As a follow up to the last post here is an interview with Justin Vernon (front man of Bon Iver) talking about: the song Holocene, his nomination for four Grammys; his views on what’s important; selling out; artistic integrity; why he can be considered a honourary Canadian; drawing the line at aesthetic; Kathleen Edwards; and his collaborative relationship with Kanye West.
I love his insights, humour and perhaps especially… his humility.
So why did he agree to let his his music be used for a whiskey commercial? Answer: because his dad likes whiskey.
The following post was published in a column in the first issue of “The Garden” – a new monthly news magazine distributed to +20,000 homes in the Mt Eden area of Auckland….
Brené Brown, research professor at the University of Houston, in one of her acclaimed TED talks, makes the point that we live in a culture that tells us there is never enough: that we are not good enough, safe enough, perfect enough or extraordinary enough. And so, much of our lives are lived striving to have “enough”. The result of this striving is that an ordinary life has become synonymous with a meaningless life. We miss out on what is truly important because we are on a quest for what is extraordinary; failing to realize that joy is to be found in the ordinary moments of life. It is these same themes that contribute to the power and beauty of Bon Iver’s Grammy nominated song Holocene.
Bon Iver is the band/project of indie master-craftsman Justin Vernon and if you haven’t listened to his latest album, Bon Iver Bon Iver, you should. (Yes, the weird self-titled repetition is intentional). And if there is just one track to listen to on this incredible album it is Holocene. However, be warned. Holocene, like the rest of the album, is meant to be felt rather than simply listened to. Both the music and language is textured, haunting and evocative; poetry rather than prose; expression rather than idea. It is music that hits you in the gut – calling for an emotional rather than simply a cognitive response.
With Holocene the focus of such response is the repeated line from the chorus, “…and at once I knew I was not magnificent”. Just look at some of the online discussion sites and you will find repeated testimony to listeners being reduced to tears. And this too has been my experience when in the midst of the pressures of my ordinary life, feeling overwhelmed, I have turned to this piece of music for some kind of release. Confessing the inevitable failure of my quest for extraordinariness somehow allows me, like Vernon, to “see for miles, miles, miles”. And in doing so, the joy of the ordinary comes back into view.
And this is exactly what we find in the verses of Holocene which surround this confession. Three verses, each highlighting particular moments in time: the aftermath of drinking too much in Milwaukee; a house at third and Lake burning down; and Christmas with his brother during an ice-storm. The term “Holocene” actually refers to the current geological epoch which began around 12,000 years ago. But it is also a bar in Portland, Oregon. It is in the context of a greater reality that these ordinary moments now take on their real significance. As Vernon states in an interview, “Our lives feel like these epochs, but really we are dust in the wind. But I think there’s a significance in that insignificance…”
For Vernon this is where redemption is to be found – realizing in our lack of extraordinariness that we, and the moments of our lives, are nevertheless worth something; that we are both special and not special at the same time. Rather than run from this sense of vulnerability, it is here according to Brené Brown that we not only find joy, but the birthplace of love, belonging, creativity and faith.
And here is the song… (Note: there is one instance of strong language)…
So… after nearly two and half years I have decided to re-start my blog. During this gap a whole heap of life has happened: interviews in New Zealand for Ruth and me at Laidlaw College; Canadian citizenship; selling our house and saying good-bye to familiarity and friends in Vancouver and heading off for new adventures in Auckland; new jobs for Ruth and me and new schools for the girls; renting a leaky house for year; submitting my PhD and an oral exam in London, UK; the news that I was required to re-write significant parts of my PhD and resubmit in a year; buying our own house in Auckland after visiting nearly 50 open homes; the death of my dad with flights back to Scotland; the re-submission of my PhD on the very last day possible; Christmas and New Year back in Canada; the visit of my mum; the news that I finally passed my PhD with no more corrections to be made; and then finally our decision to move to Red Beach with another house sale and house buying. Whew… so yes… after all that I think I now have time for some serious blogging.
