#grass roots

[dailyanarchistposts]

A.2.16 Does anarchism require “perfect” people to work?

No. Anarchy is not a utopia, a “perfect” society. It will be a human society, with all the problems, hopes, and fears associated with human beings. Anarchists do not think that human beings need to be “perfect” for anarchy to work. They only need to be free. Thus Christie and Meltzer:

”[A] common fallacy [is] that revolutionary socialism [i.e. anarchism] is an ‘idealisation’ of the workers and [so] the mere recital of their present faults is a refutation of the class struggle … it seems morally unreasonable that a free society … could exist without moral or ethical perfection. But so far as the overthrow of [existing] society is concerned, we may ignore the fact of people’s shortcomings and prejudices, so long as they do not become institutionalised. One may view without concern the fact … that the workers might achieve control of their places of work long before they had acquired the social graces of the ‘intellectual’ or shed all the prejudices of the present society from family discipline to xenophobia. What does it matter, so long as they can run industry without masters? Prejudices wither in freedom and only flourish while the social climate is favourable to them … What we say is … that once life can continue without imposed authority from above, and imposed authority cannot survive the withdrawal of labour from its service, the prejudices of authoritarianism will disappear. There is no cure for them other than the free process of education.” [The Floodgates of Anarchy, pp. 36–7]

Obviously, though, we think that a free society will produce people who are more in tune with both their own and others individuality and needs, thus reducing individual conflict. Remaining disputes would be solved by reasonable methods, for example, the use of juries, mutual third parties, or community and workplace assemblies (see section I.5.8 for a discussion of how could be done for anti-social activities as well as disputes).

Like the “anarchism-is-against-human-nature” argument (see section A.2.15), opponents of anarchism usually assume “perfect” people — people who are not corrupted by power when placed in positions of authority, people who are strangely unaffected by the distorting effects of hierarchy, privilege, and so forth. However, anarchists make no such claims about human perfection. We simply recognise that vesting power in the hands of one person or an elite is never a good idea, as people are not perfect.

It should be noted that the idea that anarchism requires a “new” (perfect) man or woman is often raised by the opponents of anarchism to discredit it (and, usually, to justify the retention of hierarchical authority, particularly capitalist relations of production). After all, people are not perfect and are unlikely ever to be. As such, they pounce on every example of a government falling and the resulting chaos to dismiss anarchism as unrealistic. The media loves to proclaim a country to be falling into “anarchy” whenever there is a disruption in “law and order” and looting takes place.

Anarchists are not impressed by this argument. A moment’s reflection shows why, for the detractors make the basic mistake of assuming an anarchist society without anarchists! (A variation of such claims is raised by the right-wing “anarcho”-capitalists to discredit real anarchism. However, their “objection” discredits their own claim to be anarchists for they implicitly assume an anarchist society without anarchists!). Needless to say, an “anarchy” made up of people who still saw the need for authority, property and statism would soon become authoritarian (i.e. non-anarchist) again. This is because even if the government disappeared tomorrow, the same system would soon grow up again, because “the strength of the government rests not with itself, but with the people. A great tyrant may be a fool, and not a superman. His strength lies not in himself, but in the superstition of the people who think that it is right to obey him. So long as that superstition exists it is useless for some liberator to cut off the head of tyranny; the people will create another, for they have grown accustomed to rely on something outside themselves.” [George Barrett, Objections to Anarchism, p. 355]

Hence Alexander Berkman:

“Our social institutions are founded on certain ideas; as long as the latter are generally believed, the institutions built on them are safe. Government remains strong because people think political authority and legal compulsion necessary. Capitalism will continue as long as such an economic system is considered adequate and just. The weakening of the ideas which support the evil and oppressive present day conditions means the ultimate breakdown of government and capitalism.” [What is Anarchism?, p. xii]

In other words, anarchy needs anarchists in order to be created and survive. But these anarchists need not be perfect, just people who have freed themselves, by their own efforts, of the superstition that command-and-obedience relations and capitalist property rights are necessary. The implicit assumption in the idea that anarchy needs “perfect” people is that freedom will be given, not taken; hence the obvious conclusion follows that an anarchy requiring “perfect” people will fail. But this argument ignores the need for self-activity and self-liberation in order to create a free society. For anarchists, “history is nothing but a struggle between the rulers and the ruled, the oppressors and the oppressed.” [Peter Kropotkin, Act for Yourselves, p. 85] Ideas change through struggle and, consequently, in the struggle against oppression and exploitation, we not only change the world, we change ourselves at the same time. So it is the struggle for freedom which creates people capable of taking the responsibility for their own lives, communities and planet. People capable of living as equals in a free society, so making anarchy possible.

