He was also not alone, reflecting the growing awar cuck avoiccid tion of different aspects of African creativity, music in particular, in the West.
'Paul Simon then decided _IO make record, 'Graceland' based on this love of his Again, this is not remarkable. In Lne past he has borrower freely from various black and Third World musical styles, as have many other musicians. Whatever atLowards such projects of cultural imperialism, or an attempt at genuine fusion of different musical styles - it is the way the record woN made that vital.
Mismatch
Simon flew to Johannesburg make Graceland. In so doing he quite blatantly broke the 1980 United cultural boycott of South Africa, boycott supby all antiDOLCU apartheid organisations in and outside of the coun try.
Following the subsequent furore over the record, Paul Simon and his defenders different quarters, have attempted to justity his actionHe did not break the boycott, they claim merely recorded in South Africa but did not perform As the Anti-Apartheid Movement has pointed out this is as daft as claiming that it is fine to coach a sport in South In 1984, rock musician Paul Simon fell in love with South African township music. In itself this is not remarkable. It is a wonderfully vibrant music, and speaks volumes about the ability of the black South Africans to create a cultural identity in the face of apartheid oppression, writes PHIL WATERHOUSE - that Paul Simon knows better than those who lead the fight in South Africa UDF COSATU need not be consulted, and even they offer their opinion (in oppositin to the record Lail be discounted out of hand As for broadening the audience fo South African music, that is ceralthough Calls LIC. begs. the question. music was gaining a wide audience anyway, and you can just as easily regard The ANC/AAM position on the cultural boycott is clear. They call for a boycott of apartheid, not of as such. The apartheid regime must be boycotted completely isolated. port has to be given to that of which fights apartheid.
Anything which contributes to inal ena, and lowalas c non-racial democracy has to be a boycott of anything which does not contribute the destruction of apartheid. "Graceland' should be judged by that standpoint, SOlt abstract cultural norm. It fails dismally. The white 'Defend unilateralism' says Labour CND Kinnock's announcement was promptly topped by Denis Healey. Responding to the ad ministration reports on the meeting sala cialis 'that Neil Kinnock put for ward a policy of unilatera. nuclear disarmament were completely untrue. believes that the leadership's statement on delaying cruise are a clear break with conference policy. • ne calling on all Labour Parpass the following resolution:
"This constituency Labour Party rejects any South African broadsystem regularly Can tille plays the record. t nas i general policy of not promoting any music portraying me reanly of urbar African existence any with social or political content. Rather their musical fare is more aimed at 'entertainment make township life more bearable. Exactly like Radio 1 over here! Ob viously not consider 'Graceland' a problem.
many arWelle ing artists withdraw Paul against which Despite what . some believe, parthe politics llier to t ANC has ble bass mightier than the Pau viny! disk appears cultita on 7 April at 7pm, the London AA committee will be • there to trate their opposition, supported by Artists Against Apartheid shift away from Labour's policy of nuclear disarmament in the lifetime of the next and reaffirms its determina non to campaigl aulllis ut general election on Labour Partv nollci • ot uncondi tionally removing nuclear weapons from British soil and waters.
CND's appeal, Copies , which conof composite resolution 40 passed at 1983 annual conference and the LCND statement available LOND Secretary, Carol Turner, 25 Stodmarsh House, , Cowle Estate, London SW9 6HH
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what is good for the black oppressed! The ANC, th
Paul Simon as merely jum- ping on the bandwagon to