New PSB demo online - Hymn

[markus]

Maybe soon AI algoritms can explain phenomena like the endless cycle of fascist dictators in Russia, and their constant homophobia too. N&C will likely be on the right side of the fence that day.

[lalolalo]

Maybe the'll also write something about the rise of neonazis in Germany.
I was listening to Schlager hit parade today and laughing at the "...let's hope it's gonna last..." part.
It's not. It's not gonna last, sadly.

[TallThinMan]

This is Neil and Chris enjoying the freedom they have to put out a quick demo directly onto YouTube, as per "Living in the past" in 2022.

On the subject matter, it's interesting to read all of the commentary on this forum, where there is evidently quite a diverse range of backgrounds and opinions. Those will not be solved here, but it is interesting to see them.

On the lack of a Pet Shop Boys song about Israel and Gaza, I strongly believe that it is Neil's right to write about subjects he is personally interested in, and we all know he has a lifelong interest in Russian history and culture. He is under no obligation whatsoever to write about any other topic, nor should he be expected to make a public pronouncement about it. Why should he?

In this social media age, everyone is expected to advertise their opinion on everything, and to toe the line. Neil will not. His opinions on the Middle East, if he has any, will be for his family and friends, and not for us or the media.

Well said. Maybe they could record a song titled ‘Whataboutery’?

Incidentally, Neil has in fact offered his opinion on the Middle East situation. IIRC it came up at one of the Guardian live events promoting ‘Nonetheless’ last year. Suffice to say, Neil’s not a fan of genocode.

[Vintage Youth]

I wish there was a 'like' button. And an 'eh? ' button, I never realised I was a popular and influential recording artist, but I did grow up in a conflict zone, if that helps. I can talk about that at length, of course, as it's a subject close to my heart as well as geographically, but I'm not as well versed on what was happening in Lebanon at the same time, so I don't talk about it much.

I listened to the Q&A in London again recently and concur with TTM.

[Parkol]

What is happening in Ukraine is a terrible thing. I really hope for peace.

I grew up in the USSR and live in Russia, but I clearly understand when Russia was good for the West. Russia was good for the West when it was poor, weak and sold natural resources for pennies, oligarchs were taking billions of dollars out of the country and nobody called Russia bad. That was in the 90's, early 2000.
Gorbachev destroyed the USSR and hundreds of thousands of people were out of work and people with higher education had to go to work in bad jobs. The economy was ruined, the army was in bad shape. My parents went through that. My wife's parents went through it too. But Russia was good then, because it took the democratic path, the path of bending to the West.
You give us oil, we give you gum and Beavis and Butt-head.

If we are talking about crimes, why didn't England arrest Abramovich who bought Chelsea with absolutely incomprehensible money. And no sanctions because he brought a lot of money to England. Now there are thousands of Russians, rich Russians living in London and nobody asks them - How did you earn the money? And we guys all know how they got the money, don't we?
By destroying Nord Stream, Germany was deprived of its impeccable leadership in Europe, because the strongest economy in Europe is Germany. If the stream had worked, Germany would have become a hub that started to control not only the economies of other countries, but also politics. And this the US and England did not like. That's why Germany is being drained.
On land occupation and sanctions.
Why does Britain, having seized the Falkland Islands, not give them back to Argentina?
(Look at the map, where is Britain and where is Argentina) And Argentina is silent.

Why Gibraltar Spain can not return for many years and nobody imposes any sanctions against Britain, although it is obvious that Gibraltar is the territory of Spain? Look at the map again. Why hasn't Spain imposed sanctions against Britain until now?

Why haven't sanctions been imposed against Turkey, which killed thousands of people in Cyprus and occupied part of the island? (By the way, this is a country that should be feared for real).

Why are sanctions not imposed against the USA, which demands Greenland from Denmark as the strongest and threatened to use force against Denmark? Humiliating and insulting Denmark as never before. At the same time Denmark agreed to give Greenland independence and the EU immediately shut up. Because the US controls everything that happens in Europe and Trump is not called a dictator, although he will annex Canada, Panama, Greenland and Ukraine's resources for free.
And... No sanctions against the US. Everyone's got water in their mouths. Nobody closed McDonald's, nobody banned American cinema, and nobody stopped listening to Taylor Swift. Ow! Where are you, EU democarts? Why hasn't anyone stood up for Denmark and told the US to f*** off? Put sanctions on them! They have humiliated a small country that is certainly not in a position to stand up to America.

And about Denmark, social networks started to remember how Denmark gave Germany a country in 6 hours in World War II. Now Denmark is called a country of cowards and no one from the EU has stood up for it or imposed sanctions against the US. Because...they're afraid. It's a public humiliation of the country. Without force, without war, just to take away territory. And Denmark will have to apologise to Trump.

