Sophie B. Hawkins jumps over Obama’s bus, but unfortunately most of her pants don’t make it.
According to The Hill the political opinions of a washed-up adult-contemporary pseudo-hippy qualify as “news.” Has anyone checked in with other one-hit wonders from the 90’s like Right Said Fred or Lou Bega?:
Singer Sophie B. Hawkins told The Hill on Thursday that “America’s being thrown under the bus” by President Barack Obama as he presses forward with his agenda and comes under criticism for his response to the Gulf oil spill. [...]
The singer campaigned on the trail with Hillary Rodham Clinton during her presidential campaign, and told The Hil from her tour bus that she “never believed in [Obama’s] philosophy”—which she said runs contrary to her beliefs in “smaller government, smart government, flexible government.”
“I think the writing was on the wall,” Hawkins said. “I honestly couldn’t believe so many people were into him.”
She describes herself as a centrist who’s identified with the Democratic and Green parties, but said even though she’s never been Republican she wouldn’t cross that vote off the list if the right leader came along.
In fact, she’s open to a Republican Congress.
“I want the Congress that really is going to listen to the people,” she said. “I really don’t care what party it is anymore.”
Hawkins said she attended a Tea Party rally in Santa Monica, Calif., that was “mostly all Democrats.”
“The Tea Parties are only here because people are not listening,” she said.
The singer said she viewed the government’s attitude as “arrogant” and said people are hungry for leaders who will “take us in a direction that’s truly American.”
Hawkins also complained that Obama doesn’t make her feel like moving her life up another level:
The band that made me want take up drums, and the song that gave voice to every teenage boy’s frustration. The band was written off as a one-hit wonder, but what a hit!
Doug Fieger died yesterday at 57, after a long battle with brain and lung cancer. Drummer Bruce Gary died in ‘06.
I got a sad yesterday when I found out the New Zealand’s do-it-yourself musical mastermind Chris Knox had a stroke this summer (via Pitchfork). I’ve really got to get my priorities straight when I know useless things like who Bart Septak’s fucking barber is but I find out several months late that one of my favorite musicians of all-time was taken down by a terrible malady. Gack.
Here are a few videos featuring Knox and his epic two-man band the Tall Dwarfs to honor a great man. Here’s to a very speedy recovery.
Tom Waits’ new album Glitter and Doom Live, including “Trampled Rose” and a bonus disc of nothing but Tom’s spectacular stage patter, is coming out on November 24th and to promo the release they’re giving away the first eight songs from it for free here. Go get ‘em.
We lost three great musicians recently: “One-man folk festival”Mike Seeger of the horribly underrated New Lost City Ramblers, master jazz drummer Rashied Ali, and guitar legend (in every sense of the word) Les Paul. I’ll miss them all very much.
Barack Obama lived a life of accomplishment, an upward trajectory from Punahou to Harvard, Springfield to the White House that seems incredibly void of demons whereas Jackson was all demons. They’re no more alike personally than
Okay, I lied. It’s Micachu and the Shapes. Their new album Jewellery saved me after an interminable subway commute (fuck you G train, you horrible, horrible thing!) from Queens to Brooklyn last night. I lost count of how many times I listened to the mangled semi-acoustic stomp-ditty “Eat Your Heart.” Hands down my favorite song so far this year. You can check it out and download it (and two other songs) here.
p.s. BTW, if you were bummed that this really wasn’t a Susan Boyle video, here’s a discovered recording of her singing “Cry Me a River” for a charity CD in ‘99. Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.
In celebration of a very nice kick-off to the wonderful Celebrate Brooklyn music series in Prospect Park, here are two visually stunning videos from the N.A.S.A. collaboration for songs featuring David Byrne. This first one is both gorgeous and disturbing, and showcases art by the extremely talented Marcel Dzama:
