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. Winner of the 2009 Oldtime Spirit award from the Augusta Music Heritage Festival. Performing at Bay Area venues...
Noe Valley Farmers Markets occasional first Saturday mornings (Jan. 2, 2010, March 6th, 2010 with Kerry Parker and Failure to Disperse ....
What's new? Two new recordings:
Maggots in the Sheep Hide , a 2009 recording of all traditional oldtime songs, as well as
The Riley Boys, a 2009 recording of all original songs.
Also:
A book, "The Inner Life of Pumpkins". For the bargain price of $5.95, a book which took years to write and research.
"Smokers Are Scum", a song written 12-25-09 after working the holiday street fairs. Gentle commentary on the more obvious perils of street performing, emphasizing, of course, the generally productive nature of discussions with smokers about secondhand smoke exposure.
"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.
How to Build Your Own Concertina , a step-by-step instruction for beginners.
February 2010 issue of the Pepper Spray Times.
January 2010 issue of the Pepper Spray Times.
December 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 ."