Living with war

While my focus here at Write in Maine is, well, writing; occasionally, however, I’ll throw in some other material. If you’ve read my blogging at Words Matter, or even before that, at my now defunct site, JBIWFY, you know that music is an inspiration for me.

One of the musicians who has inspired and informed my consciousness since high school (a long, long time ago) is Neil Young. Last year, Young produced the movie, Greendale, as well as accompanying soundtrack. This generally unheralded work spoke to the theme of rural America--that place where old-time values and ethics still exist--a place where deals are still sealed with handshakes and residents can still make a successful life with hard work and an honest effort. Now, word is out that Young is about to come out with more powerful commentary on the state of our country, with the summer release of Living With War.

Unlike many of the current crop of manufactured pop divas and boy band wannabes, or the faux-angry poseurs forsaking any kind of melodic orientation, Young occupies a unique place in the rock pantheon. Older than all the other rock stars currently in vogue, Young is a dinosaur (who refuses to leave quietly), with roots from a time when music had something to say, rather than merely occupying another wrung in the consumer ladder.

According to Young from his website, Living With War is “…a metal version of Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan.”

Here are some others, weighing in on Young’s upcoming broadside against the Bush administration and our state of total war.

Down With Tyranny

Yahoo News (notice their dig against Young, for his supposed "inconsistency"?)

The Carpetbagger Report