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#1
15-02-2015, 04:09
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The Manics and the USSR
I'm fairly aware of the Manics' political views, I know that they are quite liberal (most of the time) but I've seen them use the USSR symbol (scythe and hammer) fairly often, especially during the Holy Bible era. (I noticed it in the liner notes of the Holy Bible 10th Anniv. edition especially) So I was just wondering, does anyone here know exactly what their thoughts on the USSR are? Do they respect the ideologies upon which it was founded or do they appreciate the discipline and advancements made during that era of Russia? Any insight would be appreciated.
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#3
15-02-2015, 10:43
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The symbol is not originally a USSR one, it's a common communist symbol that the USSR has borrowed. The scythe and hammer, being tools of industrial manufacture and harvesting, rappresent the workers' unity. And that is the context under which you have to think of it to find a clearer connection with the Manics.
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#4
15-02-2015, 10:57
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In Soviet Russia, Us Love You....
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#5
15-02-2015, 12:13
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#6
15-02-2015, 12:14
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#7
15-02-2015, 12:36
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#8
15-02-2015, 13:10
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I think they (or Richey anyway) were just interested in the imagery and iconography of the Soviet Union more than the actual political ideology. Nicky has always been a 'classic' Labourite and Richey never seemed have any strong political leanings. I believe the aesthetics and propaganda elements appealed to the band more than anything else.
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#9
15-02-2015, 15:12
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#10
15-02-2015, 17:20
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#11
15-02-2015, 17:59
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"MR LENIN - AWAKEN THE BOY MR STALIN - BISEXUAL EPOCH KRUSCHEV - SELF LOVE IN HIS MIRRORS BREZHNEV - MARRIED INTO GROUP SEX GORBACHEV - CELIBATE SELF IMPORTANCE YELTSIN - FAILURE IS HIS OWN IMPOTENCE TROTSKY - HONEYMOON, SERENADE THE NAKED " "Royalty, hereditery, unelected and becalmed Just like Stalin, just like Stalin Human and useless Bomb the Chinese Embassy The west is free, oh the west is free Laugh at the hammer and sickle It is antique, oh it is antique" ...then no Iconography has been mentioned... I agree with this. And of course it doesn't necessarily mean what it appears either. For example Richey wearing Jesus. Most people that see someone wearing Jesus would think it's because they are religious - no Richey was wearing it because he's the biggest icon on earth (but a useless waste of space -his words!). They are not afriad to make statements using strong words or imagary. Would the hammer and sickle be the Manics way to (over!)emphasise their rejection of capitalism/class/americanisation? Does it just refer to unity of workers? They do tend to go to the extremes with a point they want to make! I don't think anyone should take the CCCP hammer and sickle symbol to literally mean they support that particular system (or the USSR in other ways.). I think it's a mixure of the above tbh.
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#12
15-02-2015, 18:54
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It's an interesting contrast to the way some of the 1970s punks/post-punks used Nazi symbols/iconography. I don't think anyone believes most of those punks were Nazis, but the provocative element was powerful, and for a band like the Manics, especially so soon after the USSR collapsed, you can see the attraction.
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#13
15-02-2015, 19:22
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To quote Mr Bradfield “We’re always aware we’ve played around with former Eastern Bloc imagery,” says Bradfield, “but the nuts and bolts of our ‘socialist’ beliefs are, and it’s not an exciting thing to say, but public ownership of gas and utilities. That’s the building block of what we believe socialism was. There are so many different notions of what being ‘leftist’ is, and that particularly was ours, that people believed they could still have some ownership over their country, some kind of control, and certain things would stem from that.”
And there's Last Jet to Moscow. Which Nicky described as a bit fucking sarky of Mr Bradfield
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"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love not man the less, but Nature more," - Byron 'I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.' (from Sea Fever - John Masefield) "Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at all" - Emily Dickinson
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#14
16-02-2015, 01:07
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great read.
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