A few days ago I read about Eric Clapton, 75, recording an anti-lockdown song (“Stand and Deliver”) and supporting Van Morrison‘s anti-lockdown campaign to bring back live concerts. Damn the facts, damn reasonable preventive measures, damn the torpedos. So God Clapton is a political bedfellow to, say, Alain Delon? I somehow never glimpsed that possibility until three or four days ago.
Clapton is currently residing in the woke shithouse, I gather. My loathing of wokester fanatics temporarily aside, I agree with whatever Twitter shamings and other punitive measures that have been taken against Clapton. Influential people need to understand that venting thoughtless, selfish opinions about irresponsible pandemic behavior is a no-go.
Excerpt from an 11.27 Wrap piece by Jeremy Fuster:
“Jeffrey St. Clair, editor for news and commentary site CounterPunch, said that news of the song ‘confirms everything I’ve ever thought about Clapton, a musician who has spent his entire career appropriating black music and now records his first protest’= song against meager restrictions to slow a disease that is ravaging black communities.”
“’What the fuck is wrong with these rich assholes?’ asked The Mountain Goats, the band behind the pandemic anthem “This Year.” ‘I ask this as a Van Morrison fan.’
Tweeted by novelist Hari Kunzru: “Last time Clapton weighed in on politics they had to start Rock Against Racism. Clapton is the worst. He has always been the worst. He was even the worst member of Cream. Van Morrison is also the worst.”
What does it mean to be “the worst member of Cream”? Surely not the worst musician or the least famous. Does it means Clapton did the most drugs? Or was the least progressive or something?