The other motivating factor is that I have been asked to write a regular column in a new community (Mt Eden) news magazine “The Garden”. It’s edited and published by my good friend David Williams who used to be on faculty at Laidlaw College. This new column will give me the chance to “interpret culture in the light of the bigger human themes” – the sort of stuff I have been trying to, and would want to do, here anyways. So now seems an excellent time for a re-boot… and new title “Four Opinion”. Fourth Opinion is a word play on the term “Fourth Estate” which refers to ”a societal or political force or institution whose influence is not consistently or officially recognized” …and nowadays most commonly the news media. Rather than news this blog is opinion, and its influence is definitely not consistently or officially recognized.
So… here goes. My next post will be my first column for “The Garden”. Watch this space. And as always… feedback, comments and interaction are most welcome.
Just finished watching Gran Torino – moving and thoughtful and funny as well. I know… I’m a bit behind on my movie watching (as well as my blogging). If you haven’t seen it, Clint Eastwood directs, produces and also plays “Walt”, a recent widower living in a Michigan suburb now populated by poor Asian immigrants and blighted by gang violence. Through a series of events Walt’s prejudice turns into understanding and compassion for the Asian family who live next door. The family’s home is attacked by a gang and one of the daughters of the house is beaten and raped.
I found the final main scene amazing. Walt lies on his back on the ground… in the shape of a cross. The camera focuses in on one of his hands and we see blood trickle onto the ground – flowing down his arms from having been shot numerous times in the chest. The way the movie works it seems as if Walt was going to deal with the wrong-doers by simply seeking revenge – the way of eye-for-an-eye justice. But then we are taken by surprise. Instead of revenge, Walt reaches for a lighter in his inside jacket pocket causing the gang members to think he reaching for a gun, and so they shoot him. With many witnesses looking on evil is exposed – brought into full sight, and as a result the gang members are sent to prison.
Walt lying in the form of the cross, with his blood dripping onto the ground, having given his life for his neighbours totally reminded me of Jesus. I’m not quite sure whether that was intended. But it is a very moving scene: Walt, in the same manner as Jesus, giving his life to expose evil and in doing so gaining victory over evil. Often the death of Jesus is thought of in terms of “paying for our sins” in our place, but there is a strong tradition, with a good biblical basis, which portrays Jesus’ death in terms of “victory over the powers” (Christus Victor). I thought Walt’s death was a great illustration of this kind of purposeful sacrificial death. (By the way, we see a similar kind of sacrificial death exposing evil to have victory over evil in the Robert Redford movie “The Last Castle“.)
I should say that there are important differences between Walt’s death and Jesus death. Perhaps the most significant is that Walt is seeking his own salvation in his sacrificial death. He feels he is somehow gaining his own redemption for some of the things he did during the Korean War. Oh… and the other thing is that Walt does not rise from the dead!
Sorry it’s been so long since my last post. The past couple of weeks have been fairly busy. I was the main speaker at “The Edge” Pioneer Pacific Camp on Thetis Island.
I had to give 7 main talks and 4 smaller talks. My theme was the Kingdom of God which I presented as God’s revolution in the world.
A quick overview…
The coming of Jesus meant the coming of God’s revolution. Like any revolution there is an “Establishment” which is threatened by the revolution. In Jesus’ particular context the Establishment was, generally speaking, the religious establishment represented by the Pharisees and the “teachers of the law.” And Jesus gets into all kinds of trouble because he doesn’t obey the laws of the Establishment. The Establishment are those in power who tells us what is important and what is not important (but not in line with who God is and what he values)…. and this allows judgement – these people are sinners and these people are not (so you cannot hang out with them). This allows for a sense of self-justification – for those who follow the rules. But the rules lead to slavery. Jesus comes and blows away these rules with his message of grace and by showing us what God is really like.
Okay… fine. But what does this mean to around one hundred 15-17 year olds from the west coast of Canada? What is the Establishment in their lives which God’s revolution in Jesus challenges? Who tells them what is important and what is not important? Who tells them how and who to judge? Where do they get their sense of justification from?
Well… I suggested that the Establishment for them was our celebrity-driven consumerist pop culture. And a photo of Paris Hilton was on the video screen as a representative of this Establishment. It is this culture that tells (or attempts to tell) teenagers what it important and what is not important, how to judge – this person is trendy and cool and this person is NOT trendy and cool (so don’t hang out with them). And if you follow the rules of the Establishment you too can feel a sense of self-justification. But ultimately… all this leads to a sense of slavery.
