Michael Franti & Spearhead???

[LuvLady]

What the hell have I been missing??

I went to this outdoor concert Saturday night where Spearhead were the headliners. My god I was BLOWN AWAY!!! It was the second best gig ever after U2. I can not go on enough about how brilliant they were. They had one of the best bass players I've ever seen... and Michael Franti, what a fucking poet. He rivals Bono in terms of getting the crowd into it... everyone just went mad!! Some fans jumped into the lake separating the stage from the audience and waded over to him to dance on stage. It was just amazing.

Please, can anyone tell me ANYTHING about this band???

 

[zooropamanda]

You know who he is don't you? Guy from
'Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy'
who did Television, The Drug Of The Nation which was at the start of ZOOTV.
Unreal song.

One nation
under God
has turned into
one nation under the influence
of one drug

Television, the drug of the Nation
Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation

T.V., it
satellite links
our United States of Unconsciousness
Apathetic therapeutic and extremely addictive
The methadone metronome pumping out
150 channels 24 hours a day
you can flip through all of them
and still there's nothing worth watching
T.V. is the reason why less than 10 per cent of our
Nation reads books daily
Why most people think Central America
means Kansas
Socialism means unamerican
and Apartheid is a new headache remedy
absorbed in it's world it's so hard to find us
It shapes our mind the most
maybe the mother of our Nation
should remind us
that we're sitting too close to...

Television, the drug of the Nation
Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation

------------------
I am a cowgirl of funk*

 

[brettig]

Id like to see this song remixed with snippets from the george bush rap intercutting it...as Edge said once its such an awesome song for setting a mood...

 

[Popmartijn]

Originally posted by LuvLady:
What the hell have I been missing??

Do you have a while...

No seriously, I love Spearhead! (as if you couldn't tell from my sig, which I have for many years already).
As Zooropamande already said, he used to be in The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy, a kind of industrial rap group. However, Michael Franti realised that he was sort of 'preaching for the converted' as the music of the 'Heroes' wasn't really accessible. So he decided to make other music, accessible soulfull hiphop, without compromising his message.
I still think their first album, Home, was their best (FYI, the Dutch music pressed elected it as the best album of 1994). It has 6 superb songs on it and 7 really good ones. You definately have to check it out.
I kinda lost it with his second album, Chocolate Supa Highway (still haven't bought it), but last year they surprised me with their third album, Stay Human. This album is a concept album about (against) the death penalty. Bono even contributes a (weak IMO) quote to the booklet. I think Michael Franti has many wise things to say and his music swings like hell.
I've got a concert recording of his PinkPop festival appearance here last year and it sounds great! It certainly is one of my most favourite live recordings, up with the best of U2.

Anyway, check out their albums (especially Home and Stay Human) and visit the website at: http://www.stayhuman.org

C ya!

Marty

P.S. If you are interested in the live recording, give me a mail: popmartijn @ hotmail.com



------------------
People criticize me but I know it's not the end
I try to kick the truth, not just to make friends

Spearhead - People In Tha Middle

 

[Popmartijn]

Oh, I want to add that even though I know his music for many years and like many of his songs, that I unfortunately have never seen him live. As I said, he sounds really good on that live disc I have, but I missed the concert every time he played here in the Netherlands.

Oh well, someday I will see him.

C ya!

Marty

------------------
People criticize me but I know it's not the end
I try to kick the truth, not just to make friends

Spearhead - People In Tha Middle

 

[LuvLady]

Zoomanda - I knew he was in a band called that, and the name sounds vaguely familiar but I don't know their stuff. I had no idea they did that song from ZooTV.... I agree, it's brilliant!

Popmartijn - thanks for all the info. I will be picking up Home and Stay Human this weekend! I checked out the website as well, some great stuff on there.
That sucks about you missing them live. All I can say is they really will make your "soul shine" when you do see them!!

P.S. You've got mail

[This message has been edited by LuvLady (edited 03-13-2002).]