Modern life is rubbish

[Metroland]

Would have put this on the quiz forum, but I don't know the answer myself. Does anyone know why on the front of the Blur Album 'Modern life is rubbish', why there is a picture of LNER A4 'mallard'? What is the symbolism exactly?

http://staticblog.hi-pi.com/gisblogMnt-technikart/paskal29/images/mn/1187959900.jpg

 

[will1337]

It's hardly a Desiro or Electrostar, nothing terribly routine or unnoticeable about it's presence, it's aspirational and broke the speed record.

 

[Dennis]

Copyright issues surrounded them showing a picture of a Pendolino.

 

[will1337]

Pendos didn't exist then

 

[Gizmogle]

Will is right.

Pendos are about 9 years older than Blur's album.

 

[will1337]

Also a possibly idyllic rural setting.

 

[Dennis]

I think my tongue was in my cheek!

 

[will1337]

Shocking!

 

[O L Leigh]

I expect that the cover in question is ironic.

O L Leigh

 

[Gizmogle]

I think my tongue was in my cheek!

You should probably get that looked at.

 

[Metroland]

Pendos didn't exist then

Ah, but pacers did

 

[will1337]

The way the cover is being analysed proves the point.

 

[Respite]

I always thought it meant that modern life is rubbish compared to what we had, hence the A4.

 

[mrcheek]

i think its an ironic comment:
"modern life is rubbish, because this here train went at 126mph years and years ago, and the fastest we have now only go at 125mph" (sic)

 

[AlexS]

I think it's more along the lines of we used to push the boundaries, always strive to go faster - and now we're stagnating.

 

[Respite]

Plus trivia fact, Damon Alban (sp?), lead singer with Blur before the gorilla's used to work as station staff at Euston I believe.

 

[Coxster]

Damon Alban (sp?)

Albarn. I'm glad you spelt his first name right though - it's an amazing word

 

[laseandre]

Quite.

Blur's music is quite good. I like "Parklife" and "Coffee & TV".

 

[Broken Viking]

Hail again!

"modern life is rubbish, because this here train went at 126mph years and years ago, and the fastest we have now only go at 125mph" (sic)

I think it's more along the lines of we used to push the boundaries, always strive to go faster - and now we're stagnating.

Hmmm...Let's get 370006 back into a railworthy condition, put me at her controls, and see if that theory still stands after hitting 225mph or more and covering Euston > Glasgow in about 2-3 hours flat!

Aye...Ye could all say that I'm a bit of a dreamer. But if ever I had the chance to try such a thing with pre-cleared roads, I'd jump at the chance and do my level best to prove that British technology can thrash the ass off of anything the Italians can come up with! hock:

Farewell...
>> Death <<

 

[Demps]

Stop being anoraks, its a album cover, with a SIMPLE to understand meaning...

Modern life is rubbish.... The A4 is there to show why... Its nostalgia, its aspiration, its style. You have heard the stories and seen the colour pictures of this timeless era havent you?

 

[Respite]

Fella, give me a 370 & I would gladly show DICK branson a thing or two. Trust me, I have route knowledge & an interest in showing vermin a thing or two.


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Stop being anoraks, its a album cover, with a SIMPLE to understand meaning...

Modern life is rubbish.... The A4 is there to show why... Its nostalgia, its aspiration, its style. You have heard the stories and seen the colour pictures of this timeless era havent you?

Demps stop being such a killjoy!

 

[Metroland]

Yep stop being anoraks, back to discussing train numbers. We'll leave all this style, music, history and meaning stuff to the boring farts.

I despair at this forum sometimes. if the children aren't arguing or being rude to each other, they are trying to close down the railway down. Such a pleasant place to be?

There's another forum not far from this one that is complaining because people aren't making lots of free trains to play with, I wonder why that is?

Apologies to the majority, who are well mannered, for my outburst.

 

[mrcheek]

of course, the joke is on Blur (or as I used to call them, Bleeeuuuurrrggghhhh!!!!!!!), because its the old tracks that stop modern trains from going fast, not the trains themselves........

 

[TheSlash]

Apologies to the majority, who are well mannered, for my outburst.

I'm not well mannered, can i still accept your apology? 8)

 

[Respite]

of course, the joke is on Blur (or as I used to call them, Bleeeuuuurrrggghhhh!!!!!!!), because its the old tracks that stop modern trains from going fast, not the trains themselves........

Nah I blame Health & Safety & all the other nanny state people, after all back when speed records were being made they pushed it to the max regardless of safety. Example being Mallards horn bearings just about melted on the record run & the LMS attempt before, which saw them take a set of points into Crewe at I believe well over double the line speed with them all bracing for visiting the waiting room with the loco.

 

[mrcheek]

Nah I blame Health & Safety & all the other nanny state people, after all back when speed records were being made they pushed it to the max regardless of safety. Example being Mallards horn bearings just about melted on the record run & the LMS attempt before, which saw them take a set of points into Crewe at I believe well over double the line speed with them all bracing for visiting the waiting room with the loco.

thats true. and there were far less accidents in the days when people were told to "be careful", instead of issuing them with 300 pages of h&s regulations!

 

[Mojo]

Hmm..?

 

[Metroland]

I don't think it's actually about trains through is it? Maybe it's about romanticising the past in general?

 

[DescendingSadly]

After hearing that my band got offered a slot to support the Inspiral Carpets at Academy 1 life doesn't seem so bad

but hearing another band got the place it does now

 

[mrcheek]

After hearing that my band got offered a slot to support the Inspiral Carpets at Academy 1 life doesn't seem so bad

but hearing another band got the place it does now

Inspiral Carpets??? did you write this post in 1991?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Hmm..?

I was making a generalisation about society, not simply about rail.

Rail accidents have fallen. but at what cost? well, about £2 million per life saved, about ten times the value of a life for when cost-benefit analysis is drawn up for road projects.

of course, maybe this chart omits stuff like Ladbroke Grove, as that was no accident....