As such, the chaos which often results when a government disappears is not anarchy nor, in fact, a case against anarchism. It simple means that the necessary preconditions for creating an anarchist society do not exist. Anarchy would be the product of collective struggle at the heart of society, not the product of external shocks. Nor, we should note, do anarchists think that such a society will appear “overnight.” Rather, we see the creation of an anarchist system as a process, not an event. The ins-and-outs of how it would function will evolve over time in the light of experience and objective circumstances, not appear in a perfect form immediately (see section H.2.5 for a discussion of Marxist claims otherwise).

Therefore, anarchists do not conclude that “perfect” people are necessary anarchism to work because the anarchist is “no liberator with a divine mission to free humanity, but he is a part of that humanity struggling onwards towards liberty.” As such, ”[i]f, then, by some external means an Anarchist Revolution could be, so to speak, supplied ready-made and thrust upon the people, it is true that they would reject it and rebuild the old society. If, on the other hand, the people develop their ideas of freedom, and they themselves get rid of the last stronghold of tyranny — the government — then indeed the revolution will be permanently accomplished.” [George Barrett, Op. Cit., p. 355]

This is not to suggest that an anarchist society must wait until everyone is an anarchist. Far from it. It is highly unlikely, for example, that the rich and powerful will suddenly see the errors of their ways and voluntarily renounce their privileges. Faced with a large and growing anarchist movement, the ruling elite has always used repression to defend its position in society. The use of fascism in Spain (see section A.5.6) and Italy (see section A.5.5) show the depths the capitalist class can sink to. Anarchism will be created in the face of opposition by the ruling minorities and, consequently, will need to defend itself against attempts to recreate authority (see section H.2.1 for a refutation of Marxist claims anarchists reject the need to defend an anarchist society against counter-revolution).

Instead anarchists argue that we should focus our activity on convincing those subject to oppression and exploitation that they have the power to resist both and, ultimately, can end both by destroying the social institutions that cause them. As Malatesta argued, “we need the support of the masses to build a force of sufficient strength to achieve our specific task of radical change in the social organism by the direct action of the masses, we must get closer to them, accept them as they are, and from within their ranks seek to ‘push’ them forward as much as possible.” [Errico Malatesta: His Life and Ideas, pp. 155–6] This would create the conditions that make possible a rapid evolution towards anarchism as what was initially accepted by a minority “but increasingly finding popular expression, will make its way among the mass of the people” and “the minority will become the People, the great mass, and that mass rising up against property and the State, will march forward towards anarchist communism.” [Kropotkin, Words of a Rebel, p. 75] Hence the importance anarchists attach to spreading our ideas and arguing the case for anarchism. This creates conscious anarchists from those questioning the injustices of capitalism and the state.

This process is helped by the nature of hierarchical society and the resistance it naturally developed in those subject to it. Anarchist ideas develop spontaneously through struggle. As we discuss in section I.2.3, anarchistic organisations are often created as part of the resistance against oppression and exploitation which marks every hierarchical system and can., potentially, be the framework of a few society. As such, the creation of libertarian institutions is, therefore, always a possibility in any situation. A peoples’ experiences may push them towards anarchist conclusions, namely the awareness that the state exists to protect the wealthy and powerful few and to disempower the many. That while it is needed to maintain class and hierarchical society, it is not needed to organise society nor can it do so in a just and fair way for all. This is possible. However, without a conscious anarchist presence any libertarian tendencies are likely to be used, abused and finally destroyed by parties or religious groups seeking political power over the masses (the Russian Revolution is the most famous example of this process). It is for that reason anarchists organise to influence the struggle and spread our ideas (see section J.3 for details). For it is the case that only when anarchist ideas “acquire a predominating influence” and are “accepted by a sufficiently large section of the population” will we “have achieved anarchy, or taken a step towards anarchy.” For anarchy “cannot be imposed against the wishes of the people.” [Malatesta, Op. Cit., p. 159 and p. 163]

