Which Side Are You On?

I saw the movie "Harlan County, USA" this weekend. I recommend it very highly. It is about the 1973 Coal workers strike.

During a previous strike in the same county, Florence Reece - the wife of a striking worker, wrote the song "Which Side Are You On?" and I think it may be the greatest song ever written.

Mrs. Reece sings a few verses of it on the movie, and many people have done versions of it since.

Here are some:

Pete Seeger


Dropkick Murphy's


Natalie Merchant (w/ Mrs. Reece in the beginning)


Billy Bragg


The Washington Squares


Movie Trailer:

Why I love YouTube...

I woke up this morning with an obscure 90's song in my head.

I went to YouTube.

There is was...

Everyone, Mr Bungle:



I have this on cassette tape...

Best Band Name Ever...

Big Jef Special


Here's the website.

How I Spent My Friday Night

The Hold Steady at Turner Hall:

RIP Jeff Healey

I always was a big fan of his. From the NYTimes:

Jeff Healey, a Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter whose band sold millions of blues-rock records and who also pursued a passion for old-time jazz, playing the trumpet and clarinet, died on Sunday in Toronto. He was 41.

Drive by Truckers

What did you do last night? And why weren't you at the Pabst?

Another good reason to watch Heroes...

Creator, writer and producer Tim Kring is on the picket line with the Writers strike:

Tim Kring, a producer and writer of the NBC hit “Heroes,” said he had to revise the ending of the show’s 11th episode on the chance that it might be the last one to air this season.

“Fortunately we were able to hustle back,” Kring said from a picket line in an effort to shut down the show. “The audience won’t be left in a lurch.”

Also, guess who doesn't hire union:

“The Oprah Winfrey Show” doesn’t employ union writers and will continue uninterrupted.

The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations

No politics, just a song that you need to hear.

What????

No Heroes until April 24th?

Every Monday at 9:01 PM...

.. I can't wait until Heroes is on next Monday at 8:00 pm.

Can Someone Help Me...?

... care even less about Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnel?

It kinda reminds me of that one time when we went to war with Iraq when all of our news channels were discussing Scott Peterson.

Whatever happened there? I'm sure it all turned out all right...

Gerald Ford, James Brown and the History of Funk...

A witty aside from a review of a recent Fishbone show...

"James Brown got to go to heaven for Christmas," declared Fishbone singer/saxophonist Angelo Moore after the very first song at Harpers Ferry on Wednesday. The veteran funk/ska/punk band owes an obvious debt to the late Godfather of Soul and paid homage by quoting his songs and mimicking his showmanship throughout the night. No mention was made of Gerald Ford, whose impact on the development of funk was less profound.

Good to hear Fishbone is back out on the trail. I was supposed to see them in 2002 (Aug 9th - the day after my birthday) in Milwaukee. I didn't make the show, wouldn't you know I received $500 in needed car replacements for my birthday that year when the radiator of my Jeep died.

Anyway, here's one of my favorite Fishbone songs - I'm sure James Brown would approve. (I won't presume to speak for Pres. Ford.)

Happy Birthday, Stan!

Marvel Comics' Stan Lee turns 84 today!