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Mark E Smith: Tony Blair to blame for lack of working class people in music

"There was always privilege in music," says singer

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Mark E Smith has spoken out about the way the class system operates in music.

Speaking to the NME, Smith blames Tony Blair for the deficit of working-class people in music.

“To be honest I said about 12 years ago all this was happening,” he said. “Blair started it. The posh dads don’t say to their kids any more, ‘Don’t be in a group.’ They see U2 and they’re saying, ‘Be in a group, make money.'”

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“There was always privilege in music. But nowadays you don’t have a chance in hell.”

In 2010, Smith criticised Mumford And Sons, calling them a “load of retarded Irish folk singers.” Meanwhile, last year, he hit out at the praise lavished on Kate Bush‘s comeback, saying “I never even liked her first time around.”

During the NME interview, Smith also spoke about The Fall’s forthcoming album, their 31st, Sublingual Tablet. “This one took quite long, about four or five months, but it’s all relative. Tour managers think I’m quick because they’ve worked with New Order and it took them about five years. I know when an album’s good now, and this one is great,” he says.

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