It was just on the radio again: Monday evening, and on a federal highway here in Bavaria there is another burning car on the side of the road. I honestly don’t get why people always leave their burning carts everywhere. Wtf? Reminds me of a story from two years ago that I didn’t pass on to you at the time because I figured it was interesting, but just didn’t have enough music to do with it to be a pop column. But hey! Here, from the BR news of July 24, 2020: “Three people were injured when a burning private plane landed at the Euro-Airport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg.” When you really ask yourself, what do the fools have to do in one send a burning airplane around? Isn’t there a kick that’s sharp enough? I’m not saying that everything used to be better. But constantly burning vehicles everywhere? I don’t remember.
You’re right: some things used to be better. Just between us (please whisper): Actually most of it. I just didn’t want to say it like that. But if you look at the present… As a realistically pessimistic person, you had to hear yourself for decades saying you shouldn’t behave like that, it used to be bad or today it’s not as bad as you think, and you’re welcome loud and clear “yes!” to the modern world, keyword “digital is better”, whereby Tocotronic already meant that ironically in 1995. I believe. I hope. Anyway, that was somehow reassuring.
What did we have to lament about, oh so prospectless “Generation X” back in 1992?
“Every generation thinks it’s the end of the world,” said Jeff Tweedy in 2009, and when someone so clever says/sings that, you think: Well, maybe things really aren’t that wild. But of course it was wild all along, at least since the mid 90’s, and it would have served the various generations since then to think about what they are actually doing with the world. And now, zigzag 2022, the end as we know it is actually imminent (and I don’t feel fine), and it’s really not just the Russians’ fault.
Earlier on the sports field: young people listening to Nirvana while throwing basketball. One even with a Nirvana shirt. Hmm. Dad or Mom was probably a fan. Or – Heaven! – rather grandma/grandpa? In any case: what did we have to lament about, oh so prospectless “Generation X” back in 1992? Okay, more discrimination than today, youthful disorientation, some early neoliberal meanness, a certain emptiness and, well, Guns N’ Roses. But there is already more on offer today for people who want to take a really emo look into the abyss. Climate catastrophe, collapse of global ecosystems, crisis of democracy, hunger crisis, threats of nuclear strikes from Russia AND Ed Sheeran’s new single – how does that grab you? I want to go out, light my car and take a spin.
This column first appeared in the Musikexpress issue 09/2022.