Darius Rucker

Darius Rucker played at Jazzfest today and it was a wonderful performance. Rucker is very distinct among his other country singer counterparts. Many of you may only know him as the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish. In early 2008, Rucker signed to Capitol Records Nashville as the beginning of a career in country music. His first solo single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" debuted at #51 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts for the week of May 3, 2008. It is the first single from his second album, Learn to Live, which was produced by Frank Rogers. Rucker also made his Grand Ole Opry debut in July 2008. "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" reached Top 20 on the country charts in July 2008, making him the first African-American singer to reach Top 20 on the country charts since Charley Pride in 1988. The single reached number one in September, making Rucker the first solo, African-American artist to chart a number one country hit since Pride's "Night Games" in 1983. Rucker's entry into the country world was met with some intrigue, largely because of his history as a rock musician and because he is an African American. Billboard magazine said that "there's a sense of purpose that makes Rucker feel like a member of the country family, rather than calculating interloper." Rucker made visits to various country stations around the country, explaining that he was aware that he was the "new kid on the block." Mike Culotta, the program director of the Tampa, Florida radio station WQYK-FM expected that Rucker would be "somebody who would have entitlement," but instead said that "Darius engaged everybody." When Rucker found that "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" went to number one, he cried. On November 11, 2009, Rucker won the Country Music Association New Artist of the Year award, making him the first African American to do so. Only one other African American has won at the CMA; Charley Pride, who won entertainer of the year in 1971 and male vocalist in 1971-72. I've always thought that he is the symbol that says country music isn't only for white rednecks from the south. This comes to my mind because often times when I tell people I mostly listen to country they respond by saying country is for "hicks and rednecks" or how every song sounds the same.

Dr. Kevorkian

Last Friday the Al Pacino movie You Don't Know Jack opened. It also stars John Goodman and Susan Sarandon. You Don't Know Jack is a biography about Dr. Jack Kevorkian. In case you don't know who Jack Kevorkian is, he is very well known for publicly championing a terminal patient's right to die via physician-assisted suicide. He claims to have assisted at least 130 patients to that end. He famously said that "dying is not a crime." On the November 22, 1998, broadcast of 60 Minutes, Kevorkian allowed the airing of a videotape he had made on September 17, 1998, which depicted the voluntary euthanasia of Thomas Youk, 52, who was in the final stages of ALS. After Youk provided his fully informed consent on September 17, 1998, Kevorkian himself administered a lethal injection. This was highly significant, as all of his earlier clients had reportedly completed the process themselves. During the videotape, Kevorkian dared the authorities to try to convict him or stop him from carrying out assisted suicides. This incited the prosecuting attorney to bring murder charges against Kevorkian, claiming he had single-handedly caused the death. On March 26, 1999, Kevorkian was charged with first-degree homicide and the delivery of a controlled substance. Kevorkian's license to practice medicine had been revoked eight years previously; he was not legally allowed to possess the controlled substance. As homicide law is relatively fixed and routine, this trial was markedly different from earlier ones that involved an area of law in flux. Kevorkian discharged his attorneys and proceeded through the trial representing himself. The judge ordered a criminal defense attorney to remain available at trial for information and advice. Inexperienced in law and persisting in his efforts to represent himself, Kevorkian encountered great difficulty in presenting his evidence and arguments. The Michigan jury found Kevorkian guilty of second-degree homicide. It was proven that he had directly killed a person because Youk was not physically able to kill himself. Youk, unable to assist in his suicide, agreed to let Kevorkian kill him using controlled substances. The judge sentenced Kevorkian to serve 10–25 years in prison and told him: "You were on bond to another judge when you committed this offense, you were not licensed to practice medicine when you committed this offense and you hadn't been licensed for eight years. And you had the audacity to go on national television, show the world what you did and dare the legal system to stop you. Well, sir, consider yourself stopped." Kevorkian was sent to prison in Coldwater, Michigan. Terminally ill with Hepatitis C, which he contracted while doing research on blood transfusions in Vietnam, Kevorkian was expected to die within a year in May 2006. After applying for a pardon, parole, or commutation by the parole board and Governor Jennifer Granholm, he was paroled on June 1, 2007, due to good behavior. He had only spent 8 years and 2½ months behind bars rather than the predicted 10–25 years. "Kevorkian will be on parole for two years, and one of the conditions he must meet is that he cannot help anyone else die. He is also prohibited from providing care for anyone who is older than 62 or is disabled. He could go back to prison if he violates his parole." Kevorkian said he would abstain from assisting any more terminal patients with death, and his role in the matter would strictly be to persuade states to change their laws on assisted suicide. He is also forbidden by the rules of his parole from commenting about assisted suicide.

