the systems of control.

earlier this week, I watched a film by Peter Watkins called THE GLADIATORS. A friend of mine suspected that I wouldn’t like it because Peter Watkins is “more left-wing than I am”. This isn’t really true at all. Actually, he’s anti-wing. THE GLADIATORS unrepentantly argues that communism and capitalism are ultimately, basically, the same thing: systems of control and power structures, and all systems of control ultimately conform to one goal: preservation of the system.

on Friday, I went to the Big Day Out in Auckland. After I went two years ago, I swore never again, but my good trip to Primavera in Barcelona softened my stance. The major difference between Big Day Out and Primavera (amongst many differences) is that Primavera is focused on the “indie rock” fan, where Big Day Out (either out of necessity or desire, I’m not sure) casts a wider net.

So I was happy to see Aceyalone, The Clean, Spoon, Bjork, and particularly Arcade Fire, who put on the best set I saw all day. However, there was also quite a large share of meathead rock, led by Rage Against The Machine. I’ve always been skeptical of Rage since day 1 – I mean, let’s face it, if major labels aren’t part of the machine you’re raging against, what is? But apparently I’m in the vast minority – Rage has an absolutely huge fanbase, and Rage t-shirts outnumbered every other performing band combined.

Also on the bill were a slew of other bands designed to make sure that Rageaholics would have a satisfying day, and one of these was Anti-Flag. As you might guess, Anti-Flag have a message for us. This message is that fascism is bad and that anarchy will get us the freedom that we deserve. (For example lyrics, see here.

Two things were striking about this. One is that, in their attempt at promulgating rebellion, Anti-Flag leaned on the 30+ year old tradition of punk rock. I’m not sure whether music can even be “dangerous” or “rebellious” as music per se anymore, but the fact is that in 2008, having a mohawk is just as much a uniform as a suit and tie (maybe even more so) and playing loud punk guitars is as hackneyed as gated 80′s drums and synths. (Again, maybe even more so.)

The other irony was that, in trying to get their message across, Anti-Flag, like so many before them, leaned on well-worn systems of control. I remember seeing the Soup Dragons open for INXS at the Palace in Auburn Hills almost 20 years, and the thudding painful irony of their singing desperately demanding that the audience get up and dance to … “I’m Free”. (chorus: “I’m free/to do what I want/any old time”. Unless you’re not dancing at a Soup Dragons show.) When one of the Anti-Flaggers* said “I want to see everybody dancing on this next song”, all I could think of was coercion and what role it had in an anarchist society, and if all bands with a message of freedom and aspirations for reaching a larger audience would ultimately find themselves trapped in a power structure, on stage, exercising their control over an audience.

In researching this, I discovered that Anti-Flag signed to a major label in 2006.

Irony is dead. But systems of control are alive and thriving, and I need to watch more Peter Watkins to see if he ever uncovers a solution to the dilemma. I suspect he does not.

*Truth is, I heard Anti-Flag more than I saw them; after watching about two minutes of their set, I was in line for a wristband to get alcohol for about fifteen minutes of their set, after which I got as far away as possible.