1846: The San Patricios David Rovics 2020-04-26 | At this time in 1846, two nations were at war. One, a massive, slave-based economy. The other, a free nation, where slavery had recently been abolished. Among the soldiers of the invading army, many deserted. Some went further than desertion. They were called the San Patricios -- the St Patrick Battalion.
A Tale of Two Narratives David Rovics 2023-01-07 | Was it a peaceful gathering, a riot, or an insurrection? That depends on who we're talking about, and who's talking about them.
From We to I (and Back Again?) David Rovics 2023-01-02 | What can we learn from which pronoun people use in comments and messages on social media? A lot.
New Years Baritone David Rovics 2023-01-01 | The last Saturday session from my living room for December '22 is basically a baritone unboxing video.
New Year’s Baritone David Rovics 2023-01-01 | Source:podbean.com/eau/pb-huffb-134f43eThe last Saturday session from my living room for December '22 was basically a baritone unboxing video.
Before You Comment David Rovics 2022-12-30 | Some thoughts on nuanced thinking and effective communication, especially on what they call social media.
An Autopsy of the US Left David Rovics 2022-12-29 | “In football everything is complicated by the presence of the opposite team.” Jean-Paul Sartre
In Defense of Nepo David Rovics 2022-12-24 | It's not necessarily related to the holidays, but it is related to family, so maybe it'll provoke a couple of good dinner-table conversations.
In Defense of Nepo David Rovics 2022-12-24 | It's not necessarily related to the holidays, but it is related to family, so maybe it'll provoke a couple of good dinner-table conversations.
Pedie Perez David Rovics 2022-12-23 | For the Perez family in Richmond, California, Sunday will be the ninth Christmas they'll spend without their only child. Pedie Perez was murdered by a cop on September 14th, 2014. Officer Wallace Jensen is enjoying his retirement, entirely unaccountable for losing his shit and killing a completely innocent young man one night, for no conceivable reason. I met Pedie's parents and grandparents when I was in California earlier this month, and wrote this song.
Techtatorship and the Coming Botmageddon David Rovics 2022-12-22 | What's about to happen to global society with the rise of Artificial Intelligence is truly terrifying to consider.
Pirate Santa David Rovics 2022-12-19 | I participated in a wonderful holiday-themed concert with Emma's Revolution and so many other stellar artists today. This song, "Pirate Santa," was my humble contribution to an otherwise beautiful collection of songs. To hear the rest of the concert, look up Emma's Revolution on Facebook.
West Coast Tour Reflections David Rovics 2022-12-16 | It was a busy and thought-provoking week touring parts of Oregon and northern California, with the "accountability-seeking" cancellation campaigners failing to cancel any of the gigs, much as they tried.
West Coast Tour Reflections David Rovics 2022-12-16 | It was a busy and thought-provoking week touring parts of Oregon and northern California, with the "accountability-seeking" cancellation campaigners failing to cancel any of the gigs, much as they tried.
New song: ”David Rovics Is A Nazi” David Rovics 2022-12-07 | I'm on a west coast tour this week, and as usual, someone's trying to get my gigs canceled. Gig hosts are generally horrified to hear from someone telling them they're hosting a Nazi performer, but in the end they find the argument unconvincing. I thought my critics needed a theme song, to get their message across more effectively, so I wrote one.
David Rovics Is A Nazi David Rovics 2022-12-07 | I'm on a west coast tour this week, and as usual, someone's trying to get my gigs canceled. Gig hosts are generally horrified to hear from someone telling them they're hosting a Nazi performer, but in the end they find the argument unconvincing. I thought my critics needed a theme song, to get their message across more effectively, so I wrote one.
Living on the Streets of LA David Rovics 2022-12-04 | Most of the cities of the USA are a dystopia of squalidity and state criminality, but Los Angeles is tent city ground zero.
Mawda Was Her Name David Rovics 2022-12-04 | Western policies create the refugees, and western police forces kill them.
When the Students Took the Embassy David Rovics 2022-12-04 | Lest we forget what the students found when they occupied the US embassy in Tehran back in the days of the Iranian Revolution.
