Unreleased Protest Album (Released)

It’s been awhile since Leonard Peltier name has been mentioned, but just recently it has returned.

For those who don’t know, Peltier was accused and found guilty of killing two FBI agents on an Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Many feel his connection the American Indian Movement, which was very active in the 70s, was the primary reason for his conviction. Questions have been raised about the conviction and trail, yet Peltier remains in prison.
Pitchfork recently ran a story about an unreleased album that was meant to benefit Peltier’s defense. For some reason, Sony didn’t produce the album (surprise). Well an A&R assistant rediscovered the music and set up a website to raise awareness of the Peltier case and release the music—for free.
There are some big names on the album and the music is politically charged. So head over to the website, download the tracks, and think about the cause.

The Bob _______ of Haiti

In the wake of the earthquake that hit Haiti, many Americans are learn more about the country that has benefited little from its wealthy neighbor. During the Hope for Haiti Now telethon, in addition to Wyclef Jean and other well-know performers, many heard the voice of Emily Michelle, a Haitian singer, for the first time. The musical introductions have not ceased since the telethon ended.

The other day, NPR ran a story about the famous Haitian singer, Manno Charlemagne. He is a singer who has always stood up to power and has paid the price in several ways. As an old article in the Miami New Times stated, Charlemagne’s music is about “Raking tyrants over his jagged lyrics. Shoving dignity down the throats of a vast underclass. Inciting the people to justice.” He has been called the Bob Marley/Dylan of Haiti.

He has been on both sides of the political spectrum serving time as a political prisoner and being elected mayor of Port-au-Prince. During one of his troubled times, musicians such as Bob Dylan, Bono, Jerry Garcia, and David Byrne petitioned on his behalf.

Often times, we think of singers and artists as having little to lose other than a couple of album sales; however, Manno Charlemagne shows that some artists must face life or death decisions in order to have their message heard. His music, sung in French and Creole, recalls passion of the great French chansons George Brassens and Leo Ferré. Although Charlemagne now sings to a few dozen people at a time in a restaurant in Miami, his voice, and the message that it carries, should be heard by all.

The White Stripes Defend Themselves Against the US Miltary

Super Bowl! Geaux Saints! The Who! The White Stripes! "What," you're saying. "The White Stripes weren't at the Super Bowl." Well, if that is what you think, you would be mistaken. Everyone's favorite branch of the US military, the Air Force, used the Super Bowl as marketing opportunity like Coke and Doritos (well, maybe Coke and Doritos are less dangerous).

The ad, which minimizes the fact that being in the Air Force means your job is bombing other people, features some music that is oddly familiar. At least that's what the White Stripes think. They are accusing the Air Force of misusing their song, "Fell in Love With a Girl." So they've ordered the Air Force to stop the airing the ad. The Stripes wrote, "We simply don't want to be a cog in the wheel of the current conflict."

The ad will no longer be used.

White Stripes--Mission Accomplished!

Is Kayne West keeping us down???

Pitchfork recently announced that Kanye West is back on the scene. Granted he wasn’t at the Grammy Awards, but he is back in cyberspace blogging away.

There’s nothing like stirring the pot to keep your name out. As usual, Kanye seems to be defensive; this time, it appears to be about some fashion criticism. And although Kanye seems to have a problem with coloring inside the lines, what I want to focus on is the beginning of his ramblings. He writes “REMEMBER THE DREAMERS, REMEMBER THOSE WHO REPRESENT THE GHETTO...THE FAIRY TALE OF NOTHING TO SOMETHING.” What I find interesting is that in this, he evokes two things that are, by definition, illusions—dreams and fairy tales. In particular the fairy tale of the nothing to something, the rags to riches story which, to me, is one of the great ideological fantasies, actually functions as a tool for entrapment instead of emancipation. The system benefits if we all think that by following the rules of the game that we will make it. However, it is the exception to the rule—the rule of work hard for someone else—that proves the rule. Who benefits from everyone working hard to make it? The owners of the means of production. Instead, we should be focused on how to change the system so that our hard work benefits all of us. The rules are stacked against us. Art should work to liberate us not to enslave us. Maybe Kanye is the new “OPIATE OF THE MASSES”?

Think of Haiti

I had just heard an old friend on WWOZ play the Charles Mingus tune "Haitian Fight Song." Then I watched the news showing more of the destruction, the problems with the recovery (New Orleanians understand that issue), and the utter human suffering--it makes me wanna holler. I read that the IMF ("International Mother F---ers" Fela called them in a concert I saw him perform in New Orleans) gave Haiti a shady loan to "help," but due to watchdog outcry niced up the terms. Although things seem impossible there, we can make a difference.

So sit back and listen to Charles Mingus and his "Haitian Fight Song." Then go out and donate to the cause. It is the least you can do.

Haitian Fight Song - Charles M...

MLK and Economic Justice

Musical artists from the soul-filled, Tamla hit maker, Stevie Wonder to the Irish rebels, now world politicians, U2, have written songs dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. On this Martin Luther King Day, let us not only celebrate the man, but also what he was working towards. And let us not have a myopic vision of his cause. Yes, he strove for equal rights for all. But the latter part of his ministry was also dedicated to labor rights. Let us remember, he was assassinated while he was in Memphis, doing what? He was there supporting striking black, sanitation workers! Also, he had recently started his Poor People’s Campaign, with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which was focused on economic issues.

So as we remember MLK, in these times of Wall Street scandals, record bank profits, and a health care crisis, let us remember that his message included issues such as these and he would have sided with the poor and disadvantaged.

Vic Chesnutt and the Real Costs of Poor Health Care

The holidays are supposed to be times of joy, but this past Christmas brought sorrow to the world of music. On Christmas day, Vic Chesnutt, the singer-songwriter from Athens, GA, died from purposeful overdose of muscle relaxers.

Vic had been confined to a wheelchair since he was 18, when he broke his neck in an auto accident. It was from this vantage point that Vic songs emanated. Often funny in a dark Faulknarian way, Vic was probably one of the finest songwriters living, at least until Christmas day. In concert Vic seemed frail and shy, yet he was able to hold an audience as though they were moths and he was the light.

This fall he released the album, At the Cut, which the LA Times called “death-obsessed.” When interviewed by that paper, Vic discussed his mounting health care bills, which exceeded $70,000! A statement he made then was prophetic: "I was making payments, but I can't anymore and I really have no idea what I'm going to do. It seems absurd they can charge this much. When I think about all this, it gets me so furious. I could die tomorrow because of other operations I need that I can't afford. I could die any day now, but I don't want to pay them another nickel."

However, what’s frightening was how truly conflicted, as many of us are, Vic was. IN an Huffington Post Interview, he stated, “I can sing a love song to death because, it's no secret, I've suicided several times. I suck at it, it didn't work. But it's a song about a man who discovers he wants to live. It's like a breakup song with death.”

Yet, Vic watched the health care debate with great scrutiny. “I've had intimate relations with the health industry for many, many years. I've been in hospitals around the world too, so I've seen the way it works in other countries. Some of the healthcare debate that's going on now is some of the most ludicrous discussions I've ever seen. It's hilarious! Obama's incompetent and the right are morons.”

In the end we lost a sensitive songwriter fighting the antiquated behemoth health care system. The behemoth won.

p.s. Vic. Will you sign my iiiiiipod pllllleeeeeaaaasse?