So, to conclude, the creation of an anarchist society is not dependent on people being perfect but it is dependent on a large majority being anarchists and wanting to reorganise society in a libertarian manner. This will not eliminate conflict between individuals nor create a fully formed anarchist humanity overnight but it will lay the ground for the gradual elimination of whatever prejudices and anti-social behaviour that remain after the struggle to change society has revolutionised those doing it.

[brandyschillace]

Wow! I found the article link about the “30 proud, self-described gutter-pagan, mostly queer dirtbags” who erased 1.6 million in medical debt. It’s possible. And it proves how crooked our pay-for medical system really is. AMAZING. (I also Re-posted the tumblr I saw it on first—check out their comments, which help explain how it was done in laymen’s terms).

[pazzesco]

Santana with Grateful Dead, Steppenwolf, Staple Singers, etc. at Fillmore West, August 27-September 2, [1968]. Artwork by Lee Conklin. First printing on uncoated stock. Classic artwork that was later developed into the cover of Santana's classic debut album.

Santana with Youngbloods and Allmen Joy at Fillmore West, May 15-18, [1969]. Artwork by Lee Conklin.

Santana with Grass Roots and Pacific Gas & Electric at Fillmore West, December 19-22, [1968]. Artwork by Wes Wilson.

Big Brother And The Holding Company And Santana Fillmore West Concert Poster. Artwork by Rick Griffin, promoting a series of shows in San Francisco from September 12-14, with support act Chicago Transit Authority.

'Carlos Santana & Bill Graham August 16, 1969' - This print is produced from two different black and white photographs taken by Baron Wolman.

[rosielindy]

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Get out the word get out the vote!

[lgbtqreads]

Shopper's Delight: Independent Bookstore Day (Tomorrow!)

In honor of Independent Bookstore Day tomorrow (April 29th), here are some of our favorite indies along with some handy links to special, signed (including bookplated), and/or personalized editions that can ship right to you! (Stores are listed alphabetically by state.) Please note that some of these are preorders, and some are already published titles.  Note: Make sure you request the copy be…

[chelseajackarmy]

One of our own 🖤🤍

[geminiperson]

Kicking it Old School

Alright, so the (American) government being the asshole it is, they got mad that we did the things that we have written into the constitution, namely community organizing and using our right to free speech and assembly to voice decent to the existing genocide occurring in Palestine, opposing the misuse of our tax dollars to fund said genocide, and point out that while they can not be bothered to reach across the aisle on any other issue that would benefit Americans, namely utilizing those billions and in some case TRILLIONS of tax dollars to provide help to struggling people in our country, they could agree to attempt to silence the millions of voices across the nation for their use of a platform that was developed outside of the country because of a hypothetical fear that they manufactured of a foreign nation doing the thing that American made social media platforms (including big t that I'm posting from right now) are already doing. Even though the data is housed locally for American users by an American company. Even though the tenuous "fear" they have is that the parent company of Tiktok, Byte Dance, which is located in China, has no direct control over Tiktok itself, which is based in Singapore, an entirely separate country that the Chinese Government does not have sway over (Just a reminder for Senator Cotton, the ignorant racist who refused to listen to the information provided by the CEO of Tiktok, a Singaporian National).

So the manufactured fear has allowed them to oppose a vast network of community organization, with no real enforcement to be had, which is a not so polite reminder that VPN's exist, and can be used to evade all of this. But regardless, not everyone is going to be able to afford the VPN option, and there should be a free option for community organization. So here we are, coming back to our roots, the OG, the classic, rebirth of the 2010's era, the tumblr blog has returned. I deleted my original tumblr years ago. I'm a public person, to the point that my own home is highly visible, albeit a bit tedious to watch since the one space people can see in to is where I sleep and watch tv. But being that my content was always intended to be humerous, if a bit jaded and dark, I figure now is the time to use my extensive talents and creative skills start doing something that I've wanted to do for years. If this takes off, I might transition to a full time hosted blog, but I'm a fan of grass roots starting points, and truthfully, there's not much more grass roots than tumblr. Additionally, the tools and skills of the trade for podcasting are available to me as well, and I'm not opposed to it, since I already knowledgable in the creation, and I could easily do things with it. Who knows, maybe this is the start of my full time professional career, but who knows. Regardless, I'm going to list a few things you can expect from me on my page moving forward. - Anime content

