Hungry for War

Since I am no longer in school, I have taken it upon myself to keep my education going. This quest has been relatively easy for someone like me who has a mind that needs new stimulation constantly. One of the myriad of themes I have chosen to focus on is War. After five years of studying political science, I still do not feel that I have been taught enough about the U.S.'s involvement in a number of wars such as Vietnam, Korea, the Philippines, the Spanish American War, Japan, etc...

There is no one definitive text that spells out why, when, where, and how the US got involved in these wars (arguably A People's History of the United States does just that, however, it is more focused on the people that participated in the war). War has always seemed like a rather silly concept to me. Why would you fight another country to achieve the eventual goal of peace? Most wars are fought under the banner of peace and democracy but achieve the exact opposite.

The two wars that have peaked my curiosity most recently are Vietnam and Korea. I think the reason I have been so interested in both of these conflicts is because the public was largely in the dark about both of them. The reporting was nothing like it is today and the United States government spun the majority of intelligence that came down from the Armed Forces anyways. Along those same lines, Korea and Vietnam seem to me to accurately represent what the Iraq War is to our generation. This time, however, there is no excuse for supporting the war.

In my crusade to come to terms with why the government will not come clean to the American public, I stumbled upon the following two quotations which made my heart pound. The first is from I.F. Stone, the influential American Journalist who dedicated his life to uncovering Secret History.

On the Korean War: " While the arms race and the attendant inflation were ruining America's allies, American leadership was still gripped by the dread of the consequences of peace upon the economy. This dread was dictating the actions of the politicians and business leaders. An economy accustomed to ever larger injections of inflationary narcotic trembled at the thought that its deadly stimulant might be shut off. The road to war was more than ever the path of least resistance in 1952...The dominant trend in American political, economic, and military thinking was fear of peace. General Van Fleet summed it all up in speaking to a visiting Filipino delegation in January 1952: 'Korea has been a blessing. There had to be a Korea either here or some place in the world." - From The Hidden History of the Korean War.

For some odd reason, I had never thought of this. If the Iraq War were to end today, the American public would see the horrible state of the economy, social programs, environmental funding, etc... This is certainly why the Bush administration has adopted the "Stay the Course" rhetoric since Day #1. If we did pull out, George W. Bush would be likely to be tarred and feathered in a public square. I guess I'll have to accept a 29% approval rating instead.

Switching gears now- I recently picked up "Fugitive Days" by Bill Ayers, a one-time leader of the activist group the Weather Underground. This book is a memoir about being on the run from the FBI but mostly about what it felt like to eat, sleep, fuck, and dream PEACE. The group's main goal was to bring about the end of the Vietnam War by showing the state that passive resistance was no longer an option. In the last pages of his book, he inadvertently lays out a thesis statement that is so powerful, I literally jumped out of my seat when I read it.

"No government in power sanctions dissent, none relishes a mobilized, politically active citizenry. Every government encourages obedience and conformity, docility, dependence, consensus. Each deceives its own people, opposes initiative, courage, or anything that smacks of citizens with minds of their own. Our government is no different."- From Fugitive Days.

Once again, I was unsure as to why this simplistic statement hit me so hard. After weeks of thought, I think I figured it out. From our earliest days of education, we have been taught that America is something monumental and mystical. We are not a state, we are a conglomeration of unique entities that came together over hundreds of years of peace, which began that thanksgiving day in November. We are taught to believe that our great nation is one too young to be guilty of any major offenses.

For me, this is a case of nature v. nurture. I have been nurtured to believe my government is inherently good. Luckily it is not in my nature to trust blindly. I would hope that anyone who actually reads this would think twice about the status of his or her country. We accuse others of being terrorists, while we stick guns up womens vaginas and blow them away (Vietnam). We drop gallons of liquid napalm on enemy villages filled with civilians (Korea). We shoot innocent civilians on crowded highways in an attempt to kill killers (Afghanistan). We destroy cities in the name of democracy and drive people from their lifelong homes to give them a better life (Iraq).

Electro-Blasting

Alright, so I am well aware of that fact that there is a stereotype out there that all electronic music is sandstormy techno that plays on Landsdowne Street on Thursday nights and cannot give the true music lover a sense of excitement. However, I severely disagree. This is why I am have vowed to compile a list of ten stone cold grooves that will bust your cochlea and infect your precious eardrums.

