R.I.P. Chumbawamba
Early Chumbas by Fritz The Cat
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Allied Propaganda Issue 2, July/August 1979 Any fanzine is worth checking out if you can spare the time or money, if only for the principle...
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Is the future going to be a Nightmare? This was a great fanzine - always fairly choc full of decent interviews, articles and interv...
8 comments:
thank god they were crap
Thanks for the comment.
Gotta say I totally disagree with you. I think they erred somewhat with their daliance with emi - but that aside, Chumbas remained a tireless bunch of agit proppers throughout their illustrious 30 years. Importantly, Chumbas were an inspirational bunch of people. In my view. Their early work not only galvanised a constituency of types who probably wouldn't have found an interest in punk and the protest movement in general - but also, because Chumbas music and stage prescence so deviated from the standard punk norms, they demonstrated - as Poison Girls did before them, that punk didn't necessarily have to be all balls-out-trashy fuck thrash thrash twat shit. Though it must be said, Chumbas were more than capable of delivering a seething raw intensity in both their performances and recorded output. I'm really pleased that I was there at the beginning with Chumbas - their early gigs were amongst the most amazing celebratory, humour-filled, rabble-rousing gigs I ever saw. I for one am sad to hear that we'll not get another chance to see them play live.
R.I.P. Chumbas - they sure were by far more punk than most of the spikey ten-a-penny poseurs
i still think sellouts just like discharge chaos u.k. plus can't stand there music o don't forget they were also on mtv if thats not a sellout i don't know what a sellout is
Blah (punkier than thou) blah (right on right on) blah ;)
I have to agree, sad to see Chumbawamba go. While I prefer their pre-Tubthumper releases and the odd release after, they always did what they wanted, when they wanted, and how they wanted. I cannot think of anything more inline with the ideals they exposed than that. We should all be so lucky to get paid to do what we want, how we want, and when we want. If punk ever meant doing what you thought imperative, and relevant, as well as n the manner you wanted to do it then what about them was a sell out? Who among us would pass on the opportunity to get on TV and say exactly what you thought or ridicule all you thought foolish? Preaching to the choir may keep you cool and earn you "credibility" but in the end it will result in nothing...just one loudmouth's opinion.
Thanks for the positive comment Convertido. Yes, autonomy! The freedom to do and express oneself in the manner you see fit. But Chumbas were way beyond just self-expression - their efforts were genuinely inspiring - particularly in their early years. I know I'm not the only one to have been a little disappointed about the emi affair but then so few labels were or are what might be described as truly independent. Not to say true independence doesn't exist. But in the words of Six Minute War:
Just 'coz you say Punk id Dead
Now you've made your fortune
CBS Small Wonder
Is there really any difference?
All the best
there music is still shit.
Oh, well I and many others like their music - do we have to fall in line with you in this matter? Are you some kind of ultimate arbiter?
Frankly, just give it a fucking rest - you've made your point.
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