During World War II, Britain and the USSR fought against Hitler. Most countries were Hitler's allies or neutral. England had been at war since ‘39, the USSR since ’41. Even though England and I were opponents, we became allies. Neutrality was with Sweden, which supplied 30% of ore to Germany for tanks and planes that bombed cities and villages, for example.
Now, what do you call that, just honestly? Is it neutrality or is it alliance?
If you don't participate in the war, but you're happy to give shells. From 1939 to 1941, Sweden kept out Jews who fled Hitler for fear of repercussions.

Guys, we've all got our noses to the grindstone, as they say. There are no saints here. Well maybe only some small island in the Pacific Ocean where there are no people at all and is sinless.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers will return from the war in the cities, with broken psyche, disabled and Ukraine will not be the same. Hundreds of thousands of our Russian soldiers will return to their cities, with broken psyche, without arms, legs and Russia will not be the same. This is all done to awaken the people.
And about the collapse of the USSR. Now look at Islamic terrorism all over the world. And where they all come from. Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, etc.
In Germany, almost every month there's a terrorist attack on people.
And everyone is silent. They make films as if Europeans are to blame for terrorist attacks, and migrants from the East save everyone. Like, at least in the cinema we have democracy and God forbid to make migrants angry.

What are you afraid of, Europeans? They understand only strength, and take kindness for weakness.
Russia, by the way, has the same problem, but they've started to fight it and kick them out.

Everyone has blood on their hands, but some people have dried blood on their hands and think they can teach others.

Well, one of the most widespread theses is that England and the USA decided to destroy Germany economically, otherwise, the dominance would have become such that England's economy would have reached the level of Romania and Germany on cheap natural resources would have started to bend everyone in Europe again. France, Italy, Spain as satellites. And the rest would be afraid to open their mouths, like Romania, Greece, Holland. So they blew up the Nord Stream.

My relatives were shot by Stalin. And my grandmother's brother, who liberated a concentration camp in Poland, he put him in a Soviet camp. That's the kind of scum.

You know, nobody respects cowards. Ukraine has been fighting against Russia for 3 years, although now they have decided to tear it apart economically by stealing its natural resources. This is a terrible and complicated war.
Among my acquaintances there are those who have already died in Ukraine. And we all pray for its end.
Because there is a fratricidal war.

Peace and health to all.

[jasonjohn]

thanks for you post Parkol

Interesting reading the comments of the YouTube video. Vastly, overwhelmingly positive, and a great many from Russia too.

[leesmapman]

Because the US controls everything that happens in Europe and Trump is not called a dictator, although he will annex Canada, Panama, Greenland and Ukraine's resources for free.

That sentiment has changed recently. Europe is realizing America doesn't want to be partners anymore and America is turning into a fascist regime quite fast now.

[DopeFiend]

What is happening in Ukraine is a terrible thing. I really hope for peace.

Trump will fix it. An end to bloodshed, I hope for peace too.

[Spittingcat]

Now there are thousands of Russians, rich Russians living in London and nobody asks them - How did you earn the money?

They do. Well worth following what Bill Browder has been doing in this area (after the killing of his friend Sergei Magnitsky).

[daveid]

What is happening in Ukraine is a terrible thing. I really hope for peace.

I grew up in the USSR and live in Russia, but I clearly understand when Russia was good for the West. Russia was good for the West when it was poor, weak and sold natural resources for pennies, oligarchs were taking billions of dollars out of the country and nobody called Russia bad. That was in the 90's, early 2000.
Gorbachev destroyed the USSR and hundreds of thousands of people were out of work and people with higher education had to go to work in bad jobs. The economy was ruined, the army was in bad shape. My parents went through that. My wife's parents went through it too. But Russia was good then, because it took the democratic path, the path of bending to the West.
You give us oil, we give you gum and Beavis and Butt-head.

If we are talking about crimes, why didn't England arrest Abramovich who bought Chelsea with absolutely incomprehensible money. And no sanctions because he brought a lot of money to England. Now there are thousands of Russians, rich Russians living in London and nobody asks them - How did you earn the money? And we guys all know how they got the money, don't we?
By destroying Nord Stream, Germany was deprived of its impeccable leadership in Europe, because the strongest economy in Europe is Germany. If the stream had worked, Germany would have become a hub that started to control not only the economies of other countries, but also politics. And this the US and England did not like. That's why Germany is being drained.
On land occupation and sanctions.
Why does Britain, having seized the Falkland Islands, not give them back to Argentina?
(Look at the map, where is Britain and where is Argentina) And Argentina is silent.

