Messages

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General Discussion / Re: A new anti-war music video we made...

« on: December 13, 2010, 09:05:01 PM »

Well, I'm pretty sure that was the right embed code.

Guess this will have to do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO1U9ybACIY

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General Discussion / A new anti-war music video we made...

« on: December 13, 2010, 09:02:26 PM »

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tO1U9ybACIY?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed>


from www.StrangeFamousRecords.com:
"Jared Paul, lead vocalist of PFA, was among the over 800 people who were arrested during the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN. More than 5,000 police officers, National Guardsmen, and agents from over 50 government agencies converged on the city to conduct mass arbitrary arrests, disrupt media coverage, and stifle dissent. With the help of Strange Famous Records, the Coldsnap Legal Collective, Minnesota ACLU, the Community RNC Arrestee Support Structure (CRASS), and donations from supporters around the country, Jared fought his case and all charges were eventually dropped; he is currently pursuing justice via a civil suit against the City of St. Paul.

Jed I. Rosenburg directed this video.  Additional protest footage was graciously provided by the Glass Bead Collective and Twin Cities Indy Media Center:
www.terrorizingdissent.org/
www.twincities.indymedia.org/

Psalm for St. Paul" is featured on Prayers for Atheists's )http://www.strangefamousrecords.com/pfa/self-titled) EP, available on CD & MP3 (http://tinyurl.com/PFA-EP-SFR)now for the low Holiday Sale price of only $7.99!"

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General Discussion / Re: WHY DO YOU SLAM?

« on: December 13, 2010, 08:54:35 PM »

To ensure that hyperbolic "poetry slam" hacks don't make it onto the squad for my venue.

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General Discussion / Re: Buddy Wakefield - 2011 National Solo Tour

« on: December 13, 2010, 08:52:56 PM »

What about the Triathalon training workshop... where do I sign up for the BW Triathalon Workshop?!

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General Discussion / Re: why are storm poets allowed to participate in IWPS?

« on: December 13, 2010, 08:42:53 PM »

I don't see any reason to shrink it.  If you can make it to Finals against 60, you should be able to make it to Finals against 72.  Or 80, or 100.  It's anybody's game.  Let the haters hate.

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Slam Selection Processes / PROVIDENCE SLAM

« on: May 05, 2010, 01:33:10 PM »

Providence Poetry Slam
1st and 3rd Thursdays  (1st Thursday and 3rd Shursday starting June 2010)
AS220
115 Empire Street
Providence, RI 02906

Providence holds two slams a month.  (3 rounds on 1st Thursday, 2 rounds on 3rd Thursday/Sunday.  Youth Slams are also rotated in.)  Slams do not exceed eight people and follow basic slam rules.  The winner (or the top two as semis approach) advance to the semifinal slam.  The first semifinals were held on March 4, the second on May 20th.  Both semis are three rounds and the top four cumulative scoring poets advance to finals.  Grand slam will be held June 3rd.  Three round slam, the four poets with the highest cumulative scores will represent Providence at the National Slam.  Replacements and substitutions will be done based on rankings at the grand slam.  (5th, 6th, 7th etc.)  An additional slam will be held if necessary and time permits.

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General Discussion / Re: Jared Paul/Prayers For Atheists 2010 "Winter Break" Tour Dates!!

« on: January 14, 2010, 03:14:51 PM »

12/23 :  Boston@Harper's Ferry  w/North of Boston & Sour D - 8pm/$7

12/26 :   Pawcatuk,CT@Last House on the Left - 7:30pm/$5

12/31 :   Providence@AS220-Bright Night Festival w/Roz Raskin - 11pm/FREE

1/2    :   Detroit@Division Gallery - 10pm/$7

1/3    :   Chicago@The Locked Out Collective w/Agents of Change- 9pm/$6

1/5    :   Denver@Blast-O-Mat w/Aquifer & Sole - 9pm/$7

1/6    :   Salt Lake City@Kilby Court w/Aquifer, Alembic Report & Babel  Rabbit - 7pm/$6

