It is hard to believe that Queen Elizabeth II is now celebrating her diamond jubilee (60 years of being a monarch.) I remember the opposition to her silver jubilee in 1977, partially spearheaded by the second summer of punk and the Sex Pistols' Anarchy in the UK album. Artwork depicting that very album is seen here at Generation Pop, a Manchester pop art gallery, (although it is not currently on display).
The Sex Pistols gig in Manchester's Lesser Trade Hall in June 1976 is said to have spawned a generation of Manchester bands. And a book: I Swear I Was There - the Gig that Changed the World by David Nolan.
There was a campaign to get the Sex Pistols' God Save the Queen single to number one for this week's chart. Originally released in May 1977 it was banned from tv and radio and yet it sold enough to make it number 1 in the charts. However, the powers that be refused to acknowledge it. This wasn't a conspiracy theory, this was for real. http://ow.ly/aAyoj
"God save the queen,the fascist regime...Don't be told what you want, Don't be told what you need...God save the Queen, 'Cause tourists are money and our figurehead is not what she seems, Oh God save history, God save your mad parade..." Matlock, Lydon, Jones and Cook - The Sex Pistols http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtUH2YSFlVU&feature=related
35 years on the British media did not air much on an opposition view to all this pomp and pageantry, so to try to redress the balance just a smidgeon I point you to an alternative view. "60 Inglorious Years" at: http://www.republic.org.uk/updates/?page_id=365
I guess NRK and TV2 have not been informed about this.
ReplyDeleteOn TV we saw lots of people outside Buckingham Palace, some even in tents waiting for the celebration to start.....
Garden Party , a concert and heard about her husband and prince who had to stay in hospital.
Anyway, I guess you can`t live in the UK without noticing what is going on!:)
Oh Lordy, it can get overwhelming, can't it? Even way down here, the hypocrisy and the fawning does my head in. Lucky I don't watch much television.
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only one. I find the whole jubilee thing quite disturbing.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting Chrissy. Thank you. Great links.
ReplyDeleteA thoughtful mean to measure time and life indeed. Rarely a government over here that lasted longer than three years ...
ReplyDeletePlease have a good Wednesday.
We need people like you to keep thinking straight. In my country we also have these conversations and debates. A king or queen are important for a united nation. In a republic there is not the stability that you find in a kingdom. The queen has to listen to the people, so she did when Tony Blair asked her to change her attitude when Diana had died. I don't think these jubilee days were bad, when I saw the fraternization among the happy crowds. They didn't harm you or me, did they?
ReplyDeleteI loooooooooooved every bit of the celebrations Chrissy, the flotilla heading up the Thames towards London Bridge was magnificent, even in the rain. I can't be bothered by all these miserable republicans Long Live the Queen I say ...oh dear I'm probably in trouble now hahahaha!
ReplyDeleteIf we didn't have the Queen as our Head of State we'd probably have someone like Tony Blair with that awful wife of his as First Lady. Be careful what you wish for - your wish may be granted.
ReplyDeleteRemember 77 well, I loved the Sex Pistols Jubilee barge. They should've recreated it last weekend, would've been more exciting than the River Pageant.
ReplyDeleteGod Save the Queen!
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