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The Story of Peacesong
an article by Mark
It started modestly enough. A war began. Three songs were
written. They were recorded, on a shoestring, 2 takes a piece. Raw,
unsweetened, unmastered.
An internet domain was secured. The
simplest site was developed. The domain name; the song titles. Click
and download. Nothing more.
www.peacesong.com
As
I write this note, if one goes to GOOGLE, and conducts a web search for
'peace song', this is the #1 site -- the most linked to and trafficked
in that category.
And therein lies a story or shall I say stories?
First,
it’s an Internet story. The glory of distributing music to thousands
around the world without record companies, labels, CD’s, press kits,
agents, promoters. Just the songs.
Second, it’s a freedom of
speech story. It would never find a home on the media; it has never
been written up in the press. The site gets linked to. People get the
songs. The word gets spread. Period.
Third, it’s a story written
by an audience of strangers. E-mails from everywhere: France,
Australia, Berkeley, Oklahoma, Beirut. Schoolchildren, war veterans,
college professors, activists,etc.
Fourth, it is a story of a
citizen/activist. Part of the community of dissent, it does not have a
glossy, a sheath of praise, a curriculum vitae. Only thousands of links
in cyber space.
And fifth, it’s a story of invitations. To play
the War Trilogy, to sing other classic protest songs, to tell funny
stories of finding oneself with a top-rated web site, to read the
letters that arrive. Benefits for United for Peace and Justice, for the
Westchester Peace Action Committee, played in meeting rooms,
sanctuaries, etc.
I still remember a note from a veteran asking
me what unit I had served in. He said that ‘Baghdad Road’ was the most
authentic song he had heard about the lunacy of combat.
I had
not served. But I had read stories and people had told me stories and
through that miracle, which you should understand so well, I had found
myself within that experience.
That is the story of PeaceSong. Good luck with your project!
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DISCUSSION
Question(s) related to this article:
What place does music have in the peace movement?
As a reader, you are invited to join in the discussion of
this article based on any of the above question(s): just click on the
question, read the previous comments and add a new reply. You may also
enter a new discussion topic on this article - see bottom of this page.
Thematic forum(s) in which this article is being discussed:
THE ARTS AND A CULTURE OF PEACE
LATEST READER COMMENT:
This is a response to curious...
I think it is great that you hear unique music. I really enjoy seeing live shows myself.
In
response to your comments I thought about the current paradigm that
exists in the western world that promotes pop music which has many
messages in its lyrics and presentations that are not in accord with
the 8 keys. I think if that already established system could be
used to promote the 8 keys youth would really respond.
The
difficulty arises when people are taugh and pressured or uninformed
about acting in accordance with the keys. So they get drunk, and
eat junk food, instead of respecting their own body. But if a
positive and truthful message could be put out I think the generation
that grows up on that music will have a lot of common sense.
So folk music communities like the ones you may participate in are great.. . ...more.
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