No Music Day

Tuesday 21st November has been declared No Music Day. The concept was suggested by maverick music business genius/lunatic Bill Drummond, whose eclectic CV includes managing 80’s legends the Teardrop Explodes, forming the KLF and writing the book ‘How To Have a Number One Hit’ which explained the process of taking your favourite drum beat and sticking your favourite TV theme tune or melody over the top, which he then proved to be true by releasing his ‘Doctoring the Tardis’ song as the Timelords. The KLF once notoriously played the BPI awards, but instead of performing their song in the regular manner they invited metal band Extreme Noise Terror to do a different version which culminated in Bill ‘gunning down’ the assembled speechless music industry with a fake machine gun. Allegedly, Bill had intended to spray the audience with pig’s blood but Extreme Noise Terror wouldn’t let him because they are vegetarians! And let’s not forget the legendary controversial burning of a million pounds of their own money by the KLF, the ashes of which they made into a brick to sell as a piece of art which was then valued at £60,000, apparently bought by Keith Allen… you couldn’t make this stuff up if you tried!

Anyway, Bill’s latest concept of No Music Day is an attempt to make people think about how they are taking music for granted; we are constantly bombarded with disposable pop and music is more easily accessible than at any point in the past. This should be a good thing but an unfortunate side-effect is that much of the mystique and feeling of belonging to something exclusive has disappeared from the acts of purchasing, discovering and hearing music. Attendance of live gigs is starting to fall because everyone can check stuff out on myspace instead of going to a gig on the off-chance. we have too much choice and most of it has been designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

You may think that No Music Day is a stupid idea and that Bill Drummond wants his head examined; but surely this is what music used to be all about? Conceptual Artists provoking thought and new ideas by challenging your world view, encouraging you to be (or at least feel) subversive and like you could change the world.

So let’s join in on No Music Day by not playing or listening to any music and spending that time thinking about what music means to us. Check out http://www.nomusicday.com for info.