Alright, let me try to get this thing restarted...
Yes, yes, I've been away from here for a bit. Life. Rats. Leaky windows. Plumbing. Global financial meltdown. Kids. That's why...
But enough of that - what better way to get restarted than with me waving the flag of Contrast Podcast, which this week experienced Change thanks to Dearest Adam's theme. There's certainly much about metamorphoses on offer, but what hasn't changed is the fine mix of clever intros and rock-solid music choices. Download it here, and comment here, if you please. And if you want to see what you're getting:
(00:00) Dudley Moore - Goodbye George
Tim from The face of today
(04:23) Billy Bragg - Days like these (DC Mix)
Adam from Pretending life is like a song
(08:08) Steve Forbert - The change song
Natalie from Mini-Obs
(13:38) The Faint - Agenda suicide
FiL from Pogoagogo
(19:04) Julie London - There’ll be some changes
ZB from So the wind won’t blow it all away
(21:53) Moloko - Remain the same
Chris from Phosphorous.net
(27:05) John Betram - Change
Linda from Speed of Dark
(31:09) The Red Guitars - Good technology
John Q.
(36:16) The Charlatans - Everything changed
Tricia
(40:04) Rancid - Tropical London
Eiron from The S+7 Method
(44:04) Pink Nasty - Don’t ever change
Marcy from Lost in your inbox
(48:07) Fountains of Wayne - New Routine
Thom from Better in the Dark
(52:47) Ruut - Changes
James from Appetite For Distraction
(56:54) Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Are you ready to be heartbroken?
Greer from A Sweet Unrest
(01:00:33) The Low Scores & MF Doom - Change the beat
Bob from Gimme Tinnitus
(01:04:40) Dean Whitbread ft Danny Payne on drums - The other side
Dean from Pod of Funk
(01:09:02) Mildred Bailey and her orchestra with The Delta Rhythm Boys - There’ll be some changes made
The In Crowd from I’m Learning to Share!
(01:11:36) Billy Bragg - A change is gonna come (live)
Dirk from Sexy Loser
(01:16:29) Leonard Cohen - Democracy
JC aka The Vinyl Villian
Given the then-upcoming US election, I figured there'd be many contributions inspired by the electrifying campaign of now-President-elect (oh YEAH, that feels so GOOD to type!!) Obama. I toyed with the idea of following suit, but opted instead for a story of personal change, and how music was its handmaiden. You'll have to listen to the podcast to hear the tale, but suffice to say it involved the near death of the soul and how a suicidal song helped forestall its demise. Another song that assisted was "I Am A Revenant" by LA punk outfit The Distillers. Singer Brody Dalle's harsh screams of rage reminded me that although I might be walking dead, I was still walking...
Distillers - I Am A Revenant (buy here)
I also considered posting an aptly named Style Council tune, and using it as a trope for describing how my love for The Jam changed to indifference during the career of the Council, then accelerated into derision after Weller frolicked into the wild Wildwood of Dadrock and wooden beads. But Dearest JC and Dearest Adam both had already echoed similar sentiments here and here, so I spared you my polemic.
The Style Council - My Ever Changing Moods (buy here)
Finally, had I decided to wax hopeful about the election, I would have pinned my passion to an wholly apposite track by the multicultural marvel that is Cornershop.
Cornershop - Change (buy here or e-here)
Dearest Friends, I was indeed thrilled that the promise of change triumphed this past Tuesday. But my joy was tempered somewhat by change of the wrong kind: the passing of Proposition 8 in California, which removes the recently granted right of same-sex couples to marry. For goodness sake, why shouldn't two folks who love each other be allowed to commit themselves to each other formally and legally, regardless of their sex? What's that you say, Cardinal Mahoney? It's not "God's plan for people living upon this earth throughout time?" Well then, I hope you're following all the rest of God's plan, including banning cheeseburgers (Exodus 23:19 "Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk"). Folks, there's still change to be fought for...
So at the risk of being rude, this one's for the 5,424,916 Californians who voted for Prop 8:
The Senseless Things - Homophobic Asshole (buy here)
Posts
Stumble It!
7 comments:
"For goodness sake, why shouldn't two folks who love each other be allowed to commit themselves to each other formally and legally, regardless of their sex?"
Exactly! It infuriates me that people feel that they have the right to dictate to another person, that they feel that they have the right to tell them who they can and can't love and commit to. It's absolute hogwash. And so bloody ignorant.
Well said FiL!
Before I start, let me say I agree wholeheartedly with you about this Prop 8 business. The danger of too much democracy, eh?
The great irony of this Prop 8 business is that blacks and Hispanics overwhelmingly voted for it. So, in California, those stalwart volunteers who were driving Obama supporters to the polls were also driving Prop 8 voters to the polls! Welcome to the whacky world of politics, kids.
Politics is the art of possible and, as much as we'd like the world to change overnight, we typically have to focus on achieving acceptable compromises.
Remember, contrary to the propaganda at the time, Tony Blair didn't make gay marriage legal in Britain. He brought in a form of civil union for gays which, as I understand it, still exists in California.
The thing that obsesses the ultra-religious types is the word "marriage". Few of them object to civil union, or at least they don't object as strongly. So, fine, let them have their word.
If having two different words for marriage is all that it takes to make hysterical homophobia go to sleep for awhile, maybe that's not such a bad strategy.
And then, 10-20 years from now, when the practice is ingrained and irreversible, then some bureaucrat can say "hey, it's inefficient having two words for marriage. Let's just have one." Sneaky, huh?
Yup. One step forward towards rationality, openness and compassion - one step back towards the stupidity and fear so many of us seem not to be able to shake off. Thanks for reminding us that all's not rosy in the post-W world, FiL.
I heard some evangelical on the radio going on about Prop 8 and she was all like "Well the next thing you know it'll be cats and women, dogs and cats, men and pigs..." and someone else droning on about how it undermined the sanctity of 'real' marriages. Really? If a notion as phantasmagoric as that can undermine the conviction of your own marriage, hoo boy - that relationship weren't built on that much to begin with, was it?
Dearest Agnes, many thanks, though I'm not sure how well said it was! It was certainly said with a burning heart...
Dearest Mentok, as ever the voice of reason - and thank you for that! Indeed, I agree that from a practical perspective it is largely a matter of semantics. I say "largely" because there are some tangible benefits at the state level that accrue to marriages, but not civil unions (e.g. filing jointly for state taxes).
That said, the semantics are important, as they send the following message loud and clear to the gay community: "You are second-class citizens. I perceive you as a threat to my way of life. I will not treat you as equals." And that's just not acceptable.
I'm also not sure conceding the nomenclature balance will dampen down homophobia; it may well give it compost to thrive. But I do agree that it will take time to change attitudes such that 10-20 years from now we'll all be saying "WTF was THAT all about??"
Dearest Beesh, amen!!
i'm pinning my hopes on gloria allred, san francisco lawyer extraordinaire, who is leading the fight to challenge the legality of the proposition/law.
alas, lyle points out an interesting finding regarding the folks who split their ticket, so to speak, between obama and prop 8. i think it's more important at the moment that obama won, although that in no way means that i think prop 8 is less important. i'm just trying to look at the bigger picture, and i think it's more likely that californians will be able to rectify this mistake with obama in the white house than it would be if obama weren't elected.
smashing to have you back and fighting our corner mister.
x
Post a Comment