Music: The Great Messenger
There's much to admire about the rapper M.I.A. She's a working mom, a dynamite performer, and a writer of songs, like "Bucky Done Gun," that command you to give the volume knob a twist. And with her outspoken political views and heart for her homeland, Mathangi Arulpragasa reflects the global consciousness of the information revolution.
Krist Novoselic's column runs every Tuesday on the Daily Weekly. Follow him on Twitter @KristNovoselic.
Music is indeed a messenger. And it's Arulpragasa's comments on the Sri Lankan civil war, which the Sri Lankan parliament declared over last month, that inspired me to pay attention to what was going on over there. It didn't take long for me to realize how similar our stories are.
An ethnic Tamil, M.I.A. is a member of the minority that makes up the northern part of Sri Lanka, a country governed by the majority Sinhalese since the end of WWII. The Sinhalese-controlled government and Tamil's rebel fighters had been involved in a decades-long civil war until the rebel leader was killed and their fighters routed, thus putting an end to the conflict.
M.I.A. has been giving interviews regarding the humanitarian costs of the military action, including the 300,000 displaced ethnic Tamils, many living in overcrowded camps. This reminds me of my situation in the early 1990s during the war in the former Yugoslavia. I had emerged from obscurity to play bass in the biggest band in the world. Being of Croatian heritage, I found myself speaking out about the war in the Balkans. (I lived in Yugoslavia in 1980 and have visited many times since.)
And there's a distinction here. As a youth I always thought that my parents were from Yugoslavia, but to be exact we're from the Croatian coast—a place called Dalmatia. Besides being known for the dog breed, Dalmatian culture is different than that of Croatia's inland. I grew up around Bosnian and Serbian folks in San Pedro, California, and things were harmonious. It was the Croatian nationalists we didn't associate with. They were the ones planting bombs and hijacking airplanes. The U.S. even put these people on a terror watch list in the 1970s.
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was emblematic of the crumbling Communist regimes of Eastern Europe. This resulted in a power vacuum, and war came to Yugoslavia soon after. Many took sides along ethnic lines, and old grudges between Serbs and Croats surfaced in a violent way. The city of Zadar, where I went to school, was bombed by artillery. Many relationships and families were split by the deep animosities caused by war violence.
I was living in Seattle in the latter part of the '90s, and it seemed like half of Sarajevo had moved here to get away from the war. The country of Yugoslavia was disintegrating, but the idea of unity among the southern Slav peoples was alive in Seattle. I'd party with a mix of Serbs, Croatians, and Bosnians, and it seemed the consensus was that petty nationalism only served those looking for power. I made many new friends in this expatriate community. The scene centered around bands like Kultur Shock—gypsy grunge at its best. Seattle has always been an international city, and these expats are just another story in the city's diverse cultural history. Today, it's ironic that after all the strife, the Slavic people of southern Europe are coming together in another government—the European Union.
One person's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. We can toss this back and forth, but in the meantime too many innocents suffer. The Sri Lankan government has said that M.I.A. should stick with music and not worry about politics. It doesn't matter if she's Tamil or Sinhalese, M.I.A. is the most famous Sri Lankan in the world. She has the right to speak.
I didn't know about Sri Lanka and the trouble there until M.I.A. made me aware. Her work can be political, but that aspect never seems overbearing. Thank you, Mathangi Arulpragasa, for bringing my attention to what's going on in that part of our world. And a big thanks for the great tunes as well!
19 comment(s)
Kahlid says:
Her "Slum Dog" hit song sounds like she took the "Jump Rope" song, changed the words and added a backing track.
I like coffee
I like tea
I like the boys
And the boys like me
Yes
No
Maybe so
Yes
No
Maybe so . . .
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 2 2009 @ 8:53AM
Kahlid says:
Here's a related link to Krist's post
Sri Lankan conflict reflected in music
http://www.theworld.org/node/26435
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 2 2009 @ 9:04AM
Luiz Bodan says:
Great Krist!!
