CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

Re: The strong goodbye (466)

Is it true that the school nickname of Kenny Ireland. the outgorng director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre. was Chip- Pan?

Angela Havel

Edinburgh

Well was it? Former school chums of the departed big fella should write in now.

SEEN AND NOT HIRD A message from beyond

I'd just like to say thank you to everyone for such a fabulous time on earth. As you may know. I am now no longer amongst you. but am here instead with the God I worshipped all my life.

I got a wonderful surprise when I arrived up here. St Peter was on the gate. ready to greet me. and when he saw me he shouted out: ‘Oh Great! Now we can start broadcasting Songs of Praise from both sides!“

I'm really happy up here. and can see true happiness at last (I‘ve got a lovely view. right Over the vale of Scunthorpe).

See you soon. Lots of love. Thora Via celestial email

Are you a celebrity recently passed away? Write in and tell us all aDOL/t it.

DOIN’ IT FOR THE KIDS

Re: Hail to the hypocrites (467)

Though I agree with some of the points in the article by Mr McGonagle on the fact that musicians and politics don't mix. I do still think that musicians are entitled to their political opinions but not to further their own bank balance or media profile. The real musical political-voices like Public Enemy. KRS-t and Gil Scott Heron have always had a profound effect on me as a songwriter. If you can use y0ur

2 THE LIST 22 May—5 Jun 2003

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profile to raise ISSUGS that the so-called MTV kids' generation can relate to because they don't listen to politiCians. and who c0uld blame them? then what's the harm?

What have Oasis ever said or done to inspire anyone? Didn't I see Noel Gallagher drinking champagne With Phony Blair at no 10 when Labour came into power? I'm not a fan of U2 or Coldplay. but OaSis were a very bad comparison.

Joseph Malik Compost Records

WORTH THE WORTHY

Re: Hail to the hypocrites (467)

Oh puhlease! Mr McGonagle wants it both ways. On the one hand he's bemoaning the obliqueness of Radiohead's album title. Hail to the Thief. while on the other, claiming that politically active 'rock bands' are 'trying to shove their opinions down Our throats'.

If the acts of these bands are purely designed to ‘delude their fans into believing that they're political', then why does he feel so put upon?

I suppose he'd prefer a music world populated exclusively by anodyne acts such as Britney and Kylie who. contrary to his argument. maintain market position by not voicing opinions which may endanger their standing among the apathetic mass-market music munchers.

Let '3 face it. if you have a worthy cause to promote (and all causes have their Suppoders and detractors) then you're not going to turn away the chance of getting the message across to a wider audience by adopting supponers with a massive appeal

Band members also have every right to hold ‘political' Opinions. and if they choose to use their popularity to voice these. then so be it.

Political points stand or fall by the strength or weakness of

their basrc premise. not by the character of those who veice them land if he thinks phrases Such as ‘Drop the Debt‘ and ‘Free Trade' are meaningless then perhaps he has some research to do).

Making political pOints from Within other establishment b0unds is not the exception, if is the norm. In Mr McGonagIe's world all those With any political pomt must give up every vestige of ‘estahlishment' before being allowed to make the” pOint.

What sod of Orwellian dystopia does he want us to live in, where no dissent from Within is to be allowed?

Entertainers must restrict themselves purely to writing ditties regarding safe subiects. 0r filmmakers to making rom- coms and comedy crime

capers for if they don't. then they are SIIIOI‘. iust making C),IIIC8| moves for our money David Nicoll

via email

FAST AND MOOSE Re: Jane Birkin (467) Seeing the gorgeOLis Jane Birkin at the Usher Hall was a dreamy enough experience as it was, but did I really hear her say she'd seen a moose from the plane into Edinburgh? Kate Clunes

Via email

DID WE GET IT WRONG?

We take great trouble to be as acourafe as pOSSible but occasmnally we might get something wrong 0r miss something out. If so please tell us. Email editor@list.co.uk

W

Re: Veg out? (466)

their food comes from.

line after all. think so.

Danny Huber via email

Food section).

MEAT OF THE ARGUMENT

l iiist wanted to send a guick response to Mark Fisher's article on vegetarianism: thank you. It's about time someone stated these. sadly, fairly obvious pants and shut up the peOple who still want to debunk vegetarianism. If their conSCience needs saIving so much, they sh0uld stop trying to lUSiIfy their meat- eating With pseudo-intellectual newspaper columns and try visiting a factory farm or abattOir and get a real taste of where

These people who think a meal is incomplete Without meat shouldn't brag ab0ut it: it only demonstrates a profound lack of effort and imagination on their part. As a vegetarian. I believe that animals deserve that effort be made it is their lives on the

Is it anthropomorphising an animal to value its life? I don't

Our editor partiCu/ar/y welcomes letters that tell him how good his articles are. If you 're nice enough about him, you might even get a case of Sol. That's what Danny 's geing to get (and we 're hoping he won 't notice the article about game in the

THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE

A CASE OF SOL BEER

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