{"id":99223,"date":"2025-11-23T05:00:52","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T10:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/?p=99223"},"modified":"2025-11-22T20:42:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T01:42:23","slug":"john-cages-433-meets-the-anti-clanker-protest-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quotulatiousness.ca\/blog\/2025\/11\/23\/john-cages-433-meets-the-anti-clanker-protest-song\/","title":{"rendered":"John Cage’s 4’33” meets the anti-clanker protest song"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ted Gioia<\/a> on Paul McCartney’s latest single — his first in several years — and what he’s protesting against … clankers in music and the arts:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Paul McCartney is releasing a new track. It’s his first new song in five years \u2014 so that’s a big deal. But there’s something even more significant about this 2 minute 45 second release.<\/p>\n

The song is silent. It’s a totally blank track \u2014 except for a bit of hiss and background noise.<\/p>\n

What’s going on? Has Paul McCartney run out of melodies at age 83? Is he nurturing his inner John Cage. Did he simply forget to turn on the mic?<\/p>\n

No, none of the above. <\/p>\n

Macca is releasing this track as a protest against AI.<\/p>\n

His new “music” is part of an album entitled Is This What We Want?<\/em> It’s already available on digital platforms, and is now coming out on vinyl. All proceeds will go to the non-profit organization Help Musicians<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“The album consists of recordings of empty studios and performance spaces,” according to the website<\/a>. In addition to McCartney, more than a thousand musicians are participating, including:<\/p>\n