Wednesday 30 March 2016

Standing Looking At Bands / Test Dept, Salman Rushdie at the ICA...Did It Happen?

untitled, RTomens, 2015
I was looking at the ICA site today and saw a photo of people looking at something, looking and listening, probably, because it looked like a gig. I haven't gone to a gig for years. It disgusted me, the thought of going and listening to someone. I don't know why. Perhaps 'disgust' is too strong a word. The thought of paying to be trapped in a room having to listen to anyone other than the Art Ensemble of Chicago does not appeal. Them and a few others.

You're enticed by the idea of a great (if you're feeling optimistic) or OK (if you really need to get out of the house) event. You stand around. I hate standing around, these days. In the past, I stood around at a lot of gigs, of course. Now I'd get tired. I didn't mind back then. Then I was younger...and The Ramones were about to come on, for instance.

The last gig I remember going to at the ICA was Test Dept in the late-80s. I remember lots of metal-sawing and bashing, also sparks flying. I thought I also remembered Salman Rushdie reading from The Satanic Verses but looking for evidence I can find none. Yet I distinctly remember being bored as he read, waiting for Test Dept. Have I imagined that? I thought I remembered it well because of the guilt I felt soon afterwards when the lunatic religious mob were baying for his blood, just as I was whilst he read. Yet the only evidence I can find of The Satanic Verses being read at the ICA is in the article linked above and that was Harold Pinter.

Those t-shirts proclaiming 'I MAY BE OLD BUT I GOT TO SEE THE BEST BANDS' really should have 'AND CAN'T REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT THEM' in brackets...

There's a Dennis Morris exhibition on at the ICA, by the way. He designed some PiL albums, including the Metal Box. I might go to stand and look at that for a while...



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