Rock against Nazism
It was with the greatest consternation that I read the interview with Bryan Ferry in Welt am Sonntag the other day. I translate, for the benefit of those whose German is a little rusty: "The way that the Nazis staged themselves, my lord!" gushed the singer of Virginia 
Plain. "I'm talking about Leni Riefenstahl and the buildings of Albert Speer and the mass marches and flags - just amazing. Really beautiful".
Following something of a media blitzkrieg - M&S may drop him as a model - the Roxy Music crooner has apologised for his endorsement, saying his comments were made from an "art history perspective". Many will simply suppose that his latter day passion for the Countryside Alliance has simply reached its logical end. I'm not too sure. His remarks were certainly ill-advised in their tenor, but it's wrong, dangerous even, to deny the power that Nazi art may have - such as Riefenstahl's Olympia, 1936, left; you just need to appreciate where it's coming from. Otherwise, you lose sight of why Nazism may have held and may still hold appeal. Of course, Ferry is not the only singer to have flirted with Nazi imagery.
Joy Division famously took their name from the prostitution wing of a Nazi death camp, while Noel Gallager, I learned in the Sun yesterday, is shortly to host a Great Dictators themed party. But it is David Bowie who has most embroiled himself in the mythology of Nazism - if not its politics - to an extent that seems remarkable these PC days. The lyrics to Quicksand on Hunky Dory are full of references to occultNazism (many high-ranking Nazis dabbled in "Majick"): "Living in a silent film/Portraying Himmler's sacred realm/Of dream reality"; "I'm living proof of Churchill's lies"... His own attitude throughout the 1970s displayed Ubermensch pretensions and general contempt for the general population ("the mice in their million hordes"). In his Station to Station/Low period, alone in his Berlin room, coked-up, lonely, dabbling in the Golden Dawn theories of Alesteir Crowley and the occult, he developed some pretty frightening pyschoses: "Don't look on the carpet/I've drawn something awful on it" indeed. When he gave a Nazi salute(?) at Victoria Station, he was not being ironic. Nor when he claimed that Hitler was the first rock star - and in some ways he had a point.
A cleaned-up Bowie later came to regret this stance - but still, it's hard to imagine anyone taking it quite that far these days. Perhaps it was easier for Bowie to get away with it at the time. After all, he did not have an M&S modelling contract to lose.
A number of Factory bands took their name from Nazi lexicography. A Certain Ratio took their name from a quote from Hitler on the proportion of 'Jewish blood' that was required to determine whether someone was to be classified as 'Jewish'. There is some dispute as to whether the band were aware of the original meaning of the phrase (Wikipedia). Likewise New Order -
the term "New Order" being featured in Hitler's Mein Kampf as "the new order of the Third Reich." The band publicly rejected any claims that the name had anything to do with fascist or Nazi sympathies.
The skinhead movement 'oi' had the punning 'Strength through oi' taking their name from the state-controlled leisure organization of the Third Reich - Strength Through Joy. But then it is hard not to find such imagery attractive whilst still finding the Nazi ethos utterly repugnant. What about the 'SS' uniforms designed by Hugo Boss - they keep that quiet these days don't they ?
Posted by: Squiz | 17/04/2007 at 04:17 PM
I know this may be missing the exact point somewhat, but I'd like to say how funny I always find these neo-nazi's trying to resurrect the nazi empire through music. Everyone knows that music has no real power. Punks sang for years about dismantling this, changing that. What did it do? Sod all. My band is a death/black metal band (check url if interested in this genre) and what is sickening these days is a sub-genre called "national socialist black metal". You can imagine how little these kids (for kids they are) know about history.
I always like to point out the Hugo Boss thing too, seems me and Squiz do some similar reading (NO this does not make us nazi's). Again I might be missing the point, to be honest who cares a toss... but have a quick gander at this one:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=PAU20070127&articleId=4607
Funny how people support causes wholeheartedly until they themselves come under fire. How long ago was it since George Bush senior called for a "new world order" ?
Posted by: Loui | 17/04/2007 at 05:30 PM
Hello? I think all the politically correct people out there should pay attention to what Ferry said. He didn't endorse Nazism. He commented on the power of Nazi iconography. To do so is not to endorse Nazism. To deny it is simply stupid.
I don't support Nazism for one second but if the world is to remain safe from any recurrence of the kind of psychology behind it then an adult acknowledgement of and understanding of the power of the ideology and yes, the iconography, is important. If what Bryan Ferry said was so unspeakable it's all the more important for him to say it. And I think is apology is in no way a retraction. It's an intelligent qualification.
Thank heavens for people with balls and common sense and to hell with the lynch mob.
