UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
I was looking at an interesting, but rather poignant article on the BBC News website just about the disability protests in central London in the spring of 1995, which led to the Disability Discrimination Act later in the year.
There was some archive video footage on cycle accompanying the article, which showed some of the disabled protesters being manhandled (and possibly brutalised) by police officers, which had echoes of the Poll Tax riots five years earlier. Very shocking!!
This article is quite timely given many of the BLM protests that happened the world over during the summer are still fresh in many peoples' conscience, coupled with Trump and Co's fall from power Stateside over the weekend.
Also a sad reminder of the Met's tendency to routine brutality willy-nilly well into the 90s, a decade that tends to be looked back on by many with rose-tinted specs these days. Personally I think said decade is one of the most overrated ever, with a lot of issues and injustices often being blatantly overlooked at the time.
Re: UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
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Originally Posted by
Lencoboy
Also a sad reminder of the Met's tendency to routine brutality willy-nilly well into the 90s, a decade that tends to be looked back on by many with rose-tinted specs these days. Personally I think said decade is one of the most overrated ever, with a lot of issues and injustices often being blatantly overlooked at the time.
Sort of takes us back to the 'people in the wrong jobs' thing. Too many bullies and abusers in the police force - even now.
The 90s was a shit decade in general for me. My dad died in 96 (diagnosed terminal cancer on my 26th birthday - died on Christmas Day) The scourge of Stock Aitkin and Waterman and those bloody awful curtains for fringe haircuts. My marriage was a car crash as well. Saving grace was Oasis, The Prodigy, The Verve and alternative rock. :yesyes:
Re: UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
Quote:
Originally Posted by
NoraB
Sort of takes us back to the 'people in the wrong jobs' thing. Too many bullies and abusers in the police force - even now.
The 90s was a shit decade in general for me. My dad died in 96 (diagnosed terminal cancer on my 26th birthday - died on Christmas Day) The scourge of Stock Aitkin and Waterman and those bloody awful curtains for fringe haircuts. My marriage was a car crash as well. Saving grace was Oasis, The Prodigy, The Verve and alternative rock. :yesyes:
I agree with you about the 90s being a crap decade, even though many will obviously beg to differ. As far as I am concerned, it was all about greed, excess and pushing nearly everything to the max, which I believe were partly responsible for many of the social problems in the 2000s and 2010s, which of course were also crap decades in their own rights. And this was under the watch of both the Major and Blair govts (in the 90s). Let's hope in the 2020s and beyond people start to take things far more seriously.
I never really rated a lot of the musical artists who were popular in the 90s you mentioned, as most seemed to be (in)famous for their blatant attitude problems and often appealing to the lowest common denominators of the time, especially those who used to act 'ard by wreaking havoc on aeroplanes and smashing up hotels, etc. The SAW stuff was mostly in the mid-late 80s, despite their still recording and releasing material into the early 90s.
Although they are often much-derided, I do now feel that time has since been kinder to them. Though still not necessarily my ideal music of choice, give me anything SAW over a lot of today's seemingly relentless rap music!
Re: UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lencoboy
I never really rated a lot of the musical artists who were popular in the 90s you mentioned, as most seemed to be (in)famous for their blatant attitude problems and often appealing to the lowest common denominators of the time, especially those who used to act 'ard by wreaking havoc on aeroplanes and smashing up hotels, etc.
Wonderwall - one of the best songs ever written. Liam's a div. Noel's a bighead, but the bloke writes great songs. Only issue I have ever had with NG was the 1996 Brit Awards 'has been' comment to Michael Hutchence - something that didn't sit well with a lot of Oasis fans. It was a low blow, and by all accounts it went deep with MH because he loved their music. That, and he had an undiagnosed brain injury which was the main factor in his decline as an artist.
The Verve? What can I say? Their homecoming concert at Haigh Hall still makes the hairs stand up on my chest! The Rolling People and Come On? If I had to choose one album from the 90s, it would be Urban Hymns.
The Prodigy? A bit niche, I'll grant you. Charly got me into them, and my elderly mother-in-law quite liked Firestarter (but she was on a concoction of medications at the time) :whistles:
The smashing guitars and shenanigans? You can blame Elvis, Eddie Cochran and Jerry Lee Lewis for all that because Elvis Presley was shaking his bits in front of young ladies in the 50s, Jerry Lee Lewis was singing about Great Balls of Fire (let's not mention his 13 year old cousin, eh?) and Eddie Cochran's rebellious attitude epitomised 1950s rockers and the Teddy Boy scene which my lovely dad was part of - right down to the creeper shoes.
Attitude started in the 50s when teenagers decided they'd had enough of being seen and not heard, and each generation has taken things one step further (wasn't there a Eurovision song called that?) :unsure:
Re: UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
Quote:
Originally Posted by
NoraB
Wonderwall - one of the best songs ever written. Liam's a div. Noel's a bighead, but the bloke writes great songs. Only issue I have ever had with NG was the 1996 Brit Awards 'has been' comment to Michael Hutchence - something that didn't sit well with a lot of Oasis fans. It was a low blow, and by all accounts it went deep with MH because he loved their music. That, and he had an undiagnosed brain injury which was the main factor in his decline as an artist.
The Verve? What can I say? Their homecoming concert at Haigh Hall still makes the hairs stand up on my chest! The Rolling People and Come On? If I had to choose one album from the 90s, it would be Urban Hymns.
