Song Talk with Morry Campbell

The Goddess Annie Lennox Speaks On Reclaiming Feminism

Yeah, it may date me, but I think Annie Lennox is still one of the most amazing voices in popular music (hence my designation of "goddess"). And she's also an activist for women's issues. Below is a post that Ms. Lennox penned and is posted on Huffington Post. It's a sobering read. And deserving of attention.

Annie's words start below. Clicking the link will take you to the original article.

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It shocks, disappoints and angers me that in a world where man has traveled to the moon and where we can connect to people anywhere on earth instantly online, men and women are still not equal.

via www.huffingtonpost.com

THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE IS UNDER ASSAULT!

I know this is supposed to be a music blog, but I've strayed a bit now and then in the past, and I'm about to stray again. If you really think marriage is under assault, then click through because I have a challenge for you. If you say, "Morry, you must be nuts!  Marriage is not under assault, how silly of you to say so!" then skip this one. It's really not about music and music is what you came here for.

Tea Party: The Video

Okay, so a good friend of mine suggested I put the Tea Party mini-dance number to a video, so here it is. Thanks to Mr. Keith Olbermann for the quote and the vocal. So, without further ado, Here's the Tea Party Ramble, with vocals by yours truly, and Keith Olbermann. NOTE: If you're sympathetic to the Tea Party and their goings-on, you may want to skip this one...

Mitchell Bard: A Tribute to Olbermann: Why He Is Different From the Pundits at Fox News

Black and white is easy; nuance is hard. Which is why it's much easier to just lump media outlets and personalities into simple boxes: left v. right, or partisan v. objective, for example.

via www.huffingtonpost.com

I'm saddened by Keith Olbermann's departure from our air waves. This tribute by Mitchell Bard sort of sums up my feelings about losing one of the lions for the common person on a news channel.

Rally to Restore Sanity Sanity slightly insane

I'm a big fan of both Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. We ditched our cable about a year ago, but The Daily Show and The Colbert Report were two of the reasons I we took so long to cancel the service. And I still miss their shows more than any other cable show that is not easily viewed on the internet. (Yeah, I know you can watch on Comedy Central's website, but not nearly as easily or as slickly as you used to be able to watch them on Hulu. What's up with that, Comedy Central?).

Anyway, the point is, I have a lot of respect for both of these men and I generally agree with their points of view. However, Bill Maher had some good comments about their recent event in Wash, DC, and I think they are worth repeating. So I'm embedding the video here, without further comment.

Call my Senator, and tell him you're not happy

As long as we're off of the songwriting topic already, I want to encourage everyone and anyone to call my State Senator and tell him how displeased you are that he is opposing fair and equal treatment for all New Yorkers.

Senator George Onorato, (D) District 012, pictured above, plans to oppose the marriage equality legislation that is soon to be presented and voted upon in the New York State Senate.

I don't know why he opposes it. I've been emailing him and calling his office for an explanation, and have not received one as of yet. I can only assume, however, that he's making this rather antiquated, regressive stand on his religious convictions. With a name like "Oronato," I'm guessing Catholic.

Please explain to him that he is is a Senator, and not a Cardinal. This is a democracy, not a Theocracy. Religious sentiment has no place in creating civil rights laws. Everybody deserves equal treatment under the law. (You know the drill: be respectful, but firm and to the point).

Call Senator Onorato and tell him to do the right thing. Tell him to support marriage equality in the State of New York.

Albany: 518-455-3486

Long Island City: 718-726-9706

email: onorato@senate.state.ny.us

Guerilla music promotion

I was accosted by a Rap artist on Sixth Avenue Thursday afternoon.  He was out hocking his CD, one he had obviously produced himself.  I hate being approached in the street, especially when it ends up someone is trying to sell me something.  So I was wary when he stopped me. I was immediately hostile, my first reaction, get rid of the guy as quickly as possible.  But he absorbed my first wave, and asked me if I knew the bass player from Pearl Jam, whom he asserted was from Montana (I was wearing a Montana sweatshirt).  And it turns out he was right.  Jeff Ament, the bass player for Pearl Jam, was indeed born in Montana, and not only that, but he was born in my home town, Havre.  Havre  Montana.  I was having a conversation on Sixth Avenue and 8th Street with a rapper about Montana.  And I ended up buying a CD. Now, I"m not a big fan of Rap music.  I've never understood the popularity of Rap.  I'm a bit of a philistine that way.  And yet I ended up buying the CD.  I'm going to see if I can explain to you, and to myself, why that happened.