Speakers' Corner By Murdoc, bass player, Gorillaz
Men's Health, June 2010
So we've had an election. Big news, huh? Vote for change, they said. Well, really? I've long since had enough of all this. It’s always the same. How can you believe in a government system that only listens when they need your vote?
It’s one of the reasons I left for Plastic Beach, the floating mass of garbage I live on. Here, I am my own subject and ruler. And of course, being a non-dom means I don't pay taxes. So none of my dough gets ploughed into funding a pointless, unjustified punch-up in Mesopotamia.
Admittedly, that probably means I don’t really have the right to judge any more. I'm just a sexy old Satanist popstar using the space in this magazine to sell my new album, really. But I will say this: when I was asked to comment on the political landscape by Men's Health, that’s the real problem right there.
With unlimited magazines, blogs, forums and political columns, it's now easier than ever to sound off without having any real understanding of what you're talking about. I mean, think about what you're reading now: an ill-informed cartoon popstar stood on a soapbox! At best I suppose it will produce a slight frown, possibly a chuckle. But really it's just another catalyst for apathy.
Ooh, I'm getting in to my stride now! We live in a culture where a smart-arse riposte seems to be the pinnacle of our protesting abilities. When I was growing up, people would go brick a coppers’ shop, or form a punk band, or a counter-culture political group. Nowadays a smarmy comment posted on a website will satisfy most people’s sense of political or cultural duty. You post a quick link to some YouTube clip, follow it up with a 140-word, character-based whinge, and then a warm glow of self-righteous satisfaction kicks in.
It’s not good enough! You can’t blame the weaselly actions of a self-serving government if all you're going to do about it is post a quick biog on the subject or go vote on The X Factor. That's the real issue: the waste of energy on celebrity and vacuous commentary.
And another thing. If I see one more article on that washed-up piece of plastic Katie Price and whichever lump she’s knocking off, I'm going postal. Balaclava and sawn-off. Every day these newspapers shove this garbage down the nation’s throats. It makes my green blood boil!
Right, my rum and Rohypnol is wearing off, so that’s me done. In true Men's Health fashion, I'm off to check my testicles for suspicious lumps. If I find one, I'll stick it in a suit and make it run for office. You'd be better off in the long run. Swine!
Gorillaz’ Plastic Beach is out now
It’s one of the reasons I left for Plastic Beach, the floating mass of garbage I live on. Here, I am my own subject and ruler. And of course, being a non-dom means I don't pay taxes. So none of my dough gets ploughed into funding a pointless, unjustified punch-up in Mesopotamia.
Admittedly, that probably means I don’t really have the right to judge any more. I'm just a sexy old Satanist popstar using the space in this magazine to sell my new album, really. But I will say this: when I was asked to comment on the political landscape by Men's Health, that’s the real problem right there.
With unlimited magazines, blogs, forums and political columns, it's now easier than ever to sound off without having any real understanding of what you're talking about. I mean, think about what you're reading now: an ill-informed cartoon popstar stood on a soapbox! At best I suppose it will produce a slight frown, possibly a chuckle. But really it's just another catalyst for apathy.
Ooh, I'm getting in to my stride now! We live in a culture where a smart-arse riposte seems to be the pinnacle of our protesting abilities. When I was growing up, people would go brick a coppers’ shop, or form a punk band, or a counter-culture political group. Nowadays a smarmy comment posted on a website will satisfy most people’s sense of political or cultural duty. You post a quick link to some YouTube clip, follow it up with a 140-word, character-based whinge, and then a warm glow of self-righteous satisfaction kicks in.
It’s not good enough! You can’t blame the weaselly actions of a self-serving government if all you're going to do about it is post a quick biog on the subject or go vote on The X Factor. That's the real issue: the waste of energy on celebrity and vacuous commentary.
And another thing. If I see one more article on that washed-up piece of plastic Katie Price and whichever lump she’s knocking off, I'm going postal. Balaclava and sawn-off. Every day these newspapers shove this garbage down the nation’s throats. It makes my green blood boil!
Right, my rum and Rohypnol is wearing off, so that’s me done. In true Men's Health fashion, I'm off to check my testicles for suspicious lumps. If I find one, I'll stick it in a suit and make it run for office. You'd be better off in the long run. Swine!
Gorillaz’ Plastic Beach is out now