Here in NZ we have a seemingly indestructible right wing politician called Winston Peters. For decades, he has been often able to hold the balance of power with his party which polls at about 6% which secures him an adorable 6 MPs out of a tiny parliament of 120 MPs. He’s Deputy PM at the moment.
At a recent gathering he had Tubthumping blaring out and has claimed the song as his anthem.
Amazingly, the Chumbas have got wind of this and have given him a right good telling off (see the link).
I say “amazingly” because a) the band still exists and b) they are aware and they care about this Farage-lite chancer. Well done them!
Do they play it as far as the “pissing the night away”?
He “likes a drink” so he probably sings along to those parts too. Part of his deal with the new Govt was that NZ must cease their anti-smoking projects cos he likes to smerk tabs, like.
Similarly, the estate of Sinéad O’Connor have told a certain D. Trump to stop using Nothing Compares at his rallies. I can’t remember the exact wording, but it was not polite.
Here is The Pogues’ concise response to Laurence Fox jumping on the why oh why must the BBC censor Fairytale,of New York? bandwagon.
The Chumbas have always had a strong sense of political commitment.
So it must really irk them when their song is hijacked by populist scumbags.
It’s a dirty job but someone’s gotta do it.
Very good
They don’t exist as a formal band anymore, but many of them maintain a presence on social media, expressing the same forthright opinions as they ever did. Which is to be applauded.
Back in the mid eighties I sat next to Alice Nutter on a National Express coach bound from Leeds to Liverpool. She was lovely.
We’ve all sat next to A Nutter on a National Express coach
A nutter on every bus.
Especially that big red one.
It’s in the Conservative manifesto.
The pop music / political rally dynamic is an interesting one.
The very moment I knew that Hilary Clinton was toast was when Radio 4 reported on a Democratic event in New York featuring Bruce Springsteen and Madonna.
“…that’s it, steel yerself for Trump”.
Starmer will be well advised to distance himself from any such endorsements until after the General Election. See “Red Wedge”.
Tony Blair did alright with “Things Can Only Get Better”.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/22/my-band-hit-tubthumping-is-the-latest-working-class-anthem-to-be-co-opted-by-populist-politicians
He says the right don’t have good tunes of their own – which isn’t fair, there’s always Wagner and… er… Ted Nugent
You raise a good point, Moosey. Where’s the “I was a Lloyd’s of London Name and had to open my stately home to the general public to raise a hundred grand” protest song?
“My pension fund was invested in Hong Kong primaries and now I’m stuck in the House of Lords to keep warm”
And Boff Whalley explains why they said no, in today’s Graun.
Really? I didn’t see that…
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/22/my-band-hit-tubthumping-is-the-latest-working-class-anthem-to-be-co-opted-by-populist-politicians
Or Boff outside Leeds Playhouse.