I guess part of this is what point are they trying to make? Is it just a fashion statement? Are they attempting to make some broader point? In this case, it seems like the former, rather than (as in the case of Laibach) the latter. Although one could make the argument that initially, Laibach was only out to shock people and their rhetorical couching of their very Nazi-esque pose only came a bit later…
They did that because they are really two different bands - the death of Ian Curtis saw to that. New Order’s early stuff sounds more like JD, but that’s because at least some of the stuff they did early on was written before Curtis hung himself. The name of the original band was taken from this book:
I remember seeing some photos of WWII reenactors in Taiwan The faces of the ones wearing Japanese uniforms had been masked, so yes that is definitely taboo enough that people don’t want to be seen wearing it.
Um, if you think the band Joy Division took their name to glorify Nazi imagery, you have no idea what you are talking about. Rather the opposite. (Oh, and they changed the name of the band after Ian Curtis killed himself.)
Right? They were a band that regularly talked about the dark side of human nature in their work. They were rather keen on referencing dark literature more generally - including Burroughs and Ballard.
Yeah but Liebach uses fascism as a parody against itself. That and like the NSK State uses the rigid style of the fascist and socialist art movements and turns them on their ear with the context and subject matter.
ETA - But if you are unfamiliar with them, it IS a bit hard to understand what they are about at first.
I don’t think they were trying to make any statement. They were wearing a costume for Halloween - which is rather a new thing in Japan.
Not directed at you - but in general: Halloween is full of horrible monsters and evil. I mean, killer clowns, zombies, chainsaw murders, Satan, abominations, etc - how are Nazi inspired costumes any different? The are the perfect big bad. Unlike say a white power person, these people aren’t glorifying or wanting to emulate Nazis.
I think there is a sort of poetic justice their movement has been reduced to “generic bad guy costume” in some places.
Huh - really interesting info to know, thanks for sharing.
How long have you known me? How often have a fan-girled over Laibach and their work? How many times have I talked about the punk and postpunk scenes in Yugoslavia here and how I’ve studied Laibach specifically?
That was my point exactly. That this band in question seems to be using nazi clothing as a fashion statement (or a Halloween costume) which I was contrasting with Laibach who most certainly do not. There is something deeper to what they are trying to do other than shock people or to dress up.
I have no idea how you could read that comment as Joy Division glorifying Nazi imagery. They were merely noting that after the band re-formed as New Order they took on a new name that drew from the same imagery. No suggestion of glorification was stated or implied.
without the hats, there is a very Von Richthofen vibe
And I finally asked my daughter. Pseudo military uniforms are their thing, but the lyrics are typical J-pop stuff, about teenage angst and finding love and being lonely.
Their usual look-
Really these girls outfits are arguably less offensive than the use of the SS symbol in the logo of the band Kiss. Who’ve had to use a different logo in Germany.
I don’t know if it has any bearing or influence on the threads these gals are sporting, but Japan had a pretty vibrant Nazi-imagery-as-shock-tactic gimmick within its speed-metal / early visual-kei scene in the 1980s.
Seems they must’ve been influenced by the UK punks, but these Japanese bands took it to the Nth degree, with band names like Rommel, Mein Kampf, Harkenkruez, etc. Way over the top.
I think it’s pretty plain to see it’s not politically-charged, but still pretty tasteless… but also kind of fascinating(??!). Oh, and dig the hairdos!!
(WARNING: bad quality VHS video and uh, heavy metal)
