's still not clear whether it is or not.
DeleteSome say it's satire. If it is then it's poor satire - a tirade of insults and ugliness is not quite ha ha humour as one might understand it. I find it funny myself but only because he's got such a blatant nerve.
ReplyDeleteStrange satire, because eh starts with the word NO...
DeleteIt might have been funny if he'd started by saying YES.
In a way it may even be funny because he's probably shot in his career and his new album a great big hole, at least as far as Scotland is concerned.
He'd need to make it very clear that he was joking, that it was a joke that misfired, before I'd pay to go see him.
I saw Del Amitri in the Lord Darnley, a pub bordering Edinburgh's 'Hairy Triangle'*in the very early eighties.
ReplyDeleteNothing much happened.
*Being Dundonian you may have to ask Tris.
Yeah, right again Conan. Not only have I never watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but I've no idea what the hairy triangle is.
DeleteOh ... it's so limiting to be provincial.... :)
From what I can gather, it originates from thepopcop.co.uk. An indie music website, they canvassed several bands and Justin gave the answer there.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he was going for a Trainspotting-esque rant?
Well done Pa.
DeleteIt does indeed. 40 pop acts were asked their opinions.
13 said yes, 7 said no, 20 don't know.
No one else said anything as ridiculous as Justin.
One thing that I did notice as I skimmed the opinions was that someone said that the Yes Campaign (and in a way that is all of us on the blogs as well as the actual organisation) has failed to provide any reasons why we would be better off.
I'd say, try the economic forecasts of the OECD and other similar organisations which put Scotland in the top ten of rich nations... I'd say (as you're a pop star) get your agent to arrange a gig for you in Oslo and see what life is like over there...
But anyway, whether I agree with the logic of what they said, I can understand why they are saying what they are saying.
This guy just sounds like a prat.
But yes, it could be his attempt at bettering the Trainspotting rant...and failing. Stick to writing songs would be my advice. Cutting edge fiction might be beyond him!
He is headlining the Burns an' a' that! Festival 2013
ReplyDeleteHa ha... that might be fun.
DeleteIt can't be racism, we Scots aren't a 'race' to which he doesn't belong himself.
ReplyDeleteBut a clear cut case of total bigotry, shamefully so on his part.
I suspected that might be the case, Dean. I was pretty sure that you couldn't be prosecuted for insulting something that you were a part of.
DeleteDean, you're a "Scot"? Coulda fooled me!
DeleteHello Pictish...don't often see you here; a rarer pleasure.
DeleteOch Dean's a Scot alright, just been listening too much to Niko, who managed to change him from being a Tory to being a Labour man. We're working on him now... I mean he's not going to become a Liberal Democrat is he... that's just laughable.
:)
Perhaps I've led a sheltered life but I can honestly say I've never heard of him in the same manner as I was not aware of the Calman lady until recently. Did someone mention that he had an album coming out? I suppose, in that case, that any publicity is better than no publicity! Still, if it has brought Conan and Niko out of hiding it is no bad thing!
ReplyDeleteI'm not entirely certain that you have actually led a sheltered life, John. You're just too young to listen to Radio 4 and too old to know about Del Amitri.
DeleteNow if it had been old Lulu or Molly Weir that was running down Scotland you'd have been on their case right away.
But it's nice to see Niko and Conan. One wonders where they have been hiding. Maybe the hairy triangle, whatever that is!
Thank f&*k I'm not in it! :P
DeleteIn what, Dean? :)
DeleteI think what might be missing is context.
ReplyDelete"It's SHITE being Scottish! We're the lowest of the low. The scum of the fucking Earth! The most wretched, miserable, servile, pathetic trash that was ever shat into civilization. Some hate the English. I don't. They're just wankers. We, on the other hand, are COLONIZED by wankers. Can't even find a decent culture to be colonized BY. We're ruled by effete arseholes. It's a SHITE state of affairs to be in, Tommy, and ALL the fresh air in the world won't make any fucking difference!"
From Trainspotting, but if you didn't know...
Don't you think the original has a bit more class... ?
Delete...is class the word?
Within the context of the film, yup. I don't think all English folk are wanker right enough (although I reserve my rights in terms of those 'British' unionists who claim to represent our interests at Westminster.)
