the defiance of declan mcmanus

One criticism that can be made of popular culture is that artists are forced to compromise their integrity in the name of profit. This definitely is a valid concern. In order to obtain the capital required for mass-distribution and promotion of art (especially music and film), artists often need to please investors. I, however, do not like to be a complete cynic about this. I think that although it is difficult to protect one's artistic integrity, it is possible. And although I agree to a certain extent with this argument, I see several problems with writing off pop culture completely. To begin with, artists had to please investors long before the arts were democratized. Michelangelo worked for commission and certainly had to keep his patrons happy. He did not even want to paint the Sistine Chapel, but relented in part due to the huge commission he was offered. Shakespeare would never have become so famous had he not been able to fill the Globe Theater. Mozart had to please not only the Holy Roman Emperor, but also the Viennese opera fans. Therefore I think it is a bit short-sighted to limit the temptation to sell out to the contemporary artist. In addition, it is becoming easier by the day to bring your art to the attention of the masses with a minimal investment. Any amateur filmmaker can post a video on youtube and find celebrity seemingly overnight. Finally, whereas commercial pressures may result from the presence of a free market, this same freedom can also be applied to the speech of the artists. Although arguably a significant minority, there are a growing number of artists who seem to maintain significant control of their own work. The popularity of film directors such as Wes Anderson and Quentin Tarrentino, as well as musicians like Beck and Radiohead is certainly a ray of light for contemporary culture. Another such artist is Elvis Costello (ne Declan McManus). His song "Radio Radio" is an excellent case in point. The song is a vehement protest of the control over artists wielded by powerful record labels. In 1977 he was selected to perform on Saturday Night Live. They wanted him to perform his song "Oliver's Army" which deals with English fascism and was popular in the U.S. Several bars into the song, he stopped the band, and said to the audience "there's no reason to do this song here." The band then launched into radio radio. Incidentally, the stunt had him banned from SNL until 1991. The song as well as this particular performance of it show that all is not lost in the realm of popular culture. A defiant artist can choose to make quality music and challenge the artistic status quo. In addition to the above link to the lyrics for the song, I am also including a link to Elvis performing "Radio Radio" on SNL in 1977.