Unpopular opinion... I don't think Eric Clapton is very great.

[charlesphoto]

He's atrocious IMO, esp with that anti-lockdown ditty he and Van Morrison released a couple of months back. Funny thing, is, for some reason I had a few Clapton records in Roon (I think they were put there when I first signed up for Tidal years ago and downloaded the 'essentials' or something like that) and I deleted them because of that song. Guess what? Next thing Roon is suggesting that conservative screed to me on the home page. So much for their algorithms...

 

 

[charlesphoto]

6 minutes ago, firedog said:

 

What song are we talking about?

 

Stand and Deliver, released in December. 

 

I heard Cocaine the other day on the car radio and almost immediately felt like slitting my wrists. That guy has always been a downer. Alright in the Yardbirds I suppose (though Beck and Page were better).

[charlesphoto]

2 minutes ago, Solstice380 said:

Cancel culture at its best.  Just eliminate everything you don’t like, huh?  TDS much?

 

I don't like Iron Maiden either, who are all upright dudes. Is that canceling them or just asserting my taste? I never said old conservative white males (or whomever else wants to shut down their mind) shouldn't be able to enjoy Clapton all they want - I just don't want or need him in my own personal library. Sorry you got triggered. 

[charlesphoto]

Oh man, what blows my mind is when somebody on the Pearl Jam Facebook or IG page says the band should stick to music and not involve themselves in (liberal) activism (and it happens quite frequently, esp when they interviewed Jill Biden before the election). It's apparent what side of the political divide that person stands on, but how could they have never actually heard the band for what they are? It's not like they ever hid their political stance and liberal identity. Really strange - of course they get pounced upon by the true fans, for good reason. There's always Kid Rock and Nugent there for them though....

[charlesphoto]

9 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

 

 

Yeah, so Clapton makes an overtly racist statement during his drug, alcohol, etc. addicted days.  His best buddies were worried he was going to die. 

 

 

Drugs and booze no excuse imo. 

[charlesphoto]

16 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

 

 

By the way if we were to use the Snopes version of racism, 2/3 of MSNBC, CNN and major networks should be titled as racists; can we quote some of Don Lemons, Joy Reid, etc. comments to. Those racists and anti-Semites, however, spew their hatred for Jews and white people under the cover of the oppressed and are protected from any criticism or banishment. A joke. 

 

Nice right wing media talking points... perhaps you want to discuss cancel culture with Colin Kaepernick? 

[charlesphoto]

I understand the idea of redemption from past sins/mistakes. But two old white men living the life in country estates, doing an anti-lockdown/masking song while thousands of people die around them, in particular POC being hit the hardest, doesn't speak to any sort of redemption to me. He just got smarter about not saying out loud the racist bullshit that still resides in him. 

[charlesphoto]

1 minute ago, firedog said:

Of course none of that means he isn't a racist.

I'm not saying he is, just saying being a fan/admirer/helper of individual Black persons doesn't contradict one being a racist in general against "other" Black people and thinking/behaving as a racist towards all of those who aren't on a small "special list" of exemptions.

Lots serious racists have individuals from the hated group that they make exceptions for.

 

 

Spot on. It always bothers me the disconnect one sees at large sporting events, esp in basketball and football, of mostly black players on the field and white fans in the audience. If those white fans truly supported the black athletes, and not just as tools to garner a fe rushes of adrenaline, they wouldn't have had any issue with them taking a knee in support of BLM. 

[charlesphoto]

9 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

I agree, cancel culture is very selective. I'm not a fan. 

 

The pace we are on will have every street named A, B, or C and 1, 2 or 3. 

 

Life has nuance and we should use our brains to understand as much as we can. 

 

Though I have to admit, when reading fifty years later to my kids what I recall as one of my favorite Dr Seuss books, What I Saw on Mulberry Street, I was more than a bit uncomfortable with the stereotypes in it. I think the estate did the right thing. 

