single // Make Love Fuck War
The politics of dancing, anyone? Perhaps Mute's
most controversial statement since Boyd Rice became a worshipper
of the dark side. Moby has almost been something of a campaigner,
reminding listeners of his feelings toward what he considers the
inappropriate use of animals, and his Christianity, at every opportunity.
The re-release of the sensational 'Go' via Mute found a heavily
politicised and grumpy Moby bemoaning the use of a track that sounded
like 'Go' in a car advert, something the quiet campaigner of dance
music back then would not have sanctioned. That sleeve was simple
but effective - a red and white street sign effectively saying 'no
cars'. His collaboration with the more openly political Chuck
D and Flava Flav of Public Enemy comes swathed
in a monachrome sleeve with the song's title writ large - presumably
something of a headache for music retailers worlwide. This is an
anti-war record in case you hadn't worked it out. You even get a
bumper sticker.
'MKLVFKWR', as this track has become known, arose
as a collaboration for the Unity organisation and aims a blow at
the Bush-Blair axis of power. Interestingly, the track's title is
hardly mentioned anywhere in the track itself, satisfyingly at least
some radio station concerns. The track also comes with the seal
of approval of Radio 1's Dave Pearce, who made this his song of
the week a while back. Wow.
By nature, I'm not a particularly political person,
and therefore I'll judge this simply on the basis of its quality
as a record. As an avid Moby fan of some twelve years and a former
Public Enemy listener, it's with a degree of conviction that I judge
that the collaboration is actually among the best work either party
have done - Moby's strings and fly fonk guitar are there, but so
is a noisy, crunchy beat and grinding bassline that echoes the noise
loops of early PE themselves; Chuck & Flav blast out a connoisseur's
rap straight outta the old school canon - lots of 'hands' being
urged up into 'the air', and a deft chorus of 'Power to the people
/ 'Cause the people want peace'. The two strands combine to
produce an energetic bass-heavy groove that nags away at the feet
and avoids clever beat introspection. For the purists who think
Moby is too commercial to be working with PE, or who think PE are
too harsh for Moby, the temptation is avoided to offer up a litany
of remixes - instead Moby fans get an instrumental, while PE devotees
/ samplists get an a capella.
12":
A. Make Love Fuck War
B1. Make Love Fuck War (Instrumental)
B2. Make Love Fuck War (Acapella)
CD:
1. Make Love Fuck War
2. Make Love Fuck War (Instrumental)
3. Make Love Fuck War (Acapella)
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