From Wikipedia: “The Friendship Games or Druzhba Games or Druzhba-84 Competition was an international multi-sport event that was held in 1984 in nine different countries under the motto: ‘Sport, Friendship, Peace.’ An alternative to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, it was organized by the Soviet Union and other Eastern bloc countries (constitutionally socialist states) which had boycotted that event.”

“Mediocrity is dangerous: when it feels itself threatened it becomes ruthless.”

I recently spoke at the EMP Pop Conference 2008 in Seattle. This is the paper that I presented.

If there’s one thing that remains true across all music criticism it’s that everyone seems to hate hippies and ravers. Well, I apologize in advance, because this story includes both of them, at length, trying to work together to fight against the man. Haters take heart, though: as you might imagine, when both of these groups combined—despite some impressive organization and protest actions—they were almost completely ineffective. The political climate, a lack of overall commitment, and consistent intimidation all led to the failure of their cause. But let’s back up for a moment.
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