MUSIC IS REVOLUTION BENEFIT EVENT AT THE EMERALD THEATER IN MT. CLEMENS MI.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011


This past weekend our first Music Is Revolution benefit event went down in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, produced by Kevin Sharpe of Metro 37 Studio in Detroit. It featured 10 local Detroit bands who slammed out a variety of styles and craftsmanship, all of which was compelling and fueled with energy. That's what the MC5 influence means in terms of a legacy, and it is something to keep as a proud tradition. The atmosphere in the room, a room which was a splendid example of lost theater elegance from the classic age of the early 1900's, was uniquely spirited. Mike Scott, the owner of the venue, commented that he noticed a feeling of community spirit that he had not ever seen there or anywhere else. Everybody was cool, not in a club-crawler sense, not in a "Jersey Shore" sense, but in a sense that makes people feel happy and glad to be a part of something natural. It appears that the concept and the motivation of providing funds for music education in public schools for our young brothers and sisters was, and is, an honorable and popular cause. Right on! Society isn't changing until we give the next generation the values to change it. Then they will do what seems impossible to do in the current political atmosphere. Music can make changes. But what struck me about the evening was a phenomenon that I hadn't envisioned (those are the best); Music Is Revolution can bring us back together. Music Is Revolution can restore the communal feeling that we have lost over the decades. Is it possible that as a music community and culture we can restore our camaraderie? Man, what a trip that would be. I might be over-reacting, but anything is possible, and I would be super stoked to have anything like that come into play.

I know we have a great start and a great group of people helping with the cause. I wouldn't be surprised if a side effect of pushing for an improved public attitude toward education, music in education, and lessening the emphasis on capitalist obsessing brought us closer to the Utopian dream we played with back in the days of the MC5. I'm for it, bring it on.

ARMAGEDDON?

Good day folks....or is it? Let's say we should enjoy it for what it is while we can. Two days ago a Tsunami ripped into the Japanese mainland as a result of an 8.9 seismic event off of its northeastern coastline creating a real life version of a Japanese horror film about death, destruction, and nuclear radiation such as those we often watched on television in the 1970's. The videos of this destruction showed an array of horrendous scenes; immense waters sweeping cars, ships, buildings and waves of rubble relentlessly through a city while creating rivers of streets wherever gravity dictated. The immensity and proportion of the scale was an all too familiar one, causing a flashback to those nuclear mutated creatures that crushed the static landscape and the miniature constructions of the human race. As I watched, I could almost imagine Godzilla or Ghidra stomping their way through panicked humanity, wreaking havoc and the collapse of an organized society. Ah, but it's not over; The nuclear plant that bore the brunt of the tidal force suffered catastrophic consequences. As of today, all four reactors of that plant have been damaged so severely that a total nuclear meltdown could occur with devastating results for the entire planet. In biblical times, and through the Middle Ages even, an event such as this might be interpreted as a punishment; a signal that God is angry. There is a name for it; it is called Armageddon.

So here we are. It's 2011, and what do we have to show that might be evidence that we don't deserve the wrath of God? Hold on; what if it is only a random event such as nature has a predisposed right of way to create? Then isn't it still capable of leveling the empire that mankind has constructed? And isn't it still a plausible moral measurement? Either way it might be time to reflect on the unavoidable demise of the life we have come to assimilate. Either way, at some point we will have to do some intense correcting, because when a path hits a dead end, a new direction is all that is left.

I have watched as the world has grown further and further from the terms the MC5 launched four decades ago. Throughout these years, the fate of advancing capitalism has undermined all of the quality from our sensory perception and creative imagination until we are barely able to connect with the essence of anything. That is because our whole existence is channeled by digital electronics and the capital gains of technology that captivates the consumer public. Instead of pursuing the technology of truer personal enhancement, we have created a world of quicker and immediate personal enhancement, but more importantly, a world of immense capital enhancement. That is, the largess of capital gain has become our ruling factor and god. The banks are running this world, not the people. This is not a sermon or a complaint that we aren't religious enough; that is everyone's personal matter. I don't care what anyone believes drives this existence. What I do care about is what do we get out of it, and brother, I think we are being cheated of our freedom by the financial monster we allowed rule our behavior. Watching the TV as the monumental destruction was taking place on the other side of the Pacific, I could not help but envision the allegorical end of the world taking place here and now.

Should the tsunami of 2011 reduce this world to a wash of rubble on a hilltop as in the story of the biblical Noah, then so it shall be and amen. But if we manage to escape once again our lack of understanding of the whys and wherefores of our decisions, it should be time to reassess our values, once again. We best pay attention to educating our children. We best pay attention to creating values that mean something instead of tsunamis of digital deference from creative forms of art and music. After all it is for every life to find meaning and truth for its taking. Let's remember that what it is to be enthralled with life itself.

As I stand here, looking down the last stretch of my own path, I still see the greatness of being alive. I still see the things that made it an overwhelming mystical trip. That I played in the MC5 was only one part of it, but what a part it was! Music is revolution!