The Prodigy? A bit niche, I'll grant you. Charly got me into them, and my elderly mother-in-law quite liked Firestarter (but she was on a concoction of medications at the time) :whistles:
The smashing guitars and shenanigans? You can blame Elvis, Eddie Cochran and Jerry Lee Lewis for all that because Elvis Presley was shaking his bits in front of young ladies in the 50s, Jerry Lee Lewis was singing about Great Balls of Fire (let's not mention his 13 year old cousin, eh?) and Eddie Cochran's rebellious attitude epitomised 1950s rockers and the Teddy Boy scene which my lovely dad was part of - right down to the creeper shoes.
Attitude started in the 50s when teenagers decided they'd had enough of being seen and not heard, and each generation has taken things one step further (wasn't there a Eurovision song called that?) :unsure:
Thing is, a lot of the 'attitude' stuff of today doesn't really convey the same meaning as much of that before the 2000s. A lot of it just seems very 'same old same old' with nothing basically new in terms of 'shock value' to offer, but just increasing the number of F and C-bombs, scenes of sex, violence, drug abuse, etc, all of which in turn are far from exclusive to the 21st Century overall.
Just smacks of lazy writing in films, TV dramas, music, etc, IMO.
Re: UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
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Originally Posted by
Lencoboy
A lot of it just seems very 'same old same old' with nothing basically new in terms of 'shock value' to offer,
That's because it's all been done and there's nowhere left to go with shockability (is that a word?) :unsure:
I watched the Annie Nightingale The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC iPlayer last night and she covered punk. Watching it in 2020 - it's so tame it's unreal but in the 70s it was mind-blowing!
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but just increasing the number of F and C-bombs, scenes of sex, violence, drug abuse, etc, all of which in turn are far from exclusive to the 21st Century overall.
My personal opinion is that the F bomb has it's place. A well placed F bomb can totally transform the tone of a lyric, sentence or line. It's a highly emotive word.
I hate the C bomb. It's an ugly word, but that's because of how it's come to be used. The word only became taboo after the 18th century, and I do agree with Germaine Greer that it's one of the few remaining words which has the power to shock.
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Just smacks of lazy writing in films, TV dramas, music, etc, IMO.
When swear words are used to excess in music, I agree. It is lazy writing..
But films and TV are different. Generally, I'd say that the same rule applies - which is that the F bomb works better if used sparingly. Then you get films like Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels which is a film about violence but it's also a comedy, and it just wouldn't be as funny without the swear words. (if I remember rightly, the C Bomb is used in this film - an 'orrible word coming from the lips of an 'orrible character)
Studies have shown that swearing helps with pain. Basically, people were asked to plunge their hands into ice-cold water and some were told to swear and others couldn't. The ones who turned the air blue faired much better pain wise than those who didn't. I'm in pain, maybe I should listen to some Tupac? :yesyes:
Re: UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
Don't go to Glasgow, the C word is a term of endearment up there :roflmao: They've tried to 'reclaim' it of sorts and softened it.
Ah The Prodigy. Many good tracks but Voodoo People was always a fave as was Breathe.
Re: UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
Quote:
Originally Posted by
NoraB
That's because it's all been done and there's nowhere left to go with shockability (is that a word?) :unsure:
I watched the Annie Nightingale The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC iPlayer last night and she covered punk. Watching it in 2020 - it's so tame it's unreal but in the 70s it was mind-blowing!
My personal opinion is that the F bomb has it's place. A well placed F bomb can totally transform the tone of a lyric, sentence or line. It's a highly emotive word.
I hate the C bomb. It's an ugly word, but that's because of how it's come to be used. The word only became taboo after the 18th century, and I do agree with Germaine Greer that it's one of the few remaining words which has the power to shock.
When swear words are used to excess in music, I agree. It is lazy writing..
But films and TV are different. Generally, I'd say that the same rule applies - which is that the F bomb works better if used sparingly. Then you get films like Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels which is a film about violence but it's also a comedy, and it just wouldn't be as funny without the swear words. (if I remember rightly, the C Bomb is used in this film - an 'orrible word coming from the lips of an 'orrible character)
Studies have shown that swearing helps with pain. Basically, people were asked to plunge their hands into ice-cold water and some were told to swear and others couldn't. The ones who turned the air blue faired much better pain wise than those who didn't. I'm in pain, maybe I should listen to some Tupac? :yesyes:
Perhaps it's about time some new swear words were coined, but NO, people
don't like change!
They would rather stay stuck in the 90s!
Re: UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
Red Dwarf gave us some new ones to play with; goit, smeghead, simple minded gimboid, etc.
(The last one could be a tribute band :biggrin:)
Re: UK Disability Protests-25 Years On
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MyNameIsTerry
Ah The Prodigy. Many good tracks but Voodoo People was always a fave as was Breathe.
My favourite album of theirs is Music For the Jilted Generation. I was 24 with a 6 year old and a 2 year old when it came out and I used to dance around the living room with my kids - a bit different to the rave scene eh?
My eldest (33) remembers this and he says he always thinks of me when he hears Prodigy tracks. :shades:
Voodoo People is a stand out track. I used to use this one a lot when I was working out because I could get my heartrate right up - even if I was starting to flag on the old exercise bike - this track would energise me. :yesyes:
