So I was reading the Guardian Guide today when I came across an article that caught my interest... It was about someone (who's identity is currently unknown) who has put up a myspace site called 'LDN is a victim', featuring a song of the same name which lays into the new generation of artists exploiting their 'London' accents (which definitely includes Lily Allen, Kate Nash, and Jamie T mentioned in my last post).
Having just checked out the page and listened to the song - I think it's brilliant. While I do like a lot of this music (as you may have gathered from my last post..) there is an uglier side to it all when you start to realise quite how fake it all might be, i.e: shrink-wrapped 'LDN-culture' for record companies to sell to the world.. This is the premise of the tune.
This idea had become apparent to me in the past, especially after seeing Lily on Friday Night with Jonathon Ross one evening and being surprised at how up-market her accent was and how she conducted her interview with the finesse of a professional. Quite a stark contrast to the Cockney-drawl she mouths on record and the happy-go-lucky image she markets.
Back to the song, I think its great that someone has the guts (and clearly the music skills) to make this. This really highlights a lot of unspoken truths about the sad state of current music/youth culture. By doing this what it really does is make people purporting to be cool look very foolish indeed. A few lines of the song do this very well:
[this song]
'goes out to all the people that take years out after their A-levels and.. who go to Australia and Thailand and.. think Jack Johnson's well deep.. and.. fuck me if this doesn't get us on Joe Wiley's show then I really don't know what will'.
'this is a middle-class art school thing, so put on your common accents and lets sing'
'I wanna thank the record executives for pumping us with shitloads of money'[ect...]
One of the best lines appears right at the end of the song, and although I know it wasn't their line, it's perfectly fitting:
[In reference to the song]
'Stupid people think it's cool. Smart people think it's a joke, also cool.'
In other words, a 'parody song' like this is adored by all; people either think its good, or they think it's so bad that it's good. This logic doesn't seem to apply to Ms Lily (Keith) Allen herself however, who seems rather offended by it all in this message she left on the Myspace site:
"So what if w'ere middle class ? Just cause your mum was too lazy to get her fat ass up off the sofa and make some cash . I shouldn't be able to make tunes yeah ? ( which is more than you're doing by the way . ) Kate nash is well better than you , as are all the other people you talk about .
Anyways im off to meet Jack Penate , Jamie T and the maccabees , for cucumber and cheese sandwiches in the conservatory . Thanks for the song it really has made us see the light , now we know where we belong ."
Perhaps she's concerned it'll affect her record sales?
The links:
LDN is a Victim on MyspaceMore on the story from GuardianUnlimitedThe inspiration:
MP3: Caroline's a victim - Kate Nash [Myspace page link]MP3: LDN - Lily Allen [Myspace page link]