[charlesphoto]

16 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

"those blacks"

 

 

All I need to know, right there. Probably best to go back to discussing whether USB cables have a sound or not. Welcome to my ignore list. 

[charlesphoto]

2 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

If everybody ignores someone, does that mean s/he is canceled? Asking for a friend. 

You might want to have a talk with my wife and kids about that one.... ;)

[charlesphoto]

True story: as a sophomore in high school I went to the local record store one day when I was in my heavy classic rock phase (it's actually what I listened to on the radio when it was 'new' rock - I'm 57). I bought two albums - Derek and the Dominoes (Layla) and another one that caught my eye because it was just so goddamned different looking - the first Clash LP. Got home, played The Clash, and the next week sold all of my classic rock LP's to the kid down the street. I'm so bored with the USA - life changing. 

[charlesphoto]

5 minutes ago, lucretius said:

 

What's up with the "old conservative white males"?

I don't know, you tell me.

[charlesphoto]

1 minute ago, Priaptor said:

I don't know but from my perch, the "old white males", Conservative and Liberal alike, making up the overwhelming majority of those lying in military graveyards may just deserve a little more praise than the utter disgust and scorn being given them.

Puh-lease. Enough of the right wing media talking points. Did I say anything about not respecting veterans? Even despite the fact that African-Americans have been historically shat upon in the ranks of our military? 

 

I was referring to the fact that not many young people, esp of a liberal ben, white or POC, would have any reason in this day and age to want to be listening to dross like Eric Clapton. I thought he was kind of edgy in the seventh grade - before I discovered it was actually a much more talented black man who wrote and performed "I Shot the Sheriff."

[charlesphoto]

I've photographed plenty of black musician's and celebrities, including Mr Lee.. Doesn't in the least bit make me more 'woke.' But I'd rather be awake to the present than sleeping in the past.

 

Last year I was verbally harassed in the rural suburbs because I was wearing a BLM shirt from my kid's elementary school (which is majority African-American). I was waiting outside a small coffee shop because some maskless contractor dude was inside (how do I know he was a contractor? The Carhartt overalls and giant pickup truck parked diagonally across two spaces was the dead giveaway). When he came out he spotted my shirt and started frothing about how it was a terrorist organization etc. I finally lost it and told him to 'f*ck off. Of course he acted all hurt and said it proved his point. Dude, I told him, I was just wanting to get a coffee and YOU are the one that started going off on ME - not to mention  exposing the young women working the coffee shop because you are not abiding by the mask mandate (it pissed me off when I spotted him inside but I wasn't going to say anything until he started in on me). I have every right to tell you to go f*ck yourself, I told him. He kept sputtering nonsense as he got into his giant pickup. Talk about a one way street. 

[charlesphoto]

3 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I was thinking about this logic. Should the same be said for welders, accountants, engineers, etc..?

 

The silence may be golden, but the lack of opinions would be boring. 

A couple of years back we had a stove repairman at the house. While working on the stove he started in about how the 'bad kids' (i.e. code for black - I know how to read between the lines) should be put into special segregrated schools etc. I just ignored him. And then as we were settling up somehow he mentioned that he was originally from Monsanto (next door to Aberdeen). I asked if he'd ever run into Kurt Cobain  as he seemed to be about my age. Oh, yeah, he said, good riddance to that guy, and that he had laughed when he killed himself. I said nothing but couldn't get that ass out of my house fast enough and won't call that company again. Why should celebrities be treated any differently in our lives? 

[charlesphoto]

10 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

Anti-lockdown song is not a single iota more idiotic than a pro-lockdown song if there would be any, imo.

 

Then why do either? Especially if you are sitting pretty in your country estate. Perhaps a song or album supporting the front line workers might be more appropriate, with proceeds going to the NHS. Mogwai did it, why couldn't those two rich f*cks. 