Posted by: PJ | 17/04/2007 at 06:47 PM
Hugo Boss themselves were the ones who revealed this fact. Possibly a pre-emptive strike, but far from making an attempt to cover it up.
IG Farben is the real villain - not only producing Zyklon-B but the anti-graffiti paint on the Holocaust memorial in Germany. Profited from the Holocaust twice...
Posted by: Fred | 17/04/2007 at 06:54 PM
Interesting points .To forget history is to make the same mistakes over and over again.To glorify the gross , insane overblown kitsch and meglomaniac qualities of the Nazi regime is unforgiveable.Surely Bryan's very "decadence" would have had him marching smartly and I am so sure stylishly into a gas chamber?
Posted by: angie Cox | 17/04/2007 at 07:47 PM
Get a life!! Who gives a s***?
Posted by: matt jones | 17/04/2007 at 08:41 PM
Judging by that monster of a son that he raised, is it really surprising to see that Bryan Ferry has such repulsive views? Otis was raised by a Nazi admirer - poor boy didn't stand a chance.
Posted by: Mary Allen | 17/04/2007 at 08:41 PM
I agree with Ferry totally.
This is about visual power not political ideology. I am drawn to both Nazi and Communist architectural/artistic vision from the period. Both nasty totalitarian regimes and as is always the way with humans, both full of amazing design and ideas and repugnant ideology (as all cultures are)
FUCK POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
Posted by: Mark | 17/04/2007 at 10:24 PM
Totalitarian regimes have always invested very successfully in developing art, architecture and iconography to inspire support or devotion. Its not just Nazism and communism. If it weren't for regimes that relied on the combination of artistic inspiration, power and fear, the world would be without some of the most beautiful art, architecture and images the world has ever seen. I refer of course to the Catholic Church.
People can appreciate art without necessarily supporting the regime that produced it in the same way that people can appreciate religiously inspired architecture without being particularly religious. To confuse one with the other is really being quite stupid. The same is true of Sir Byron Ferrari himself. I am a massive fan of his art without being particularly keen on his fox hunting beliefs, or whatever his politics might be. At the same time, how refreshing to see a pop star who isn't afraid to have an opinion on something worthy of debate.
Posted by: Dimples | 18/04/2007 at 03:26 AM
"Artistsa are, by definition facsisti". So sayeth Robert Hughes. Look not at their peons to third Reich, but how they behave. They are spoiled, indulged, pampered. They live at the top of a Pyramid designed to comfort them before they "courageously" take the stage to submit themselves to public adoration and mass attention. Nothing new. It was true of opera divas, decomposers, deconstructionist professors, etc. All the self appointed phony's with a smidgeon of talent to distract.
Posted by: Myron Blakely | 18/04/2007 at 09:19 PM
I'm too am fascinated by National Socialist/International Socialist architecture, films, etc. Fascinated by its banality. The banality of evil.
Literature? Ever read Joseph Goebbels 'Michael'? "Mein Kamf"? "Protocols of the Elders of Zion"? Very popular with those who comsume lies in the Middle East. Best Seller.
No, its the primal, subconscious power of the visual image that continues to fascinate in the west.
Posted by: Myron Blakely | 18/04/2007 at 09:28 PM
Almost as bad as the Kula Shaker Swastika comment! :-)
Everyone knows that Nazi art was powerful so he's stating a truism anyway. What's weird about his statement is that he sounds less like he's making an academic observation about the power of Nazi art and more like he's infatuated and awe-struck by it. Very very poor choice of words on Ferry's part. He's no Nazi but he needs to think a bit more about the words that come out of his mouth.
Posted by: Jools | 19/04/2007 at 04:06 PM
I am in agreement with Mark above ... both Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia produced some of the most starkly beautiful graphics, artwork, architecture and design of the 20th Century ... to deny this is to be of closed mind. The regimes that produced them however, were a sad product of the darker side of humanity ... some might say "evil".
Mid-20th Century architecture and design (i.e. Art Deco), also employed many of the same visual cues and techniques.
Posted by: P. Leonard | 20/04/2007 at 05:05 PM
"He's no Nazi but perhaps he needs to think a bit more about the words that come out of his mouth"
"F*ck political correctness!"
Probably two of the best points/comments here (amongst some very good other ones, and a few preposterous and absurd ones.) He was speaking purely from an art and visual prespective, NOT a political or humanity prespective.
Good grief...perhaps his comments were a bit ill-advised and a tad bit offensive to some, but please get a little prespective and a bit of a 'grip' folks...
;-(
Posted by: Brian (No, not Ferry) | 23/04/2007 at 06:01 AM
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/1199/ferryhitlerbj6.jpg
Posted by: Chad | 24/04/2007 at 06:28 PM