Anyways… that was last week. Today I was kind of taken aback when I read an articles on the BBC website about a girl band who are complaining about not being given air-time on Radio 1. (Full article here)
This should have been a great week for the Dolly Rockers. The “girl band with balls” have just put out their first single, Gold Digger, amidst a flurry of wickedly entertaining TV appearances. But instead of sitting back and watching the cash roll in, the group have called a crisis meeting with their record label.
“Our single didn’t get playlisted on Radio One,” explains 20-year-old Brooke Challinor. “We’re not ashamed to admit it… we’re very nervous.”
It is “crunch time”, admits the band’s blonde Mancunian mouthpiece, and the reason is simple: “It’s because we’re not in the gossip magazines. We’ve made it into the broadsheets because, apparently, we’ve established ourselves as a band with a lot to say. But everything is about celebrity culture now – it doesn’t really matter if you’ve got a valid opinion as long as you’ve got your boobs out.”
Wow… the Dolly Rockers agree with my take on the establishment!
So there is a WAG in every mag that you all know
Thinks shes got everything but she ain’t got nothing
Well she was real plain, had no brain and had no dough
But now she can roll in it and watch her boobs grow
All the boys will pay whooa ooow
When shes out for prey if theyre straight or gay
She wont end up alone
All the boys stand still Whooa ooow
If looks could kill they probably will
Chorus
Theres a brand new girl thats going round
turning the boys upside down, Gold Digger
Shes an only child thats been away,
now shes back no-ones safe, Gold Digger
Its all very well if you kiss n tell to get ahead
Fit blokes dont count for much unless they got money
They pay for the glitz and the refurb tits
And turned up nose
Maxes their credit card and then its heave ho
All the boys will pay Waoo-o-o
When shes out for prey if theyre straight or gay
She wont end up alone
All the boys stand still Waoo-o-o
If looks could kill they probably will
Chorus
Theres a brand new girl thats going round
turning the boys upside down, Gold Digger
Shes an only child thats been away,
now shes back no-ones safe, Gold Digger
Stick on nails & plastic hair
Gucci bags and Prada shoes
Girl goes clubbing every night
Get a fright when light comes on
In referred to Copploa’s new movie “Tetro” Michael Posner says the following…
(Coppola is) also interested in the gap that separates artistic and intellectual achievement from human compassion. “I’ve learned that in my life,” he says. “Great genius does not always translate into generosity and bigness of spirit. Picaso, for example. Mean to his kids.” Other examples abound, from Jean-Jaques Rousseau to Bertolt Brecht, from Richard Wagner to Ernest Hemmingway – all, at the human level, monsters of a kind. Culture, he says, cannot save you.
Just got back from a super quick tour of the North Island of New Zealand, as well as chatting with the fine people at Laidlaw College.
One of my chats was with Dave Wells who teaches courses on youth ministry. Later that day he was teaching and class and sent me a link to video he was going to play at the beginning of the class “ for no reason other than I just found it and I think it is genius.”
I think it’s genius as well!!! It’s by John Bulter.
I found the final main scene amazing. Walt lies on his back on the ground… in the shape of a cross. The camera focuses in on one of his hands and we see blood trickle onto the ground – flowing down his arms from having been shot numerous times in the chest. The way the movie works it seems as if Walt was going to deal with the wrong-doers by simply seeking revenge – the way of eye-for-an-eye justice. But then we are taken by surprise. Instead of revenge, Walt reaches for a lighter in his inside jacket pocket causing the gang members to think he reaching for a gun, and so they shoot him. With many witnesses looking on evil is exposed – brought into full sight, and as a result the gang members are sent to prison.
Well… I suggested that the Establishment for them was our celebrity-driven consumerist pop culture. And a photo of Paris Hilton was on the video screen as a representative of this Establishment. It is this culture that tells (or attempts to tell) teenagers what it important and what is not important, how to judge – this person is trendy and cool and this person is NOT trendy and cool (so don’t hang out with them). And if you follow the rules of the Establishment you too can feel a sense of self-justification. But ultimately… all this leads to a sense of slavery.
