Vic Chesnutt Dead at 45

Very sad to record Vic's passing here, just a few weeks after touting the strength of his new album, At the Cut. Vic reported to Terry Gross in a recent NPR interview that he no longer felt the suicidal impulses which stalked him earlier in his life, but death's a dog that never gives up the hunt for long. Vic had financial and health problems which could drive anyone to despair. Vic Chesnutt, dead by his own hand (prescription meds overdose) at age 45. RIP.

NY Times Obituary

File-sharing, Piracy, and Freeloading

For those still pondering the differences between anarchy and theft, here's a nicely written column on the ethics of music sharing from Tiny Mix Tapes.

Excerpt:

So while computer networks are functionally means of sharing and copying information, when we enter a torrent search for Ducktails (the artist, not the show), we’re not doing either one of those things in cultural reality. We’re ostensibly accessing an online store where the complete history of recorded music is offered for free. Most of the time, the content is not being offered with permission from the artist or producer. It is effectivelystealing. Cory Doctorow or the EFF can hide behind technicalities and inconsistencies of copyright law (of which there are many) and claim that universal guilt somehow translates to universal innocence and a justified free-for-all, but that does not excuse ignoring basic responsibility for one’s actions. If people want to steal, that’s their choice. At least own up to what’s really going on. The term “file sharing” further muddies an already murky debate.

Full text:

Revisiting “The Myth Of DIY” and the Tragic Logic of Freeloading by Chris Ruen

Ian MacKaye Interview

Listeners to the show know about my admiration for Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Embrace, Fugazi, The Evens). MacKaye, closing out his fifth decade in 2011, remains as relevant as ever. Take a listen to the interview below from The Sound of Young America (Public Radio International, 12/04/09) and see if you don't agree.





Ian MacKaye Interview | The Sound of Young America

Vic Chesnutt on Fresh Air

I talked (and blogged) about Vic Chesnutt a couple weeks back. Vic's new album, At the Cut, is getting some much deserved play and interest, and the mainstream press is taking note. One of the killer tracks from the new album,"Philip Guston," was featured recently on my show (CDH #13, 11/23/09).

Vic and Guy Picciotto talked with Terry Gross on a recent edition of Fresh Air (12/01/09).

Hip-Hop in Dakar

NY Times ran an extremely rich and informative piece on the music scene in Senegal.  Great multi-media presentation.  Lots of tracks to sample, slideshows, and embedded video.

Especially interesting, I thought, was the section on Senegalese hip-hop. For those who want a taste, be sure to check out Nomadic Wax, an American label which has put out a handful of interesting compilations documenting the current hip-hop scene in Dakar.

Nomadic Wax has also co-produced what looks like a very interesting documentary on youth, hip-hop, and politics in Africa.

Democracy in Dakar trailer:


Democracy in Dakar Trailer from Nomadic Wax on Vimeo.

Along similar lines, you might like to pop over here for a giant trove of African hip-hop podcasts.

Muslim Punk Rock!

Can't wait to get a look at Taqwacore, the new film about Muslim punk rockers.

CDH #15 Funk-Da-Fied!

Had a visit from the mothership this week. Took a hiatus from punk rock and alt/indie to throw down some afro-beat, funk, reggae, dub, and hip-hop. The bass was thumping up and down the Chenango Valley!

Playlist for CDH #15 (11/30/09) runs as follows:

1. Antibilas Afrobeat Orchestra, "N.E.S.T.A." (Featured Track)
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Hollywood (Africa)"
3. James Brown, "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud"
4. Sugar Minott, "Africa Is The Black Man's Home"
5. The Meters, "Go For Yourself"
6. Bootsy Collins, "Rubber Duckie"
7. Freestylers, "Ruffneck"
8. Fishbone, "Bonin' in the Boneyard"
9. Lyrics Born (feat. KRS-One), "Pack Up (Remix)"
10. The Clash, "Justice Tonight"
11. The Mr. T Experience, "As Life Goes On..."

Featured Artist

Make sure to bring your passports along for this Brooklyn-based outfit, because the twelve members of Antibilas Afrobeat Orchestra are ready to take you on brass-based trip around the world. Blowing BIG HORNS and weaving WICKED BEATS seems to be second nature for these guys, whether along the lines of jazz, latin, funk, or soul. AAO, says one reviewer, "scatters into so many hyphenated juxtapositions that they've practically become their own genre."

On Broadway: It's no surprise to learn that these guys have been working lately as arrangers, orchestrators, composers, and performers for the critically acclaimed Broadway musical, Fela, based on the life and music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the originator (and still legend) of Afrobeat.

Playing live: AAO has multiple dates coming up in December at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn.

CDH #14 Playlist and Notes

Went back to a (mostly) punk/hardcore format this week and nearly shook the monitors loose from their spot in the studio.