Kyrgyzstan

I don't know how many people have been paying attention to this but recently it looks like a revolution is brewing in Kyrgyzstan. The mass revolt that toppled the autocratic president of Kyrgyzstan had its roots in the impoverishment of the mass of the population and growing discontent over repression and human rights violations. Predictably, many commentators in the U.S. press focused on the implications for the U.S. airbase in the town of Manas, a critical part of the supply chain for the U.S. war in Afghanistan. Some pundits have pointed the finger at Russia, which was upset over the pro-U.S. tilt of the ousted Kyrgyzstan President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. But Russian President Dimitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin couldn't have been pleased by the sight of demonstrators who defied the police, seized their weapons, and stormed the parliament and the presidential palace. Anxieties will be greater still in the presidential palaces of the neighboring Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, where despots fear a similar mass rebellion. Thus, a popular revolt in a country of just 5 million people has sent shock waves through the region. As Russian author and activist Boris Kagarlitsky said in an interview from Moscow: "This was more of a social uprising then a revolution. There is a lot of unrest. But while people are rebelling against the current regime, they have no trust in the opposition, either. It is a social uprising with very little political perspective. Sooner or later, one or another group of elites will take over, because there is no other political force capable of doing so." Here is a video of what has been taking place over the last few days:

Jello

Most people have at least heard of The Dead Kennedys who are noted for the harshness of their lyrics, which generally express a staunchly left-wing view of contemporary America. Not many know that their lead singer, Jello Biafra ran for mayor of San Francisco in 1979. Biafra even used the Jell-O ad campaign catchphrase, "There's always room for Jello", as his campaign slogan. Having entered the race before creating a campaign platform, Biafra later wrote his platform on a napkin while attending a Pere Ubu concert. As he campaigned, Biafra wore campaign t-shirts from his opponent Quentin Kopp's previous campaign and at one point vacuumed leaves off the front lawn of another opponent, current U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, to mock her publicity stunt of sweeping streets in downtown San Francisco for a few hours. Supporters committed equally odd actions; two well known signs held by supporters said "If he doesn't win I'll kill myself" and "What if he does win?" His platform included unconventional points such as forcing businessmen to wear clown suits within city limits, erecting statues of Dan White, who assassinated Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisior Harvey Milk in 1978, all over town and allowing the parks department to sell eggs and tomatoes with which people could pelt them, and a citywide ban on cars. Biafra has expressed irritation that these parts of his platform attained such notoriety, preferring instead to be remembered for serious proposals such as legalizing squatting in vacant, tax-delinquent buildings and requiring police officers to keep their jobs by running for election voted on by the people of the neighborhoods they patrol. He finished fourth out of a field of ten, receiving 3.79% of the vote (6,591 votes); the election ended in a runoff that did not involve him.

St. Patrick's

It is nearing St. Patrick's day and so I was trying to think of an Irish band to talk about. Sinead O'Connor popped into my head as a very good topic. O'Connor was born in Ireland and most well-known for her controversial actions on Saturday Night Live. O'Connor's career took a political shift on October 3, 1992, when she appeared on Saturday Night Live as a musical guest. She was singing an a cappella version of Bob Marley's "War," which she intended as a protest over the sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church, by changing the lyric "racism" to "child abuse." She then presented a photo of Pope John Paul II to the camera while singing the word "evil," after which she tore the photo into pieces, said "Fight the real enemy," and threw the pieces towards the camera. Two weeks after the Saturday Night Live appearance, she was set to perform "I Believe in You" at the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary tribute concert in Madison Square Garden. She was greeted by a thundering mixture of cheers and jeers. During the booing, Kris Kristofferson told her not to "let the bastards get you down," to which she replied, "I'm not down." The noise eventually became so loud that O'Connor saw no point in starting the scheduled song. She called for the keyboard player to stop and the microphone to be turned up, and then screamed over the audience with an improvised, shouted rendition of "War." This time, she sang the song, stopping just after the part in which the lyrics talk about child abuse. She then looked straight to the audience for a second and left the stage. Kristofferson then comforted her, as she cried. On 22 September 1997, O'Connor was interviewed in Vita, an Italian weekly newspaper. In the interview, she asked the Pope to forgive her. She claimed that the tearing of the photo was "a ridiculous act, the gesture of a girl rebel." She said she did it "because I was in rebellion against the faith, but I was still within the faith." She went on to quote Saint Augustine by saying, "Anger is the first step towards courage."