1/7    :   Seattle@Studio Seven w/Aquifer - 8pm/$10

1/8    :   Longview, WA@Kennedy's w/Aquifer - 8pm/$7

1/9    :   Eugene, OR@Lucky's w/Aquifer & Marv Ellis - 8pm/$7

1/10  :    Spokane, WA@The Boulevard w/Aquifer - 9pm/$7

1/13  :    Bend, OR - TBA

1/14  :    Olympia, WA@The Royal w/Aquifer - 9pm/$7

1/15  :    Portland, OR@The Backspace w/Aquifer - 9pm/$7

1/16  :    Vancouver, BC@Cafe Deux Soleils w/Aquifer - 10pm/$5

1/19  :    Arcata, CA@Humboldt State University at CCAT
             (Campus Center for Appropriate Technology) 8pm/$5-7
             w/Aquifer, Chocolate Strawberries, & Kilbot Factory

1/20  :    Sacramento@The Den w/Aquifer - 9pm/$5

1/21  :    Santa Cruz@University of Santa Cruz - Stevenson Event Center
              w/Aquifer 7pm/$5


*For More Info:
www.AquiferMusic.com/Winter2010
www.Myspace.com/PrayersForAtheists

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General Discussion / Re: What do you think about spoken word in TV commercials?

« on: January 14, 2010, 04:40:58 AM »

Jared,
I'd be willing to bet the entire proceeds of Mike McGee's next CD that I can find something wrong with some of the corporations you do spend your money on. A long time ago I went on a personal campaign against Shell Oil when they were deeply involved in apartheid (along with Coca Cola) in South Africa. I didn't forgive them when S. Africa became more democratic either. I stoically and relentlessly bought gas from others. Then I saw a list of corporate contributions to George W. Bush's 2004 campaign. ONLY Shell gave more to democrats than republicans. All the rest of big oil was in Big Republican pockets. What was I gonna do then? Walk to NPS? I contend it is impossible to find a pure corporation. Some ARE better than others. None is pure.

For sure: nobody bats a thousand.  I've worked hard to reduce my source and put myself in position to be giving my money to the worst companies as little as possible, and I'm satisfied that my choices put me drastically below what the equivalent of the national average would approximately be.   

But that's moot for this dialog because we're not talking about a dollar vote or the affect of our purchases here.  We're talking about TAKING money from the war/factory farm/prison/anti-worker/or enviro destruction machine for the right to use your art to sell their product.

It's not the same.

I'm not hatin' man, I'm just sayin'.  It's not a good analogy.  And at the end of the day, it comes down to personal choice.  And what your work is built on. 

I couldn't sell my shit to Sprite and maintain my name if I wanted to.  It'd be career suicide.  I'm not complaining; it's a good thing.  Kind of like anarchists getting facial tattoos as insurance against ever working a desk job.  I ain't scurred of desk jobs as long as it's for something worthwhile...  but I would expect my friends and supporters to full metal jacket me with a bar of soap in a pillow case if I ever sold ABC's For Roger to Sprite or Microsoft or Phillip Morris or Raytheon.

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General Discussion / Re: What do you think about spoken word in TV commercials?

« on: January 01, 2010, 04:26:12 AM »

It comes down to personal choice.  And I guess, the type of stuff your work deals with.


I don't give my money to Sprite or Coca Cola.  They are shitbag corporations responsible for the murder of union workers, unforgivable worker exploitation, and limitless, unnecessary environmental abuse.

I don't give them my money and I publicly spit on their name, so it would be ridiculous of me to take theirs.  They ain't exactly knocking down my door either.  LOL.

At any rate, it's not the same for somebody who doesn't have my beliefs to take whatever deal they put down.

One of my favorite emcees/Hip Hop acts of all time, Atmosphere, has gotten big and recently turned down offers from Sprite and from a large car company.

Sage got hit up by GM with an offer to fund an entire tour, and declined as well.

It comes down to personal choice/perspective.

I know Kessed personally.  We've been friends from BNV for many years now.

He's got his own business to handle, and his own way to do it.

More power to him.

But my shit ain't goin' for Nike.  Or Killer Coke.  Or any of these fuckers.

