Album of the Week
Blur, Modern Life Is Rubbish
It’s fair to say that Rubbish Is Life Modern was a massive leap forward for a new kind of indie-pop, with a very British (and London-centric) identity. However, I can’t declare it as the true first Britpop album, even though I’ve said so at least three times recently.
Blur’s album “Modern Life is Rubbish” saw a departure from the aesthetic of the 60s, as they ditched the baggy sweaters and bowl-cuts for a different look. There’s no doubt that this album, without any hesitation, changed Blur’s sound, as seen in the “Select magazine” article “No Other Way: There’s no doubt that Blur’s return was a completely different sound.”
The bands Small Faces and The Kinks were true ancestors of Britpop in the 90s, combining the pop hooks and storytelling lyrics of London with a roll’n’rock sound. However, they never stopped paying homage to The Beatles, while also drawing inspiration from the music of the 60s.
‘Tomorrow For’ by Blur is actually a prime example of this quixotic obsession, early in their career. In fact, you could describe Britpop bands as trying and failing to write a song as perfect as ‘Waterloo Sunset’ by The Kinks about 90% of the time.
There was something special happening here that truly demonstrated the modern way of life. Over the years, people would continue to make accusations that Blur was just jumping on the bandwagon, but the sound they produced was unique and unlike anything else.
Graham Coxon had a sensibility that demonstrated cutting-edge in tracks like “Oily Water” and “Advert.” Damon Albarn, on the other hand, showcased his ability to evoke real pathos in songs like “Blue Jeans” and “Miss America.”
The brilliance of an extraordinary band lies in the vast range of Blur’s concepts, undeniably. Throughout their work, they consistently uphold a distinct persona while effortlessly transitioning between concepts and genres. Modern Life Is Rubbish encapsulates this enchantment.
On Side 2, ‘Sunday Sunday’ is featured, incorporating aspects of ‘Itchycoo Park’, displaying the initial indications of the Parklife period. Modern Life, which includes suggestions of future developments, presents a facet of Blur that would not resurface until their self-titled album in 1997.
Britpop had already been around prior to Modern Life Is Rubbish, but this is where it transforms into an unstoppable force.
Ace of Bass, ’All That She Wants’
I love a good pop music conspiracy theory, like one about Bob Holness being replaced by an actor playing the saxophone on the street, or Avril Lavigne being replaced and dying by an actor, or Paul McCartney about one the same.
In 2015, when Cracked.Com published a highly intriguing article revealing that Ace Of Base were a covert Nazi psychological operation, I clicked the link with such force that I nearly injured my finger.
Some right-wing extremist groups have been linked to Nazi ideology, but the article from Cracked turned out to be total nonsense, of course it’s not a literal representation of the Ace Base fantasy.
Are we really trying to revive the catchy reggae-pop sound of the Third Reich through the examination of facts and finding out?
The day had just begun
In the 80s, Sarah Connor encounters Arnie, also known as The Terminator, at a nightclub called Tech-Noir, where the techno music trio, The Base of Ace, started making music. Jenny and Linn, his sisters, along with Berggren ‘Joker’ Jonas, are members of the group.
In 1990, local musician Ulf Ekberg joined Tech-Noir and formed a partnership with Joker Ekberg. They also suggested changing their name from Ace Of Base to ‘Ace Of Spades’ while hungover and thinking that he thought of that name.
Ace of Base, a reggae band, began working on their riddims in the studio next door. They started working on a demo and eventually moved to a different studio. However, as a techno band, they faced difficulties in finding gigs in the local metal-dominated music scene.
Now, imagine that you might think they included a bit of rapping because, in reality, the sound of the unsigned Swedish techno band doing reggae is actually worse than terrible.
However, Ace Of Base distributed these demos to every music producer in Sweden.
The quickly decided that it was worthless garbage, but PoP Denniz, an up-and-coming artist, listened to the demo in his car stereo and knew that it would be a big hit in 1992. He was the lucky recipient of “My Life’s Alban’s Dr.”
And then Ace Of Base experienced a strange stroke of fortune.
Denniz spent weeks driving around Stockholm, somehow developing a love for this terrible song that looped on. He couldn’t help but wiggle and loosen up to it. However, he got stuck when he tried to eject the cassette.
Ace Of Base owe their success to a literal instance of Stockholm Syndrome.
The past is the remainder, and ‘All That She Desires’ was the outcome. They initiated transforming ‘Mr. Ace’ into an actual tune, and Denniz called upon Ace Of Base to his recording studio.
The gentle voice that talks to you
However, history can sometimes come back to haunt you.
They discovered something significant and the press began investigating. Achieving global fame always comes with a heightened degree of examination and eventually, Ace Of Base gained immense popularity in the United States, the United Kingdom, and then across continental Europe.
Ulf Ekberg used to have ties to the Nazi party.
Ekberg, who had been active in the local skinhead scene in Sweden, was also reported to be a member of the far-right Democrats. Before joining the punk-post band Suicide Commit, Ekberg had been associated with the Swedish version of Britain’s National Front, known as Front National.
Ekberg stated that he was never affiliated with the Sweden Democrats, and it was similarly untrue that Commit Suicide was a Nazi band. He further refuted certain aspects of the narrative. The incidents related to Nazism occurred during Ekberg’s adolescence, leading him to express remorse for certain past actions while attempting to minimize the significance of these accounts.
The apology disturbed some of his former friends, particularly Commit Suicide’s previous label, Flashback Records.
