Public Carmodism

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Discussion on the tournament thread about GHOST TOWNE by the Specials - is this the biggest example of Carmodism being generally accepted and written into the executive summary of rock history?

(Definition of Carmodism for the 99% of you who won't know what I'm on about: the belief that the state of the charts reflects the state of the nation, or at least the belief that it makes for more interesting analysis to pretend it does. From Robin Carmody, cultural critic and high practitioner of the art.)

Comments

I know a rockist when I see one

[blue-russian.livejournal.com]

My gut tells me that the reason the Carmodic interpretation has become so accepted is for the reason that you and Frank clarifying here - the reason the riots have been linked to the song is exactly because it foreshadowed them and didn't retroactively describe them. Or, in other words, its impact was unintended* and therefore more authentic.

*But Dammers was totally political, wasn't he, so "unintended" doesn't the right word here. But I'm nitpicking, so just ignore me.