Music News: When Dr. Cornel West Talks Music, You Listen
Look, I hate Capitalism as much as the next comrade. I don’t believe the two-party system kind of gives a fuck about working-class people. At this point in my life, I’ve assumed the stance that the political arena is a massive jack-off fest complete with circus animals who caterwaul and raise their ass for the highest bidder. Joe Biden and Donald Trump equally suck, and neither is representative of the nacho-munching, Creed-loving populous we exist within. Politicians go into office with good intentions, and most of them come out as crooked thieves with bank accounts soaring with commas – just ask Nancy Pelosi.
But through the moaning of rubbing dollar bills against decrepit bodies ala P. Diddy’s fuck shacks, there are voices of reason. When Noam Chomsky has something to say, I listen. He’s been a moral and political candle through the haze for generations, and we’re lucky to still share the same sun with him despite his very golden years. But another voice I’ve come to lean on as a vector of complex reality is Dr. Cornel West.
West, an outspoken social critic, teacher, and man of many talents is an arbiter of the true doctrine of the people. He’s also running as an independent political candidate. Recently, he came to my faux artistic wonderland, Austin, Texas, and I, with my personal Dr. Gonzo, Marty Shambles, the poet, went to check him out, as Shambles is a massive fan of the Good Doctor.
Walking into the George Washington Carver Center on Austin’s East side, the space was small, but the event was full, especially after his “Rally for Truth, Justice, & Love” at Hotel Vegas, one of our premier rock and roll dives. The crowd waiting for Dr. West was diverse, to say the least, from granola white folks who rode their bikes over to the many black women and even a dude in traditional African gear straight up eating a cup of soup.
These kinds of small, grassroots events speak to the community at large rather than some slap-and-tickle hullabaloo like the Ol’ Orange Dickhead likes to throw to make himself feel good. This wasn’t anything slickly built with connections and cash; instead, being in the room, you could tell the event was thrown at people who seriously give a fuck. And when the Middle East is bombing the shit out of one another, people are broke as hell while CEOs get richer; we could use a lot of give a fuck, in my opinion.
I’m gonna be honest, this whole deal was Shambles’ thing. I didn’t know about it till the night before as I was riding around, buying fancy cheese for a night in with my girlfriend. (We had $100 gift cards. I cannot afford a $16 hunk of blue otherwise.) So, rolling into the event, I was blind. I learned that the afternoon was dedicated to the plight of working musicians in Austin, a constant source of ire in this town. You can create an image and a name like “The Live Music Capital of the World,” but when working musicians can’t live here based on what they make a night, who’s the lie we are selling?
Local nonprofit Austin Texas Musicians threw the event, entitled, “The State of the Music Industry”: A Roundtable with Dr. Cornel West which was moderated by the org’s Advocacy & Education Manager Sarah Hall; this roundtable included folks from the scene, including Ray Price, who is on the board of directors and heads the free Notes for Notes recording studio which gives kids interested in music a chance to explore their interests. Also involved were Pedro Carvalho, owner of the Far Out Lounge, Courtney Santana, singer and CEO of domestic violence resource Survive2Thrive, along with Sharon Mays, chief of staff for Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison. Mays used to work in the music biz, so she had plenty of opinions not rooted in political glad-handing but in real-life experience.
Bill Callahan opened the gig, and let me tell you, there ain’t much more Austin than a dude crooning some seriously depressing shit while strumming his telecaster. I’d have opted for a local rapper or something more high-energy, but who am I? Just some asshole with a notepad. After getting the music portion over, the chairs were set up where the people involved were thanked and announced, and West ran with the ball. West, who’s released thirty books and taught Ivy League nerds classes on philosophy and theology, also has three albums under his belt with some scrubs named Prince, Bootsy Collins, and André 3000.
If you’ve never seen Cornel West speak, he’s something special. He knows music; you couldn’t keep up with his opening remarks, which felt more like a sermon to the power of guitars, bass, and drums, delivering that this afternoon was about the “indescribable phenomenon called music.”
Employing his signature salute of calling everyone “brother” or “sister,” West went off like a rocket, name dropping everyone from Beethoven to Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, and Ma Rainey. It was almost too many quotes to keep up with him. “Music is not ornamental and decorative. It’s constitutive of who I am,” West continued, “It preserves my sanity and dignity.” To say that West probably has a vinyl collection that would make any YouTuber weep in envy is likely. Continuing his usual beats, West talked about gender, race, and class, which resonated with the crowd as he espoused about bombs dropping on Gaza and fighting in Sudan, just another “cultural catastrophe,” and it was music that made him remain human when hearing about these things. As he went on further, the people in attendance got the vibe with a loud agreement in church-style mumbles of “mmmm-hhh,” which were powerful, if we’re honest.
West leaned into the idea of tenderness, that music is what we need “when looking at the coffin of your momma.” The guy is a quote machine; it’s insane.
Once the panel started rapping about Austin’s problems with affordability, West kept quiet because those of us who live here know that the creative class is struggling. From the bartenders to the cooks and the ecosystem they’re a part of to the acts booked nightly, it’s all tied together, and we’re all broke.
Mays was hot on the idea of supporting the business side of the spectrum, asking, “Who’s the next C3?” which sure started here, but Carvalho shot back. I hope there is not ever another C3, if possible.” Interjecting at different moments, West again had some solid quips: Sam Cook, Sly Stone, and Curtis Mayfield. Not one Grammy. Milli Vanilli got two.”
The talk continued, stressing the de-evolution of “g-string music” as the quote master said. The roundtable continued, and everyone agreed that music should be cherished and not seen as a “nice to have.” Other topics touched on were that the city’s grant program clearly sucks and doesn’t pay out enough for the people it’s meant to support.
When asked about the government supporting the arts against AI, West didn’t have much to stand up but pointed to programs in France and South Korea, stating, “Every federal budget is a moral document.” Last I checked, he was running based on the two shit-heel parties we’ve got fucking up the joint with class war and war-war. The least we can do is get fewer guns and tanks killing brown kids and more studios funded to make movies and music. Hey, call me a dreamer.
Check out Cornel West’s books and get behind his movement. He’s a long shot, but at least his moral compass is there, which you can’t say for either ghoul who’ll get the job as POTUS. At least this guy likes good music. Have you heard the shit Trump plays? Kid Rock. That says enough.
Watch the entire program presented by Austin Texas Musicians:
