I can't enter Mexico legally to attend Anarchapulco - I'm still banned from the country. So I decided to send a special musical message of love and peace all the way from Europe. With the help of my friend DJ WhoAmI, we recorded this bedroom set.
You can listen or download the mp3 here on Anchor.
Set List
0:01 To Acapulco
3:31 Welcome speech
6:47 Pineapple Juice
9:39 Captains Of Industry
13:32 Why love? speech
16:54 Caterpillar Butterfly
19:29 False Flag
22:38 Don't Hold Dollars (Q.E.)
27:15 Be Grateful My Friends speech
30:15 Independently Minded
34:06 Brother #1
37:28 Potential speech
38:39 You Can Do Anything You Want
40:03 To Acapulco Reprise
What are these lyrics about?
To Acapulco
This is a song I wrote about people leaving the US and Canada and ex-patriating in Acapulco, seeking the freedom that they couldn't find at home. The first verse is about a young traveller with almost nothing to lose, loosely based on my friend Juan Galt, and also somewhat autobiographical. The second verse is about a family man who manages wireless Internet services for a living, based on a few characters I met in Mexico - Nathan Freeman, Ryan Herbison and Travis Boyd. The third verse is about some of the problems that people are noticing, especially in the United States - the spread of authoritarianism and an ever-expanding state.
Pineapple Juice
In case you're wondering, the pineapple juice isn't an innuendo. It's literally about juice and other delicious foods, some of which I discovered in Mexico and some from my travels in south east Asia.
Captains of Industry
This song is about the cycle of crony capitalism or oligarchy. Entrepreneurs might build a vast empire by offering genuinely useful products and services to consumers... But when they get large enough, the temptation is to expand their power using the state. Eventually a new challenger arises to carve out his own niche in the market, and displace the incumbent.
False Flag
False flag attacks are events staged or orchestrated by a state in order to gain more power over their citizens. The song tells the story of many such famous cases - the sinking of the Lusitania that lead to US involvement in World War 1, the burning of the Reichstag, and the still current mystery of 9/11.
Don't Hold Dollars (Q.E.)
This is a song about why fiat currency such as US dollars might not be the smartest way to hold onto your wealth. The US Treasury and Federal Reserve have been creating money at an unprecedented rate, and we still haven't seen the full effects of it. Where do you hold your money?
Independently Minded
Many people claim to be open-minded, but they'll have some point where they'll put their foot down and say they will not consider this idea. If I have a limit like that, I haven't found it yet, and as time goes on I learn more tools for assessing the veracity and utility of concepts. I'm Independently Minded!
Brother #1
During the Khmer Rouge, one man controlled the majority of the power, while concealing his identity even from his own family. His mother knew him as Saloth Sâr. The world knew him as Pol Pot. The Khmer people knew him as Brother Number One.
This song tells the story of the families evacuated from Phnom Penh, the guards who forced them to work and killed them and each other for non-compliance, and of the torture camp at Tuol Sleng.
To Acapulco Reprise
In this track we head back on up to Acapulco and meet a couple more characters - the military veteran who still carries the burden of his past, and the seeker looking for answers through mystical means, such as meditation, and psychedelic means, such as peyote.
Thank you
Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy the music.