Stock Exchange David Rovics 2022-12-03 | A song for the day in 1918 when the syndicalists in Copenhagen took over the stock exchange.
Elijah Played the Violin David Rovics 2022-12-03 | This is one I'd especially like to record with a violinist.
Berkshire Hills David Rovics 2022-12-03 | I don't know how many times we've had rebellions against the landlords and the bankers, but it sure is time for another one.
As the Planet Floods and Burns David Rovics 2022-12-03 | Here we are, whether or not the capitalists are capable of truly realizing this fact.
Just A Renter David Rovics 2022-12-03 | As I and all the rest of the renters of the world cobble together this month's sacrificial offering to the evil gods of capitalism, a little background music.
The Trolls Toll David Rovics 2022-11-30 | I'm doing a west coast tour next week, and the wackos are back, trying to intimidate gig organizers into canceling my little acoustic gigs, calling up farmers and people hosting house concerts to tell them I'm a Nazi. Welcome to my life in 2022.
Last Saturday Live David Rovics 2022-11-27 | Introducing NS Designs five-string fretted electric cello.
Last Saturday Live David Rovics 2022-11-27 | For Saturday, November 26th, 2022, I introduce you to the NS Designs 5-string fretted electric cello. If anyone wants to form a punk rock string quartet, hit me up, for real. These are some of the cello parts, which I think should ideally be complemented by other stringed instruments.
Teaser for Saturdays livestreamed concert from my living room at 2 pm Pacific Time David Rovics 2022-11-25 | Saturday at 2 pm Pacific Time I'll be livestreaming a concert from my living room right here. The theme for this month's show is the fretted electric cello.
Trolls, Mastodons, Wikipedians, and the Condition of Our Communications David Rovics 2022-11-24 | Various recent developments remind many of us that we live in an information landscape dystopia.
Failure’s Silver Lining David Rovics 2022-11-18 | After 27 rounds of annual talks that amount to just a bunch of corporate hot air, we're hopefully that much closer to the tipping point when people give up on relying on the capitalists to save us.
Failures Silver Lining David Rovics 2022-11-18 | After 27 rounds of annual talks that amount to just a bunch of corporate hot air, we're hopefully that much closer to the tipping point when people give up on relying on the capitalists to save us.
Sitting At A Broken Table in Portland, Los Angeles, and Sharm El-Sheikh David Rovics 2022-11-14 | It's been an especially farcical week on Planet Earth.
Why the Neofascists Are Winning the Argument Against the Neoliberals David Rovics 2022-11-09 | While they're nursing the wounds caused by shooting themselves in their own feet so much, I'm sure some of them are well aware that if they hadn't spent the past 50 years stabbing the working class in the back, the working class might support their party.
Why the Neofascists Are Winning the Argument Against the Neoliberals David Rovics 2022-11-08 | While they're nursing the wounds caused by shooting themselves in their own feet so much, I'm sure some of them are well aware that if they hadn't spent the past 50 years stabbing the working class in the back, the working class might support their party.
Gather Round at Jack London Revue David Rovics 2022-11-05 | It was a wonderful gig last night in downtown Portland. This is just a little cell phone video from Shamus Cooke, which largely serves to illustrate how dorky I look on stage without an instrument in my hands. Many thanks to Adam Carpinelli for another great job at event organizing, and for producing a fabulous EP -- Take the Power Back -- on all the usual streaming platforms right now, as well as in CD form, even!
If We Divide, They Will Conquer David Rovics 2022-11-01 | The written version of this rant appears in both the physical and online versions of Slingshot #136. Slingshot is a wonderful anarchist newspaper going strong since the 1980's, and they put out a fabulous thing called the Slingshot Organizer -- the 2023 edition is available now! slingshotcollective.org
Notes From Scandinavia David Rovics 2022-11-01 | Some reflections on what Scandinavia has that so many other places lack, after spending most of October on tour in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. You can also find this in written form at davidrovics.com/thisweek.