Ekberg is seen making Nazi salutes. In a flashback, Flashback discovered several vintage photos, with the least offensive one being a cover of Skrewdriver’s ‘Smash the I.R.A.’ (Skrewdriver being a well-known punk band associated with white supremacist ideologies). The Flashback team delved into their archives and uncovered incredibly racist old recordings by Commit Suicide.
These songs and photos were collected in a special EP called Uffe Was A Nazi!
Although he acknowledges that it’s uncool to have been associated with these bands that promote racism, Ekberg asserts that the majority of the songs on the EP are not by Commit Suicide and that Flashback simply misidentified them.
There are pictures of political events happening together. It seems unlikely to see one of Anders Klarström, the official president of the Democrats Sweden, with his bandmates from Suicide Commit. Well, it’s not because he is being a Democrat in Sweden.
Apologies to Ekberg for his days affiliated with the Nazi regime and far-right ideology are described as “nauseating” (although he claims he was not really involved in politics). He genuinely feels embarrassed by it all, and it seems probable that this was just a stupid phase of his teenage years, an edgelord behavior.
Nevertheless, he clearly raises the question of which right-wing ideology, with some links, did the music base of Ace leak into.
Beware of what is flashing in her eyes
Cracked’s 2015 article argues that Ace Of Base’s music was littered with Nazi references–and even tried to brainwash people through subliminal messages.
Wouldn’t you ever wonder why the techno band calls themselves “Bass Of Ace”? Even the band’s name is cracked, according to a Nazi code.
The nickname “Base of aces” was earned by Keroman, which was the impenetrable home and fortress to the elite U-Boat captains. I believe that this is a deliberate reference to the Submarine Base in Lorient, which is cracked.
This theory deals with issues related to couples. That theory deals with issues related to couples. There isn’t much evidence to support the nickname “Aces of Base” ever being used by anyone, for starters. It’s difficult to find any written references to this name, and the only source is Cracked’s series called Mega Nazi Weapons on Netflix.
Additionally, if the Germans bestowed a moniker upon Keroman, it most likely was a German appellation.
If there is even a suggestion of totalitarianism, the remainder of their argument revolves around closely examining song lyrics. Apart from the mention of the “base of aces,” the individuals opposing this viewpoint do not possess any substantial proof.
The symbol in ‘The Sign’ is a swastika… Perhaps it could be about a dog observing the mail carrier, or maybe it is addressing the anxiety towards immigrants? The line “I perceive danger in the gaze of an unfamiliar person” is mentioned. Is it possible that ‘Happy Nation’ is referring to an Aryan nation?
Paul McCartney’s death has been confirmed as lyrics from the song “Base Of Ace” suggest. It is astonishing to see how Beatles fans have discovered these lyrics, proving the theory of a true conspiracy behind the tiny breadcrumbs of lyric sheets.
In the song ‘Happy Nation’, Ace Of Base sings.
No man’s fit to rule the world aloneA man will die but not his ideas
Paul, the actor who died and the one who died in real life, is referenced as the fact that there are two of him. “No man fits the rule of the world alone,” continued his public image, “but his ideas, not his image, will die.” You see Paul died.
This is an enjoyable game, but it demonstrates nothing.
Music is not the only thing hidden in plain sight there, as Base Of Ace also has right-wing politics in their music. The idea of a secret coded message is unnecessary elaboration. Regardless,
She’s going to get ya
All that she wants is another babyShe’s gone tomorrow, boyAll that she wants is another baby, yeah
People have long argued about the precise meaning of the term “infant” in this context.
The song shames a woman for enjoying sex, implying that being called a “baby” by her partner is demeaning. The song also insinuates that a woman can exploit the generous Swedish state welfare system if she attempts to get pregnant. If the woman in the song is actually pregnant, then it is a literal baby.
We were too distracted by the Swedish pop-reggae hooks in 1993 to really question them, and they sound like an Andrew Tate monologue. These lyrics are strangely hateful in a way as well.
Proof that the music industry’s top hit, “Base’s Of Ace,” does not contain hidden Nazi messages is the fact that there is no need to hide them. In fact, the idea of secretive Nazis hiding messages in music is absurd.Output: The fact that there is no need to conceal hidden Nazi messages in the music industry’s popular song, “Base’s Of Ace,” is evidence that the notion of secretive Nazis embedding messages in music is ludicrous.
[Number 9 ↑] Bon Jovi, ‘In These Arms’
We saw Bon Jovi return last year with a vaguely grunge vibe on their third single from the classic album Faith, but this turned out to be just a phase.
[Number 15, New] Tina Turner, ‘I Don’t Wanna Fight’
Tina Turner picked Sade to perform a song she wrote, which was even stranger. Lulu, on the other hand, wrote a song that was loved by everyone.
There is nothing incorrect with Lulu, Sade, or Tina, it is simply an unusual lineup.
[Number 27, New] Saint Etienne, ‘Hobart Paving’
In 1991, Saint Etienne claimed, “Only love has the power to shatter your heart,” but it was proven false as ‘Hobart Paving’ can also shatter your heart.
[Number 29, New] Felix, ‘Stars’
The video for ‘Stars’ is one of the weirder singles we’ve had in weeks, but it still has a polished vibe that reminds me of the 2am-at-MTV dance music from 1992. It’s a 7″ amateurish and bonkers chart topper, and if I don’t know if we’ll ever see anything like it again.
[Number 40, New] Lenny Kravitz, ‘Believe’
Lenny pauses from imitating Hendrix to compose a bit of Beatles-inspired psychedelia. It’s acceptable.
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