"Bury The Hatchet", The Conflict and Chumbawamba

[scrooge]

Hi all
stumbled upon this (listening to NMA on youtube and reading comments)

http://www.punk77.co.uk/talkpunk/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=33592

"Conflict's dig at them was only about the EMI signing and for years Sullivan (as far as I'm aware) did not dignify it with a response. The first time he alluded to it was nearly twenty years later."

http://www.sortedmagazine.com/archive/magazine/features/newmodelarmy.htm

"One of the big arguments among bands that have something to say is whether it is better to stick to the margins or try and spread your message further by courting success. Years ago, NMA's signing with EMI was the inspiration for anarchist punk band Conflict's "Only Stupid Bastards Help EMI" (a take on the "Only Stupid Bastards use Heroin" jacket featured on the cover of "Ghost of Cain"). Coming from a 'been there, done that' point of view, Justin is now very cynical about the benefits of major label attention. One band in particular that's recently gone down that route share a lot of history with NMA, having come from around the same area, fought the same fights and played many of the same festivals, are Chumbawamba."

So anyone rembering anything about this?
It's anyway another nice story behind a song

Cheers
scrooge

[jandco]

There is mention of this on "Steve Lamacq - New Model Army Classic Album Of The Day".

[Master Ray]

NMA had plenty of stories to tell and messages to make.

To get attention to what you want to say, you need attention.  And, yes, money so you can visit other countries and spread whatever you want to say.

There is no shame in aligning yourself with a major label as long as the music doesn't suffer!

Nobody can possibly say that NMA's music suffered because of their signing to EMI.

NMA had a lot to say and they needed a forum to do that.  Can anyone here, other than hardcore punks from those days, remember a single Conflict song without Googling it?

Sour grapes, I think.

[Wessexy Witch]

I loved Conflict when I was a little punky munky.
I always thought the EMI dig was towards the Sex Pistols. I had never heard of NMA when I was 15.

[Pol]

Can always remember getting into a fight with conflict at the depford crypt when I was 19 , can't remember exactly what happened, one of my mates n one of the band started on each other and it all kicked off, think it more of a scuffle than anything

[Talltigger]

I recall Justin saying in an interview (or was it the recent documentary?) how a condition of them signing to EMI was that EMI had to donate a lot of money to the Miners' strike fund and give them artistic freedom? Actually, that's not a bad deal.

The musical distribution landscape has changed so much as well since the 1980s. If you were a band then, the only way you could get any music out was to sign to a record label; now you can do it all digitally from your bedroom. You were always going to have to 'deal with the devil' if you were a musician in the 1980s, and to me, it sounds like they did the best deal they could on an ethical basis. Fair play to NMA.

[Rusco]

I was responsible about starting a thread concerning "Conclict Vs. NMA" here about 7-8 years ago. It lasted probably for 4 pages long and to be fair it went too far. Maybe Darkness, Joolz, WW, Red (or Stoney) remembers it. I admit I was blaming Conflict about many things and said things that I really shouldn't had to do at all. I felt ashamed about it. Things that went totally offtopic. It was years of less moderation here then and I actually understood to depart here for few years until activated again. My condolenses if I upset someone then. 

[Pol]

Dare I slightly defend conflict even if I couldn't name any of there songs, they were basically a crass band and held different ideals, yes it was wrong for they to go at nma ( ok I'm biased) . Different bands , different people do different things, follow different rivers. Worth remembering it was over 30 years ago now, time to move on  ?

[Wessexy Witch]

I used "Tough Shit Mickey" in a public speaking contest at school and won.

Admittedly I only used the first verse ( the nice bit) in the rounds and said I wrote it myself, then when I got through I did the whole thing full on sweary mary with all the spite I could muster and then just walked off at the end in a huff !

I remember being presented with a certificate by the head of English and The Debating Society and refusing to smile for the photo !!! Like a right miserable troubled teen !!! Classic !!

 

[Rusco]

Dare I slightly defend conflict even if I couldn't name any of there songs, they were basically a crass band and held different ideals, yes it was wrong for they to go at nma ( ok I'm biased) . Different bands , different people do different things, follow different rivers. Worth remembering it was over 30 years ago now, time to move on  ?

Yea, well said that. I have also listened to them and weared their tee also. Seen them twice. Appreciate that energy, music and inspirational, political hardline lyrics on the other hand. What can I say... Things tend to get difficult (and personal) when it gets to believing rumours.

*a smiley that gets caked on the face*

[ChristianS]

The issue wasn't that NMA had signed to a major label but to specifically EMI.  I spoke to Colin Jerwood himself a few years ago (more like 10!) about this, and he told that he had admiration for NMA as they were one of the few bands that spoke out against the Falklands but then went to sign-up with EMI and saw it as hypocritical.

He also mentioned that it was good to hear they were still going!

EMI was part (still might be?) of the Thorn group, which made electronics for missiles and other hi-tech weaponry. 

Conflict also very nearly signed to EMI themselves several years later!

[Talltigger]

Interestingly, I was listening to the Damned documentary 'New Rose' on Radio 6 t'other night, and very interesting it was too. Dave Vanian made the point that all the punk bands at the time (except the Damned) signed up to major record labels, despite their outwardly anti-capitalist status.

(I offer this not to open up another band vs band argument, but just to add some contextual detail).