AROUND this time last year, I wrote in response to the appointment of our previous “minister of culture” that music is not useful to capitalism. This remains the case, however, I did fail to mention the usefulness of music to the state.

The funeral of the monarch on September 19 was an incredible opportunity to not only see the British establishment showing off all their bells and whistles, but to clearly demonstrate music and art as a whole has a very specific role within state apparatus as we see it.

Now, I won’t bemoan the fact that the art in the funeral only showed one side of the late monarch – this is a mental response, using a funeral to critique the deceased is ultimately crass; we can challenge the enforced mourning period, which thankfully the Morning Star has been excellent in covering, but the funeral proper has to be given a certain amount of respect.