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Back to: Archive · 1995 · New Blur Express From page 62, Dave edits 'Angst', the letters page (for the sake of relevance, I've only included the letters that Dave replied to)  Tribal Shift This is an open letter to the management of the Mean Fiddler Organisation. Re: Tribal Gathering. I was amazed when I read the hype for the Tribal Gathering (Otmoor Park, Oxford, May 6, 1995). All that stuff about 'People of all generations are invited to unite in spiritual communion'. Now, I know you're not serious, guys, and that you are just out to capitalise on current youth culture and, naturally, make money. What bothers me is that somebody else might actually believe that it was a tribal gathering when in fact it was nothing more than a big rave in the countryside, albeit a very good one - well, for the music, anyway. I think the title Tribal Gathering is wrong and misleading. For a start there was no provision for children, so what's all the 'people of all generations' talk about? Also, the police presence was very high. There were car-loads 'kerb-crawling' everywhere (A very serious offence, I believe - Dave). You are supposed to be able to relax at festivals, not feel Big Brother's disapproving eye on you all the time. Finally, and most fundamentally, you had to pay to get in. All genuine tribal gatherings are free. As soon as an admission fee is charged, the objective of the event becomes to make money. I notice that there was no mention of any profits going to the travellers' school or any other cause that helps 'tribal' people. I suppose the idea behind the gathering was to show different kinds of dance music in one event. Fine, but it's got nothing particularly to do with the traveller/squatting scene as I've already explained. If you are thinking of holding this event again next year, please get off the bandwagon, drop the pretensions and call it something different. Mandi Peers Dave's reply : Some good points, but I can't believe anyone goes to a Mean Fiddler event expecting the profits to benefit squatters or travellers. Anyway, is 'tribal' a kind of PC synonym for 'crusty' these days? Get a job, weirdo. It Must Be Love Courtney Love is a WIDOW. According to many medical experts and psychologists, widows are likely to display signs of emotional disturbance for at least two years after the death of a partner, regardless of age, background or family support or dependents. Add this to Courtney's own circumstance of being in a profession whose integral function requires high-profile promotion of oneself and one's product and the chances are very high that her behaviour will often alienate some of those around her, no matter how close/sympathetic they are to her. On top of this the lass is the wife of a 'celebrity suicide'. We must expect the poor girl's behaviour to be unstable for many months to come. (Incidentally, Hole's appearance on Jools Holland's show was great and all credit to Jools for not even mentioning the obvious stuff.) Lorraine Pickering Better Never... All you mad people at NME, I thought I'd send you a note concerning a television programme I had the misfortune to witness on Saturday, May 13. The programme was 'Later With Jools Holland'. Frankly, I couldn't believe my eyes, or my ears. The band's name was 'Hole'. Arse-Hole more like. What a complete and utter load of old bollocks. If this is where music is at the moment I think I'll join the Foreign Legion. And to make matters worse they trundled onto the stage with the untalented Marianne Faithfull - what a row! I'd rather listen to an old broken-down cement mixer while at the same time performing oral sex on a female orangutan with dubious personal hygiene habits. You may think I am a bit of an old fart pants but if you call that music, well God help us. And the audience applauded. Wot!! They should be sent to Russia to work and toil in the salt mines. You'd have thought old Jools would have a little more taste. But lo and behold, he thought they were wonderful. What a joke. Mind you, Miss Love has got nice tits. Bring back Dana. Sad Poor Bastard, South Wales Dave's reply : So there we have The Great Courtney Debate in a nutshell. Courtney Love - emotionally disturbed, grieving widow or middle-aged talentless slapper with nice tits? You decide. Shed Who? So, Rick Witter and his 'band' aren't sorry for throwing their drum kit onto the motorway because they "wanted people to crash". What a stupid f***! Hundreds of people die every year in motorway crashes. On May 23, ten people died in a coach crash after the driver swerved to avoid an object on the motorway. Go on, Rick, go to the memorial service at Christchurch, go to any of the countless funerals of those who died in crashes, and see how you wanted people to crash. See how long you last then. Victoria Paterson, Cambridgeshire This letter is purely for that w***er Rick Witter. I can't believe anyone can be so shit as to throw a set of drums out of a van while driving on the motorway. In the week in which ten people died in a motorway crash I just can't understand the mentality behind your actions. If you come anywhere near me, mate, I'll throw more than a f***ing drum at you. Dave, Chesterfield Dave's reply : I don't know anything about Shed Seven, so I asked around, and no-one else had heard of them either. So there we are. Take A Walker On The Wild Side Like most of your more elderly readers, I've heard millions of albums and normally it's easy and natural to form an instant opinion. "This is the greatest album ever made", I must've said it 1,000 times during wonderful drunken evenings. "This is the biggest pile of crap ever to venture near a pressing plant" is another common pontification. Everything normally changes after another couple of listens. At least I knew where I stood. But I admit for the very first time I am utterly bewildered. Scott Walker's 'Tilt' has given me my first pangs of mortality, my first sober realisation that I don't know it all. Is 'Tilt' life-affirming? Or pretentious shite? I honestly don't know. I REALLY JUST DO NOT F***ING KNOW. Is 'Tilt' the future of rock'n'roll? Or is it the embodiment of everything which wonderful rock'n'roll has freed us from? I DON'T KNOW. Help. NME needs a personal problem page - starting with bemused 'Tilt' listeners. Simon, Lyndhurst Dave's reply : I can't help but feel a little bit let down by whoever's review of 'Tilt'. If a record needs 30 listens to decide if it's any good, perhaps he should have listened to it 30 times. Call me old-fashioned, but it is after all his job. I remember The Blitz. They were hard days but we all pulled together - you could leave your front door open etc, etc. I'm just writing to express my boredom at your tiresome habit of referring to The Good Mixer in every other sentence of your elitist rag. Daniel, The North Dave's reply : The Good Mixer has become such a cliché that even Graham, who practically lived there for a year, and was virtually adopted by the landlady, says he rarely goes any more. The long-standing ban on cloth caps is still in force though. Raisin Hell There is something in the air. I am really excited. Oasis are on the top of my playlist, and I cannot wait for the 'lad-like' sounds of Black Grape. Basically, I would just like to say 'F*** The Stone Roses.' Dell, Darlington Bank Top 2000 Dave's reply : Oh joy, I was worried that I might have to make a few letters up if I couldn't find enough that featured bands and swearing. I'd like to hug you, Dell.
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