"I’ve reached the age where rock music just gives me a headache"

October 2, 2006 2:18 PM

Modest Muse: Author J.G. Ballard’s influence on modern music. J.G. Ballard (needs no introduction, surely?) in an interview discussing his work's influence on popular music. From the CBC.
posted by jokeefe (35 comments total)

Hear the crushing steel
Feel the steering wheel

Interesting interview, thanks.
posted by jack_mo at 2:25 PM on October 2, 2006

yes, thanks.

i read the John Foxx interview some time ago, good stuff.
posted by Substrata at 2:29 PM on October 2, 2006

Great post thanks. Fear I will be having Ballardesque nightmares with the 'Teddy Bears Have Their Picnic' as the soundtrack though.
Shudder.
posted by Gratishades at 2:44 PM on October 2, 2006

Wow, great article! I always figured Ian Curtis had a J.G.Ballard thing going on, but never realized it all ran that deep. Ballard is a unique author - his books always create such a cold, distant, sterile environment, full of characters that move as though in a dream, and contrasts of light and dark. I feel kinda pathetic using those terms to describe his work, but there's definately something about him.
posted by Jimbob at 3:28 PM on October 2, 2006

Cool. Was very glad not to see Devenra Banhart on his list.
posted by DenOfSizer at 3:34 PM on October 2, 2006

(needs no introduction, surely?)

Never heard of him.

Gimme a reason why I shoudl care that a 76-year-old author, promoting a new book, finds that he's reached the age where rock music just gives him a headache.
posted by mikhail at 3:57 PM on October 2, 2006

He's a writer for people who went to class and like, paid attention, mikhail. Wanna go behind the bleachers and drink schnapps?
posted by jonmc at 4:06 PM on October 2, 2006

Maybe you shoudln't mikhail. Or if you want a less flippant answer- the fact that so many of our cultural touchstones in film and in music, as outlined in the article, found him of interest and inspiration might be of some recommendation?
posted by Gratishades at 4:10 PM on October 2, 2006

Mikhail: J.G. Ballard.
posted by jokeefe at 4:21 PM on October 2, 2006

Huh. This is a pretty good introduction, too.
posted by jokeefe at 4:22 PM on October 2, 2006

Why mention his age? Do people suddenly become irrelevant when they hit a certain age? Also, so what if he's promoting a new book? Writers are generally ignored in American culture, and it's only when companies spend marketing money that they get noticed by the media. I only wish more people where familiar with 'The Drowned World'.
posted by Vaska at 4:40 PM on October 2, 2006

It depresses me that anyone could dismiss Ballard's work as writing 'for people who paid attention in class," most especially since Crash and Concrete Island were precisely what I was cutting class to read. This is where your regular-Joe act gets supertired, jonmc.
posted by adamgreenfield at 4:41 PM on October 2, 2006 [1 favorite]

Also, and forgive the Wikipedia link, his second novel, The Drowned World, published in 1962, has what you might call "resonance" for the opening years of this century.

(I read it when I was 11 or 12 and it had a big, big impact on me. I kind of assumed that he would be well known by the Mefi demographic, so sorry I didn't provide an introductory link in in the FPP.)
posted by jokeefe at 4:44 PM on October 2, 2006

This is where your regular-Joe act gets supertired, jonmc.

I was goofing around, adam. Don't take it all so seriously. (although, I have never read him. Somebody gave me a copy of Empire Of The Sun once but I never got around to it)
posted by jonmc at 4:47 PM on October 2, 2006

I wouldn't worry about failing to give an introductory link Jokeefe. If people had to give a pre-amble to every item in an FPP, they'd all be smashed full of Wikipedia articles. Some people just have to learn to swim on their own you know?
posted by Vaska at 4:51 PM on October 2, 2006

I disagree, vaska. When dealing with a somewhat esoteric topic, a little explication for the uninitiated is a good thing, otherwise, it comes across as clubby and intimidating to newcomers, which I thought was a bad thing.

and jokeefe, I doubt all 40000+ of us are from any one demographic.
posted by jonmc at 4:57 PM on October 2, 2006

I went to and paid attention in class and have never heard of this guy. The combined "needs no introduction, surely?" assumption (with subsequent lack of explaination) and "writer for people who went to class and like, paid attention... Wanna go behind the bleachers and drink schnapps?" comments have completely turned me off of whoever the hell this guy is and made me decide that I never want to know.
posted by The Bishop of Turkey at 5:00 PM on October 2, 2006

I disagree with your disagreement Jonmc! But only because I'd fight against any general agreement on what counts as 'esoteric'. Are space-elevators esoteric? How about microwave history? Nuclear weapons? American Idol? However, I think we're derailing here, so we should probably take this to MetaTalk or quiet down.

