What better place than here; what better time than now?

Music news part 1: Rage Against the Machine reunites at Coachella.  Zach de la Rocha:  "Our current administration needs to be tried, hung and shot," the singer boldly stated. "We need to treat them like the war criminals they are."

Sedition my ass.

Honesty.

Guitarist Tom Morello: "To me, it seems that the world needs songs of rebellion and revolution right now. It's exciting, man."

I got to meet Tom at the Dungeon back at the 1995 Lollapalooza.  What a bright guy.  He needs to come down here for a while for some true inspiration.

Anyway, our neighborhood Greek blogger will pro'lly not like the reception his boys got from an excitable RATM crowd.

Music news part 2: Some people should just STFU and stay in Austin.  Not you, Marcia.

Keith Spera writes: "Finally equipped with a working microphone, Rebennack growled "Right Place, Wrong Time." Jazzfest, however, turned out to be neither the right place nor the right time for Cyril Neville. Advertised as one of the Social Club's guest stars, he pulled a Bobby Charles and didn't show. Neville apparently backed out several days ago, to the frustration of his bandmates. Why? "He was unavailable," Nocentelli said, diplomatically. Porter was more direct: "Cyril has a problem with New Orleans."

No.  Cyril just has a fucking problem.  I love Leo No, he tends to repeat himself as a guitar soloist; but man, let me hear him wail all day rather than deal with Cyril's bitchin.  George tells it like it is. 

H/T to Gary and Seymour for the heads up on my buddy Cyril.

All hell can't stop us now.

Comments

[Carmen]

Dude, with your repeat recollections of music glories past, I have to ask: did you ever meet Lydia Lunch? I was so influenced by one of her books back in the day[http://www.amazon.com/Incriminating-Evidence-Lydia-Lunch/dp/0867193808/ref=sr_1_2/002-4910234-9020003?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177997739&sr=1-2 ]
but as a performer I found her alternately boring and insufferable. Until she sang. She could sing.

Anyhow, I have a friend who loves such stories, and since you had the Donita tale, and now Tom, seemed a logical query.

[Varg]

I like Aaron's "I can't go back to New Orleans because the air bothers my asthma" excuse.

Meanwhile he continues to use the city's reputation to promote his music...

"My profile and the profiles of my brothers have been raised by the storm. People all over the world see us as the face of New Orleans. They want to hear us play. They want to feel that we've survived the storm. They want to be assured that life goes on."

Only the strong...

[R. Eustis]

Hells yeah RATM.

So much fun...

[senior]

In high school I saw RATM play in Chicago. They did not. stop. playing. for probably over two hours. No pauses, no talking... just nonstop rock. It was unlike any show I'd ever seen. Afterwords I picked up some leaflets about Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Voices in the Wilderness campaign to end sanctions in Iraq (remember when that was all we were worried about?). I credit that show with opening my eyes to social injustices.

I wonder how many other young people have been inspired by their music. I'm so glad to see that they're still fighting the good fight...

[Wongo]

Love the collection~Glad you were able to re-group, every once in awlhie I have to go into shut down mode myself just to breathe, catch up and re-define my priorities. I always feel so much better afterwards :)

[Kelly]

Hey Megan, I just had someone email and say they saw my stuff on your site so I had to come see! That's a great shot of Cohen's oernmnat. I should have you come take all my photos for me! The color combo on Cohen & Luke's was one of my favorite this year. Hope you have a blessed 2011!