ON THE RADICALIZATION OF MUSIC
We used to play and listen to any kinds of music, and sometimes music becomes as if intoxicating into our senseless mindsets, intoxicating in a way that even we don't like we memorized the words and singing it. Somehow that kind of power in music shows how strong it is.
However,
Not all things in music is as good, just like any kind of art-music becomes a tool for apathy, of the mainstream scene and its goal to spread "music for music's sake" and other similar ideas in this "post-modernist" kind of era; that makes every person contented in listening while not knowing the content of the words being said nor the melodies being played. For in fact, music has so much to do with modern day life, that every man may simply ignore it, or count it out of, or not a part of our cultural struggle would be ridiculous. And music has always influenced our people in many ways-from the sound being played in the radio that makes us feel the last song syndrome in our senseless mindsets, of MTV and other kinds of media mainstream scene advocates, to the alternative music wherein the sound of struggle hath been said through both in word and in melody-especially during a gig, or a protest. And thus, it influences us in a variety of ideas, and shaping the hearts and minds of many.
But then,
As time goes by, and as what people expected, the growth of the "for sake" ideas in music-courtesy of bourgeois dominated mass media became rampant. There singers tend to sing songs whose message are too shallow and too usual as what the listener listens-of love, of emotion, anything made just "for a sake of"-specifically for fans and capital perhaps. But on the other hand, revolutionary music continues as some musicians in the revolutionary scene tend to radicalize music as a part of creating a new culture courtesy of the working class. For it is obvious for them to try and promote a new revolutionary way of life, anti-system sounds and culturally sound folk music infused with modern ideas and aspirations of the people, particularly the working class; music which "challenges the establishment," of "against the reactionaries," "of the system," and does not "uphold it"; for, as what Madame Mao Jiang Qing said:
"Let the new socialistic performing arts occupy every stage."
And it includes the radicalization, of revolutionizing the music scene courtesy of the artists and writers of the people, since music, like any other cultural tool, is a weapon that also strikes at the enemy, culturally as we say. And somehow it also relates to our struggle for national liberation, democracy, preservation of culture, of unity, and socialism; as well as use it to literally change both the society and culture, using a variety of genres as we may say.
Just like the write-up I have made about a "National Democratic" Black Metal scene, somehow shows the radicalization of music as a means to call for struggle. Contrary to the music of the enslaving mainstream scene, fueled by capitalism and of its cohorts. And according to my writeup, it says:
"...Likely to integrate every genre as possible to the masses, simply by infusing the melodies of the common metal scene and of the struggles of the folk, of Kudyapi, native drums and gongs with the drumset and electric guitars! Playing the melodies of revolution as possible, and so is propagating it through its words given."
In fact,
Upon writing this, I listened a Tagalog punk song made by a band named "Flattbush", and it shows the radically inclined music and reflects the call for struggle; in which the right-wingers may call it "terrorism" and "insurgency".
However,
Not all things in music is as good, just like any kind of art-music becomes a tool for apathy, of the mainstream scene and its goal to spread "music for music's sake" and other similar ideas in this "post-modernist" kind of era; that makes every person contented in listening while not knowing the content of the words being said nor the melodies being played. For in fact, music has so much to do with modern day life, that every man may simply ignore it, or count it out of, or not a part of our cultural struggle would be ridiculous. And music has always influenced our people in many ways-from the sound being played in the radio that makes us feel the last song syndrome in our senseless mindsets, of MTV and other kinds of media mainstream scene advocates, to the alternative music wherein the sound of struggle hath been said through both in word and in melody-especially during a gig, or a protest. And thus, it influences us in a variety of ideas, and shaping the hearts and minds of many.
But then,
As time goes by, and as what people expected, the growth of the "for sake" ideas in music-courtesy of bourgeois dominated mass media became rampant. There singers tend to sing songs whose message are too shallow and too usual as what the listener listens-of love, of emotion, anything made just "for a sake of"-specifically for fans and capital perhaps. But on the other hand, revolutionary music continues as some musicians in the revolutionary scene tend to radicalize music as a part of creating a new culture courtesy of the working class. For it is obvious for them to try and promote a new revolutionary way of life, anti-system sounds and culturally sound folk music infused with modern ideas and aspirations of the people, particularly the working class; music which "challenges the establishment," of "against the reactionaries," "of the system," and does not "uphold it"; for, as what Madame Mao Jiang Qing said:
"Let the new socialistic performing arts occupy every stage."