Pearl Jam

This year's headliner for Voodoofest is Pearl Jam. They are yet another band that has been politically active through my life. Throughout its career, Pearl Jam has promoted wider social and political issues, from pro-choice sentiments to opposition to George W. Bush's presidency. Vedder acts as the band's spokesman on these issues. The band has promoted an array of causes, including awareness of Crohn's disease, which lead guitarist Mike McCready suffers from, Ticketmaster venue monopolization and the environment and wildlife protection, among others. Guitarist Stone Gossard has been active in environmental pursuits, and has been an advocate of Pearl Jam's carbon neutral policy, offsetting the band's environmental impact. Vedder has advocated for the release of the West Memphis 3 for years and Damien Echols, a member of the three, shares a writing credit for the song "Army Reserve." The band publicizes such causes via its official website and includes links to alternative news sources. Pearl Jam have been vocal supporters of the pro-choice movement. In 1992, Spin printed an article by Vedder, entitled "Reclamation" which detailed his views on abortion. In an MTV Unplugged concert the same year, Vedder stood on a stool and wrote "PRO-CHOICE!" on his arm in protest when the band performed the song "Porch." The band are members of a number of pro-choice organizations, including Choice USA and Voters for Choice. As members of Rock the Vote and Vote for Change, the band has encouraged voter registration and participation in United States elections. Vedder was outspoken in support of Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader in 2000, and Pearl Jam played a series of concerts on the Vote for Change tour in October 2004, supporting the candidacy of John Kerry for U.S. President. In a Rolling Stone feature showcasing the Vote for Change tour's performers, Vedder told the magazine, "I supported Ralph Nader in 2000, but it's a time of crisis. We have to get a new administration in." Pearl Jam has performed numerous benefit concerts in aid of charities. For example, the band headlined a Seattle concert in 2001 to support the United Nations' efforts to combat world hunger. The band added a date at the Chicago House of Blues to its 2005 tour to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina; the concert proceeds were donated to Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross and the Jazz Foundation of America.

Toby Keith

Toby Keith has been one of my favorite country singers of all time. Many people just assume all country singers are very conservative, but this is not always the case. Toby Keith calls himself "a Conservative Democrat who is sometimes embarrassed for his party." He endorsed the re-election of President George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election and performed at a Dallas, Texas, rally on the night before the election. Keith also endorsed Democrat Dan Boren in his successful run in Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district and is good friends with Democratic New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. In a January 2007 interview with Newsday, Keith was asked whether he supported the Iraq War. He responded with "Never did", and said he favors setting a time limit on the campaign. He also said, "I don't apologize for being patriotic... If there is something socially incorrect about being patriotic and supporting your troops, then they can kiss my ass on that, because I'm not going to budge on that at all. And that has nothing to do with politics. Politics is what's killing America." Keith said that Barack Obama "looks like a great speaker and a great leader. And I think you can learn on your feet in there, so I don't hold people responsible for not having a whole bunch of political background in the House and Senate." At the same time he remarked, "I think McCain is a great option too." He later called Obama "the best Democratic candidate we’ve had since Bill Clinton." He has also voiced support for Obama on Afghanistan and other decisions: "He hired one of my best friends who I think should run for president someday...Gen. James Jones as a national security adviser. He's sending troops into Afghanistan, help is on the way there. And I'm seeing some really good middle range stuff. I'm giving our commander in chief a chance before I start grabbing. So far, I'm cool with it." Keith has made numerous trips to the Middle East for years to bring entertainment and encouragement to the men and women serving on or near the front lines. “My father was a soldier. He taught his kids to respect veterans,” said Keith. “It’s that respect and the thank-you that we have a military that’s in place and ready to defend our nation; our freedom.” One of Toby Keith's most famous songs his "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" which was prompted by the September 11 attacks.

