When Jello Biafra explained that the shockingly tasteless name "Dead Kennedys" was purposeful irony "to bring attention to the end of the American dream," I gave him the benefit of the doubt. When a seminal skate punk band from Arizona decided to call themselves "Jodie Foster's Army" after would-be Reagan assassin John Hinckley Jr's obsession with the actress, I sensed no such higher purpose behind the sick joke. Believe me, I was no Reagan fan, but to quote Joe Strummer "murder is a crime." With apologies and happy birthday wishes to Ms. Foster, who today turns 47.
After writing the above, I wondered if something akin to a maturity that comes from being the same age as Jodie Foster has me preferring shock value satire to have some ultimate moral purpose behind it. Upon reflection though, I remembered being completely turned off by the Crucifucks performance of Hinckley Had a Vision when I saw that Lansing, Michigan hardcore group perform the song at the Rock against Reagan free concert in Washington, D.C. And I was a mere lad of 22 back then.
After writing the above, I wondered if something akin to a maturity that comes from being the same age as Jodie Foster has me preferring shock value satire to have some ultimate moral purpose behind it. Upon reflection though, I remembered being completely turned off by the Crucifucks performance of Hinckley Had a Vision when I saw that Lansing, Michigan hardcore group perform the song at the Rock against Reagan free concert in Washington, D.C. And I was a mere lad of 22 back then.
Comments