DOLL DRIVE RAFFLE PRIZE

Here is my art contribution for the 7th Annual Doll Drive Raffle. Numero uno in the Siren Series. The winner of this baby will own the inaugural piece. If you are in L.A., you can hook up with the Hell's Belles this Thursday, December 16, at Villian's Tavern in Los Angeles, free admission.

7th ANNUAL DOLL DRIVE

Huge thanks to Cristina Marth for donations sent to us for the 7th Annual Doll Drive in Los Angeles on December 16. These art creations will be available for the raffle drawing that takes place on the evening of the party. Cristina has also enlisted the help of her friend and fellow artist, Jan Robb, and we send our deep felt thanks.

GoodSearch

Find What You Are Looking For and Help Music Revolution Too! Please go to goodsearch.com and choose The Music Is Revolution Foundation as your charity. Then every time you use GoodSearch as your search engine, you will be helping us help teachers keep music education alive in public schools! And it is free for you. So, please do this now and tell your friends too. Instead of pouring millions into Google's coffers, add a few cents into Music Is Revolution, and feel good about it.

KOTJ, MD

Music Is Revolution Now!

Hi guys...and gals.

Music Is Revolution has moved to Portland. It is a great city with much good vibe and outlandish beautiful culture, not to mention its natual attributes and awesome historical significance. We are happy to be here, but once again, our society is under the desperation that accompanies hard times, and we are provoked bring some help for the cause. With the current crisis in the economy, unemployment at all time highs, and inability of our public resources to provide funding for education, the state of our educational system faces the deepest cuts in funding that all but eliminate music from the school experience. I know what music has given me in my life, and wonder what the lack of it might have been like. That is something that is hard to imagine. It is up to us, as private and concerned citizens to provide help where help is not possible from public resources. Music Is Revolution is currently building a new website and acquiring new friends here and around the world even, to bring the cause of music education into focus for the positive benefits that it brings us. Music Is Revolution is also arranging fund raising events so everyone can join the power that we can create.

I am going to be posting all of the activities of MIR right here. If anyone wants to be a part of my solution, leave me your email contact and I will be in touch. The time is right now. Let's get it rolling. You can help me help what society has a hard time recognizing; that it is our youth, our children, who will be holding the controls of the world in a short amount of time. Let's give them what we know will bring about a better world; a musicly enriched heart and soul. Thanks to you all.

Yours faithfully, Michael Davis

REPAIRMAN NARROWLY ESCAPES SATANIC CULT

A small SUV pulled into the driveway as we sat at the supper table with our guest for the evening, Chris La Tray. I had been waiting for a repair person, who was scheduled to arrive between 5 and 7 that evening to fix our washing machine. Having 3 boys in the house can create a massive pile-up of laundry if not dealt with as it occurs. So, the odd hour of service was something I could tolerate if I could get the thing fixed without delay. It was approaching 8 PM when he finally arrived. I asked Chris to excuse me while I showed the repairman to the laundry room.
I went through the garage and opened the side door to allow the repairman entry so we wouldn't have to go through the main part of the house. In the dark I saw a wiry little man with gnome-like features. He was wearing a baseball cap. He looked to be around fifty years of age or so, and carried his toolbox over his shoulder. As we entered the garage in the light, he gestured toward my hoodie and made a curious remark. "You know what that symbol is, dontcha?" "Which?" I replied. "That one there, on yer shirt". I looked down at the yellow icon printed on my black Obey hoodie, a gear with a five-pointed star depicting the face of Andre the Giant in its center. " Yes, All City Posse", I told him, "It's a brand, you know, the name of the line, a brand". "It's the sign of the devil", he said, with utter conviction. "It's a pentagram, the sign of the devil!" "Well, no, that would be if it were upside down, with the two points on top instead of one". "That, is a pentagram! The sign of the DEVIL". He paused, and mulled over the predicament he was facing. He could shortly be on his knees, with his face close to Satan's washing machine, which could have dire implications. Did he really want to be the devil's humble servant, on his knees, kissing the backside of his clothes washer? He shook his head, and stiffened. "Naw, I don't work for people who don't love God", he declared. He wheeled about and veered out of the door, back to his SUV replacing the toolbox in the hatch and getting in to drive himself out of harms way.
I returned to the supper table and our guest. Everyone was finishing the fine spaghetti my wife had prepared. "Everything ok?" Angela asked. "Damn", I said, "I almost got one, but he must have caught a glimpse of my horns or my barbed tail when he came in the door, cuz he got all bent and started carrying on about the damn hoodie with Andre the Giant's puss on it".

I could not believe it, it was so unreal when it was happening. I didn't see how any of it mattered. The guy must have felt completely overcome by the sight of the Giant, Andre. But then it's weird because people really loved Andre the Giant. He was like a big picked on baby. He probably never heard of Andre, and was just scared by his face, and thought it was the devil. So, I ask, what are you going to do? We may have come a long way, but we still have a longer way to go. BWAH ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.........