April 18th: Genius Move!
If anybody ever says to me that they adore Salvador Dali because he was surreal, I always tell them that I prefer his slightly slower brother Dilly because he was unreal. Dilly Dali - it's the way I tell em! So, why get a cheap laugh out of a dead man then? Well, that's obvious - envy. He had the ability to realise and implement imagery from the deepest recess of his mind on canvas. Bang! Vision on, angst and joy, passion and soul dispersed from his system in equal measure and recorded for evermore as a fine work of art. Job done he'd move on, detailing his distinctive viewpoint from any given period in his life. You can look at the surreal masterpiece, Persistence of Memory (1931) or the juxtaposition of his later more religious life in The Vision of Hell (1962) as examples. He could express himself. He was a rock 'n roll star with a paintbrush.
Dali was different. It's been well documented that he would try and enter his subconscious mind whilst painting, so he could make it real. He would live and work his emotion onto the canvas. He would carry out his handiwork the moment he awoke from sleep to try and capture any dream immediately so he lost no impetus or feeling. He tried to keep it real. He was a genius.
When I read Julian Cope's two-part autobiography, Head-on and Repossessed I found it hugely entertaining and was inspired to note that Cope would go to bizarre lengths to get the right vocal mood and sound when he recorded. That man lives his life through the music and the music through his life. That's fucking Genius. When Cope or Richey from the manics cut themselves up, were they 4 REAL? I think so. I wouldn't go as far as to say that was genius but with guys like that, what you see is what you get. They are an expression of themselves. So what makes genius? Talent obviously helps but it's not always essential. For me it's a combination of factors.
When you feel empty, lethargic, devoid of inspiration, pissed off at people's lack of belief and you don't see a way out then what do you do? Do you reel on the ropes waiting to be counted out, every second taking an eternity, lasting forever, or do you come out fighting and go on the offensive yourself? Genius does.
For example we should all point blank refuse to accept misguided misconceptions and the attitudes of some that guitar pop music is "a young man's blues" and that because you're number one in the charts then you're the best and fuck the rest - bollocks. If your Work, Art, Love and Life has class, style and is relevant to the here and now then it must be heard irrespective of who or what you are, whether you are young or old, hip or chic, bohemian or not. To me it's irrelevant, it's not where you're from its where you're at that's important. That distinguishes genius. Genius does not buckle.
Genius cares about essentials, not what's currently most popular at a particular snapshot in time. It can be conveyed through a medium termed guitar pop amongst others. It might equally be through a pair of football boots. Who's ever going to say that George Best, Jim Baxter, Charlie George and Pele, to name but a few were not genius? Even now, Ronaldo, Giggs, et all display flashes, it’s all about the past, present and future. Genius can be found in any walk of life; it's about attitude and how you live it that makes it in my book.
40 years ago on the 15th April 1967 genius occurred at Wembley stadium, I know my Da told me so! I am a conditioned genius ;-)
People should judge for themselves and make their own minds up about what constitutes genius. Ability to "sustain a market"? (Unless you're a bean counter) NO. Quality of output? YES - Make a reaction to your environment. Make a move, make a Genius Move!
If a shop sold genius alone, what a shopping basket you could have. Imagine it, "Excuse me, have you got any of those what do you call it again, oh yes 'Neil Young' albums? Oh you have, great; well I need at least two of those, one for myself and one for Aunt Edna. Oh and I'll take one of those Lee Perry's while I'm here, if I can't 'scratch' I'd simply itch and I'd only want to get it later wouldn't I? What about the Jim Baxter does keepie up at wembley video, oh and a copy of 'it didnae cross the line in '66 ya blind bastard' Oh and can I have one of those Dali's' please. No time to dilly now is there, it'll save on another trip!
Julian Cope plays the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen May 8th. I’m gonna be there, I hope some of you are too.