The fact that they want our shit is proof that we're getting stronger.

And we did it without them.

No disrespect either big Steve, but I'm not in any ivory tower.

It just comes down to personal choice and how you built your career, body of work, etc:
With the way I've done things?

I definitely can't get away with shaking the devils hand, then turn around and I say I'm only kiddin'.

It's a choice I made/make.  And I don't regret it.

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General Discussion / Jared Paul/Prayers For Atheists 2010 "Winter Break" Tour Dates!!

« on: January 01, 2010, 04:03:15 AM »

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General Discussion / Re: AMY EVERHART WINS iWPS 2009!

« on: October 13, 2009, 07:16:01 PM »

Queen City does it AGAIN. 

CONGRATS AMY!!

CONGRATS DENVA!!

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General Discussion / The PFA music video for "Bike Song" launched today!!!

« on: October 13, 2009, 07:14:34 PM »

We made a song and video about bike riding. 

hahahahhahahahaha

I'm loving it.  ( :

Here's the text from the SFR blog:

“Bike Song” is the first video from Prayers For Atheists‘ self-titled debut EP!

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3HWY5aKZySw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed>

Directed and edited by SFR labelmate Prolyphic and Sandrine Silverman.

Get your SIGNED copy of the PFA CD here:
http://www.strangefamousrecords.com/store/prayers-for-atheists-signed-cd-w-free-pfa-patch-p-299.html

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General Discussion / Re: Jared Paul: "Prayers For Atheists" Album Release!

« on: July 30, 2009, 07:51:40 PM »

Oh yeah... We're on Tour- Come and hang the eff out with us!!  It's been great having Slam at the shows in Ann Arbor and Chi!!

Prayers For Atheists announce Summer Tour Dates!     Edit/Delete this post Reply with quote Delete this post View IP address of poster

The official record release show is this Wednesday, July 22nd @ AS220! It's $7 at the door, but $10 gets you through the door with a copy of the CD. Roz Raskin & The Rice Cakes, Mowgli, and Just Die! (from Ashville, NC) are also on the bill. Promises to be an insane show! RI people, we'd love to see ya's!!

SUMMER PFA TOUR

7/20: Kingston, RI - Live on 90.3FM WRIU! - 9pm
7/22: Providence, RI@AS220 - 9pm/$7
7/23: New York City@Arlene's Grocery w/MeterMaids - 9pm/$10
7/24: Albany, NY@Valentines w/After The Fall - 7pm/$7
7/25: New London, CT@El n' Gees w/Mouth Sewn Shut and more
7/26: Oswego, NY@ *The Barn - 8pm/$10
7/27: Lansing, MI@Mac's Bar - 9pm
7/28: Chicago, IL@ *The Weiser House w/Agents of Change - 9pm/$5
7/29: Minneapolis, MN@7th Street Entry w/Gavels - 4pm/$7
8/1: Denver, CO@ *TBA
8/2: Ft. Collins, CO@Road 34 w/Rad Vibes - 8pm/Free!
8/3: SLC, UT@ *The Boing Collective - 9pm/$5
8/4: Boise, ID@ *Grandma's House w/Curtis Plum - 9pm/$5
8/5: Seattle, WA@Studio Seven w/Aquifer - 8pm/$5
8/7: Portland, OR@TBA
8/8: Eureka, CA@Placebo w/Revocateurs, Social Ills - 7pm / $5
8/10: San Francisco, CA@Sub Mission - 9pm/$7
8/11: Citrus Heights, CA@The Fire Escape - w/Aquifer 8pm/$8
8/12: Los Angeles, CA@Knitting Factory w/Sol.Illaquists of Sound! - 8pm/$8
8/14: Silver City, NM@Satellite Youth Space - 8pm/Free!
8/15: Tucson, AZ@Dry River Collective - 8pm/$5
8/16: Phoenix- TBA
8/18: ABQ, NM@Winning Coffee Co. - 8pm/$6
8/20: Austin, TX@The Independent - 9pm/$7
8/21: New Orleans, LA@The Zeitgeist Arts Center - 7pm/$5
8/23: Washington, D.C.@ *Girl Cave - 9pm/$6
8/26: Providence, RI@Fire House 13 - 9pm/$7

*Indicates a basement or warehouse show- specific venue info for these events will be posted on the PFA Myspace page.

