News About the News

The mass media as a whole is quite the institution, yes, but I think the worst arm of that brain strangling octopus is televised news. A newspaper cannot shout at you or draw you in with sound and light. A news website can be avoided by not navigating to it. Televised news though, is a truly corrosive substance. It is not educational. It is not enriching. It serves no purpose but to cloud the mind from real matters. How is the wedding of a Kardashian, the child of two pop stars or a royal wedding truly more important than issues such as the passing of NDAA, the looming threat of SOPA and PIPA and the general overall erosion of the rights and liberties of all people?

The easy answer is that this issues aren't more important. The news convinces you otherwise, though. Some news items that become more important than the slow and and hardly noticeable oppression of humankind are:

-Celebrity Babies
-Woes of Politicians
-Royal Weddings
-Alarmist Health Scares
-Christmas Tragedies
-Lottery Winnings

The list goes on. These news items should be avoided at all costs (unless for research) and are unfit for human consumption. They cloud and strangle the mind. They are designed to shift focus away from issues that affect every average middle or lower class working person. The most ironic news obsession as of recent was the royal wedding (and all of the royal this and that from babies to wedding rings that the wedding has spawned). Some working people are so obsessed and in love with royal affairs that they forget the royal family is oppressive and uncaring toward them. Fans of the royal wedding shouldn't forget that they were purposely not invited to the wedding (or the high living) because they are working class. They also paid for a good portion of the wedding (read: security to keep the proles out).

 
Do not let televised news pollute and destroy your thought process. Pick up a book, engage in conversation, be part of a big idea. Write! Paint! Occupy your own mind, do not let anyone else! It's been said again and again but it does not make it any less true: the mass media is controlled by a ruling class that use it to push their agenda of oppression and destruction.

Occupy your mind. Resist mass media.

Use alternative news sources:
http://www.democracynow.org/
http://www.disinfo.com/
http://socialistworker.org/

Terrorist is the New Communist

The key to controlling an entire nation is fear. What do folks fear the most? The unknown, the other. It's easy to take control of fear when the unknown can be harnessed, named and unleashed upon the people. It's the same as fear of the dark. It is irrational but many people are scared of the dark.

A government can take it to the next level. They can take a mere word and turn it into the unknown. Take Communist for example (or Comuniss if you will). During Vietnam, America indoctrinated the country with such hate for the Communists that it still lingers today. Most anti-communist (occasionally read as "socialist")individuals have never picked up Marx or Engels nor have they sat down and attempted to really understand the word "communist."

Therein lies the danger. Communist becomes less of a word with a meaning and more of the unknown or other. The meaning of the word is eliminated and replaced with fear that turns into hatred. I'd venture to say that most Americans during the Vietnam had no clue what a Comuniss (Communist) was. All they knew was that they were told it was bad, it was bad and it was going to take away freedom (another word?).



The Communists in Vietnam, however, probably couldn't have touched any American with a 15,000 mile pole. Really! I can't even express how poor that country was. They lived in villages. Not cities or towns. Villages made up of huts. They picked rice for a living. Those were the dreaded Communists trying to steal American freedom.

The Communists are alive and well today and, according to the advertisements in Penn Station, could be the person sitting next to you on the train. They are now called terrorists. The powers that bee (oligarchs!) throws the word terrorist around constantly. Terrorist, terrorism. You've heard it before (you've probably heard it today).

Today, though, the word terrorist (Communist?) is much more dangerous than the word Communist (terrorist?). It's the only word that can get a person detained indefinitely and "disappeared." Anyone who speaks out against the powers that be (oligarchy!) could be a terrorist. That's the point of these words.

The idea of such a crippling fear of terrorists is ludicrous. It is limiting you as a person. There hasn't been a major terror attack in over ten years. If you are like some others, you might think there hasn't been major terror attack in a longer span of time.



Terrorist is the same as communist. Do you know what a terrorist is? It's one who uses terror to get control. Those who use the word "terrorist" to pass legislation that can destroy the constitution and limit freedom are terrorists. Those who dress in full riot gear to handle peaceful protests are terrorists. Samir in some frowned upon, poor Middle Eastern country is not a terrorist. He is the same as some poor Vietnamese person picking rice. Except he is picking shrapnel out of his legs. All in the name of stopping terror.

The next time you let the oppressive ruling class impress an ideology of fear on you, remember that you cannot be controlled by a word. You are not scared of the boogie man hiding in the dark. How many service people and foreign civilians must die in the name of protecting democracy (another word!) from terror? Truly, how many must perish in the name of a word? Children have died from this word. So have those who think they are defending this country's democracy. The true terrorists hold public office. The true terrorists do not fight with guns but with corrupt legislation.

Don't occupy Wall Street (well, go ahead if you want to, actually). Occupy your mind. Stand up and think outside the ideological box.

