The Cure and the corporations

[dsanchez]

The band just published this text on their official Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-cure/g20/10150379306557700

It's unbelievable. The G20 -- the most powerful summit of world governments -- meets tomorrow to discuss the global economic crisis, and who is sponsoring the meeting? Banks and corporations!

No wonder the site of the meeting -- the French city of Cannes -- is completely locked down to any ordinary citizens, while banks and large corporate CEOs have all access passes to tell our governments what to do.

Corporations and banks have captured our governments, winning vast bailouts after helping to create the crisis. Now they are buying their way into the very meeting that could decide the world's financial future. Together we can persuade summit President Nicolas Sarkozy to cancel the sponsorship -- let's build a massive public outcry that causes a media firestorm and forces Sarkozy to kick out the corporate sponsors and clean up the G20. Sign the petition and forward widely:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/occupy_g20/?vl

The line between corporate power and responsible government has steadily blurred, undermining our democracies and our economy. Politicians take money from corporations for their campaigns, make policies that reward them when in office, and then take high-paid jobs with them after they leave. It's corruption, plain and simple.

Spread the word

[Adlib]

Ordinary people in Cannes ? Come on, Bob ! 

The "official" counter demonstration took place wednesday in Nice and there were almost more policemen than angry people in the streets...

Sarkozy banning sponsoring banks ? Who's going to pay for his 2012 campaign now that Liliane Bettencourt has officially been admitted as "senile and irresponsible" (to say the least) ?

I then remember Bob hated Bono Vox and Jim Kerr... (I stop there before someone says I'm off-topic, but...)

[dsanchez]

I then remember Bob hated Bono Vox and Jim Kerr...

Indeed. Actually, I was surprised about this post because in a very recent interview with The Guardian he said "I'm uncomfortable with politicised musicians" :roll:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/sep/10/robert-smith-the-cure-bestival

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"I'm uncomfortable with politicised musicians"

As a matter of fact, the world has always been ruled by politicians who reached power with banks and companies, even in the cleanest democracies... It's good to see Bob realizes it suddenly, but then again... Would you see these guys biting the hands that feed them ?

I think Bob's drug abuse in the 80s now has visible effects...

[Matti]

As for "politicised musicians", I'd assume this relates to the Bono/Geldof/C. Martin league who use their records and live shows to make political statements. And I can fully comprehend that as this always struck me as embarassing, which is basically rooted in the sheer naivity of it...

Apart from that, RS/The Cure have always been politicised in their own ways, just that they seem to stick to a grass roots/direct action level - put the money directly where it is needed (Nordoff Robins, Isle of Wight Youth Trust etc.).

[Adlib]

Apart from that, RS/The Cure have always been politicised in their own ways, just that they seem to stick to a grass roots/direct action level - put the money directly where it is needed (Nordoff Robins, Isle of Wight Youth Trust etc.).

I quite agree, but there is a difference between selling records and give money silently to charities such as the Red Cross or Mencap or Amnesty International (unless you read the credits in the inner sleeve, you'd never know) and crying out on a blog in vain because the world we live in is rotten.

This kind of messages coming from multimillionnaires always make me laugh when they could make me cry, but I've come over anger and hatred. It's just cynical. 

Well, if he chose Bono's way, that's his business.

But once again, it was pretty useless to bash Kerr or Vox in the 80s to do exactly the same 30 years later... (in the most ridiculous way)

Reminds me a famous popstar (can't remember whether it was Sting or Bono) who was proposed to eat a lobster in a Swiss restaurant : he refused having it cooked, left the restaurant with the still living lobster and released it in a lake... Lobsters die in fresh unsalted water...

It's unbelievable !

It bloody is...

[Ulrich]

Indeed. Actually, I was surprised about this post because in a very recent interview with The Guardian he said "I'm uncomfortable with politicised musicians" :roll:

If you really read the interview: he talks about writing songs about politics (which is something he hadn't ever done, as far as I can recall).

"But very few of them make it on to the final album," he says. "It has always seemed slightly uncomfortable, the idea of politicised musicians. Very few of them are clever enough to do it; if they're good at the political side, the music side suffers, and vice versa.

Apart from this, the Cure has often played benefits or released songs for charity (e.g. for Amnesty International - not a political organisation, but I wouldn't say they're completely unpolitical).
This thing isn't really about politics as well. It's anti-corporate, anti huge banks trying to steer polticians.

Some random thoughts: yeah we all use products from corporations (e.g. our computers, phones...), we take the money to the bank if we want to to invest. But this is about them having too much power. In short: I don't really believe that we can stop them. But the more people protest, the more they notice it... 

[dsanchez]

If you really read the interview: he talks about writing songs about politics (which is something he hadn't ever done, as far as I can recall).

You may be right. Still, I was surprised about Robert's reaction on the things surrounding the G20 summit...