Musicians, Artists and Politics - The Day the Music Dies

“And you tell me over and over and over again my friend, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction.” – Barry McGuire

I think this needs to be said (not that what I think really matters) but I am so disappointed by so many of today’s musicians and artists who come out and publicly support this politician or that.

I have been noticing this trend amongst musicians and artists growing over these last 20 years or so. It astounds me that today’s artists are so fooled by the mass media that they will come out in support of certain political candidates. This is foolish as well as lacking in dignity and I will show you why.

I expect that Joe-Blow Average Guy – who watches too much TV – to suck it all in and be lead around by the ring in their nose like cattle to support a candidate. But I didn’t expect musicians and artists to be as daft as average Joe-Blow and openly promote criminal candidate A over criminal candidate B. (Yes. Yes. I know most artists and musicians are not rocket scientists but I still expect them to have a little more insight to life and how things work than the average 6-hour-a-day TV watcher.)

I get disgusted when I see artists posting some nonsense supporting some politician (or attacking that criminal – which is de facto supporting this criminal.) It especially astounds me when I see foreigners supporting some American politician. Guess what? No one in America gives a toss what you think. What would you guys from, say the UK, think if the bassist of Hootie and the Blowfish came out and said he supports the Conservative or Labor candidate in England?

You’d think he were an imbecile, wouldn’t you?

I don’t mean artists have to be apolitical, but I mean you need to publicly support principles, not individual candidates. Past history is proof enough that all politicians are liars and crooks. You should understand and know by now that we are ruled by an evil cabal. It doesn’t matter if Candidate A or Candidate B wins; nothing changes.

Or haven’t you been paying attention the last 50 years?

At this time, we don’t know if Candidate A or Candidate B is going to win the election. All we do know is that no matter who wins, the current direction and decline of the country will continue.

Here is what artists are supposed to be in support of End of the wars, end of poverty, end the bombings, end the war on drugs, more freedom for the people.

The fact of the matter is that all politicians are deceitful liars. They have to be. That’s part of the job. To think candidate A is going to change things is delusional. I explained that here inThe US Presidency is a Donut Shop.

What is going on now; the vote rigging; Bernie’s disgraceful and total and complete capitulation; and what occurred with all our US presidents in these last 50 years should have been a wake-up call: The system is corrupt. It’s always been corrupt. It was built that way. It isn’t going to change. There is basically no difference in our ruling aristocracy and the ruling aristocracy of other corrupt nations.

The USA, Japan, and the EU haven’t a leg to stand on when we criticize North Korea or her president.

Besides the above, here is really why you should stop the political posts and support for any politician: when you do support one or the other, it makes you lose your ability to view the world as an observer. When you publicly support a certain candidate you lose your objectivity and are unable to keep your bias level at a minimum. It destroys your art and loses members of your fanbase. It is amateurish and completely unprofessional.

Still not convinced?

Remember when John Lennon was protesting the Vietnam War? Did he ever come out and say he supported this politician or that? No. He understood that our problems are not because of this politician or that. He fully understood that and said that the system is corrupt.

Can you imagine for a second someone like Lennon or David Bowie coming out and saying he supports a particular politician like Cameron or Corbin or Hillary or Trump?

Nope. Neither can I.

Do not support politicians. Support universal human rights and principles.

Of course, it really doesn’t matter what I think. But I think you do yourself a disservice by getting into politics. Musicians and artists are supposed to help us escape – even for a few minutes – the hell we live in.

Don’t pull us deeper into the cesspool.

Cool & Strange Music - East Meets West Jan. 27, 2013

Recently I've been getting into Cool and Strange music (like I used to) because I find that very few Pop music artists of today really make me feel a sense of fascination.... There are some. I like the Jigsaw Seen, Eux Autres... And, now that I think about it, those two acts have songs that could qualify as Cool & Strange! So, let's let them in on the act!

Here are some Cool and Strange artists I have discovered just recently (even though these songs and artists are from long ago). Enjoy East Meets West Cool and Strange Music!