I'm from Brazil, and now i know a lot more about Sri Lanka's situation. Thanks to you and to MIA.
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 2 2009 @ 9:11AM
hamburger says:
Bruce springsteens fucking it all up.
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 2 2009 @ 10:19AM
Charlie says:
Hey nice post, i think it's great when musicians take a real interest in issues(and even better try and do something about them.)
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 2 2009 @ 2:21PM
Tibz says:
It's great that singers are actually caring about what's going on in the world especially injustice. M.I.A is one of a kind!
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 2 2009 @ 2:37PM
Anonymous says:
Is THIS the new fliPPA? Kurts spreading his own ashes in GLEE. Love you man thanks for contributing to a world of musical suck...and making it a lil better.
ps i know this is old but check out that BGUTITAR YEEE HAWWW!HAAAAAHAAAAHOOOHOHOHOHO and somethin like that.
KN for prez.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-iq3nrWkuA
Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 3 2009 @ 8:35AM
larry says:
Hey man...Did you ever see this? joke bass player.
Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 3 2009 @ 8:45AM
Anonymous says:
Whos the chubby guy krist? Reminds me of uncle pat. I had a uncle pat who was craszY about acdc and my aunt finally got away from him. He crashed his bike in the tunnel that leads to malibu. ACDC AND THATS ALL THERE IS...AND CHROME TDK CASSETTES..EVERYTHING ELSE IS A WRECK....geeez what a nutbag i am for sharing.
You rule man i love hearing and seeing your bass get a workout again.
Jared
Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 3 2009 @ 8:52AM
Ivana says:
Hi, Krist!
As first, I apologize for my bad english.
I have one question regardless of this topic.
But the problem is that I wouldn't like to ask you in this way, because I think that people could bother you with other "ideas" after that.
I assume that you have access to our e-mail addresses, so if you want, please contact me.
It's not unpleasant issue, actually it's a small request...:-)
Please...
Anyway, thank you.
Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 3 2009 @ 11:00AM
Chris Paradise says:
I think music should be intended to be listened to because it soothes the soul; not because we want to be part of a popular trend. Music indeed is a great vessel to get your message acrossed to listens. I hate rap and that heavy S@*T where they growl and moan the whole act. I call it an act because I don't consider it music. Music should have melody and rhythm not bassey growls and garbled noise. Some heavy bands sound good because they are true masters at what they do, as far as their own sound goes at least. I know Im off subject with the article at hand but I feel that people that listen to rap maybe have gotten lost in why they started listening to it originally, and now it is what they know. A band should be original and produce a quality sound for the listeners not to sell records. Yes selling records needs to be done because the artist needs to make money to live and make the music somehow. Make what you love a career; why not: F@#K IT!!!
I am so sick of corporate rock and c operate forms of media created to entice listeners to purchase albums. And those bands who do we know who they are; should be boycotted. Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic were strong opponents of "corporate rock whores" to quote Kurt and Krist.
I believe that a musician should write instrumentally and lyrically what comes from their soul, not what generates revenues. But yet like sheep we like to think we only listen to what we like and not what has been crammed down our throats so we follow the sheep herder into oblivion.
Krist I just wanna say I LOVE your music and I think you are one of the most talented bass players I have ever heard. Nirvana is and was and will be my favorite band for ever until the end of eternity. Keep rockin, check out my bands stuff at http://myspace.com/apatheticmusic or email me. I would love to jam with you some time. Take it easy brother man!!!
Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 3 2009 @ 4:52PM
Fred Farkel says:
I think for a person who is not a college graduate, Krist is a remarkable writer.
Guess this shows us college people that maybe we got took.
I learned that in college.
Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 3 2009 @ 5:36PM
Christian says:
As with many of your articles, Krist, there has to be an agreement with the perspective conveyed in the above. As you've suggested, an experience within life gained through your Croatian - American cultural background, has been oftentimes events that perhaps feel far removed from life here in the United States, are brought into the forefront from the focus of personal heritage. Clearly, also a reason civil war in Sri Lanka resonates closely with M.I.A.
While not a first generation American myself, one of the wonderful opportunities presented in Seattle, has been the occasion to make the acquaintance of a great number of immigrants, people from all corners of the world. (If the world weren't round,..) While as yet to discover the occasion to travel abroad, I've known people from Latin America, South East Asia, India, Europe, Africa.
What I find most striking about our current economic situation, is the people I've known who've traveled to the United States, for the most part are here for the purpose of bettering the opportunities available to their children. Oftentimes they've set aside careers, as Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, even Collage Professors. They've often moved tens of thousands of miles from family, now separated by oceans and continents with the intention of creating a better life for their children and for what? So our economy could crash? So they could perhaps eventually find themselves in a situation not entirely dissimilar to that they left behind?
While it's been a privilege to know those people, it seems an equally productive concept is to somehow work to help improve economies abroad, while restructuring our national economy so that it's no longer based upon the exploitation of workers in foreign markets who are pretty much in a position not entirely different from indentured servitude, a practice that's of course unlawful in the United States. As with any event, I agree world events require promotion and that sharing of knowledge has been apparent in both the work of M.I.A. and yourself. I appreciate you for that and continue to enjoy your respective work. Thanks, Krist.
Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 3 2009 @ 10:03PM
Sara says:
Hi Krist,
I just found your column today and I'm quite impressed with the range of issues/topics that are expressed in it. I hope to get the chance to look through your archive soon.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that your post on MIA and [political] responsibilty of those with the ability to reach out really struck a chord. MIA's art/music is certainly praiseworthy for doing so, especially when many of her songs do so in rather unobtrusive ways. When first listening to MIA, I think many people don't pick up on the lyrics, but focus on the beats (at least that's how it was when I first listened to "Arular"). Some of the outcry by critics also says something about the nature of 'celebrity' in general, I think. It also says something that MIA has also been involved (on some level) with progress in Liberia. She's more humanitarian than 'purely' political it would seem.
It's important to know more than just your neck of the woods in today's world, when everything is so inter-connected. Speaking as a 2nd generation American, family millions of miles away is as important as family ten miles away. And I completely agree, family or not, no one should be left to suffer situations like those in Sri Lanka.
A great book on the human face of war is a book by Carolyn Nordstrom called "Shadows of War."
Thanks for the post : )
Posted On: Thursday, Jun. 4 2009 @ 7:31AM
Waldorf, the Wayward Strummer says:
Krist,
What do you think about the possibility of providing low-rent music rehearsal space in the Thurston Co. area?
Admittedly, the idea is over 20 years old but the implementation kind of fell apart...
Posted On: Thursday, Jun. 4 2009 @ 9:55AM
Jared says:
Krist - I found this article about you. I hope you win good luck!
http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/olympia/2009/jun/04/former-nirvana-bassist-krist-novoselic-running-wahkiakum-county-clerk/
Posted On: Thursday, Jun. 4 2009 @ 4:50PM
Mike F. says:
Why would M.I.A. decide to go on TV and do a rap show when she was 8 or 9 months pregnant? I hope it wasn't just to bring media attention to her causes. I just thought that was a really tacky performance at the Grammys. Is it just me or did anyone else think that?
Posted On: Thursday, Jun. 4 2009 @ 8:35PM
Nenad says:
Pozdrav iz Beograda, Krist!
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 9 2009 @ 2:47PM
Joe says:
MIA is a fantastic musician, I love her songs and indeed, bravo for her political activism. She has brought a lot more light to this conflict and the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils. I knew little about the conflict previously, beyond the violence of the Tamil Tigers.
Posted On: Thursday, Jun. 18 2009 @ 9:33AM