Gogol Bordello

COME MY FRIENDS AND SING OF FREEDOM!

It’s time to put some meat behind the word that we all seem to cherish equally:

FREEDOM

We all may disagree with how we achieve it and who’s freedom is more important than the others. We are striving to find balance. Some of us see taxes as achieving that balance, some of see it as tool of oppression. Some of us see our military as a means of spreading freedom and ensuring our own, others are wary of the authoritarian nature of our commanders-in-chief and the Top Brass.

What we’re forgetting is that we are all striving for the same goal. It is with that thought in mind that I would like to take the time to introduce you to Gogol Bordello, a band that I believe best represents the spirit of Freedom and what it means to all of us on a very personal level. Through the mere backgrounds of the members, the mixture of old and new sounds, and words that will help to remind you that we are all one people who want to party, fuck, drink and be merry. Never mind the Bollocks.

I should also mention how I was introduced to this band. I had just done a last minute improv jam, at which a fellow by the name of Charlie whom I’d met a year earlier after a class show I randomly attended just showed up randomly to play on a Mix team. I thought he tore up the place. Anyway, I caught up with Charlie at the bar and we shared a drink and a smoke. Right before I left we started talking about Tom Petty and the excellent documentary “Runnin’ Down a Dream”. Specifically how he really just connects with so many different people and how his shows are incredible feats of audience participation, not to mention how he stood up to the Record Industry when no one else would. Anyway, he’s the one who first told me that I needed to check out Gogol Bordello.

It turns out that Charlie actually hung out with the lead singer a few times. His name is Eugene Hütz, and he told Charlie the story of how rock n’ roll saved his life. I will now paraphrase, please read in a Russian accent my friend!

"Let me tell you story, my friend, of how Rock N’ Roll save my life. My uncle and me, we very much Like rocknroll. But State radio say “No!”, But my uncle, he was smart. He fix radio to listen to Pirate Radio Station, so we could listen to the rock n’ roll. Then one night, we hear over the radio that Chernobyl was happening, and so we leave. Only no one else in town knew, because they only listen to State radio. And that, my friend is how Rock N’ Roll Save My Life."

You’re goddamned right, Eugene. Enough words for now, I’m off to dig up more videos and lyrics to post in the comments. It’s time to put some meat behind the word that we all seem to cherish equally: FREEDOM ... more

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