Music, Politics, and the Metal Reed
Honest tunes and politics served just as friendly as breakfast.
Award-winning lyricist, guitarist, fiddler, and concertina* stylist, "Fiddlers for Peace" founder, curator of the "Deep Poetry Project", and editor of the Pepper Spray Times. Spiritual advisor and graphic production for the Best of Blasphemy project in Canyon, California. Organizer for the Federal Anti-SLAPP Project 2009, 2004 honoree by the City of Berkeley for homeless advocacy, 2003 honoree for civil liberties activism through music, humor, and art by the Berkeley Commission on the Status of Women, winner of the East Bay Express' readers' poll "Best Solo Performer" for 2002, and selected as one of the San Francisco Bay Guardian's 2001 "Best of the Bay". Featured writer at the Centre for Political Song, Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland, etc. Failure to Disperse Acoustic Revolt and Road Show emsemble and solo performances. Published commentator in local and national fora . Rather than making it big, we of Failure to Disperse have been making it small for decades. Performing at Bay Area venues...
Monday, July 13th, 2009, 7:00 pm at the Kensington Public Library with singer Sharyn Dimmick. Two of the Bay Area's most original talents celebrate their new CDs with a free concert at the Kensington Library. Traditional & original songs for the discerning ear. 61 Arlington, in Kensington, CA. Call (510) 524-3043 for more information.
July 19 (Sunday) 6:00 PM ($35.00) Pier 41, West of Pier 39 near outside booth - Fisherman's Wharf, SF,
Building Bridges and Labor Maritime History Boat Tour! 5:45 PM Boarding, 6:00 PM Departure, Boat leaves promptly at 6:00 PM, Tour lasts 3 hours (...a three hour tour...)A complimentary meal will be provided, however, if you are on a special diet please bring your own food. Join us for this evening cruise on labor history and a close up look at the massive construction project of the eastern span of the San Francisco Bay Bridge. The skills of the ironworkers, operators, carpenters, laborers, electricians and maritime workers who are building this monument are creating a vital link and beautiful artifact of the Bay Area. Joseph Blum who is documenting the construction of this project will let us know what is being done and how they do it. Labor writers Gray Brechin, Tim Drescher, Iron workers Dick Zampa, Mike Daly and others. Music with Richard Taliafarro, Lee Anne Kruk, Carol Denney, Jack Chernos & friends.
To make your reservation: By E-mail: laborfest@laborfest.net or call: (415) 642-8066, and leave your name, phone number and number of people in your party.
You should send a check ($35) to LaborFest, P.O.Box 40983, San Francisco, CA 94140.
We don't send you tickets, but we will either reply to your e-mail or call you back to let you know that we received your reservation, and as soon as we receive your check, your reservation will be confirmed.
You will get your ticket at the pier before you get on the boat. We expect the tickets will be sold out quickly, so please make your reservation early.
We thank the Blue & Gold Fleet for providing the boat, and the members of MMP and ILWU-IBU for volunteering their labor.
Noe Valley Farmers Markets first Saturday mornings with Kerry Parker and Failure to Disperse (except in August 2009)....
"Where'd the Money go? the Bailout Song", an ode to the bailout with special thanks to Alan Greenspan, featured on National Public Radio, available for free download for those who just can't help making fun of old Hank Paulson who loves you very much and only wants what's best for you.
... pick up some recordings:, also available at Downhome Music (www.downhomemusic.com), CDBaby, and Amazon.com.
Click here for the PG&E song,
alternatively titled Write the Check and Shut Up.
July 2009 issue of the Pepper Spray Times.
June 2009 issue of the Pepper Spray Times.
May 2009 issue of the Pepper Spray Times.
A video of the song "Raised to be a Lady" is at this YouTube address:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40G6SG3gILA
The Best of Blasphemy, a project carefully guided to fruition by its spiritual advisor Carol Denney, is now available at http://www.thebestofblasphemy.com/index.html .
Berkeley's community noise guidelines would make Kafka proud.
Dr. Toy's Opportunity It costs nothing to be generous to one's opponents. Graciousness is, at the very least, good exercise.
Drop the SLAPP-Suit: The Real News About People's Park. The real improvement to People's Park isn't anything physical, and they won't let you talk about it.
Life Is Much Better in Jail
New, Enhanced Rules for People's Park
"Bob's Blankets", A short story in remembrance of Bob Nichols.
"Save the Trains - Stop the Politicians"
"For the Gates, a song for San Quentin"
"Another Puppet Committee, or, The Canary in the Freebox"
The Upside of Getting Shot by the Vice President
Don't think for a minute that Berkeley has free speech...1-17-05
"What's going down now in People's Park: donate clothing, get a ticket - how Berkeley can you be?"
Favorite moments in media.
A Simple Music Lesson.
The Deep Poetry Project...The the money spent on Berkeley's most recent
"arts district" project brought about the "Deep Poetry Project", poetry about holes, to highlight the disparity between Addison Street's poetry-pocked sidewalks and west and south Berkeley sidewalks, laden with the essence of evocative art, the hole...
Politics is always worth thoughtful contemplation.
10 Myths About the Freebox in People's Park.
Song for Kevin Freeman, killed in jail for no reason.
Myths about political songs.
The short story of micropower radio.
Don't miss our novel feature, the Poetry Corner.
The Simple Ways to Improve the World page.
"Fiddlers for Peace" page.
Homelessness and the 647j campaign in Berkeley.
Paraleiptic Audio Analysis. The seminar which will change your life, make your bed, and do your laundry.
Observations on World News. Commentary for the bewildered.
The SLAPP-Suit.
The People's Park free speech anomaly still unresolved.
Your personal Permit to Stop the War. Be sure your friends have one.
The Pepper Spray Times. The newsletter for the very brave.
Bio of sorts.
Click the writing hand for critics' comments.
Click the concertina for information without which you may well perish.
Some people can't get enough gratuitous commentary.
You can email your orthoepic observations to "
cdenney (at) igc.org ."