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International news_Skrufff_31st May 2005

Wham Man Bangs Dance Is Dead Gang

Music business legend turned author Simon Napier Bell chatted to Skrufff this week about the state of today's music business and admitted he remains puzzled by music hacks who constantly claim dance music is dead.

"Dance music is half of all the pop business and it always has been; rock & roll was dance music for Christ's sake, and so was rock meant to be now," he pointed out. "But nowadays the music press talk about rock as if it's some sort of rival to dance. As far as I can see, in all crises and problem periods for the music business, it's always been dance music that saves, revitalises and refinances the music industry."

Simon was speaking to Skrufff to promote his latest music industry autobiography 'I'm Coming To Take You To Lunch', which focuses on the early 80's era when he turned George Michael and Wham into global superstars. As well as managing Wham, he also previously managed T Rex's Marc Boland and the Yardbirds in the 60s, though insisted that throughout his career his first love has always been dance music.

"Dance is totally insidious and totally destructive of all good moral clean living ­ it breeds sex, hedonism, drug-taking, lack of responsibility ­ everything that make life enjoyable and worthwhile," he laughed.

"Dance music is everything I live for. With the addition of modern dance hall technology and youth/drug culture, it can influence young people everywhere, and should. It's subversive of all traditionally culture-religious claptrap. It's magnificent," he said.

Simon's new book 'I'm Coming to Take You To Lunch' is out now on Random House.
(Jonty Skrufff / Skrufff.com)

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