Wednesday, April 05, 2000

Hate and discrimination exists. Hate and discrimination is bad. Often, in protest to the world's injustices, old farts like Sting write some sappy song asking people to start being nice to each other. Every once in a long while, someone comes up with the ingenious idea of combating hate by throwing hate right back where it came from, even more hateful than before. One such record is the "Rage Against Nazis" ep by Katharsis, perhaps the most visceral recording ever. Then there is "Swastika Eyes" by Primal Scream, perhaps the best single released in the last three years. Preposterously aggressive and impossibly loud, spitting out venom along the lines of "a military-industrial illusion of democracy", it breathes, sweats and bleeds reciprocal hate. Why be diplomatic when you can say "we see through all of your bullshit, you stinking Nazi motherfucker"!!!! Obviously, in real-life politics, this type of reaction is not feasible. In music, such binding restraints don't exist, and that's why "Swastika Eyes" sounds like such a damn important piece of music.