DeleteThey represent their own interests.
Deletei never heard of this guy. But wasnt the union with eEngland negotiated openly and agreed to by the Scottish parliament? And wasnt it in fact popular with the Scottish establishment in Edinburgh, partly for financil reasons? so its not like England took Scotland by force. so why do you get to cahnge your mind if England doesnt want to.
ReplyDeleteNo it wasn't. It was negotiated by a group of Scottish aristocrat/politicians who at the time had bankrupted themselves because of English-based perfidious activity over something called the Darien Project. (England asked its allies to boycott the Scottish settlement on the Darien Peninsula on Central America causing it to fail.)
DeleteThey were bought off by English aristocrats - the price? Scotland 'joining' in a union of parliaments.
There were riots in Edinburgh at the time.
From reading, economic activity in Scotland was good, the country was growing, it was the toffs who were in trouble - not the country.
Again, being careful to differentiate the wishes of English people from the machinations of politicians, England did take Scotland by force - economic force through bribery.
Scotland has been an independent country for longer than its been in union, even now; it is not part of England. Its just not up to English voters to say whether we can or can't leave the union - its supposed to be a union of equals. We're talking about the dissolution of an agreement, something which either side is perfectly entitled to do at any time, despite what the media likes to report.
i was wondering if this guy was being serious. Anybody know about previous statements or opinions?
Deletein fairness he does make a couple of valid points. But maybe not really about the isue i guess. The scots do have a real alcohol problem with more than fare share of drunkards. And tight fisted and not generous. but good qualities too of course which he doesnt mention.
I'm afraid you're talking mince.
DeleteThese are stereotypes with little or no basis in reality. Like any other society, Scotland has the full range of positive and negative traits - like any other part of the UK or Europe.
AnonymousMay 10, 2013 3:48 pm
DeleteThank you for being so generous.
I think that somehow we will do just fine in independence and without your words of wisdom.
I think it can now be taken as being a serious statement, given its provenance, which we now know thanks to Pa. 40 musicians were asked their opinions on independence, and he gave that as his answer.
DeleteI don#'t blame people for thinking it was a piss take. It could well have been and I was wondering if I#'d made a bit of a ass of myself for putting it up, but I think it's genuine.
I think I agree with Pa on this. Scots are much like any other race from Greenlanders to Vietnamese. Good ones, bad ones, fat ones thin ones.
Certainly true that in common with many other northern countries we have an unfortunate relationship with boozer and I'd rather spend a Friday night in Paris than Edinburgh...at least I'd feel a lot safer.
I don't agree with the tight fisted though. Some of the warmest, most giving people you could hope to meet are Scots... but like I said, like everywhere else there a grippy gits too!
Yes Wolfie... I think we can do without his drivel as well. This isn't helpful to any debate, so full of utter rubbish as it is. If he doesn't like the Scots I suggest that he live somewhere else and not come here again. With the money he's made that should be easy enough for him.
Conan- the 'hairy triangle', you're being coy there. It was the 'pubic triangle' in my day. That may give Tris an idea of what the establishments in that part of Edinburgh are like. Also Justin is being wee bit too sharp for hisself there. At best shit humour, at worst a total knob.
ReplyDeleteTop tip Justin "Just answer the fooking question"
Regards
Sneddon
Hello Sneddon...erm yes, I think I get the drift...
Delete...erm where is it again? Turn right where?
Ha ha...joking!
LOL Yes... just answer the erm...question.... :)
Quite.
ReplyDeleteAnd much to the chagrin of Edinburgh's wasp-chewing elite; its more of a pubic octagon now.
;-)
Ha ha.. How do you know, Pa?
DeleteI'd certainly chase Lulu as I'm sure you could not run very far - I like women of a certain age. I think this guy should be picked to sing "Flower of Scotland" at the next Scotland game at Hampden or Murrayfield.
ReplyDeleteWho couldn't run very far...?
DeleteActually at her age probably Lulu couldn't run very far, I'm thinking.
But I think your idea about FoS is superb. I'll be there!
Your just thinking of 'Boom Bang a Bang'
DeleteHe thinks he's 'The Man with the Golden Gun!'
DeleteAh he's a Skerriesmanger!