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General Discussion / Re: Jared Paul: "Prayers For Atheists" Album Release!

« on: July 21, 2009, 10:55:29 PM »

Our album dropped today!

We got this review in the Providence Phoenix:

Psalms For The Deaf
Jared Paul Unleashes Prayers For Atheists
By CHRIS CONTI  |  July 21, 2009

Prov-pfa-main
 RABBLE ROUSERS Paul and Hague

Sage Francis addressed the densely-populated crowd at Rock the Bells at Comcast Center last weekend: "This song helped get a friend of mine out of jail. Thank you to all who donated. This song is called 'Conspiracy to Riot.' Strange Famous fucking Records, Providence."

The crowd erupted when the beat dropped, as Sage and fellow Providence emcee B.Dolan saluted their friend and labelmate Jared Paul, a vicious spoken-word specialist who was arrested in St. Paul, Minneapolis, last summer for protesting outside the Republican National Convention. Paul was initially charged with felony riot, which got knocked down to a misdemeanor, but Paul refused to plead guilty and ConspiracyToRiot.com, a Web page to raise funds to fight the charge, was born.
Topics

"I'm thankful to Sage and Slug [from the hip-hop group Atmosphere] for posting my bond and getting it all rolling," he said. "Folks heeded the call from all across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It was fantastic."

The story is now captured on wax as Jared Paul and Alan Hague have teamed up to form Prayers For Atheists, and just released a politically-charged self-titled EP ($10 at StrangeFamousRecords.com) they call their "25-minute victory chant." The leadoff single "Psalm for St. Paul" deftly documents Paul's experience, powered by Hague's chugging guitar riff. Sage Francis sent an email the day before his set at Rock the Bells:

"If you read Jared's account of what took place at the RNC with all the arrests and his time in jail, then you know he was put through hell. The amount of coverage it received was incredible, and the donations were helpful. When Jared told me he was doing a song called 'Psalm for St. Paul,' I was expecting a shitstorm of vitriol. Instead, Alan and Jared deliver a dancey and positive anthem. That song made me realize that this material was going to be well-beyond what anyone was expecting."

There's plenty of raging against the machine on Prayers for Atheists, but Paul and Hague subtly fill your gullet with knowledge while crafting straight-up indie rock as opposed to maniacal rap-rock stuff. Paul tips his hat to Chuck D. on the outstanding "Coathangar 18" and keeps his cool on the slow-burner "Lot's Wife," but makes his opinion abundantly clear on the 80-second thrasher "Tom Delay." PFA added a drummer and bassist for their nationwide tour, which starts today (the 23rd) in New York and ends on August 26 at Firehouse 13. Paul recently returned from an inspiring performance art tour with B. Dolan.

"I've never seen people as hopeful and motivated as they are right now," Paul said. "President Obama has an unprecedented popularity with the American people, but we really need to keep the fire to his feet and hold him accountable just as we would any other politician."

A mention of our governor gets Paul going.

"Don Carcieri is probably the most destructive and anti-worker governor in Rhode Island history," he said. "I worked as a direct care counselor in group homes for many years — I was there when he managed to pull off the $10 million budget cut to the RI DCYF. That move put over 100 18- and 19-year-old group home graduates out on the street with nowhere to go. He is a despicable person.

"We're due for a big shakeup. I gotta believe it's coming soon."

I asked what he would say to those who may believe protesting, particularly here in our corrupt little vacuum, is an effort in futility. "First of all, protesting is a good time. Everybody's pissed about the way things are going down with the war and a million other things, so why not come out and give the Man a little hell for a couple hours and then go out for coffee after?"

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General Discussion / Re: Jared Paul: "Prayers For Atheists" Album Release!

« on: July 12, 2009, 01:23:14 AM »

Don't know. (Another example of what I don't know! Ha!) Better to ask Erik.

Erik D. for President!