I'd just like to finish and be a niggling bastard and say we actually are from one demographic. We can all read. (And to a degree, we all have computer/internet access)
posted by Vaska at 5:01 PM on October 2, 2006

The Bishop of Turkey: So lemme get this straight, you've let other people's comments turn you off from trying something? Doesn't that strike you as a bit foolish? That's like throwing out your favorite record because someone you hate endorses it.
posted by Vaska at 5:04 PM on October 2, 2006

and jokeefe, I doubt all 40000+ of us are from any one demographic.

Wellll... I figured that computer-owning, English-speaking, internet-using, current-events following folks were pretty much a broad demographic all on their own, ya know?

(PS You and pips look bangin' in the wedding photos. :) )
posted by jokeefe at 5:05 PM on October 2, 2006

So lemme get this straight, you've let other people's comments turn you off from trying something? Doesn't that strike you as a bit foolish?

Is it? If someone I don't like likes something, it's usually a sign that I won't like it. Maybe not the best sign, but a sign, nonetheless.
posted by jonmc at 5:09 PM on October 2, 2006

Your favourite author sucks!
posted by Jimbob at 5:25 PM on October 2, 2006

You know what? Yeah, I've let you people here turn me off of Ballard because what I got out of this is a "You don't know who this is? Everybody knows this guy except retards. Are you a retard?" What would have enticed me to learn about Ballard is if there had been more of a "Hey, look at this author! What, you don't know Ballard? Well, hell, he's so cool that I am going to tell you all about him because everybody should know just how fucking awesome his stuff is."

And yes, if someone decides that he/she has to be a self-righteous bastard and put me down because I'm not hip to everything culture then I am going to eschew learning anything about it. When I have to deal with people that don't necessarily have the same backing in science that I do, I don't blow them off with something like "How can you not know about nuclear suborganelle architecture, transcription factors, and cellular antiviral mechanisms? Where you fucking drunk when you took biology?" but instead try to walk them through it until they understand so they know why I think what I study (or any science) is fantastically awesome.

And for the record, I'm not blaming you jokeefe (though even a wiki link would have been nice :)) but more of the attitude in here in response to the "Who is this guy?"
posted by The Bishop of Turkey at 5:42 PM on October 2, 2006

Bishop Of Turkey: I was kidding around. Don't discredit somebody you might like because me and mikhail were having a laugh (and jokeefe's an old friend, she knows that's all it was).
posted by jonmc at 5:54 PM on October 2, 2006

The Bishop of Turkey, people weren't responding to a "Who is this guy?".

They were responding to:

"Gimme a reason why I shoudl care that a 76-year-old author, promoting a new book, finds that he's reached the age where rock music just gives him a headache."

That's a pretty fucking rude statement for someone to make about an author they haven't heard of. Okay, maybe jokeefe was being a bit presumptuous by saying "needs no introduction", but shit, how popular does an author need to be before that becomes a legitimate statement? William Gibson? Stephen King? William Shakespear?

Ballard's been writing for nigh on 50 years, has had books of his turned into movies by the likes of Spielberg, and, as the post indicates, a hell of a lot of bands seem to have taken inspiration from his writing. So, it's fair to state he's not that obscure. That doesn't mean you have to have heard of him, but it's not that stupid for a post to assume some knowledge of him within the Metafilter community.
posted by Jimbob at 6:02 PM on October 2, 2006

*tickles jonmc*

But Bishop of Turkey, you have a point. I certainly don't want anyone put off from an awesome writer because I forget that not everyone around here bends towards literary/political geekery the way I do. (I posted a couple of introductory links upthread, if you can still be persuaded to check them out. :) )

And I have to say that indeed I don't know much (okay, nothing) about "nuclear suborganelle architecture, transcription factors, and cellular antiviral mechanisms" but they sound extremely cool.

