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Kudos to Adam Taylor at Business Insider International for coming up with this one. The Chinese publication City Weekend is reporting that 13 August, Shanghai-based Brian Offenther aka DJ BO will man the decks at what organizers are claiming is North Korea’s “first ever DJ Party.” The event is open to expats, people on Koryo Tours, “But also the North Korean tour guides,” DJ BO says, “and people who work in the Embassy section, so that’s officially North Koreans.” What will he be spinning? A lot of retro rock 'n' roll, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Rolling Stones, fun tunes to get people dancing. “I heard the Kim family loves Eric Clapton, so I promise to play something for them.” Bookings for the Koryo Tours closed 15 July, but my guess is that they'll still take your money if you want to get down in Pyongyang.
All this reminds me of a silly exchange I got into with Aidan Foster-Carter a few years ago re DPRK-themed Eric Clapton songs occasioned that the rumor that Kim Jong-chol was organizaing a Clapton gig in Pyongyang. So I will get the party started, but the readers who come up with the best- and best-avoided songs by EC, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and/or the Rolling Stones for the Pyongyang gig, win free copies of Witness to Transformation. Contest ends 12 August.
Well, North Korea’s non-payment of debts to the South has been in the news lately. And while I think that Clapton was singing about something else, we could go with “Roll It Over.”
And from the standpoint of farm sector agit-prop "Let It Rain," could be OK depending on seasonal patterns of precipitation, and definitely "Let It Grow."
For the masses, we could definitely use “Got to Get Better in a Little While,”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylJYCUpf5rE
but, as Dan Marcus helpfully pointed out, definitely not “I Feel Free,”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVcIer_4OnA
or “Had to Cry Today.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_iLZXjhI-g
The inner circle may be at the "Crossroads"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=becWr0vc6cA
but definitely want to steer clear of that Cream classic, “We’re Going Wrong.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCMPlptCHP8
The regime seems to have doubled down on the cult of personality, so “Badge” and “Sunshine of Your Love” should be well received.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPDZ2M51XDw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JFjYzuXesw
DJ BO could end the set with special dedications to the three brothers. For Kim Jong-un and his Mystery Woman the Yardbirds’ “A Certain Girl.” In the interests of public safety and world peace, definitely not “Cocaine.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYS732zyYfU
And Kim Jong-nam, stuck in exile in China? Blind Faith, “Can’t Find My Way Home.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT-SFgkVlno
And Kim Jong-chul, stuck in Pyongyang with crazy little brother? “Motherless Children” or maybe “"Born Under a Bad Sign"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDCK1naqC8M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEGVtbgYx2I
All right, I got it started. Get your entries in!