LOOOOOVE me some Anime. I don't interact a ton with the fandoms, mostly because there are some super questionable and problematic ideas (ships) floating around the internet. That being the case, I'll mostly talk about the ones I love most, namely One Piece, because I live for the display of leftist rhetoric and dispensation of Justice and Joyboy Wonder that is Luffy and his crew.

-Politics

I'm more than a little comfortable discussing politics. I've been involved as a volunteer lobbyist in the past, and I engage with and regularly review content revolving around national and international politics, and I think it's important to not avoid discussing it. My takes will not always be perfect, but I generally center them around the ideas that people should always come before companies, and people can generally make decisions for themselves regarding self identity and bodily autonomy. Science will never be political to me, and regardless of my personal religious beliefs, science will make the decisions for me regarding health and wellness.

-Tea

I am a lover of all things tea. I have a talent I have developed for a while now, of making home brewed loose leaf tea, and I enjoy sharing that knowledge and information with others. Tea is very much a special interest for me, on par with One Piece and Minecraft. So you will definitely see stuff like tea recipes and resources from me regularly. I have for some time now had a dream of owning my own tea shop, and I will absolutely achieve that some day. And yes, my love of this stems from my love of Uncle Iroh.

-Cats and Animals in General

I have two cats, Shadow, who is pictured in my current PFP, and Poppie, the gremlin boy. I intend to someday have a service dog again, and when that happens, you will be introduced to said dog, but for now, it's me and my demons. I have this desire to have a small plot of land with a few farm animals to watch over, namely a few hens for eggs, maybe a mini-cow or some goats to produce fertilizer, but also I want live in the middle of the woods, so like, who knows how that will shake out. I'm a four seasons kind of person, and northern woods tend to have that. That is for the future to decide, but for now, it's just me and my cats.

-Lifestyle stuff

The category is broad, but includes all kinds of things. Home tech, cooking, discussions on queerness, and life tips and advice. I tend to write some of these from the perspective of me to my past self, telling things I wish I had known then that I know now.

-Music

Less focused on it's discussion, and more on presentation. I have a decently expansive taste, that only really excludes modern pop country, which I view as terrible. That said, old country, such as Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and the like, are among some of my favorites. That said, I'm also a hiphop head, and I've been to more underground rap shows than any other type of live show. -Mental Health

I'm mentally ill. I have been diagnosed with three separate mental health disorders, as well as ADD, and although I have never been officially tested, I am more than likely on the Autism Spectrum. I have lived a rather colorful life full of interesting choices, and I was not always given the grace I needed to grow. So from time to time, I'll have things to say on mental health. I'm not one to answer questions for others about their own mental health, because I know this is something that needs to be handled by professionals, but I will always do my best to be up front and honest, because I hate the idea that the stigma of mental health problems would prevent someone from living a full life.

I am looking forward to this. If things on tiktok continue, I'm still going to try to be active on tumblr, because diversifying your engagement can be beneficial. If you want more info about me, check out my other pages, including my link tree.

Stay safe everyone.

[that-punk-adam]

I’m a grass roots revolutionary, of corse I understand what needs to be done on an individual and communal basis to achieve well defined goals!

I’m a grass roots revolutionary, of corse I use and support public transportation!

I’m a grass roots revolutionary, of corse I plan on doing trash clean ups in the areas that need it the most!

I’m a grass roots revolutionary, of corse people think my way of thinking is weird!

I’m a grass roots revolutionary, of corse im going to listen to, try my best to understand, and respect the rights and voices of black, brown, and First Nations communities!

