Just Banging Tunes

I'm long past the point where I let the political views of artists whose professional work I enjoy temper that enjoyment. I'm much too big of a U2 fan to let Bono's endless prattling on about how he's personally going to save the world force me to purge their CDs from my collection. Alec Baldwin and Johnny Depp may be empty headed animal food trough wipers, but they are both incredible actors (though I wouldn't be averse to placing a fart in either one's general direction if I'm ever in close enough proximity to them to make it count).

Nevertheless, stories like this one help to reassure me that there are some good ones out there:

British rock group Arctic Monkeys have become the latest music industry stars to question whether the performers taking part in Live Earth on Saturday are suitable climate change activists.

"It's a bit patronising for us 21 year olds to try to start to change the world," said Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders, explaining why the group is not on the bill at any of Al Gore's charity concerts.

"Especially when we're using enough power for 10 houses just for (stage) lighting. It'd be a bit hypocritical," he said in an interview before a concert in Paris.

Bass player Nick O'Malley chimes in: "And we're always jetting off on aeroplanes!"

Amen to that!

I've been a huge fan of the Arctic Monkeys ever since I first heard the tune "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" a few months back and to discover that they're not one of the delusional prima donna rock bands who take their opinions on everything way to seriously makes me a very happy boy, indeed.

And this one didn't hurt either:

Roger Daltrey, singer from 1970s British rock band The Who, told British newspaper The Sun in May that "the last thing the planet needs is a rock concert."