rebellion...

When Jason (our wonderful, dedicated, hard-working, grossly underpaid manager) informed me that i now had a blog on which to post my various musings, i thought "great... now i need to think of something to say." My first thought was to put together a list of various ventures from other artists that i think people would enjoy*, but then my day took an interesting turn when i rented two movies, which turned out to be wonderful companions. The first, a beautifully frightening fantasy of the not-too-distant future -- the second a beautifully frightening (factual) account of the not-too-distant past. Both films revolved around the central theme of two peoples' rebellion. Both films raised many questions that i will likely be taking on in my future songwriting.

My double-feature began with a second screening of the Wachowski Brother's epic, V for Vendetta. The movie takes place a couple decades from now in a time when "The Former United States of America" is beset with disease and civil war, and Brittan has fallen victim to a fascist regime. i won't go into details because i really think that this is a great film that people should see, but it paints a bleak, but all-too-fathomable picture of what the future could hold. The film made me long for a rebellion against not just our government, but against many of the values which we, as americans, are taught to hold dear from the moment we start watching TV. We have become pacified by the flashing luminescence, and taught to hold material objects in far greater regard than actual experience -- but that's another story altogether.

After feasting on a delicious venison burger courtesy of G's brother Kenzy, I made my mind right and sat down to watch The U.S. vs John Lennon, a Yoko-Authorized account of John's huge influence in American politics during the '70's. The title comes from the immigration case which began in early 1972 when Senator Strom Thurmond sent a letter to President Nixon suggesting that if John were deported, he wouldn't be able to hurt them politically. It painted a picture of the quintessential artist cum activist, and after V... made me long for a fantastical rebellion, it showed me one that, albeit less dramatic, was very real, and very inspiring.

Both of these films brought to mind an essay entitled "Enlightened Rebellion" by Osho, a contemporary Indian mystic, in which he writes "Rebellion is individual action; it has nothing to do with the crowd. Rebellion has nothing to do with politics, power, violence. Rebellion has something to do with changing your consciousness, your silence, your being. It is a spiritual metamorphosis."

I believe that there is something to all of this... i don't know what exactly it all means, but i do know that from this moment, i will work to encourage and nurture my rebellious nature.

Because the world needs more rebels.

Because that's what rock'n'roll is all about anyway, isn't it?

until next time....

be well,
z

"i believe that time wounds all heels"
-j. lennon

*That'll be the next one... i promise.