Why Gibraltar Spain can not return for many years and nobody imposes any sanctions against Britain, although it is obvious that Gibraltar is the territory of Spain? Look at the map again. Why hasn't Spain imposed sanctions against Britain until now?

Why haven't sanctions been imposed against Turkey, which killed thousands of people in Cyprus and occupied part of the island? (By the way, this is a country that should be feared for real).

Why are sanctions not imposed against the USA, which demands Greenland from Denmark as the strongest and threatened to use force against Denmark? Humiliating and insulting Denmark as never before. At the same time Denmark agreed to give Greenland independence and the EU immediately shut up. Because the US controls everything that happens in Europe and Trump is not called a dictator, although he will annex Canada, Panama, Greenland and Ukraine's resources for free.
And... No sanctions against the US. Everyone's got water in their mouths. Nobody closed McDonald's, nobody banned American cinema, and nobody stopped listening to Taylor Swift. Ow! Where are you, EU democarts? Why hasn't anyone stood up for Denmark and told the US to f*** off? Put sanctions on them! They have humiliated a small country that is certainly not in a position to stand up to America.

And about Denmark, social networks started to remember how Denmark gave Germany a country in 6 hours in World War II. Now Denmark is called a country of cowards and no one from the EU has stood up for it or imposed sanctions against the US. Because...they're afraid. It's a public humiliation of the country. Without force, without war, just to take away territory. And Denmark will have to apologise to Trump.

During World War II, Britain and the USSR fought against Hitler. Most countries were Hitler's allies or neutral. England had been at war since ‘39, the USSR since ’41. Even though England and I were opponents, we became allies. Neutrality was with Sweden, which supplied 30% of ore to Germany for tanks and planes that bombed cities and villages, for example.
Now, what do you call that, just honestly? Is it neutrality or is it alliance?
If you don't participate in the war, but you're happy to give shells. From 1939 to 1941, Sweden kept out Jews who fled Hitler for fear of repercussions.

Guys, we've all got our noses to the grindstone, as they say. There are no saints here. Well maybe only some small island in the Pacific Ocean where there are no people at all and is sinless.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers will return from the war in the cities, with broken psyche, disabled and Ukraine will not be the same. Hundreds of thousands of our Russian soldiers will return to their cities, with broken psyche, without arms, legs and Russia will not be the same. This is all done to awaken the people.
And about the collapse of the USSR. Now look at Islamic terrorism all over the world. And where they all come from. Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, etc.
In Germany, almost every month there's a terrorist attack on people.
And everyone is silent. They make films as if Europeans are to blame for terrorist attacks, and migrants from the East save everyone. Like, at least in the cinema we have democracy and God forbid to make migrants angry.

What are you afraid of, Europeans? They understand only strength, and take kindness for weakness.
Russia, by the way, has the same problem, but they've started to fight it and kick them out.

Everyone has blood on their hands, but some people have dried blood on their hands and think they can teach others.

Well, one of the most widespread theses is that England and the USA decided to destroy Germany economically, otherwise, the dominance would have become such that England's economy would have reached the level of Romania and Germany on cheap natural resources would have started to bend everyone in Europe again. France, Italy, Spain as satellites. And the rest would be afraid to open their mouths, like Romania, Greece, Holland. So they blew up the Nord Stream.

My relatives were shot by Stalin. And my grandmother's brother, who liberated a concentration camp in Poland, he put him in a Soviet camp. That's the kind of scum.

You know, nobody respects cowards. Ukraine has been fighting against Russia for 3 years, although now they have decided to tear it apart economically by stealing its natural resources. This is a terrible and complicated war.
Among my acquaintances there are those who have already died in Ukraine. And we all pray for its end.
Because there is a fratricidal war.

Peace and health to all.

Great post - thanks for spending the time.

[NotInvisible]

Everyone has blood on their hands, but some people have dried blood on their hands and think they can teach others.

The difference, of course, is that nations are comprised of individuals, and individuals live in moments of time. No one involved in a war 100 years ago is alive today. Most of the people alive today have not fought in a war - especially in the West. So while historical context helps us to understand how we got to where we are (and hopefully how to avoid replicating mistakes), we can only fairly judge the present. The Russian government is controlled by an authoritarian bad actor today. His decisions are resulting in deaths today. There is no whataboutism or "both sides" here; Putin chose to invade a sovereign nation. He chose to target civilians. We don't need to try to soften this.

Whereas you point to Trump, who is terrible in his own moronic way, but we all know his threats re: Greenland are imbecilic blowhard nonsense. These are not equivalent actions, or men.