[dailyanarchistposts]

On May Day 2017, anarchists participated in lively demonstrations all around the United States, from the heartland to the coasts. In the Northwest, Seattle witnessed a successful block party at the site of a juvenile corrections center, while in Olympia anarchists barricaded train tracks to oppose fracking and clashed with police. Support arrestees here. Yet Portland, Oregon may take the cake for the most creative and combative May Day. Demonstrators not only defended themselves from unprovoked attacks from police who declared the march a riot—they also introduced exciting new innovations into the aesthetic of the black bloc street presence. Here, comrades from Portland explain their goals with the giant spiders they created for May Day, and offer a helpful guide for those who wish to make spiders of their own.

In an effort to bridge the gap between art and activism, giant spiders were assembled off-site and pushed up the street to the demonstration, stocked with water bottles, snacks, earplugs, and other party favors. The idea was to narrow the divide between “us” and “them” that often exists at demonstrations, and it was a complete success. We performed community outreach, engaged in cultural development, boosted morale, provided crucial supplies, and created an amazing photo opportunity in the process.

The concept is multi-dimensional: it works on many different levels. The idea began from frustrations around attendance at local demonstrations. In Portland, where the majority of citizens seem to be white, middle-class, and apolitical on account of these privileges, they don’t show up unless a demonstration concerns their interests specifically. However, Portlanders are fascinated by their own love of art and “wacky” stuff as well as the commodification of protest as “funtertainment.” We decided to embrace this love of the “weird” to test whether a hyper-localized approach to engaging people could succeed.

Our tactical art enabled us to fill a supporting role for other participants in the march, helping challenge narratives that the black bloc is an “othered” or “othering” tactic. Whether this separation is intentional or not, the fact remains that the general public is often hesitant to engage with us. Bearing that in mind—as well the tendency of the Portland Police Department to brutally shut down demonstrations—we stocked our Spiders with fliers, water, LAW (liquid, antacid, water, the eyewash with which street medics treat pepper spray), ear plugs, and snacks. We also included a few other party favors, because anarchy needs revelry!

We intentionally engaged with the folks around us. A lot of people walked up to ask what the spiders meant! It was inspiring to see so much dialogue between folks in everyday garb and folks in black bloc. We explained the ideas behind our actions as anarchists and the creations themselves: the three spiders representing Mutual Aid, Solidarity, and Direct Action.

A word about symbolism. The idea of using the spider as an icon of resistance is that spiders are always there watching, waiting, and keeping the environment free of pesky insects and other parasites that consume resources without supporting their fellow beings. While we may look scary, we’re here with you and for you. We are the spiders, and the insects are the societal ills that we fight against.

The symbolism of the black widow spider is rich with history that guides our work. We want to contribute to that rich history, adding our own interpretations. Mutual Aid, Solidarity, Direct Action are our black widow’s cruses. (Crux? Curse? Cures?)

In regards to developing our own culture, there are many barriers we face in this process. State repression is the biggest threat, of course. The specter of state repression can complicate organizing, planning, and building trust in our communities. Portland has a history of repression and slander, ruining the lives of activists and anarchists; these horror stories reverberate throughout the underground. We can’t allow ourselves to be publicly disparaged and forced into hiding by our adversaries and their culture war, so we create as a political act. Creating is intuitively human: we plan, we build, we think, we conspire, we imagine. It is also an activity in which everyone can engage to some degree while building new skills. It enables us to get to know each other, build trust, and share time and company.

More globally, seizing the Spectacle is a step towards our goals, because it allows us to dictate our own narratives. With the development of Public Relations and Social Engineering, the visage of capitalism has come to define its delusional reality. To paraphrase Guy Debord, lived experiences are now taken in as a collection of representational images. We can tell our own stories and show the general public what these three principles mean in action. We can create our own mythos, speaking out on our own terms, in our own language, with our own symbols. The state and media dictate too much of what we’re allowed to say and how it’s spun—it’s time to spin our own webs to connect and fortify our relationships.

We are building the bridges we need to move forward. The existing connections between art, activism, and anarchism are fiery and well-storied. The new wave of repression under Trump’s regime is still building steam, but it is already proving dangerous. We need to be more careful than ever. Art allows us to demonstrate and show our fangs, and we can use art to empower those around us.