[charlesphoto]

I'm happy with the fact that I'm almost to my black belt in Kenpo Karate. No, it won't stop a bullet, but it has taught me great situational awareness and how to block a punch. If you can quickly and effectively block a punch I can guarantee you the next thought going through that persons' head, if they also aren't trained in MA or boxing, will be "uh oh." I could certainly move in and actually seriously injure or kill a person if I absolutely had to, but best to defend  and just run away. I guess I land on the Russo side of things vs the Cobra Kai. 😆

[charlesphoto]

34 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

Well I am just playing into the one way generalizations being made on this thread.

 

Ha! That's rich....

 

Anyway, it's been real, off to play with a new power supply that showed up. Best to y'all. It's been 'real.' 

[charlesphoto]

2 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

What is rich is how many coded remarks as well as overt remarks you have used to demonstrate not just your bias but your hate for those of conservative ilk and painting them with some fo the most hateful generalizations. BUT you are on the "correct side" and one of the vision of the anointed. LMAO

 

Yes go "play". 

Not coded:

Eric Clapton sucks and always will. 

[charlesphoto]

1 minute ago, Solstice380 said:

You were the one who was triggered, to keep things straight.  Just keep your politics, which you often inject into the conversation, to yourself and everybody’s good. 

Fair enough. How about: In my viewpoint, considering his stance on race and the pandemic, Eric Clapton appeals mostly to old men who are stuck in their mean, bitter, head in the sand ways. No mention of political bent. Better? 

[charlesphoto]

Though he is one heck of a photographer even though his pics turn out a bit underexposed. 🤣

[charlesphoto]

5 minutes ago, lucretius said:

 

I object to the old men reference. 🙂

Yeah, that's not fair. Esp as I'm 57 so forget that I am or I'm almost one of those myself. I apologize for that, though not for my views on Clapton and HIS politics which seem to align with those that are having issues with mine in this thread. I made a rule last year to avoid politics on social media and have broken it. My bad. (though why the left is always supposed to lay down and play nice but not the right I'll never get). 

 

I agree with @AudioDoctor though. I should never have gotten into this - I'll blame it on drugs! Took an Immutrex this morning for a migraine and it can make me a bit loopy and and not so pleasant and impossible to concentrate on the real work I should be getting done (though the migraine went away). I'm out. 

[charlesphoto]

You know what's ironic - I just answered an email from a startup publisher seeking to do a book of my Nirvana photos (I get this quite often). Guess what the only other book he's done - Clapton Live History!

 

I'm actually already committed with a local fine arts publisher, but even if I wasn't it would be a resolute but polite no. I'm pretty picky about the company I keep... (obviously!) 

[charlesphoto]

6 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

My point is - why judge either? People are entitled to sing about what ever they can. Material wealth has nothing to do with it.

Because these two appeal largely to a certain age demographic that is one of the most vulnerable, so I see it as highly irresponsible of them. What are they getting out of it?

 

The most moving interview I've heard recently was from a nurse on the front lines NPR has kept checking back in on. Asked why she didn't want to consider herself a 'hero,' the nurse broke down. She said she just wants to do her job, and that if everybody else played the 'hero' - i.e. wearing masks, social distancing, etc - then she wouldn't have to be the one to try and save lives, which is in most cases too late with this virus.

 

We have a good family friend in Dusseldorf (where my wife is from) who was always the most gregarious, jovial, and sweetest man in the room, 54 years old, who may end up spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair, speaking at a whisper, due to strokes form this invisible menace. Caught it at a hospital in Italy where his girlfriend had to go for another medical emergency. He's not sitting in a country manor going on about 'violent' mask enforcement (not heard that one before) - no, after six weeks in the hospital he's sitting in a wheelchair, wondering just what the rest of his life is going to be.

 

Or how about one of my best friend's father who passed away last month from coronavirus? I could go on. At this point, if you don't know somebody who hasn't been affected by this, I'm just not sure what kind of rock you are living under. Yes, loss of jobs, schooling, strained family relationships etc are also tremendous hardships. But not seeing the grandparents for a year is better than never seeing them again.