We are the happy new grrrr robots

The year was 2081, and everyone was finally equal. – Harrison Bergeron, Kurt Vonngeut Jr.

In Kurt Vonnegut’s sci-fi short story, concepts of utopia and dystopia are confused. On one hand, "(the citizens) weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal in every which way." In this imagined setting, although there was no visible competition and disparity, equality could only be realized by disabling the most gifted, vigorous or attractive members of society down to the level of the lowest common denominator. The smart ones had to wear earphones which let off prickly sounds that inhibit the mind. The beautiful had to don ugly masks. And the agile people were clamped with bags of lead. "Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else."

The story has semblances to our own political history: dim-witted and incapable officials who run the government get every shielding of their power and would search for ways to protect their interests. Thus, the idea of imposing "handicaps". In Harrison Bergeron, such handicaps brought all the exceptional people and the average people to the level of the feeble ones, in the process not only eradicating individuality, humanity and differences, but preserving the fascist status quo in the hands of the elite few.

We’re charging our battery
And now we’re full of energy
We are the robots
We are the robots
We are the robots
We are the robots


We’re functioning automatic
And we are dancing mechanic
We are the robots
We are the robots
We are the robots


Ja tvoi sluga, (I’m your slave)
We are the robots


ja tvoi Rabotnik (I’m your worker.)
We are programmed just to do
Anything you want us to
We are the robots
We are the robots
We are the robots
We are the robots. – The Robots, Kraftwerk

* * *

Faced with mediocrity and bland conformism, can fascism offer a unique salvation to a community of Pinoy robots? Music is a form of mind control over body that can make both man and machine slaves to the rhythm. The idea of Fascist Nights at Future Prospects came out over constant arguments on why people were listening to a particular music coming out of the speakers. Who messed with the console? And who gave Him the authority to put in his CD? As it turns out, everybody wants a chance to rule the airwaves. More than that, somebody had proposed that it would also be interesting to hear the record collection of some friends with distinct musical tastes. And so Friday Fascist Night was born and for 10 consecutive Fridays, an invited friend would act as the DJ and have total rule over the "sounds". He becomes the fascist. To question His authority was not only futile but also meaningless...

Rummaging through my CD collection, I came up with this play list to welcome the Fascist year (the year of the Dog, i.e. jerk, as$#@&e, #%@!) – and yes, ’twas a humble gift to some 30 friends as well. Some tunes are happy. A few filthy ones. Lots are angry and funny at the same time. Everything’s sexy. This is karaoke for Punk Robots in full grrrrr ready to combat the 300 dull and democratic days ahead.
1. Titties Bounce – Gravy Train
2. Warm Leatherette – The Normal
3. I Want More – Can
4. Natural Disaster – Fischerspooner
5. Being Boiled – Human League
6. Superbad – LB
7. Sid Vicious is Dead – Some Product
8. Let’s Get Sick – Mu
9. The Game is Not Over – T. Raumschmiere and Miss Kittin
10. Britain is Shit – Selfish Cunt
11. Deceptacon – Le Tigre
12. Sunglass at Night – Tiga & Zyntherius
13. Cigarette Lighter – Japanese Telecom
14. Beat City – Raveonettes
15. Swastika Eyes – Primal Scream
16. The Second Line – Clinic
17. Didi Extra – Les Georges Leningrad
18. Mind Your Own Business – Delta 5
19. Sex Machine – The Flying Lizards
20. Sell Your Body (To The Night) – Turbonegro
21. I Need Your Love – The Rapture
22. Svefn-g-englar – Sigur Ros
23. Oh Bondage! Up Yours! – X Ray Spex
24. This Picture – Placebo
25. Where Is My Mind? – Pixies
26. The Last of the International Playboys – Morrissey
27. Lena – Nouvelle Vague
28. Heavy Shit – Gonzales
29. The Way That I Found You – Ladytron
30. Venus in Furs – Velvet Underground
31. Birthday – Sugarcubes
32. Frank Sinatra – Miss Kittin and the Hacker
33. NYC’s Like A Graveyard – Moldy Peaches
34. Into the Groove – Madonna
35. Debbie Harry – Family Fodder
36. Like You – Grame
37. Stretch – Maximun Joy
38. Fuck the Pain Away – Peaches
39. Lola – The Raincoats
40. Get Down Tonight – Stereo Total
41. Bloodbeat – Patrick Wolf
42. Trash – Suede
43. Legs – Hagibis
44. Comfortably Numb – Scissor Sisters
45. Leave Them All Behind – Whitey
46. Get You Hands Off My Woman – The Darkness
47. Glamour Girl – Chicks On Speed
48. Fight For Your Right – Beastie Boys
49. Upside Down – Jesus and Mary Chain
50. Birthday Cake – Cibo Matto
51. Wild Boys – Duran Duran
52. La La La Land – Green Velvet
53. Cat Claw – The Kills
54. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker – The Ramones
55. It’s On The Rocks – The Donnas
56. Super Chicken – Gelbart
57. Everybody Dances To His Own Personal Boom Boom – Anat Ben David
58. Useless Man – Minty
59. The Mysterious Mister Bickerton – Ashley Bickerton & Gray
60. Move Your Feet – Junior Senior
61. When You Sleep – My Bloody Valentine
62. Crystalline Green – Goldfrapp
63. 586 – New Order
64. I Hear A New World – Rod Freeman & The Blue Man
65. Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division
66. Tracy – Mogwai
67. Lonely Planet Boy – New York Dolls
68. Oh! You Pretty Things – David Bowie
69. Help Me I’m In Hell – Nine Inch Nails