[constanzel]

All of the lonely nights

Waiting for you to come, longing to hold you tight

I need you so desperately

Waiting for you to come bring all your love to me

But I'd wait a million years

Walk a million miles, cry a million tears

I'd swim the deepest sea

Climb the highest hill, just to have you near me

As love is reality

When you are near to me, I am in ecstasy (whoa)

I'd swallow the pain and pride

Baby, I just can't hide all that I feel inside

And I'd wait a million years

Walk a million miles, cry a million tears

I'd swim the deepest sea

Climb the highest hill, just to have you near me

A million years, I would wait for you

A million tears, baby, I'd be true

A million miles, I would follow you

A million years, if you want me to

Pacing the floor, detest

Sweat pouring down my chest, still I can't love you less

It's worth all the pain and pride

Baby, I just can't hide all that I feel inside

So I'd wait a million years

Walk a million miles, cry a million tears

I'd swim the deepest sea

Climb the highest hill, just to have you near me

I'd wait a million years

Walk a million miles, cry a million tears (whoa)

I'd swim the deepest sea

Climb the highest hill, just to have you near me

I'd wait a million years

Walk a million miles, cry a million tears (whoa)

I'd swim the deepest sea

Climb the highest hill, just to have you near me

[emberintayson]

Please help! I want to donate several zine holders to local places and keep them stocked with informational zines. My current plan is to use these chocolate bar dispensers as a template to create more. I’m willing to make or to buy (provided the cost is relatively low). All suggestions welcome! —- zine is by @artistotel, free to download!

[reasonsforhope]

“In the boat, Mrugank Prabhu unpacks his camera, sets up his telescope, and begins his count.

Prabhu is a scientist with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), a 139-year-old organization involved in conservation and biodiversity research across India, which is leading an ambitious 10-year-long study to monitor a unique phenomenon. Every winter, thousands of greater and lesser flamingos fly into Mumbai, forming a sea of pink against a backdrop of skyscrapers, bridges, and oil refineries along the 26-kilometer-long Thane Creek. The seasonal gathering is a source of wonder in Mumbai, and also a bit of a mystery.

The flamingos only began visiting Mumbai in significant numbers in the 1990s. As the city grew in the 1970s and ’80s, so did the volume of untreated sewage flowing into Thane Creek, nurturing the algae that are the flamingos’ main food and turning the area into a feeding ground for the birds.

Their numbers have increased in the past two decades, from at least 10,000 in 2007 to an estimated 130,000 this year.

The phenomenon illustrates the wealth and complexity of urban coastal ecosystems in India, say experts. Sometimes, “human impact results in conditions that seem terrible for nature at a glance, but are actually a gold mine for some species,” says Sunjoy Monga, a veteran local naturalist and BNHS member who has also led a study on Mumbai wildlife. “There is so much organic richness amid the gloom [of the city].”

Now, the flamingos are reshaping the ecological mindset of the city, too, showing what wildlife can do for conservation even in the most pressured environments. Flamingos have become a source of pride for locals. In the past few years, citizens have been holding annual flamingo-themed festivals and runs to raise awareness of local wetlands. In 2018, authorities designated almost 1,700 hectares of the creek and shore as a flamingo sanctuary...

--

On Earth Day, April 22, a small group of upper-middle class residents meet on a trail along a dense patch of mangroves in Navi Mumbai, the town on the eastern banks at the mouth of Thane Creek. This and nearby mangroves and shallow ponds provide roosting sites for the flamingos when high tide covers the mudflats. The residents, members of Save Navi Mumbai Environment, a citizens’ network to protect local mangroves and wetlands, introduce themselves and describe their path to environmental activism. Many of them were first moved by the destruction of greenery in their own backyards; one professional, who brought his young son along, says he got involved after losing a local pond to a development project. Another man says he and his wife traveled to Lake Nakuru in Kenya to see flamingos some years ago, unaware of their presence in his own city. “What fools we were,” he says.

After the meeting, Sunil and Shruti Agarwal, cofounders of Save Navi Mumbai Environment, take me up to their apartment, one of hundreds in the high-rises bordering the wetlands along the creek. From their 13th-floor balcony, you can see the mangroves that got them involved in environmental activism and, at high tide, the flamingos that brought others to their cause.

