{"id":8801,"date":"2022-08-07T05:59:06","date_gmt":"2022-08-07T11:59:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/?p=8801"},"modified":"2025-03-03T14:15:17","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T21:15:17","slug":"finlandia-insania-tasmania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/2022\/08\/07\/finlandia-insania-tasmania\/","title":{"rendered":"Finlandia, Insania, Tasmania"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>At about the time that Finland and Sweden were welcomed into the NATO follies, YouTube pushed my way a tune by Canadian band Martha and the Muffins, their hit &#8220;Echo Beach.&#8221; I in turn recalled getting Martha Ladly&#8217;s first solo single in 1981, &#8220;Finlandia.&#8221; It was anthemic, the sleeve graphics imperial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh Lordy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"525\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/finlandia_obverse2.jpg?resize=525%2C525&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/finlandia_obverse2.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/finlandia_obverse2.jpg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/finlandia_obverse2.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/finlandia_obverse2.jpg?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">YouTube audio was pulled after my posting, but vinyl version is <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/s4_-2vPQH-E?si=Hkf9usKjEMZw0Mla\">available here<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"525\" height=\"296\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k07fvH5_TLA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>Skids had done the same two years prior with their album <em>Days of Europe<\/em> (before lead singer Stuart Adamson went flannel with Big Country). I fell in love with the sound of that LP, Bill Nelson&#8217;s fingerprints all over it, especially the opening and closing &#8220;Animation&#8221; and its backwards-unmasked &#8220;Peaceful Times.&#8221; But that album art. Which Roxy Music would Re-Hash\/Re-Cycle with 1980&#8217;s <em>Flesh + Blood<\/em> (see my <a href=\"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/2014\/05\/16\/titlevenus-in-bling-bryan-ferry-allures-offends-endures\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"316\">Venus in Bling<\/a>). Oh Lordy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Animation\" width=\"525\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lVwdwClCSqQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Peaceful Times\" width=\"525\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2pTaQOG5wHc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Other bands were on this bandwagon. Simple Minds (like Skids, from Scotland) could get a little, mm\u2026, nostalgic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I Travel (Remastered 2002)\" width=\"525\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/G5iW_RQ9RPQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Lest they be misconstrued, they brought it up to date with 1980&#8217;s &#8220;I Travel&#8221;:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Europe has a language problem<br \/>In central Europe<br \/>Men are marching<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like I said: Oh Lordy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Insania<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yesterday morning CNN&#8217;s Michael Smerconish aired a clip of his interview with Roger Waters. The tabloid <em>Raw Story<\/em> posted it under a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rawstory.com\/r-2657818482\/\">headline<\/a> that declared the musician was &#8220;defending [the] Russian invasion of Ukraine.&#8221; Well, he does, kinda, and maybe you should too. Buttons pushed. A liberal pushing Biden&#8217;s Insania. Oh Lordy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"525\" height=\"296\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eNlvs2WqOxU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Side B: Tasmania<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I hadn&#8217;t listened to Ladly&#8217;s B-side in years, forgetting that&#8217;s why I had an affection for the single. &#8220;Tasmania&#8221; is the the sonic reverse to &#8220;Finlandia&#8221;\u2019s obverse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"524\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ladly_finlandia_obverse.jpg?resize=525%2C524&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Martha Ladly Finlandia sleeve\" class=\"wp-image-8809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ladly_finlandia_obverse.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ladly_finlandia_obverse.jpg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ladly_finlandia_obverse.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ladly_finlandia_obverse.jpg?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">YouTube audio was pulled after my posting, but vinyl version is <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/s4_-2vPQH-E?si=Hkf9usKjEMZw0Mla\">available here<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"525\" height=\"296\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HsCYXIRpXr8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The similarities and contrasts of these actual lands Ladly appears to have noted. For starters, neither is at the edge of its inhabitable hemisphere, but nearly so. Both have been invaded. I could and should devote another post to these comparisons. What strikes me now is how &#8220;Tasmania&#8221; may have influenced my austere cover of, of all things, Dolly Parton&#8217;s &#8220;Jolene,&#8221; which I worked up with my first band Age of Consent at about this same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/www.ageofconsentrap.com\/multimedia\/mp3s\/age_of_consent-jolene.mp3\"><\/audio><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">My rendition of Dolly Parton\u2019s famous ballad \u201cJolene,\u201d recorded in an early \u201980s session by my rap band Age of Consent. Some of the clinks you\u2019ll hear are from a gynecological speculum, which I used as a percussion instrument. The effect was from an Echoplex, which I borrowed from AOC member Thea Other.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>See what you think.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;When will we ever learn?&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[43,206,33,390],"tags":[1326,1330,1322,445,1320,1328,1321,1329,1327,1324,1325,1323],"class_list":["post-8801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art","category-military","category-music","category-polemics","tag-bill-nelson","tag-dolly-parton","tag-finland","tag-joe-biden","tag-martha-ladly","tag-michael-smerconish","tag-nato","tag-roger-waters","tag-simple-minds","tag-skids","tag-stuart-adamson","tag-sweden"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ladly_finlandia_obverse.jpg?fit=600%2C599&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paF2cn-2hX","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8801"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9800,"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8801\/revisions\/9800"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qualityofmercy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}