by AnJi B
I always wondered what it would be like to be a part of a revolution. How it would feel to burn my bra, march against the Vietnam war, stab my finger in the air at that big roving CCTV eye of Big Brother, and walk with unified force beside like minded individuals who have had it up to their eyeballs with unjust laws and government regulations.
Well I witnessed this for the first time as a classified, bonifide, boxed and tagged XY gene-rationer at the SLAM rally in Melbourne yesterday. More than 10,000 people marched the streets to the beat of ACDC’s It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) which also celebrates its 34th anniversary. People danced, sang with musical instruments and peacefully walked the city of Melbourne following the flatbed truck with its original bag-pipe band members, re-enacting the ACDC music clip filmed down Swanston Street back in the 1970′s.
Why did we march in protest? Because of Victoria’s new state government liquor licensing laws which have crippled live music venues with expensive fees and regulations. Melbourne’s iconic music haunts like The Tote have threatened closure amidst the new policing, and age old propaganda that ‘Rock n Roll’ causes violence amongst the masses is once again being used to shut people up. But not in Melbourne. I hate to preach (I love to preach) but after the voice of the community has spoken, Victorian Premier John Brumby has already agreed to relax proposed liquor licensing laws for live music venues. The peaceful war continues.
Why does the government spend more money on gambling and poker machines in this state than supporting its own local music scene? It’s called ‘dumbing of the masses’ people. Force fed McFodder burgers. And you can either partake in some Packer roulette or go spend your money on a live band down at The Corner Hotel. It’s that simple.
Rock And Roll Aint Noise Pollution. Xab
lovin’ your work ab. Education John? Health Services? Teenage suicide? Melbourne’s identity being based on the fact that it is considered the artistic enclave of this country? Does the concept, ‘time-wasting’ mean anything to you?