Bonnaroo Ahoy!

I'm going to start writing in my blog again. Here is a quick outlook for this years Bonnaroo that I wish I could go to. Look for more posts coming soon!

The summer festival circuit is one of the best ways to see some of
your favorite bands and discover new music all in the same weekend.
One of the most diverse music festivals around is the Bonnaroo Music
and Arts festival. Bonnaroo will take place from June 9th to 12th on a
700 acre farm called Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tennessee. This
is no small-scale operation. Bonnaroo claims space for tens of
thousands of campers on site and is host to over 100 bands and comedy
acts spread over four days, on more than five stages and tents. This
year’s headliners include Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, The
Black Keys and Buffalo Springfield and that’s only the tip of the
iceberg. Several of the lower billed, but not lower quality acts
include The Strokes, The Decemberists, Gregg Allman, Pretty Lights and
many, many more. Aside from all the great music, here are five more
reasons you should go to Bonnaroo:

1. Value: Just to see all four of this year’s top billed acts would
cost you more than the price of a Bonnaroo ticket. In fact, just to
see Eminem and Buffalo Springfield would cost more than the price of a
Bonnaroo ticket. If you’re a broke college student who lives for live
music, going to a festival is the best way to get your money’s worth.
If you see only ten bands the entire weekend, you’ve essentially paid
$30.00 per show. But, if you factor the price of camping, which is
included in the ticket price, you are really getting a good deal.

2. Road Trip! Everyone loves a good road trip, and flying is no way to
start such a festive weekend. From New Jersey the trip is about
sixteen hours. Once you get a little south, the scenery is beautiful.
From open plains, to beautiful mountains it’s definitely worth the
time it takes. Aside from the landscape there are plenty of other
sites to see: The Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee,
and all the Sonic and Waffle House food you can handle.

3. The Food: The food at Bonnaroo is quite diverse and delicious.
There is stuff you may have never heard of such as Arepas, melted
mozzarella cheese sandwiched between two warm corn bread patties.
There’s also stuff you have heard of like gigantic do-it-yourself
burritos. Finally, there is stuff you always wanted to try like tasty
Cajun Alligator Bites and Fries.

4. Party! If you like to party, there is no bigger celebration than a
music festival. At Bonnaroo tens of thousands of people are all
getting together to have a good time. Every stage and tent can turn
into its own dance party; With D.J.’s, electronic and hip-hop acts,
and lots of sick jams, there is never a place where you can’t get your
dance on. If that isn’t enough, there is the Silent Disco where
everyone inside wears headphones so only those inside can hear the
music.

5. Community: By far one of the most fantastic parts of Bonnaroo is
the community that forms. People from all over the United States,
Canada and even overseas come together and create one of the most
densely populated areas in Tennessee for four days. With all of these
people in one place you would expect a giant riot, but that is not the
case. The respect and kindness people have towards total strangers is
astonishing and awe inspiring. This is representative of the true
spirit of Bonnaroo.

So for all you kiddies wishing you could have attended Woodstock in
1969, this is your ticket to that dream. It really is 4 days of “Peace
and Music,” a la the motto of the original Woodstock; And with such a
diverse lineup there is something for everyone, and always something
new to discover. BONNAROOO!

Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

I am so sad. I am heartbroken. Heartbroken in only the way a beautiful woman named Band of Horses can break hearts. I had very high hopes for this album. Everything All The Time had power in sounds like Our Swords and The Funeral and it had heart with I Goto The Barn, Monsters and St. Augustine. Cease To Begin has thick blood with songs like Ode to LRC and Cigarettes, Wedding Bands and moved me to the soul with Detlef Schrempf and Marry Song. Both albums were beautiful and powerful. Then Infinite Arms. It had so much potential. Every song sounded like the last, with a slight pick up toward the end but nothing to inspire me to remember the titles. I am so sad. SO sad. I can't even express my disappointment.

You owe me one Ben. I didn't just download Infinite Arms, I bought it. You owe me big. I wanted you to melt my heart, not break it.

Edit:

This album got better after a few listens. While it isn't what was expecting, it isn't bad. I just wanted to tell Ben he doesn't owe me anything. Unless he wants to get me ticket to a NJ or NY show.

FiKus and Good Love Entertainment

I just wanted to make a post about a new band and an organization I recently came upon: the band FiKus and Good Love Entertainment. FiKus is a sweet jam band from North Jersey. I saw them last Thursday at Tommy Fox's Public House in Bergenfield and my face was totally melted. They busted out a sick cover of Wolfman's Brother, and made me dance like a jungle man with their originals. They are totally awesome and I know that because the dance floor was full up to the stage. I've seen a lot of bands at bars and halls where people stand in the back and sides of the floor like a middle school dance, but not for FiKus. These guys play every Thursday at Tommy Fox's and if you have facebook take a look here: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=120045538029855&ref=ts

Then we have Good Love Entertainment. These guys are an awesome music group dedicated to bringing good music to the people want it and bring people to the good musicians who deserve them. They take on bands like FiKus and Shwizz and Mother's Wine and get them shows and media and just take good care of them. Adam of Good Love even provide psychological help for any bands in need...happy bands make sweet jams.

