Would you believe this is when Mel Gibson was considered tolerant of other people?
It is the future. Mankind is dwindling to a primitive state where civilization tries to hold on in the face of anarchy. Mohawked motor bike riding leather chap wearing anarchy. And the most precious resource in the future? Gasoline...Petrol...Fuel!
That was the premise of the first two Mad Max movies, back then after surviving the gas shortages of the 70's this type of dystopian (ooh, big word) future seemed far far away. Now, living in an age of road rage and outrageous gasoline prices those movies seem prescient (I'm in a dictionary mood tonight). So, for all my homies who are paying at least $40.00 a tank (about $100.00 if you have a truck or SUV) this Friday Night Videos is for you.
You know, if this type of gas pricing continues pretty soon we'll all be riding bicycles. That would be interesting, you'll probably see these teenage girls on MTV's My Super Sweet Sixteen get tricked out 10 speeds with DVD players and surround sound instead of Escalades. They'll make those spinning rims that keep going after the wheel stops for bikes. And they'll remake CHiPs with those bicycle riding cops, we'll see bicycle crashes in slow motion to a disco beat. Won't that be cool?
So I've got a triple play of videos for this one. First up, Metallica. "Fuel" is one of the best Metallica songs of the late 90's when they decided they weren't metal heads as much as Artists. The best song on the Reload (1997) album, slash and burn vocals meet bone crunching riffs for a smashing good time. Second is Moving Pictures (1980) era Rush with "Red Barchetta", tellin' the tale of a boy taking a joyride in a car during a future where combustion engines are outlawed. Last is Sheryl Crow with "Gasoline" from this year's Detours record, spinning a fanciful tune about a near future of social unrest over...you guessed it, Gasoline. Love that chorus "Gasoline / will be free / will be free /yeah yeah" - Yeah, I wish.
So, celebrate 2008 style fill up your gas tank, drive home and don't go anywhere. You can Pimp Your Ride all day long because like Bob Dylan says, you ain't goin' nowhere.
Metallica "Fuel"
Rush "Red Barchetta"
Sheryl Crow "Gasoline / Gimmie Shelter"
2 comments:
Can't you just imagine the streets and boulevards of our cities, and even the expressways, filled with people on bicycles and mopeds and scooters. Like Madras or Bombay or Jakarta before they modernized. I think I can still remember how to ride a bike. :)
The cities you named are the type I had in mind :) Hopefully it won't get as bad as that movie The Bicycle Thief, that was depressing!
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