Why Real Artists Dont Like Capitalism Or Identity Politics David Rovics 2022-10-30 | Some thoughts on the way the liberal press likes to frame things when it comes to the arts, which entirely involves the rearrangement of deck chairs on a sinking ship. (Published in written form in Counterpunch earlier in October, I was on tour and didn't have a chance to make the podcast version til now.)
Last Saturday Soiree David Rovics 2022-10-30 | Another concert from my living room for the last Saturday of the month.
Singing for Green Cities David Rovics 2022-10-27 | A collection of disgruntled renters gathered this afternoon in front of the billion-dollar, rent-gouging Green Cities Corporation to sing them a song.
Ballad of the ”Green Cities” Corporation David Rovics 2022-10-27 | Green Cities is a billion-dollar Portland-based corporation that is intent on gentrifying the world as rapidly as possible, making as much money as possible, with no interest whatsoever in the welfare of their tenants who can't keep up with Green Cities' massive rent increases, made possible by our broken system.
Ballad of the Green Cities Corporation David Rovics 2022-10-27 | Green Cities is a billion-dollar Portland-based corporation that is intent on gentrifying the world as rapidly as possible, making as much money as possible, with no interest whatsoever in the welfare of their tenants who can't keep up with Green Cities' massive rent increases, made possible by our broken system.Lyrics:Ballad of the "Green Cities" CorporationGreen Cities is a billion-dollar companyThat's buying up so much of Portland-townThey like it here because it's very profitable for them Because there are no decent laws to keep them downProfit's their M.O., it's not hard to figure out Check out their website, if you doYou'll see they preach what they practiceThey're maximizing the returns for youAs long as you're a corporate investorNot somebody trying to pay the rentIn which case all Green Cities has to sayIs piss off and go move into a tentGreen Cities' lawyers saw a loopholeNaturally, they jumped right on through'Cause if there's a choice between morality and moneyThere's no question what Green Cities wants to doAdd another four hundred dollars each monthTo what each of their poor tenants must shell out Hey, there's green money to be made and thatIs what the corporation's all about (which is great...)The “green” in Green Cities means the dollarThat which drives this broken-down machine That has grabbed the working class all by the collarAnd led us to this horrifying sceneSurrounded as we are by people dyingLiving out their last days on the streetBecause companies like this one raise the rent so muchWith the greenback in the driver's seat (which is fine...)
SCANDINAVIA: Climb aboard! The mutiny is spreading to a port near you. David Rovics 2022-09-27 | I'll be all over Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, throughout the month of October, 2022. Details at davidrovics.com/tour!
Gough Whitlam David Rovics 2022-09-23 | With the demise of the British queen I found myself obsessively reading everything I could find about the time she gave an award to the Australian monarchist who dissolved Gough Whitlam's administration in 1975.
10 Ways the Left is Vulnerable to Cancellation Campaigning and How We Might Overcome This Tendency David Rovics 2022-09-23 | Join this channel to support my work and get access to perks:youtube.com/channel/UCNvnHiMQWkL8E6382mrRx-g/join
10 Ways the Left is Vulnerable to Cancellation Campaigning and How We Might Overcome This Tendency David Rovics 2022-09-23 | A written version of this podcast can be found in this weekend's edition of Counterpunch.
Musicians For Palestine David Rovics 2022-09-08 | Are you a musician who is against ethnic cleansing and apartheid? Join us. #MusiciansForPalestine
Community-Supported Art David Rovics 2022-09-02 | I started a Community-Supported Art program many years ago, to subsidize the ever-declining revenues from the independent music business. People can join directly from my website at davidrovics.com/subscribe, as well as through Patreon, Bandcamp, and YouTube. Each platform varies, but your support reaches me regardless.Join this channel to support my work and get access to perks:youtube.com/channel/UCNvnHiMQWkL8E6382mrRx-g/join
Street Roots Joins the Cancel Culture? David Rovics 2022-09-02 | K. Rambo, the recently-hired Editor in Chief of the local Portland paper, Street Roots, apparently thinks anonymous Twitter trolls engaging in a cancellation campaign are a legitimate source of public opinion, and that if you interview someone, that means you agree with their views. This is my response to Rambo, which you can also find in written form in this weekend's edition of Counterpunch.
