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Bad Habits
Gary Duncan reflects on the essential shallowness of the Ed Sheeran
phenomenon.
Apparently, more people went to see Ed Sheeran in Sunderland last night
than any other gig in the North East.
Ever.
Thats a tragic indictment on the cultural period we are living
through.
In the future, absolutely no-one will hail Ed Sheeran as a great influence
on their music.
He may be very popular, but hes not musically groundbreaking.
He may sell lots of tickets and albums, but hes not saying anything
important.
He may appeal to a broad section of the populace, but hes not
reaching anyone with a radical mindset.
No-one will remember Sheeran twenty or thirty years down the line.
No-one will say they were inspired to make great music by an Ed Sheeran
concert.
Instead people will go, Remember when we went to that gig because
we had nothing else to do and everyone else was going? Who was it again?
Bloke with ginger hair and a guitar I think. Ah, doesnt matter.
Pass the remote.
So, how did we get to this juncture? Why are so many people
enamoured of this bland and boring celebrity?
Music used to be unsafe and threatening and intellectually stimulating
and socially progressive.
Ed Sheeran is none of that. In fact he exemplifies perfectly the staleness
of a society that is lost and directionless.
Hey, lets go pay far too much money to watch a bloke with far
too much money sing songs that make us think nothing and feel nothing
and do nothing.
Great. Think Ill stick to nostalgia and dream of a time when music
might be wild again.
Fuck off, Sheeran, you pointless cultural glimpse into a meaningless
abyss.
Gary Duncan
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