Arakawa Yasuo - Locoweed

Arakawa Yasuo - Shiji Shiroo - Baby

Arakawa Yasuo has been a "sort of" famous Jazz musician in Japan since the early seventies. Yasuo Arakawa graduated from the Berklee College of Music. While living in the USA, he appeared in Jazz clubs and also performed in the orchestra pit of a Broadway show. Some of the famous musicians he's played for include, Charlie Mariano, Roy Haynes, Chick Corea, Joe Williams, and Sam Rivers.  Currently he teaches Jazz at Osaka University and in 1994 he went to New York to perform as a member of the "Japan Just Jazz All Stars".  He has also performed on stage at Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater. 

Sorry folks, I cannot find out anything about Shinji Shiroo as I cannot find information in English or Japanese about him (I don't know how his name is written in Chinese alphabet so he's a tough one for me to track down. Help!)

Morphine Mambo Jazz Club - Assignment London

Jack Tisley - Jumbo Waltz

Morphine Mambo Jazz Club. I don't know anything about this band excepting that Jack Tisley has something to do with it... (Next question? "Who is Jack Tisley?" Heck if I know!) 

The other thing I know (or don't) is that the CD (record) is impossible to find (I have one though!) This is a compilation of, as the liner notes say, "thrilling sexy '60s Spectre Jazz Noir Club" library music from De Wolfe recording studios in the United Kingdom. 

I love this kind of music and I'd say that, for me, this is the definitive type of sound that I like so much that makes this sort of music "Cool and Strange"; it's like sixties movie music and does it ever have a beat!  

Afrodesia - Oom Gowa

The is some very cool heavy percussion driven world Jazz that has an extra shake or two of funk and exotica to add to the soup. This one is also extremely rare. Originally this group is from Texas but made a small name for itself in LA as the Afro Latin Blues Quintet +1 and a bit later as Afro Latin Soultet.

In this work they play a more world Jazz style that also include Latin percussions, Latin soul and rhythms... Yet just when you think you have them figured out, they hit you with African rhythms with a heavy dose of Jazz and... instrumental rock... 

Afrodesia! This is out of this world! 

Omar Khorshid - Pop Corn

Never heard of Omar Khorshid? Well, you should have. Actually, in India the guy is a superstar. Wikipedia says, 

"Omar Khorshid is a movie star and famed guitarist of the Middle east, he composed the music for thirteen films. In 1971 won the Premier Prix at the Film Festival of Tachkand for his music for the film Ebnati El Aziza."

Well, those are the newest ones that I really liked... But wait! I didn't forget... I promised you the new artists that I like... Here's the Jigsaw Seen (doing the East Meets West thingy)

The Jigsaw Seen "Baby Elephant Walk"

From the Jigsaw Seen official web page: 

"Formed in 1988 by Dennis Davison (ex United States Of Existence, whose influential debut album “Introducing” was released by Bam Caruso in 1986) and Jonathan Lea, The Jigsaw Seen recorded their debut single “Jim Is The Devil,” which was released by Get Hip Records in 1989. The Los Angeles band then signed to New Jersey based Skyclad Records, releasing another single in 1989, "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” and unleashing their debut album “Shortcut Through Clown Alley” in 1990.   The Los Angeles Reader pronounced: “The Jigsaw Seen’s witty commentaries capture both general life and more personal emotions with equal depth of feeling, and the music always shines.”   The band toured in support of the record, playing shows with Smashing Pumpkins, Afghan Whigs, the Cynics and the Sneetches, among others."

Eux Autres - "Right Again"

From the Eux Autres web page: 

Eux Autres write smart, infectious garage-pop that makes you feel as if you’re simultaneously cartwheeling down a beach, singing by the fire in a mountain cabin, blowing out the candles on a cake, and eavesdropping on the elusive neighbors. If the Field Mice met Black Flag in a dark alley and teleported them to a Francoise Hardy show, the songs they’d be humming together on the drive home might sound something like Eux Autres.  Eux Autres originally consisted of brother and sister Heather and Nicholas Larimer. Heather played drums, Nicholas played guitar, and they both sang. In 2008, Eux Autres added drummer Yoshi Nakamoto (The Aislers Set, Still Flyin’) in order to expand their sound and referee their fights.

Hey! They have a guy named Yoshi in the band? Cool! He's Japanese. Keeps with the East Meets West theme of this episode. 

Hope you enjoyed it!

This Cool & Strange is dedicated to my friend, Scott Clifton