DeleteYou've lost me again!
DeleteAnyone know if he went to Dundee High?
ReplyDeleteCould explain a lot
Seems like he from Glasgow------fuck!
ReplyDeleteA wee Kelvinside Academy Twat?
Not a Dundee eejit then!
DeleteOr a teuchter, phew.
DeletePoor wee soul's a Weegie... and I';ve always found them to be pretty positive about everything.
DeleteMaybe he's been away too long.
The guy's only giving his opinion, mind. Could it be somebody's stolen his lollipop? At least he ain't sitting on the fence.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to see hypocrisy truly writ large, fast forward to 2016 and watch the despicable crassest unionist politicos coming over all Harry Lauder-like, grovelling for all their worth and saying they were only obeying orders.
Give me a dis-functional, foul-mouthed brat, before that lot, any day of the week!
Hey Baron...
ReplyDeleteYes. I remember how the Tories were all against devolution, but then there they were doing their best to get elected and get their taxi fares paid when there was a Scottish parliament. I seem to recall they didn't like the PR system, but it didn't stop them profiting from it hugely.
ReplyDeletehttp://justincurrie.com/
Currie has a deep avowed dislike of monarchy, religion, militarism and privilege so bits of his rant did not ring true. And why pin it on the Scots?
I suspect he does not much care whether Scotland is independent or not and took the opportunity to inveigh against his usual targets but did it very poorly.
Outside of this, his heart seems generally to be in the right place and some of the songs are quite effective.
Hi there Barney. How are you?
ReplyDeleteReckon maybe he just had a bad day, maybe?
I think pretty much the same things... Although I'm sure that some monarchs aren't all bad (the bloke in Norway and him in Sweden seem decent types), and I know churches that do good work, I'm fundamentally wary of both, and certainly against the privilege that both bring (popes, archbishops and bishops, princes and kings living like...er kings in palaces...what utter nonsense!)
I'm against militarism too. It is almost unbelievable that by the 21st century we still have to settle disagreements by people like Thatcher and Blair sending OTHER people to die for them. (I'd have no objection to the good old days when someone like Thatcher would have led from the front and taken the first arrow.)
As for privilege? I'd prefer to give it to everyone, but if that is not possible, and in some cases it wouldn't be, I'd take it away from those who have it.
So he and I should see eye to eye, but I could never imagine in a million years saying what he said.
My only assumption was that he was stoned or drunk.
Yes. Like his songs muchly.
Incidentally, Tris, Sophia is raging that you have not been to see her lately with your usual quarter-bottle of whisky and two straws!
ReplyDeleteAldi's out of quarter bottles, John.
DeleteWhere's she hanging out now? I'll see what I can shop lift and go over. I'm sure the's a half bottle of cooking sherry somewhere.
She could, of course, always pop round here. I'd maybe even break out the custard creams and French fancies!!
We're probably way over-analysing this, but could he be talking about those Scots who'd vote no and those who've had a hand in maintaining the status quo?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't look at it as if he's talking about all of Scotland, just those who'd keep things as they are...
Ok, I'll be blunt - read it back but think only of Scottish Labour.
Well maybe, Pa, but then why start with an answer to the question..."how will you vote?" as NO.
ReplyDeleteBut that's an amusing idea... Slab...
We don't actually know he said 'No', popcop may have assumed it from his response (which we've all done) which to me seemed written and not given off-the-cuff. With that in mind, I think he thought about it and went for an off the wall response.
DeleteI think its a spoof, the humour on his website supports it, its full of pretty dark material and a lot of self parody. I think its a pretty cruel stab at Scotland for not seizing the initiative sooner.
Of course he might still be a no, but then, he's not lived here for a while it seems so its a bit moot.
I wonder when, or if, we will find out, Pa.
DeleteNever been accused of being coy before ... but I'm not one to carp on about it.
ReplyDeleteMy coat's already on...
There's a first time for everything, Conan, and it's bound to happen on Munguin's Republic...
DeleteBask in your perceived coyness.
“Osborne’s ‘Help to Buy’ scheme like eating toilet paper” – Frankie Boyle
ReplyDeleteHilarious.
DeleteI'm still waiting for them to do something right.
Death will come first guaranteed for life.
Delete