So next time you are looking for a good time, check out Good Love's facebook site for some live music http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Good-Love-Entertainment/190536617479?v=info&ref=ts

and don't forget your Campy Jammy Land tix! http://www.campjammyland.com/

Ace Enders/River City Extension 4/30

Ace Enders showed up at Ramapo College of New Jersey on Friday April 30th to play a show supporting his solo project I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business. I Can Make A Mess released The World We Know on March 23rd. Ace hung out in the WRPR Ramapo Radio studio for a bit before the show and told us about his 1949 Kay acoustic guitar, his studio’s destruction due to rain and his top musical influences: Pearl Jam’s Single Video Theory documentary, Back to the Future and The Matrix Trilogy. Ace took the stage a little after 10pm, Telecaster in hand and loop station at foot. He got down dirty with tunes from both of his solo projects, I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business and Ace Ender’s and a Million Different People and even threw in some stuff from his band The Early November. Ace made brilliant use of his loop station and guitar, showing the small but dedicated crowd that he could in fact make a mess like nobody’s business all by himself.

Opening bands can be a coin toss, but before Ace, River City Extension took the stage; all eight of them. Sporting instruments like the French horn, trumpet, cello, banjo, and all of your standard rock band axes, keys, and skins these guys (and girls!) shook Ramapo up. The indie, country, bluegrass and what-have-you conglomeration that is River City Extension is sporting the release of their CD The Unmistakable Man on May 7th at the Asbury Lanes.

Big D and the Kids Table, 2/27 Starland Ballroom

Big D and the Kid’s Table are an energetic group of musicians who really know how to put on a good show and everyone knows that good music and a good presence go hand in hand to create a good show. On Saturday, Big D and the Kid’s Table did just that- put on a good Ska show at Starland Ballroom in Sayerville, NJ. Brian Klemm from Suburban Legends has been sitting in on guitar for the tour and did a great job at the kid’s table, along with the backing female voices, the Doped Up Dollies.

The band opened with ‘Little Bitch’ off their album How It Goes. The song was super energetic and got the crowd going for the rest of the set. The night’s set list was based around How It Goes, Strictly Rude, and Fluent In Stroll. The next tune off How It Goes that showed up was ‘Bender,’ introduced by a definition of a bender and an invitation for the crowd to play along with the lyrics every time Big D said ‘drunk’ in the chorus. How It Goes wouldn’t show up again until the encore.
Strictly Rude got a lot of play at the show, including ‘Steady Riot,’ ‘Noise Complaint,’ ‘Shining On,’ ‘Hell On Earth’ ‘Raw Revolution’ and ‘Strictly Rude.’ ‘Noise Complaint’ was out of control with the crowd singing along and going crazy. But then again, playing a song about a noise complaint is destined to be nothing other than rowdy fun, especially when the crowd can yell along to the lyrics: “NOISE COMPLAINT!” ‘Raw Revolution’ rocked the crowd even more than noise complaint, getting everyone to put on their skanking shoes and dig into the pit. ‘Strictly Rude’ was another notable moment when Big D himself busted out the melodica to blow along with this serious reggae infused number
Fluent in Stroll, Bid D and the Kids Table’s most recent album release featured the Doped Up Dollies who were also along for the show. ‘Not Fucking Around,’ ‘Kiss A Week,’ ‘Known To Be Blue,’ and ‘I,I,I’ are all songs off the album that were played. ‘Known To Be Blue’ is a slow number and featured one of the Doped Up Dollies on vocals while Big D took a break. The rest of the songs also featured backing vocals by the Doped Up Dollies. The Dollies also served as backup singers and dancers for most of the rest of the show. ‘Kiss A Week’ also featured Big D taking on an instrument other than his voice, a guitar to fill in the song.
The show ended, but anyone who’s ever been to a show before knows that isn’t the end. After the ever-present “one more song” chant the band came back out to the delight of the crowd with some more tunes off How It Goes. They started off playing ‘My Girlfriend’s On Drugs’ with The Dollies singing along and acting out all sorts of illicit drug use on stage, quite a site to behold. After that the band played ‘LAX,’ a true punk ballad and an awesome way to end the show.
After all the glory of Big D and the Kids Table is said and done, the local openers all deserve honorable mention. The Explosive Sheep are a young, local Ska band doing their thing well. The Waffle Stompers tore it up with their originals and a sweet version of "Proud Mary." The Avon Junkies were also an interesting Ska group, doing something a little different.