Randy from Rebel Time Records continues selecting his favourite recent protest songs...
STREETLIGHT SAINTS - Disorder
Frank Sinatra sings, masterfully, "regrets, I've had a few, but, then again, too few to mention." One of my big regrets is not having been able to see Streetlight Saints (https://www.facebook.com/streetlightsaintsyyc/) when they played a Sunday Slamfest in Hamilton in October 2019 as, alas, the band broke up shortly thereafter. To paraphrase Frank: "Just like a flame / Streetlight Saints burned brightly, then became / An empty smoke dream that has gone / Gone with the wind." That said, thankfully, I did see the band once, at The Casbah in Hamilton.
In their own words, Streetlight Saints were: "melodic street punk from Calgary, Alberta Canada. Sing along pub rock anthems with a social conscience. (Providing) a positive voice for the underdogs, outcasts and down trodden in today's society."
As far as I can tell, the band unleashed upon the world, at most, 7 songs. Each one is an instant classic, anchored by singer Pete's perfect pipes. Songs about bashing the fash, about Canada's residential schools and our treatment of First Nations, etc. I think my first exposure to the band was the video for the song "Our Common Struggle / Bash The Fash." An auspicious beginning to say the least!
As one member of the band noted, in an interview with Porkpie E-Zine: "most working class bands share an ideology and a distaste for injustice and imbalance socially, politically and economically and that is something I can get behind. The stuff we write as a band means something to me, I like that we have some things of substance to say to people who are listening." And, "part of our mantra has always been about thinking for yourself, unity, doing the right thing, using your influence to create change, let's hope that rubs off on people."
https://streetlightsaints.bandcamp.com/album/7-split-w-reckless-upstarts
This was the band's first song on their first release; a split 7" with the amazing Reckless Upstarts that was released on Insurgence Records (as an aside, I was tickled pink to have Rebel Time Records described by a member of the band in the aforementioned interview as "Insurgence Record's more punk sister label") and it certainly seemed to me to be a harbinger of greatness to come. Thus it's importance. Just a humdinger of a tune. Passionate, political punk. On-point, meaningful and masterful musicianship and message. "More, please," I said to myself!
With regards to this particular tune, the band writes:
"We wrote this song prior to the Covid-19 outbreak as a response to the widening gap between the ruling class and the shrinking middle class. We've been provided with so many distractions in the form of the media and the entertainment industry that we lost track of what was really going on in the world.
How much is enough? The ruling class making record profits yet still their hands are firmly in our pockets squeezing out the last bit of toothpaste from the working class's collective tube.
The system is broken, it needs to be broken down and re-built if we're ever to experience true equality. The only vote that truly counts as democracy falls is with your wallet and your actions. Social media posts will not save the world. Status Quo?, no, we'll push forward.
No war but the class war."
So...I tip my hat and raise my glass to a band that burned briefly but brightly. Like Frank sang, "Thanks for the memory."
This was the band's first song on their first release; a split 7" with the amazing Reckless Upstarts that was released on Insurgence Records (as an aside, I was tickled pink to have Rebel Time Records described by a member of the band in the aforementioned interview as "Insurgence Record's more punk sister label") and it certainly seemed to me to be a harbinger of greatness to come. Thus it's importance. Just a humdinger of a tune. Passionate, political punk. On-point, meaningful and masterful musicianship and message. "More, please," I said to myself!
With regards to this particular tune, the band writes:
"We wrote this song prior to the Covid-19 outbreak as a response to the widening gap between the ruling class and the shrinking middle class. We've been provided with so many distractions in the form of the media and the entertainment industry that we lost track of what was really going on in the world.
How much is enough? The ruling class making record profits yet still their hands are firmly in our pockets squeezing out the last bit of toothpaste from the working class's collective tube.
The system is broken, it needs to be broken down and re-built if we're ever to experience true equality. The only vote that truly counts as democracy falls is with your wallet and your actions. Social media posts will not save the world. Status Quo?, no, we'll push forward.
No war but the class war."
So...I tip my hat and raise my glass to a band that burned briefly but brightly. Like Frank sang, "Thanks for the memory."
Rock together walk together heads are all held high
Our bond cannot be broken we'll be true until we die
Some people come, some people go
It's your line that we won't toe
Status quo no we'll push forward
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
We'll burn the corporations to the ground
Build upon the ashes fuck your petty rations
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
How much is too much where do you draw the line?
What's yours is yours yet you still want mine
A country that only cares about the upper class
Vote with your wallet and give them the brass
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
We'll burn the corporations to the ground
Build upon the ashes fuck your petty rations
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
We'll burn the corporations to the ground
Build upon the ashes fuck your petty rations
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
Our bond cannot be broken we'll be true until we die
Some people come, some people go
It's your line that we won't toe
Status quo no we'll push forward
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
We'll burn the corporations to the ground
Build upon the ashes fuck your petty rations
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
How much is too much where do you draw the line?
What's yours is yours yet you still want mine
A country that only cares about the upper class
Vote with your wallet and give them the brass
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
We'll burn the corporations to the ground
Build upon the ashes fuck your petty rations
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
We'll burn the corporations to the ground
Build upon the ashes fuck your petty rations
Blind folded eyes can't see the disorder
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