Solche Leute erwecken den Anschein von Größe durch den Umfang der Unternehmungen. Dabei müssen sie gerade durch diesen Umfang nicht besonders tüchtig sein, denn er bedeutet doch nur, daß eben ein riesiger Haufe von intelligenten Leuten aufgeboten wurde, so daß die Krisen und Kriege zu Ausstellungen der Intelligenz der Gesamtbevölkerung werden.
So wenig das Mißlingen seiner Unternehmungen Hitler zu einem Dummkopf stempelt, so wenig stempelt ihn der Umfang dieser Unternehmungen zu einem großen Mann. Die herrschenden Klassen im modernen Staat bedienen sich bei ihren Unternehmungen meistens recht durchschnittlicher Leute. Nicht einmal auf dem höchst wichtigen Gebiet der ökonomischen Ausbeutung ist besondere Begabung vonnöten.
- Aantal (functioneel) analfabeten en laaggeletterden in Nederland: 1.500.000
- Kiesdeler in Nederland: 62.773 stemmers per zetel (2010)
- 1.500.000 / 62.773 = 23,8956
- Aantal zetels PVV = 24
The second best thing Michael Gira ever did was to found the legendary New York noise band Swans, in the early eighties. The best thing he did was to resurrect the band in 2010. Their most recent album, My Father Will Guide My up a Rope to the Sky, sounds like a combination of all the best things, both insanely aggressive and gracefully melodic, that Swans have ever done. And hopes for the following release (The Seer, projected for August) are high.
After visiting two stunning Swans concerts in Utrecht (October 2010) and Amsterdam (July 2011), we took the chance to see Michael Gira performing solo on April 10th. The venue was Paradiso's Kleine Zaal, notorious for its appalling acoustics, although the sound wasn't too bad this time. Incredibly, it looked like the concert wasn't even sold out. One wonders why. The problem certainly wasn't in Gira's acoustic set, which was very strong indeed. We even saw Mr. Gira smile once or twice (albeit wryly), a rare occurrence indeed.
Gira's bandmate, Christoph Hahn, was the support act (as in July 2011), playing some of his solo work.
Apologies, both to any readers and to Messrs. Gira and Hahn, for the quality of the pictures, it was the best I could do, considering that they're shot with a cellphone... For good measure, I'll throw in a Youtube link to Gira's rendition of Oxygen, shot by someone else (thank you). It gives a good impression of the atmosphere and intensity of the concert.
