[kj] Killing joke and Communism

[Alexander Smith]

Che Guevara shirts are ubiquitous here in the States, yet quiz the  
average person wearing one about who he was and/or what he represents  
(let alone what his name was or where he was from) and you'll  
probably be met with a blank stare.

I blame Rage Against the Machine.

Alex in NYC




On Aug 21, 2007, at 5:07 PM, Mister Black wrote:


> Che Gue Vara :

>   Where does he fit in? Is his image rebellious or offensive or is  

> it something that is adhered to? Does anyone own a Che Gue Vara T- 

> shirt? I think  that they look so naff , I cant see anyone on this  

> list owing a Che Gue Vara t-shirt or poster , except for maybe Tin  .

>

> ========================================

> Message Received: Aug 21 2007, 09:55 PM

> From: "B. Oliver Sheppard"

> To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)"

> Cc:

> Subject: Re: [kj] Killing joke and Communism

>

> I like the Killng Joke hammer & sickle logo. I'm pretty sure Alex is

> right that it is an ultimately meaningless thing, a kind of punk-era

> playing with ideological symbols of the past to be provocative -- the

> Sex Pistols wore swastikas, they did also wear commie symbols (and not

> just in the Alex Cox movie) while bands like Durruti Column were named

> after an anarchist band, and Crass of course employed the crossed-out

> cross and circle-A, though, dammit, they were serious. Punk started  

> all

> that "let;s use provocative political symbols to get a rise out of

> people" stuff.

>

> A few years ago there was a trend of army green messenger bags with  

> red

> stars on them, or black shirts with a big red star on the, probably

> intended to invoke associations w/ communism and/or anarcho- 

> syndicalism.

> Of these are all made by capitalist outfitters. It's one of those

> punk-started things that percolated up into mass market conusmerist  

> culture.

>

> Jaz's political statements have been so wild and varied over the  

> years I

> dunno where to consistently place him on any scale.

>

> They also used Nazis saluting a pope! One of my fave band-appropriated

> images ever used. :)

>

> -Oliver

>

>

> Frank Frik wrote:

> > And perhaps British labour goverment wouldn't be offended...lnew

> > labour from communists is not that far....swastica defended/and do

> > the ''conservationist democrat centrist right wing. partys''.

> >

> > */Mister Black /* wrote:

>

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