-180

Sometimes, I can be a bit slow. Most of the time, I like to think I’m just about keeping up. Very occasionally, I like to think I distinguish myself. But sometimes, I can be a bit slow. With Negativland, I’ve been a bit slow.

Knocking around doing their subversive thing since the 70s, revered and celebrated in these times of corporate social irresponsibility, modern day David to record company Goliath, all this passed me by until recently.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. ‘Good Lord Dancer, don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re a beacon to us all. You make our lives better. We love you.’ And I know that. But for me, that’s not enough. Such is the curse of the perfectionist... But enough.

More cut and shunt terrorists than sweetly harmonious musicians, Negativland got by doing their thing until they crossed swords with U2, or more specifically their then label Island Records. Thence, there did come corporate buggery of the sort that would bring a small nation to their knees at the altar of the money. Negativland did not bend completely though, and they fight on - but that’s a story that’s been told before elsewhere, and it serves no purpose to tell it again now. If you give a monkeys (and you should), it’s all here. If you don’t give a monkeys, you should read this anyway. Honestly, read it.

And as a final word on the matter, in the aim of providing a bit of perspective, this is what the fuss was all about.



Negativland – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (Special Edit Radio Mix)


Exactly.

To now skilfully bring this informative yet entertaining piece of writing back round to the original point, demonstrating in the process both wit and intellect, with Negativland, I’ve been a bit slow. The reason I’ve got there eventually, is the 180-Gs.

Consisting of the five or six Minnick brothers, 180-Gs were nought but local gospel singers in Detroit, until the Reverend Al "Sugar" Sweet got his holy hands on them, and pointed them in Negativland’s divine direction. That’s a truncated version of events, but even the full tale doesn’t quite ring true. As much as it could be, it still all kind of reeks of Negativland if you ask me.

So we have 180 D’Gs To The Future, an album of Negativland covers, consisting of Reverend Al’s favourites one would presume, in a modern gospel style, all rendered by this band of brothers. The machinations behind it disappear to insignificance when the results are heard, for it is good. For direct comparison, here is their version of the U2 single, and also Intro (Everything’s Going Fine) (originally on Negativland) and A Nice Place To Live (originally on Points).



180-Gs – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For

180-Gs – Intro (Everything’s Going Fine)

180-Gs – A Nice Place To Live


And thus we come full circle. There’s so little information out there, it’s difficult to work out exactly what’s going on. Is it a real fraternal choir directed by a Reverend who revels in cultural nonsensing? Is it the next step in Negativland’s plan to destroy everyone’s brain? I don’t know - but Wilson tells us, when you have to choose between the truth and the legend, choose the legend. That'll do for me.

Negativland are in the process of releasing a lot of their old stuff, see what you fancy from here – and if that’s all a bit much, the usual types will no doubt sort you out. Get the 180-Gs album from here.


Tiny Dancer


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