RATM

As I was trying to think of a protest song to write about in the paper one band came to mind when i though of the word "protest." Rage Against the Machine. They have protested many different topics throughout their existence. But one of the most interesting and controversial things that they've done is when Zach de la Rocha called out the Bush Administration and said they should all be tried as war criminals and hung. The next day Fox News denounced his speech and Zach de la Rocha fearlessly responded in their song "Wake Up" at a concert later: "A couple of months ago, those fascist motherfuckers at the Fox News Network attempted to pin this band into a corner by suggesting that we said that the president should be assassinated. Nah, what we said was that he should be brought to trial as a war criminal and hung and shot. THAT'S what we said. And we don't back away from the position because the real assassinator is Bush, and Cheney and the whole administration for the lives they have destroyed here and in Iraq. They're the ones. And what they refused to air which was far more provocative in my mind and in the minds of my bandmates is this: this system has become so brutal and vicious and cruel that it needs to start wars and profit from the destruction around the world to survive as a world power. THAT's what we said. And we refuse not to stand up, we refuse to back down from that position..." Bold words from one of the most famous lead singers ever.

U2, Green Day and the Saints

As I watched in disbelief the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl the first song I heard played when the game ended was "The Saints are Coming" by U2 and Green Day. Both of these bands have always been very politically active in their worldwide fame. In September 2006, Green Day teamed up with U2 and producer Rick Rubin to record a cover of the song "The Saints Are Coming," originally recorded by The Skids, with an accompanying video. The song was to benefit Music Rising, an organization to help raise money for musicians' instruments lost during Hurricane Katrina, and to bring awareness on the eve of the one year anniversary of the disaster. Green Day have always worked closely with the National Resources Defense Council, one of the only major national environmental organizations to become and stay involved with community activists on the ground in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, to help raise awareness on the United States' dependency on oil. Throughout all of U2's existence they have always been very active in addressing issues concerning poverty, disease, and social injustice.

Eminem

As I was watching the Grammy's last night I could not help to notice that one artist that most people have forgotten about lately is Eminem. Most people don't know him for his politically charged songs but he has quite a few. Eminem is a perfect example of a musical artist that has definitely fought the status quo. From talking about his personal drug problem to murdering his wife in his songs and fighting the Federal Communication Commision's censorship of him. Eminem really is the parent's nightmare. I remember when I was in middle school I had to make a real effort to listen to any of his music because of my parents. They, like most, strongly disapproved of Eminem and anything he had to say. Two of his most popular political songs are "Mosh" and "Square Dance." "Square Dance" was released after the September 11 terrorist attacks and is very critical of the Bush Administration's response to it. "Mosh," a much more popular song that you may have heard on the radio, is another song very critical of the Bush Administration. "Mosh" was released on the internet for free just before the 2004 presidential election. It calls on voters to vote George Bush out of office.

Elvis Presley

Elvis would have been 75 this month. He is yet another person who, through his music, challenged the way things were. Elvis contradicted the ideas of racism and sexual conservatism previously popular in the South. When Elvis' "Thats All Right" aired on a Memphis radio station many listener called in asking for it again and assuming the singer was black. From Elvis' beginning to his national fame he always showed a great amount of respect for African American singers in disregard of the norms of segregation and racial prejudice. Elvis even attended an amusement park on what was a designated "colored night." For actions like this many white adults came to dislike and condemn his music. Elvis' handsome and photogenic looks were widely acknowledged. This performance style had much to do with his sex symbol image. Lester Bangs credited him as "the man who brought overt blatant vulgar sexual frenzy to the popular arts in America." He dated many of the Hollywood stars of the time. Elvis' on-stage gyrations will always be remembered as a first because of the ways it challenged society's norms. Read more.

Never Forgotten

Today we remember the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King lived a life that will never be forgotten and we see the effects of his actions for civil rights every day. There are many songs by many famous musical artists that commemorate the life of Dr. King. One in particular is called "I Have a Dream" by Common. His main message in this song is to speak out against injustice rather than looking the other way. I find that when I think about Dr. King and the legacy he left behind, the first thing that comes to mind is Bloody Sunday. On Bloody Sunday a large group of protesters held a march in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery. During the march local and state police use tear gas and nightsticks to stop the march at a bridge in Selma. When the whole ordeal was done seventeen protesters were hospitalized. The attacks by the police were televised nationwide and roused much more support for the civil rights movement. Because of all the violence on this Sunday it has been referred to as Bloody Sunday. Let us never forget all the people who sacrificed their livelihood for Dr. King's cause.

Me

Hi, my name is Dalton and here is a little bit about myself. As far as music goes I listen to country the most with my favorite singer being Toby Keith. I like almost all other types of music also except for rap. I am an avid sports fan, especially of the Saints. The economy is one of things that drives me crazy today, not because of the recession itself, but the actions taken by our federal leaders attempting to solve the problem.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground

Higher Ground - Red Hot Chili ...

Tool - Stinkfist