Gil Scott-Heron televised the revolution

Gil Scott-Heron televised the revolution

DJ Danny, A.K.A. Akalepse holding Gil Scott-Heron's Winter in America


It was 1987. Public Enemy had just popped into the scene. We were clueless pre-adults about to be released into the world. We knew who Malcolm X was from English class which only really came together after hearing their words and his radical words pumped out through the speakers of the political defense system that the revolution would in fact not be televised. Or would it? We knew the Beastie Boys brought us some awesome party music but there was no way they invented this music. The nerative was too pure with all sorts thoughts and stories making history real-time. The master at telling them was Gil Scot-Heron who preached about a black and proud nation. PE took the bass and drum parts isolated and amplified their message to give rap music edge. We were white kids and we went deep. Explored hip-hop tape and records shops in Plainfield NJ in the middle of the day for more. Where we just used to buy beer and pot. This time the contra-band was Hip Hop. More radical than punk rock and hardcore. Gil Scot-Heron let us know this has been going on for awhile and PE were just some of the messengers. Thanks Beasties for making it alright and RIP Gil — G*d Bless.

H2Ogate Blues MP3 by Gil Scott-Heron from Winter in America (1974)
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised MP3 from Pieces of the Man (1971)
Caught, Can We Get a Witness? MP3 by Public Enemy from It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
Public Enemy No. 1 MP3 by PE from Yo Bum Rush The Show (1987)
Shake Your Rump MP3 by Beastie Boys from Paul’s Boutique (1989)
Posse In Effect MP3 from Licensed to iLL (1986)

Dis is related:
Kool DJ Red Alert
DJ Akalepse

Osama Bin Laden is dead – Now what?

Osama Bin Laden is dead – Now what?

How much did it cost to kill an Arab?

I’m not sure how Joe Strummer would feel about “free” world revenge but him being killed 8 years later is an acitivity we must question. Was justice really served? Was this our only option? Shouldn’t we have just taken him prisoner? Is the cost of his martyrdom something we’re willing to pay? Sure, the cost of lives and cold hard cash are one of the things that have been hitting us through industrial complex and then there is the loss of feeling secure by our boarders.

Total mind changer.

For the record we normally like to keep this blog poli-agnostic. But here’s a selection of some of the tweets from the last 24hrs capturing this event which may envigorate the beehive in ways we have yet to understand. From an extremists point of view Osama Bin Laden is/was their JFK. Crazy like Hitler but none the less a scary figure like Kadafi. Filmmaker Michael Moore was on fire!

Here’s what the twittersphere has been saying:
@MMFlint Cost of war to the U.S. since 2001: 1.2 trillion dollars. Interrupting Celebrity Apprentice: Priceless. (via Mike Olpin)

@MMFlint via Michael Moore
FOX News: Elderly Man on Dialysis Killed by Young African-American Male

@MMFlint CNN reports Osama buried at sea. Am I the only one that smells something funky?

@TheRodcast: PLEASE GOD LET IT BE A GAY SOLDIER WHO KILLED BIN LADEN

@GhostOsama via Osama Bin Laden
Well this sucks…I accidentally enabled location on my tweet

@andersoncooper Anderson Cooper
Does anyone else find it moving hearing people singing our national anthem outside the white house gates? I do.

@williammullin Bush just choked on a pretzel. #binladendead

@JennyJohnsonHi5 by Jenny Johnson
Obama says the US sent a clear message to the Taliban following bin Laden’s death, that message was a text which read “WTF! ROFLMAO! xo USA”

@UncleRUSH Russell Simmons
I’m not saying I’m not glad we got Bin Laden I’m saying the loud celebration outside my apt (world trade) hurt my spirit.

@kevinhoskins
Osama jokes and Jack Bauer tweets are SO last night, people.

“When you blame yourself, you learn from it. If you blame someone else, you don’t learn nothing, cause hey, it’s not your fault, it’s his fault, over there.” -Joe Strummer

Playlist for Black Op helicopters:
Somebody Got Murdered MP3 by The Clash
Killing An Arab MP3 by The Cure
Bela Lugosi’s Dead MP3 by Bauhaus
Rock the Casbah MP3

Ode to Dennis Hopper a subculture icon

Ode to Dennis Hopper a subculture icon


Dennis Hopper 1936-2010 – Total shame about Mr. Hopper passing this past week. He was definitely one of those guys you’d want to meet to see if he was the real deal which from all accounts he was. He was a talented photographer, a icon and certainly a bad influence or good depending how you look at it. All the movies I saw him in over and over again growing up were always on the edge. He freely and easily spoke to a youth subculture of decent, hippies and drugs. The most bizarre character was the freaky Frank Booth in the David Lynch film Blue Velvet but then again all were pretty out there man. Here are some tracks for your pot mix.

Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf from the Easy Rider Soundtrack
The End by The Doors Featured in Apocalypse Now
Puffy Clouds – By Ween
Handshake Drugs – By Wilco live at Troutdale

Ian Curtis from Joy Division Died 30 years ago today

Ian Curtis from Joy Division Died 30 years ago today


Just, yesterday I was walking down 10th Ave and I saw this chick wearing an old unknown pleasures T-shirt and I thought to myself. Nobody wears or makes cool band art anymore. This design is a simple classic illustration that you can almost hear. Created by the band that originally came in a textured sleeve with no track listing on the back cover to speak of. Just black and mysterious. Such an awesome place in time when you discover this record helps you creep inside into the impossible. Then you realize there is this guy Peter Hook who plays the bass as the lead instrument and your musical world explodes.

Side one “Outside”Disorder Side two “Inside” Shadowplay
from Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division

Whatever happend I Apologize – Jay Bennett

Whatever happend I Apologize – Jay Bennett


Is there such a thing as the 5th Beatle? The guy who you have in your creative circle and gotten into arguments as documented in the film I Am Trying To Break Your Heart? This is Jay Benett (RIP 1963-2009) or at least how most of us will remember him as the creative muse and friend of Jeff Tweedy. Welcome to your acoustic singer songwriter overdose and posts of some really great stories. It does not really matter how he went but one of many cautionary tales of loss and we can talk and talk about it or just listen and have a few.

Grab a zip of Whatever Happened, I Apologize from Chrome Waves
Heather from fuel friends offers up a video and a couple mp3s with Jay playing with Jeff

Tank Boy remembers running into Jay and shares his story
Ohm Park posted a whole live show Jeff Tweedy w/ Jay Bennett from 11-20-1996.
Chicago Sun Times Jim Derogatis following the Obit.
Good Jay Bennett interview on My Old Kentucky Blog from December 2008

Here are some selects:
Jay Bennett – The Engines are Idle
Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett on Banjo – We’ve Been Had – from the Cost What? Bootleg
Venus Stop this Train – Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot demo – Jay on Piano