And it includes the radicalization, of revolutionizing the music scene courtesy of the artists and writers of the people, since music, like any other cultural tool, is a weapon that also strikes at the enemy, culturally as we say. And somehow it also relates to our struggle for national liberation, democracy, preservation of culture, of unity, and socialism; as well as use it to literally change both the society and culture, using a variety of genres as we may say.
Just like the write-up I have made about a "National Democratic" Black Metal scene, somehow shows the radicalization of music as a means to call for struggle. Contrary to the music of the enslaving mainstream scene, fueled by capitalism and of its cohorts. And according to my writeup, it says:
"...Likely to integrate every genre as possible to the masses, simply by infusing the melodies of the common metal scene and of the struggles of the folk, of Kudyapi, native drums and gongs with the drumset and electric guitars! Playing the melodies of revolution as possible, and so is propagating it through its words given."
In fact,
Upon writing this, I listened a Tagalog punk song made by a band named "Flattbush", and it shows the radically inclined music and reflects the call for struggle; in which the right-wingers may call it "terrorism" and "insurgency".
Rebolusyon - Flattbush
And aside from that, the radicalization of music also intensifies the cultural side of the revolution. Since the revolutionary culture includes "Social Realism" and "Revolutionary Romanticism", the music scene tend to be revolutionary, realistic, radical in character despite variety of genres. Music cannot live without realism and politics although some tend to create it and devoid of it and be replaced with for sake ideas.
Just like Jose Maria Sison's poetry turned songs, somehow it shows how music gives poetry a good melody based in its word-just like the "Guerrilla is like a poet", its Gothic-like ethereal sound reminds of a scene of a life of a guerrilla; another poem-turned-song, "Poems and Rest", shows its melodies also reminds of his life in prison, that seemed similar to an opera scene since I heard it.
Poems and Rest - Musikang Bayan
But then,
Not all radically inclined writers and artists of Jess Santiago, of Noel Cabangon, of Chicoy Pura, of Bobby Balingit, and even Patatag or Tambisan sa Sining type are directly involved in the radicalization of music scene. Somehow other bands tend to do the same idea, Bamboo Manalac tried to do so through his Tatsulok which was originally by Buklod; rappers like Gloc 9 tend to do the same too by making Hip-hop be based in realities than those of the common ones whose objective is to have fans or gain profit from it. Well... despite being in the "mainstream scene", they tried to break themselves off from within-simply by radicalizing themselves and their music and be a part of the struggle for culture.
To me, making music radical shows a tendency to make music be a genuinely part of the people simply by integrating its own to it. But then, with your help, somehow we can continue to showcase various others who share this goal, and most importantly give a voice to those who have and are taking a stand against the sellouts in the music business, as well as against the system who takes time dictating the culture same as politics and the economy, remember we are in a brink of continuous struggle of classes, and it includes the struggle within the cultural scene.
And as part of contributing ones own to the revolution, there is in need of lyrics to revolutionary songs and radicalizing music scenes, of creating album reviews which speak out on the system at large or regarding the policies of the Iron Heeled rulers, interviews with thought provoking, progressive leaning and revolutionary musicians and songwriters who are using their voice and pen as a platform to speak out against injustice and even links to Alternative Music Sources that cater to such styles of music and are not afraid to sell "politically incorrect", "politically inclined", "terrorist leaning", "subversive" music.
In fact, every progressive-leaning individual really intend to highlight others who are doing similar things concerning politically-inclined and radically-progressive music on all different fronts; to focus on anti-system music, bands or lyrics that shows opposition and calling for revolution, of artists that use their voice to speak out against imperialism, bureaucrat capitalism, feudalism, corporate greed, police state tyranny, racism, and calling for social justice, national liberation and democracy, for ecological and socio-cultural sanity, to the point of encouraging to join the national democratic struggle by taking up "arms", and musicians who need help in their efforts to bring attention to these causes to the people, especially to the workers, peasants, and even students.
And thus,
Advocating the radicalization of music, of creating revolutionary-themed songs, of encouraging progressive-leaning writers to become revolutionary, of intensifying the struggle in culture gives life to creating a nationalist, scientific and mass-based culture to counter the commercialized, colonialized, fascist-leaning culture prevailing today. And with your help, somehow it serves as a way to make music "for the people."
Dare to struggle! Dare to win!