[glennjridge]

Protests songs IMO shouldnt be middle of the road saccharine and pedestrian. I dont think even after all these years I have heard as rousing and good a protest song as Lennons "give peace a chance".

[Parkol]

About Trump and his attitude towards Russia. Honestly, no one trusts him here in Russia. Everyone is surprised by his statements, but there is no euphoria and in fact, everyone wants an end to the bloody war. Russian soldiers don't all understand the change of Russia's attitude towards the US, Ukrainian soldiers don't understand the new position of the US either. Everyone is in shock and no one understands the catch.

On corruption. If England really wants to fight corruption, then in London itself (Belgravia, for example) live people who left Russia and cannot explain their income. We have plenty of such people in Russia too, by the way. They have been living in London for decades, and there are no claims against them. And there are thousands of them.

And on the change of US policy, I think that Trump, despite the fact that he is accused of all sins, realizes that the country's system is starting to crack at the seams. Reducing general secondary education, which is necessary for the country to prosper. I heard here that the US is simplifying some school subjects like math, physics, chemistry because “some groups of kids” are unable to learn the material. We all know who that means.

And what kind of generation will then grow up in the US? Legalization of drugs, access to guns, relaxation of laws that allow shoplifting. It's not gonna end well, mass migration. Apparently he realizes at almost 80 years old that relaxation can have serious consequences. And he's a man who has lived in different eras.

The competition between the USSR and the USA gave us all space flights, technology, and many other interesting things, and now everyone is staring at their phones and 18-year-old kids are teaching others how to become successful in business and buy bitcoin. This is the beginning of the 21st century.

In Russia now, education with very difficult exams for schoolchildren. Even when I was in school, we had simpler exams. Then, the employment of children, including those from single-parent families, is an important thing. In the USSR, and I studied in an ordinary Soviet school, after classes we went to hobby groups, absolutely free of charge. This was done so that a child would not hang around the yard after school, but would be busy, especially for children from complicated, incomplete families.
For example, I went to the entomological circle at the Zoological Institute, I went to an art studio, to a sports section, I went to a wood-burning circle, a movie club, an embroidery circle, and even an aircraft modeling circle. The state has done everything for a teenager to be as versatile as possible, even if it is not useful in life. And in the U.S., on the contrary, they think that relaxation will close many problems. People are lazy creatures, and new trends in the world in general make people do all sorts of nonsense.



In the Baltics they demolished monuments to Soviet wars, which at the cost of their lives fought the Nazis. Why? These people are no longer alive, many of them. The Soviet Union is gone. And not only Russians lived in it. It turns out that they demolished monuments to Ukrainians, Belarusians, Georgians, Kazakhs, Armenians, Kyrgyz, and many others, including their own citizens. 


US betting on building relations with China because there is no way without them. I think Germany will still be the economic giant of Europe because they have industry and order. Plus there are American bases in Germany and control the situation.

Regarding the relations between Russia and China. Not everyone knows, but there was a war between us in '69 over an island, which eventually went to China. So there is no full trust between us, there are just some agreements, just like there is no trust in Turkey. When I was in a pioneer camp in Kabardinka in 1987, we were scared that the Turks were stealing Soviet children and taking them to Turkey as slaves.

And Neil sings about free Russia. We were free in the 90's and wealth was being shipped out of the country by the wagons, and it was exported by our own people. I'm even afraid to think what Neil thought about Russia when they came to Moscow in '93. Poverty, old people queuing in the streets with sugar coupons. People living below the poverty line. And Neil sings - Go West!


When my wife and I visited London, the very first museum we visited was the Museum of the City of London. And when I looked at the pictures in the museum, I saw my native Leningrad (it was renamed St. Petersburg in 1991), with ruins instead of houses, with windows covered with paper, with searchlights in the sky. London, like Leningrad, was bombed by the Nazis. Traces of war. There's a war going on now, where bombs are falling too. God willing, there will be peace. And maybe Trump really wants to stop the blood, somewhere deep down, being an old man, he realizes that he as a man will have to answer not to the people, but to God, and no arguments will work there.

[Tom Angel]

But I try to ignore it as that's not the first time they behave like 20 years old activists.

They care about the world they live in and don't like authoritarians or fascists, no.

In that case why are they not voicing up about Kier Starmer and his two tier justice system with the Sentencing Council anti-white plans to make offenders' ethnic backgrounds a greater factor in deciding whether to jail them.?

Let's not even get into free speech in the UK and europe.

This song is a bit pathetic really.

[leesmapman]

Let's not even get into free speech in the UK and europe.

Oh please do. Because all I see is this.

81f37789-b4ca-4618-8831-aa7ca0b82d5d.jpg