I remember a time when music was a voice of free speech. When politics might be blackbarred at awards ceremonies, protest songs were always allowed. Now music has become so corporatised that musicians can’t make a meaningful statement without being threatened with legal action. Sure, they can sing about sex & drugs, but now there's no politics in Rock and Roll.
Powderfinger’s new song "Black tears" referred to the death of an indigenous Australian in custody, on Palm Island, in Queensland. This week, it’s been in the news because the Queensland Police Force were threatening to sue. Why though? Please, "an island watch-house bed" where "a black man's lying dead" isn't exactly specific, but it does make a point. Or did, until this week when Bernard Fanning, the lead singer announced that they would re-record the song with different lytics in place before the album is released.
Where would that have put the music produced by Bob Dylan, Midnight Oil, and even U2. Heck, even in the 'land of the free' Green day are still allowed to use mainstream media to make political statements. Surely the rights of Powderfinger to have free speech should be greater than the rights of a corrupt police force to only have nice things said about them. Sure, there hasn't yet been a conviction recorded in the case, but heck, is a conviction ever needed to put an aboriginal behind bars?
Personally i love songs with a point. Songs that give us lyrics that we can sing, and mean as we do it. Is this just one more step towards mass produced "Australian Idol" music in this country. Because the majority of the sanitised pop market is built on pointless songs. Please, don't take away music with integrity, passion and meaning.
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