Soon after the Agarwals moved here in 2013, they challenged the clearance of land for a new housing project and golf course on these wetlands. Neighbors told them they couldn’t win — the project was promoted by a subsidiary of the powerful Adani Group. But in 2018, the Bombay High Court stopped the development, giving the couple their first big victory. Since then, they’ve been fighting against other development projects in nearby wetlands and raising awareness about local biodiversity. They roped in their son and daughter and their friends to help organize neighborhood festivals with games and activities for children, as well as an awareness-raising annual marathon called Run for Flamingos. At least 2,000 people participated in the event in 2020. “Nobody’s going to run for wetlands,” says the Agarwals’ daughter, Surabhi.

Authorities at the sanctuary, which is managed by the state forestry department, are also promoting restricted tourism around the flamingos, hoping to educate the public about the birds and their habitat. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a new marine education center and flamingo boat rides attracted some 17,000 visitors annually, including busloads of school students, says Virendra Tiwari, the senior forest officer who oversees the sanctuary. The unit has an ambitious management plan for the sanctuary that includes increased security to prevent illegal construction, a big museum on the banks of the creek, and more boats for rides—but not so many that they would disturb the birds, says Tiwari.” -via Reasons to Be Cheerful via Hakai Magazine, 1/11/23

(See the article for some stunning photography!)

[bilbo-babe]

"Waldreg"/ Geoff Morell Impressions

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Leftover Salmon feat. Oliver Wood - “Fire and Brimstone”

Singing co-leads and playing some slick guitar, Oliver Wood fairly transforms Leftover Salmon into an entirely new dish on the latter’s remake of “Fire and Brimstone.” 

This version is based on the Neville Brothers’ arrangement of Link Wray’s number. And the result sounds more like the Wood Brothers than Salmon on this third advance single - read about the previous releases here - from the guest-heavy Grass Roots, which arrives May 19.

Don’t be fooled by the album title. “Fire and Brimstone,” despite some banjo buried deep in the mix, is not rooted in bluegrass. This is funk, brother - infused with syncopated drums, clavinet and slide guitar - via the Nevilles and the Woods.

Leftover Salmon is basically the backing band on this one.

Grade card: Leftover Salmon feat. Oliver Wood - “Fire and Brimstone” - B

5/9/23

[singeratlarge]

MONDAY MATINEE MUSIC VIDEO: “Angel Face” by Tim Andrews & Paul Korda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPTviPx3d8Y This “hippie noir” video is based on a record released in November 1968—some British blue-eyed soul on the same page as Motown, The Four Seasons, and The Grass Roots from America. “Angel Face” is from a series of singles featuring the Tim/Paul team. Tim (real name Chris) already had notoriety as lead vocalist/guitarist in the psychedelic bands Les Fleur de Lys (“Mud in Your Eye”) and Rupert’s People (“Reflections of Charles Brown”), but managers and Parlophone Records encouraged Tim to break out as a solo act, even marketing him as a “teen idol.” He was partnered with the multi-talented Paul Korda, on the rise as a producer, singer-songwriter, and actor who was in the original London cast of the musical HAIR and later appeared in major films (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, SPINAL TAP)—Paul went on to work with Roger Daltrey, Love Sculpture, and Frankie Valli while Tim/Chris went on as a solo + collaborating with Daltrey, David Essex and Davy Jones (Monkees).

Paul produced this track with orchestration by Cy Payne (whose eclectic resume included the anthemic hit “United We Stand” by Brotherhood of Man). The exuberant drumming was by session legend Clem Cattini. Recording took place at Abbey Road Studio 2, where Chris and Paul were invited to listen in on Beatles’s "white album" sessions next door in Studio 1. The exuberant and well-performed “Angel Face” is a great piece of mod-era Britpop that stands the test of time. 

#timandrews #chrisandrews #paulkorda #angelface #fourseasons #4seasons #mod #grassroots #parlophone #britpop #singersongwriter #davyjones #monkees #beatles #whitealbum #abbeyroad #clemcattini #cypayne #robertmitchum #jeansimmons #chamberpop #music #video #london

[aiiaiiiyo]