1) Radiohead- Myxomatosis (Judge, Jury & Executioner): Since the first time I heard the opening riff of this song, I was hooked. The distorted synth and odd-timed drum beat of this song are completely emblematic of why I have absolutely adored the Radiohead revolution over the past 10 years (Don't get me wrong, I am a huggge OK Computer fan). Thom Yorke's lyrics seem to oddly apply to my life at all times and the following lyric describes my inability to put my finger on why this song is fantastic: "She ate me up for breakfast, she screwed me in a vice, But now, I don't know why, I feel so tongue-tied." Thank you Thom, Jonny, Phil, Ed, and Colin for constantly blowing my ming with your fresh musical insights.

2) Amon Tobin- Deo: I first heard this song featured in the DVD, "All Aboard the Crazy Train," which features Laird Hamilton and a few of his friends surfing massive 50 foot swell in Hawaii. I did not know how the song would fare as it was taken out of context. However, put this song on in a pair of decent headphones and you will immediately realize Tobin's genius. His ability to layer songs is unprecedented. The transient soundscape of this song will make any music lover itch with excitement.

3) Chemical Brothers- Galvanize: I know many of you have heard this song. The Chemical Brothers are the masters of making the dance floor shake with excitement. The true test for an electronic jam, however, is if I can listen to it in a big setting and then be just as content listening to it in my headphones walking around. The beat in this song is funky fresh and will inevitably infiltrate your brain waves and restructure your walking pattern. Best listened to while walking around the city during the day time.

4) Spank Rock- Competition: I first learned about Spank Rock through a random link on Itunes. I'm so glad I clicked that fateful black text because I have been hooked ever since. Spank Rock's beats taste like a Thom Yorke techno project. They are rather minimal and often utilize unequalized sounds that seem to be cutting through the rest of the sound plastered on the speakers. Spank Rock is not British but his sound is reminiscent of South-East London Hip Hop.

5) Ratatat- Seventeen Years: Ratatat was recommended to me numerous times before I actually got around to listening to them. For me Ratatat is that band that I always find myself saying, "Why didn't I start listening to these guys earlier?" Luckily for me, however, right when I picked up their self-titled record, Classics was jut hitting shelves. Anyway, Seventeen Years starts with an apocalyptic sample of a man speaking while too guitars simultaneously hammer on 80's sounding high notes. Ratatat are two gentlemen who, on their first record, played electronic music with two guitars and a drum machine. I know you are saying, "Hey fucko, that's not electronic music!" But I say to you, "Take it easy, give the record a listen, and you'll thank me later." The best part of the song is definitely the interlude at around 1:37 when both guitars harmonize on a great riff that rivals any bullshit Journey ever shat out.

6) The Notwist- Pilot: The Notwist is another one of those guys that was jocked so hard before I got on the train. This song screams Her Space Holiday but I love it just the same. This song has a bassline that will make your foot bounce up and down and cause you to type on-beat. Note: This comes from the record, Neon Golden, which is phenomenal in its entirety. This jam is best listened to at extremely early hours of the morning after no sleep and an exhausting day.

7) Nine Inch Nails- Into to the Void (Fragile:Right)--> No electronic list is complete without a salute to Trent Reznor and the band that, for me, started the electronic genre. I have a feeling your saying "But Jay, what about Kraftwerk?" Sorry my friend, like everyone else born in America between 1984-1987, I heard Nine Inch Nails first. This song is a sonic assault on all of your senses. The breathy synth tones that rape this song of all normality hit something inside my soul everytime I listen to it. Anytime I am in some sort of existential crisis, the lyrics "I try to save myself but myself keeps slipping away" seem extremely pertinent.

8) DJ Shadow- Organ Donor: The organ line in this song is fucking brilliant. DJ Shadow has always done me right in the past. If you have never heard the album, ENTRODUCING, then definitely pick it up immediately. I heard something about judgment day coming soon. I know that God will certainly save those that have this record in their collection. Don't hate, congratulate.

9) Daft Punk- The Brainwasher: Let me preface this with, I think the new Daft Punk album kind of sucks. This song is incredible despite the overall quality of the record. This song does exactly what the title says it does. The rapidity of the concentrated beat in this song makes you want to jump out a window and run through a crazy labyrinth. If you are not a big Daft Punk fan, please pick up Homework. I assure you that you will not be disapointed. Additionally, if you have not seen the video for Robot Rock, go to Youtube immediately and watch it!

10) Clinic- Come Into Our Room: Last but by no means least, is Clinic's Come Into Our Room. I have not heard a Clinic record in its entirety. I seem to hear Clinic songs at house parties all over the place, but never cease to forget that I must listen to an entire record (I think this post will finally give me the motivation). This song is simple but beautiful. The piano lines drives the song and the soft vocals make you wonder what is really going inside that room.

If anyone actually listens to all of these songs, please let me know what you think.

-JG