Speaking of the music of dead and dying stars, eh?
In all seriousness, an (-other) exceptional and exceptionally influential songwriter and visionary revolutionary consciousness has passed on. Better journalists and eulogists than myself will write comprehensive summaries of his life, works and struggles, and their meaning --
(aside: expect good coverage from Democracy Now!, perhaps Tuesday, on the order of their -- or was it Pacifica's? -- coverage of Max Roach's funeral; bitter parallel aside: also expect a perfectly ordinary bio-pic in the mid-term future, and perfectly ordinary merchandising of the back catalog, too. . . . sorry.)-- and sing elegies, respectively.
Of course, Dear Reader, you are familiar with some of the work of Mr. Scott-Heron whether you know that you are or not: He is the guy who wrote the The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, references to which have saturated media and popular culture ever since (they referred to it on the Simpsons, that one time) and which you've probably heard just today on national public radio. (And, his Winter in America featured prominently in xmas sux iii.)
I understand that Mr. Scott-Heron's recent work can be heard here and here. Here is a summary of news coverage.
I just wanted to celebrate his inspirational oeuvre, to share some of his gems with you, Dear Reader, and to say, peace go with you, brother.
- tuskeegee 626
- storm music
- third world revolution
- no knock
- angola LA
- home is where the hatred is (esther phillips)
- whitey on the moon
- lady day & john coltrane
- inner city blues
- hello sunday hello road
- peace go with you brother.
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(sorry to re-burn the 'cast; typos - ed.)