An American visionary - Michael Franti. Watch this CBC interview about his time in Iraq. Also....

[Harper_is_Bush]

see the video of "TIME TO GO HOME" from his latest albumn Yell Fire.

Interview: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rF_H8-3ZgB4

Video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=iSeuLsNV4CA

This artist is one of the rare ones who can actualy change our world.

[silverweb]

1. Wow, thanks for this!

I'm a fan, too, and love his work.

:hi:

[Harper_is_Bush]

2. ur welcome. His music is so relavent to Americans today.

People should also check out the song "Yell Fire". Available on youtube.

:)

[silverweb]

4. Absolutely!

"Yell Fire" was my intro to Franti and then I was hooked.

K&R

:headbang:

[Harper_is_Bush]

5. topic isn't resonating on DU. It's not anti-Clinton or Impeach I guess.

[silverweb]

8. Give it time.

Lots of people read, but not everyone posts, so it could be getting a lot more notice than you're aware of.

[Don Claybrook]

10. I'm one of those people

I rarely post anymore--it feels like it's all been said before. But I still read DU every day. I watched the video, and now I'm playing my copy of the Yell Fire! disc.

So thanks to the OP for posting, and to you for pointing out that there are probably lots of us who read in passive mode.

[silverweb]

11. Thanks for posting, Don!

I'm multitasking (supposed to be working), but I plan to scour YouTube for more Franti after work.

Got a Talking Heads fix earlier in the day, thanks to something someone posted that reminded me of _Once in a Lifetime_ and sent me looking for it. :D

I read a lot more in passive mode than I post, too, and would long ago have gone bonkers without DU, so I know how it is.

Thanks for letting us know you're here. :hi:

[Harper_is_Bush]

3. HEY DU, YOU WANT SOME REAL LEADERSHIP??? FOLLOW THIS MAN.

[davekriss]

6. Franti has been making great music for years

From "TV, the Drug of a Nation" in 1991 when he was one half of the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, to today. A recent favorite (from 2003's Everyone Deserves Music), "Bomb the World":

Please tell me the reason
behind the colours that you fly
please tell me the reason
you want us to unify
you say you're sorry
you say there is no other choice
but how can you feel sorry
when you kill people with no voice

(chorus)
You can chase down all your enemies
bring them to their knees
you can bomb the world to pieces
but you can't bomb it into peace

You may even find the solution
to hunger and disease
you can bomb the world to pieces
but you can't bomb it into peace

The earthquake of anger
simply brings more of the same
military madness
the smell of flesh and burning pain
so I sing out to the masses
stand up if you're still sane
to all of us gone crazy
I sing this one refrain
(chorus)

I say, power to the people

***

Franti plays the same role in the aural and emotional spectrum for me that Gil Scot-Heron used to play in the seventies/eighties (yes I'm getting old!). Michael's message is brighter, but both stand for unflinching truth and justice conveyed through compelling lyrics and music. Great stuff, both.

[Forkboy]

7. I'll gladly give this a big kick.

Everything he's done has been excellent,both musically and lyrically.

[HuskerDU]

9. Yeah the guy from Spearhead. He is the real deal.

I think he's playing around here soon. Must go for sure- thanks!

[Harper_is_Bush]

12. late night kick. This artist is not to be missed by any progressive. check him out. n/t

[alarimer]

13. The Yell Fire CD is excellent

Two songs in particular move me: Hello, Bonjour and Light up ya lighter.

A great political album.

[Bennyboy]

14. Only Bob Marley ever

touched me the way that Michael Franti does. The first time I ever saw him I was floored. I have seen him about fifty times or so, with the Disposable Heroes of hiphopracy and with Spearhead.
"All the freaky people make the beauty of the World"....

[Karenina]

15. K&R!

[Bennyboy]

16. Great video, the most dynamic performer

I have ever seen...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5ZY7JsGEtQ