The Sound Strike campaign started by Zack de la Rocha to counter Arizona's soon-to-be in effect SB1070 law reached its sonic zenith Friday night with Rage Against the Machine rocking the Hollywood Palladium.
The benefit show for groups fighting SB1070 in Arizona saw de la Rocha speechify against the anti-immigrant legislation during the lengthy bridge section of “Wake Up!” The rap-rocker then brought the politically charged show to a close by dedicating “Killing in the Name” to notorious Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
The group expected to raise about $300,000 in funds raised Friday night and with SB1070 set to go into effect Thursday, the next step for the campaign is to keep the list of artists boycotting the state growing. In that regard, there are still glowing omissions. After the jump is a list of five artists/bands that haven't yet joined the Sound Strike, but should!
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1. Morrissey
It's no secret that the melancholic crooner is beloved by Mexicans and
even once told an audience, “I wish I was born Mexican.” Had Morrissey
been granted that request, he would be as “reasonably suspicious” in
Arizona as the rest of us, so where is the solidarity hermano? The
former Smith's singer and now solo performer has given controversial
remarks on immigration before. Referring to his home country, Morrissey
was quoted in a 2007 NME music magazine interview as saying, “with the
issue of immigration, it's very difficult because, although I don't have
anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx
into England the more the British identity disappears.” There's only one
way to make up for that pendejada and express common cause with your
ever-so-loyal Mexican fan base at the same time. Join the Sound Strike!
2. Metallica
La Raza can throw devil-horns and head bang with the best of them and
Mexicans on both sides of the border LOVE Metallica! After rocking
Mexico City for three nights, the metal legends recorded the shows and
released them late last year as a CD/DVD set entitled Orgullo, Pasion y
Gloria, causing one fan to give the following–and very telling–bilingual exaltation on the band's blog: “¡Arriba Metallica! You are
the best damn metal band in the world and we Mexicans love you guys!
¡Kirk eres chingón (you are a badass)!” With the inclusion of Mexican
bassist Robert Trujillo in 2004, the bond is ever more solidified. If
Metallica doesn't join the Sound Strike and plays Arizona, I fear that
the police may mix up their tour bus for a greyhound bus and haul away
Trujillo (and quite possibly Kirk Hammet, tambien, for just looking
Mexican!).
3. P.O.D.
W.W.J.D. No, not “what would Jesus do?” but “who would Jesus deport?”
The “not a Christian band, but a band of Christians” is not averse to
carrying a protest tune. P.O.D.'s last album, When Angels and Serpents
Dance, featured an anti-war song, “Tell Me Why,” that was clearly
influenced by the warmongering of the outgoing Bush administration.
Perhaps the Southtown rockers found a touch of Liberation Theology in
their professed spirituality? If that is indeed the case and a biblical
quote is needed to inspire them to take a stand against SB1070 in the
form of the Sound Strike, I offer the following anti-xenophobia passage
from Leviticus; “And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye
shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto
you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.” Back
from a spring tour of South America, P.O.D., with original guitarist
Marcos Curiel reinserted in the lineup, is three-quarters San Diego
Mexican. Now “Tell Me Why” they haven't joined the list of artists
boycotting Arizona yet?
4. WAR
The legendary purveyors of universal street music have been active for
more than 40 years and have won the affection of Latino audiences
since the band's inception. Starting out in 1969 as six black musicians,
Eric Burdon, and a Dane on harmonica, War's lineup has undergone a
complete revamp since then. Vocalist/Keyboardist Lonnie Jordan is the
sole original member remaining under the band's name and is now joined
by four Latinos, and two white guys. War's infectious brand of funk
mixed with other genres, including reggae and Latin jazz, still achieves
its original goal of bringing together a spirit of brotherhood through
musical melodies wherever they play. Their classic, “Low Rider,” is
widely considered the unofficial anthem of Chicanos everywhere (just hit
a cowbell in the rhythm of the song's intro near a Chicano and see what
happens!). With less than a week to go before SB1070 goes into effect,
Arizona's undocumented and Latino residents, in the spirit of the band,
are left asking the state legislature and Governor Jan Brewer, “Why
Can't We Be Friends?”
5. The Nekromantix
This list would be incomplete without a psychobilly band and to that end
I turn my attention to the Nekromantix. Possessing a longevity spanning
more than two decades, the band knows how to stay relevant. In the past
five years, that has meant appealing to Razabillies who help fuel the
subculture's appeal! Original member/Singer/Coffin bassist Kim
Nekroman's last two drummers for the band have come from such ranks and
have also been OC Mexicans. Current female drummer Lux took over when
Andy DeMize unfortunately died in a fiery car crash. She's a daughter of
immigrants herself and started her career in music in a band called Las Chicas de Anaheim. The Sound Strike needs some psychobilly
representation and the Nekromantix are just the band to do it. Just
don't call their Razabilly fans “Greasers!” or else face a wrath
mightier than Rage Against the Machine's music.
Gabriel San Román is from Anacrime. He’s a journalist, subversive historian and the tallest Mexican in OC. He also once stood falsely accused of writing articles on Turkish politics in exchange for free food from DönerG’s!
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