A-Infos (en) Chumbawumba soak New Labour

[Platformist Anarchism <platform@geocities.com>]

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Chumbawumba wore shirts proclaiming "Sold out" and 
"Labour whore" to the Brit awards.  They sung "New 
Labour sold out the dockers, just like they sold out 
the rest of us." Chumbawumba threw a bucket of iced 
water over Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott

Chumbawumba soak New Labour
Source: BBC web page

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and 
fellow VIP guest Cherie Blair had an 
embarrassing time when they came under 
attack from anarchist pop stars 
Chumbawumba. 

The band -- whose single Tubthumping was a 
big chart hit last summer -- wore shirts 
proclaiming "Sold out" and "Labour whore". 

They performed live on stage and changed 
the words of their hit song to: "New Labour 
sold out the dockers, just like they sold 
out the rest of us." 

Tatty old troublemakers

Ben Elton, himself a millionaire Labour 
supporter, described them as "a bunch of 
tatty old troublemakers." 

Later Chumbawumba guitarist Danbert 
Nobacon, jumped onto a table at which Mr 
Prescott and his wife were sitting and 
threw a bucket of iced water over him. 

A Scotland Yard spokesman said a 35-year-
old man was arrested after the incident and 
later released without charge.

He said Mr Prescott refused to press 
charges but added: "We reserve the right to 
rearrest the man." 

Stars heckled and jostled

Earlier stars had been heckled and jostled 
as they arrived at the ceremony. 

About 200 left-wing demonstrators waved 
banners against record company PolyGram, 
claiming it was paying CD packers as little 
as #3 an hour. 

Television presenter Denise van Outen and 
American rock singer Jon Bon Jovi were 
among those jostled. 

-----

Agitpop is back at the Brits

Chumbawamba say New Labour has sold out

A catchy tune brought Chumbawamba to the 
attention of millions. But their 
guitarist's decision to drench the Deputy 
Prime Minister John Prescott at the Brit 
Awards will not have damaged the band's 
grass-roots street credibility. 

Leeds-based Chumbawamba were formed in 1984 
and positively revel in their anarchist 
status. 

Quite what Mr Prescott's soaking will do to 
bring about social change is uncertain. 

It is unlikely to result in an invitation 
to a Downing Street drinks party. Not that 
Chumbawamba would accept. The British prime 
minister has set a trend of entertaining 
Britpop stars, but the group, as their 
latest hit Amnesia details, feel betrayed 
by New Labour. 

Politicians who have hitherto been eager to 
ally themselves with the Cool Britannia 
renaissance in British popular culture may 
also think twice. 

 Mr Prescott condemned as "deplorable" the 
incident in which band member Danbert 
Nobacon leapt on the table he was sharing 
with his wife Pauline at the ceremony. 

Band with a mission 

Nobacon's father Roy Hunter, who revealed 
his son's original name was Nigel, defended 
the incident. 

He said: "Chumbawamba want to open up 
debate. 

"They're in the position, with recently 
having a big hit, that they can do that and 
they see it as part of their job." 

However, Mr Hunter, from Burnley, was 
unable to say what debate the band wanted 
to ignite. "I have no idea until I speak to 
him." 

Chumbawamba have frequently accused "New" 
Labour of selling out.

Message 'diluted' 

But the band are beginning to face the same 
accusations from fellow anarchists who feel 
their message is less potent now they are 
reaping the rewards of being pop stars. 

There is even a Boycott Chumbawamba 
webpage. 

The eight members of the band, made up of 
squatters and punk rockers, originally 
lived together in a commune. 

They now live separately and have signed up 
to a major label, EMI, but maintain their 
principles remain the same. 

Singer Alice Nutter, said after the band 
hit the charts: "We're still anarchists. We 
still carry the idea we had 12 years ago 
that no one should have to go to work 40 
hours-a-week and do a crap job." 

Their hit - Tubthumping - with its chorus 
"I get knocked down, but I get up again" 
was the breakthrough single last summer 
that propelled the group to pop stardom. 

Joy of getting drunk 

Celebrating the joys of drinking, it 
initially plunged the band into controversy 
because it extols the virtues of whisky, 
lager, cider and vodka. 

It was condemned by Alcohol Concern as 
irresponsible. 

But it became a big hit in America and has 
achieved anthem status, being played in 
baseball and football stadia to motivate 
teams and the crowds. 

The band has also been involved in high-
profile stunts, including their own fly-
posting campaign featuring Ecstasy victim 
Leah Betts and the slogan "Distorted" - a 
wordplay on the government drug information 
campaign "Sorted". 

They produced their own anti-Band Aid 
album, lambasting the music industry for 
profiting from starvation. They called it 
Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records. 

Their Anarchy album was also banned because 
the cover, featuring a baby being born, was 
branded pornographic. 

Last month their records were banned from 
Virgin stores in the US after the band told 
fans to steal them because big shops "can 
afford the loss".

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