DEBATE AT LOLITA BAR: Is the Music Business Bad for Music as an Art Form?

This Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 8pm, an ex-Misfits vs. ex-Misfits (conservative!) punk-rock smackdown:

•Bobby Steele of the Undead argues YES.

•Michale Graves argues NO.

•Michel Evanchik (token Democrat) moderates and Todd Seavey hosts. Our debate last month was about “noshing,” this time it’s about “moshing” — so join us!

Voting on the question at the end: you, the unwashed mosh pit of democracy.

Free admission, cash bar.  Basement level of Lolita Bar at 266 Broome St. at the corner of Allen St. on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, one block south and three west of the Delancey St. F, J, M, Z subway stop.

This week also sees the start of this blog’s “Month of Ayn Rand,” and I think it’s worth noting that even people with similar political principles can disagree about the proper relationship between art and business.  The plot of Rand’s novel The Fountainhead, after all, was basically the classic left-wing story of an idealistic artist resisting the pressures of the marketplace.  And come to think of it, the Fountainheads would be a great name for an Objectivist band, if it isn’t already (more about the one highly-famous Objectivist band, Rush, later in the month).

Here, too, is a reminder from J.R. Taylor that not all punk is conventionally leftist.  We may yet live to see “conservatism for punks” become a popular philosophy.  Talking about it at the bar on Wednesday can’t hurt.