Actually, it's entirely possible that I was stoned when I took biology. And by entirely possible, I mean completely certain. Ah well.
posted by jokeefe at 6:08 PM on October 2, 2006

Actually, it's entirely possible that I was stoned when I took biology.

You were doing an experiment in chemical absorption is all. You were way ahead of the class.

and thanks for the compliment on the wedding pix
posted by jonmc at 6:15 PM on October 2, 2006

Great article. Thanks, jokeefe.
posted by homunculus at 7:28 PM on October 2, 2006

Now that we've got the unpleasantness out of the way, let's boogie our literarily argumentative asses on up to this FPP!

I'll drive!

(Good article, btw.)
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:26 PM on October 2, 2006

That's a pretty fucking rude statement for someone to make about an author they haven't heard of.

Really? Ya' Think?!

I consider myself fairly well read, with a wide and varied musical and artistic background, and yet have never come across Ballard.

I made an earnest request, based on the "needs no introduction, surely?" comment, to give me a reason to delve further into this; some backstory. There was nothing in the article that grabbed my attention (and not a band mentioned that I am passionate about), and it just so happens that I saw neither Crash, nor Empire of the Sun.

So rock music gives him a headache - apparently he was never interested in it anyway. The article seems a base overview, the main intent of which is simply to promote his new book.
posted by mikhail at 10:43 PM on October 2, 2006

I picked up The Atrocity Exhibition from a pile of second hand books in the post office on the tiny Isle of Coll in Scotland when I was 17, cos I liked the cover. I remember being able to read it nighttime outside, the stars were so bright.

I've always thought that Ballad's strengths lie in his double subversion of what seem to be fairly obvious targets and connections. I'm sure after reading that article, mikhail, you may have thought, wow a book taking a shot at consumerism, how oh-riginal. However, he uses his material in such an idiosyncratic manner as to second guess many of your initial reservations as a reader. It takes a visionary writer to surprise us on such topics, and he does it with an economy and dry humour. There's very little fat in his books.

As Jokeefe mentioned, his themes and preoccupations are eerily prescient. I recommend High-Rise. It's formiddable, and I read it myself when trying to police a high rise student hall that felt like it was descending into anarchy. They've since demolished the building.

I'm sure you'd find much to enjoy in Ballard, he entertains more than many other contemporary writers. And he is most definitely is a contemporary writer, despite his efforts to appear the contrary with all the rock music business etc. Take a chance, he's written so many books you can pick them up quite cheaply second hand, and none of them are too long to risk wasting your time.
posted by einekleine at 2:24 AM on October 3, 2006

Ballard is my favorite author, and while I knew about "Warm Leatherette" and The Buggles (who also did a song called "Vermilion Sands," named after a Ballard short story and a place in several of his stories), I hadn't ever read about his relationship to punk music. I like how he enjoyed reading about punk more than listening to it... living through experience once removed, which is something a lot of his characters are either fighting against or have completely succumbed to.

For those interested in reading Ballard for the first time, I suggest trying some of his older short-story collections, to find out if you like him before you invest the time it takes to get through a novel. "Crash" is his best known book, but not a great starting point IMO.
posted by BoringPostcards at 7:45 AM on October 3, 2006

...how popular does an author need to be before that becomes a legitimate statement? William Gibson? Stephen King? William Shakespear?

Everyone needs some introduction to someone - I've no idea who Gibson might be, but have read almost everything Ballard has written. Shakespeare is probably the only dead cert. (Though, I must say I'm genuinely surprised at people never having heard of Ballard - for one thing, you see the word 'Ballardian' all over the place as shorthand for a bleak dystopian industrial type thing or place. Having an adjective made out of your name would seem to be a pretty good indicator of widespread fame.)
posted by jack_mo at 7:46 AM on October 3, 2006

I was surprised that Super-Cannes didn't get more attention. It was pretty lurid, and somewhat predictable in ways, but a pretty excellent distopian take on what's becoming of Western Europe. So I'll have to order this one.

Thanks for the link.
posted by bardic at 12:24 PM on October 3, 2006

I read this article and thought I had totally missed the part about how much Ballard influenced Modest Mouse. Had to come back here to the blue before I noticed I had read the title with an extra "o". Interesting article, though, I will have to pick up one of his books.
posted by buriednexttoyou at 1:48 PM on October 4, 2006