Watching TV on New Years Day?

This post focuses on 3 punk era music videos with connections to TV for your viewing pleasure. Hopefully, they will inspire you to turn off your TV.

The first one is a video showing a remaster (and translation) of Nina Hagen's TV Glotzer. The song is about becoming a content couch potato and is a cover of WHITE PUNKS ON DOPE, by the Tubes. It's sung in German, and Nina's cover uses the same rhythm and melody as the original, but she rewrote the story line. The Tube's song was about drug abuse whereas her song is about TV as a drug.

This youtube video below was made by Olaf, who is likely a German. He smiles, TV remotes in hand playing air drums, as the song plays in the background. The translation appears on the screen simultaneously with the sung words. I appreciate it that the translation is a direct one rather than a highly edited one to make the lyrics sound natural in English. This approach, in my view, is more true to the artists's intent.

As Slugbug has pointed out on this site, Nina Hagen recently appeared at a benefit for Dennis Kucinich. Appropriately, we pay her respect by posting her song on this day when millions are glued to their TVs.

The second video also has a German connection and is titled "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now" by the Dead Kennedys. This is a variation of their first recording, "California Über Alles." I'm amazed at how relevant this song is to the problems we are facing today. It's a classic. Check out this sample of the lyrics:

You closed your eyes, can't happen here
Alexander Haig is near
Vietnam won't come back you say
Join the army or you will pay

California,Uber Alles
California,& Uber Alles
Uber Alles,California
California,yeah
OOHH O' O' O'

Yeah, that's it. Just relax.
Have another drink,
few more pretzels,
little more MSG.
Turn on those Dallas Cowboys on your TV.
Lock your doors.
Close your mind.
It's time for the two-minute warning.

Does it sound familiar? VIETNAM did come back with the Iraq war and remember after 9-11 when Bush told us to go shopping and relax? This song has more relevance today than it did when it was written.

This last one is by The Normal and it's called TV OD. I have the 45, and Warm Leatherette is on the flip side. There's not much to say about this one; it's elegance is in its simplicity (and monotony).

Comments

[Look what Nyc sent]

Well Thank you for the culture. What I am doing is making panang salmon and still helping assimilate Gabe's stuff into the basement. He has chosen the music so far, all on vinyl - a wierd combination of Paul McCartney, the Beach Boys and Devo. Who is the 26 year old in this house? He & I seem to have a role reversal going. Debating whether to go to an Open House at Abil & Melissa's - tempting because Abil is Texan and making biscuits and Melissa is a chef. I'm cooking but these could be eaten later.

Nyc started the trend of noticing wierd Seattle New Years stories with the one about the Space Needle fireworks computer program fucking up.

Here is another one:

Flight Diverted Due to Alleged Groping

Federal air marshals charged a Seattle-area man with groping a female passenger aboard a United Airlines flight that the pilot diverted to Pittsburgh because of the disturbance.

Michael Lamar Holland, 46, appeared before a magistrate on Monday on a charge of abusive sexual contact, according to Ted Hresko, special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh air marshals' office.

Holland had been chatting with a 39-year-old woman Sunday on United Flight 917, which was bound for Seattle from Dulles International Airport near Washington D.C., he said.

"The next thing you know, he's groping her," Hresko said. "The flight attendants asked our (air marshals) to get involved."

A witness saw Holland stroking the woman's hair while she was trying the sleep, according to an affidavit filed with the court. Moments later, Holland fondled the woman who repeatedly objected and tried to get away from him, the affidavit said.

Holland was handcuffed by air marshals and taken to an empty seat in another part of the plane. The pilot opted to divert the flight to Pittsburgh so Holland could be removed, Hresko said.

"I think I'm still in a bit of shock," the woman who made the accusations told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Monday.

United Airlines officials did not immediately return a call for comment.

The flight left Dulles carrying 182 passengers at 6:08 p.m. and landed in Pittsburgh about an hour later. Pittsburgh airport officials said the flight continued on to Seattle at 9:35 p.m.

Holland was released on bond and the court was to appoint an attorney for him before he returns for a Jan. 7 court appearance, said Margaret Philbin, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Pittsburgh. Holland was held overnight in the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh prior to appearing before the magistrate, Hresko said.

Holland did not appear to be intoxicated when he was taken into custody Sunday night, Hresko said.

"There was no alcohol on his breath, and when he was interviewed he said he hadn't had a drink for five years," he said. "We have no reason to believe that he was drunk or on any kind of narcotic."

Abusive sexual contact is a federal misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison and $1,000 fine, Hresko said.

[New Years in Pakistan]

From a friend:

Word from Pakistan:

It was a sad new year over here, 2007 was suppose to be the "visit Pakistan year", but it was perhaps the worst year in the country's history, people weren't in a mood to celebrate espacailly after Benazir and all. A lot of parties, weddings, festivities got cancelled. All we did was sent eachother new year greetings. Some of the resturants were crowded, went out with some friends but was back before 12, people weren't really in a mood to celebrate.

Today, I mean yesterday was the first, life was pretty much back to normal thank God. I hope this year is less violent than the last. take care.