Eat This Rock : BLADDERWRACK

Τρίτη 10 Νοεμβρίου 2020

BLADDERWRACK - Gammon

Bladderwrack is a 2-man Rant Rock Band from Penge playing merciless protest music in its purest form. Bladderwrack was formed as a reaction to the repellent events and specimens dominating our headlines and media, and each 2-minute song is a tirade directed at a deserving muse. Bladderwrack features a Victorian undertaker playing a battered 12-string acoustic guitar through an ancient bass amp via a concoction of abusive pedals, and bellowing furiously through an overdriven microphone. Providing the thunderous backbone to this murderous noise is a gravedigger who howls ferociously while punishing his drum kit.

Bladderwrack wrote and recorded the song and video for Gammon remotely in lockdown as a response to Gammon (quote from Urban Dictionary):

Gammon: A term used to describe a particular type of Brexit-supporting, Europhobic voter whose meat-faced complexion suggests they are perilously close to a stroke.

The term 'gammon' is linked to the unhealthy pink skin tone of such stout yeomen, probably because of high blood pressure caused by decades of 'PC gone mad', being defeated in arguments about the non-existent merits of Brexit and women getting the vote.

Gammon often make their appearance on BBC's Question Time jabbing their porcine fingers at the camera while demanding immediate nuclear strikes against Remain-voting areas, people who eat vegetables and/or cyclists.

When gammon appears en masse it is often referred to as a "wall of gammon".

The first known usage of the term 'gammon' to describe the complexion of men of an overly-jingoistic fashion dates from as far back as 1838 in a description of Mr Gregsbury, a Member of Parliament, in Charles Dickens' novel, Nicholas Nickleby.

As with many of those described using this term, however, Gregsbury is confused by the insult:“‘The meaning of that term —gammon,’ said Mr Gregsbury, ‘is unknown to me. If it means that I grow a little too fervid, or perhaps even hyperbolical, in extolling my native land, I admit the full justice of the remark. I AM proud of this free and happy country. My form dilates, my eye glistens, my breast heaves, my heart swells, my bosom burns, when I call to mind her greatness and her glory.’”

So: 180 years ago, the 26 year old Charles Dickens was already using the word “gammon” to describe a large, self-satisfied, middle aged man who professes an extreme patriotism in large part to disguise his essential selfishness and corruption.

In two words: Must Listen !!