CDH #14 Playlist (11/23/09)

1. Mekons, "32 Weeks"
2. Bad Brains, "Re-Ignition"
3. Jawbox, "Savory"
4. The Germs, "Lexicon Devil"
5. Black Flag, "TV Party"
6. Vic Chesnutt, "Philip Guston" (Featured Below)
7. The Mr. T Experience, "Unpack Your Adjectives"
8. The Clash, "I Fought the Law"
9. Minutemen, "Two Beads At The End"
10. Fugazi, "Reclamation"
11. Quicksand, "Head To Wall"
12. Anti-Flag, "Post-War Breakout"
13. Zoinks, "Sapsucker Sluggo"
14. Dead Kennedys, "California Uber Alles"
15. Weston, "The Truth About Rodney"
16. Misfits, "Where Eagles Dare"
17. Meat Puppets, "Lake of Fire"

Missed the live broadcast? No problem. Download the podcast (56 MB) for your FREE dose of unlaced punk rock!

Feature Track

Some background on Vic Chesnutt (no. 6 above):

Chesnutt wouldn't normally turn up in a set like this one. Most of his stuff runs in the vein of folk rock, though it's probably unfair to categorize him so narrowly.

I first came across Chesnutt in 1994 while reading the liner notes to Jack Logan's Bulk. Didn't make it a point then to explore his work very deeply, but noted his influence on the scene around Athens, GA. Chesnutt had already done some stuff with Michael Stipe (REM), who spoke in the highest terms of his songwriting and musicianship. Can't recall whether I read anything about the car accident which put Chesnutt in a wheelchair in 1983, but I'm glad I didn't. Would have trapped him (or me, I guess) in a context much too shallow.

I came back to Chesnutt many years later, after learning that Guy Picciotto (Rites of Spring and Fugazi) was playing with him and producing some of his work (North Star Deserter, 2007). Piciotto appears again in both capacities on the new album, At The Cut (2009), from which I selected today's no. 6 track, "Philip Guston."

You can grab a free download of "Philip Guston" along with several other cuts from the new album, which is grabbing rave reviews.

On Tour

Chesnutt (w/ Picciotto and others) has shows coming up in San Francisco (November 30), Los Angeles (December 1), and Austin (December 5).

CDH #13 Playlist

Here's the set for CDH #13 (11/16/09). Spanning the globe in search of fresh beats:

1. U-Roy, "Natty Rebel" (Jamaica)
2. Thievery Corporation, "Encounter in Bahia" (USA)
3. Tinarwiren, "Soixante Trois" (Mali/Algeria)
4. Mr. Something Something, "The Prize" (Canada)
5. No Smoking Orchestra, "Unza Unza Time" (Bosnia)
6. Ancient Astronauts, "Classic" (Germany)
7. Seun Kuti, "Mosquito Song" (Nigeria)
8. Balkan Beat Box, "Meboli" (USA/Israel)
9. Tosca, "Chocolate Elvis" (Austria)
10. Tribe Called Quest, "Jazz" (USA)
11. Urban Dance Squad, "Pass the Baton Right" (Netherlands)

Dischord Vinyl Re-Issues

I mentioned this on the show several weeks ago...

Dischord Records, home to (among others) Fugazi, Minor Threat, Jawbox, Q and Not U, The Evens, Dag Nasty, Government Issues, and Lungfish, is in the midst of a major push to re-issue its vinyl catalogue.

These re-issues are being cut from original source tapes and sound great. Purchase of LPs and EPs includes free .mp3 album downloads, so you can have your cake and eat it, too. Vinyl and digital for one low price!

As I type this, Jawbox's For Your Own Special Sweetheart is on its way to me. Go have a listen and see if you don't order the same for yourself.

Rejoice, punkers! Jawbox still echoes...through the canyons of your mind!

Reggae Roots

If you've been listening of late, you know that I've kicked off the last few shows in a reggae way. It's a good transition from the synth-rock that's typically playing in the slot before mine, and the bass lines start to move us in the direction of straight disobedience.

This week (11/16/09) it was U-Roy's "Natty Rebel." Last time around (11/2/09) it was Skatalites' (w/ Bob Marley and the Wailers) "Simmer Down."

I've been a casual reggae listener for a lot of years, but it's only recently that I've made a concerted effort to school myself a bit in the fundamentals of roots and dub.

Toward that end, I've relied heavily on a reggae blog (Roots From My Yard), which a friend passed along to me earlier this year. This is a STELLAR collection of classic 7"s and 12"s served up as downloadable .mp3s, complete with scanned covers. The blog's author maintains a low (read: private) profile, but contributes smart, informative commentary, which nearly always points the way to some new nugget.

So, BIG UP to Lala, whoever you may be.

A Civil Way To Disobey!

I've launched a blog to support my weekly radio show, The Civil Disobedience Hour, which broadcasts live from Colgate University (Hamilton, NY), every Monday from 11 AM to noon.

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ON-AIR

In Central New York, you can pick up the signal here: 90.1 WRCU.

WEB-STREAM

Those living beyond the range of our transmitter can tune in via live stream.

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Stay tuned for weekly playlists, notes on music, and links to some of the websites that inform my tastes and interests.

"All transmitters to full! All receivers to boost!"