theneedledrop

LET'S ARGUE: Nevermind > In Utero

Added 2025-07-06 23:29:21 +0000 UTC

Other topics include the Sinners soundtrack deserving a review, and Lars Ulrich being an overhated drummer.

Thank you to everyone who submitted hot takes for this episode, and for supporting us this month! Hope you enjoy 🫶🏻

As mentioned in the episode, here are my (Austen's) thoughts on our old Radiohead vid; just speaking for myself:

It's more than fair to draw an ethical line at performing in an apartheid state that, among many atrocities, had been routinely killing and maiming children. The U.S. is unfortunately the world's hegemonic superpower, so it's not very feasible for touring musicians to boycott it in the same way. Nor is there a focused movement like BDS giving guidelines to do so. While I don't completely disagree with Anthony's skepticism toward the efficacy of consumer and cultural boycotts, the context of similar boycotts and sanctions playing a role in the dissolution of the South African apartheid is missing from our old video. But, like, my answer to the question "Should Radiohead Play in Israel???" has less to do with the material impact that singular act of boycotting would have, and more to do with a moral imperative. If we can make value judgments for collaborating with abusers or bigots, why not for this?

It is easy for me to make those observations in hindsight. The video didn't age well, but it also wasn't it in the first place. I'm sorry for that, for what little it's worth. If you want to know more about the cultural boycott side of BDS, the rationale is spelled out very well on this page.