The Soundboard: Hippies Rock

Yes, you read that correctly.

Today’s tunage is from a band of neo-hippies whose first disc came out in the early 90’s. It was full of things and ideas that most folks who visit RNS and myself find pretty much insipid; ‘no black and white, only gray’, earth worship, pacifism, all the anti-war cliches you can think of, etc.

I bought the album because of today’s featured tunage and then came to the conclusion that as long as this band kept putting out albums at least as well done as this one, I would have to buy them.

The reason for that decision is that, quite plainly, these guys can rock. If you ignore the sideways leftist thought processes and see through the heavy film of patchoulli, their rhythm section just straight up kicks butt.

So, from their debut album, Mental Jewelry, I give you Live

Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition) – Live

Upon my relistening of this album, I also rediscovered the answer to a question every 2A person has asked themselves about rabid anti-gun bigots who are also pacifists: What would they do if their lives were threatened and they had the ability to stop the threat?

The answer I find to be pretty honest, at least from Ed Kowalczyk, lead vox and lyricist for the group, is contained within the choruses of Track 4 on this disc, titled “Brothers Unaware”.

1st Chorus

And if I don’t know who to love, I love them all.

And if I don’t know who to trust, I trust them all.

And if I don’t know who to kill, I may kill myself instead.

2nd Chorus

And if I don’t know who to love, I love them all.

And if I don’t know who to trust, I trust them all.

And if I don’t know who to kill, no suicide…I’m already dead.

No wonder gunnies and right wingers are generally happier in life. I’d hate to have to live like that.