Album | Mob Justice
(2011)
A satirical, sometimes humorous response to the McCain/Palin presidential campaign, as well as the right-wing extremism that's plaguing our nation and the world.
It was the 2008 Presidential election that started the extreme political divide in the U.S. The Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sara Palin was spewing a vitriolic stew of lies, deceit and ridicule of Barak Obama, the Democratic candidate. John McCain, with whom I seldom agreed with but had some respect for, chose her and stood by while his campaign went all the way to the right. This new wave of so-called Tea Party Republicans, funded by the Koch brothers, was sold to the, shall we say "less informed"
public as a grass-roots brand of patriotism, when in fact, they were coming for Social Security, Medicare, and every part of the safety net just to benefit the richest scumbags that ever lived. I had just read a book about the incidents leading up to the French Revolution, and the similarity to these Banana Republicans was striking. So, as an artist, I had to strike back. After Banana Republicans took the houe and Senate in 2010,
MOB JUSTICE was born.
​
I had already written "Bullshit Organization" about NARAS, the Grammy organization that had been co-opted by a corrupt CEO and corporate influence. I had recorded a track on cassette for a song called "Fascism in Amerika". Although I thought it was clear that I was saying fascism was bad, but if someone were a fascist, they might mistake it for their anthem. I re-wrote the lyrics and that became "Where's My Freedom?". "Children, Beware" was a song I wrote in the 80s and re-recorded with Robin Sylvester and Jim Sagebiel in the late 90's. It is about the dark nature of human beings and their organizations. "Sold By The Lb." was a song I wrote for my band SPARKY in 1971. I had also re-recorded the basic tracks for that song with Robin & Jim in the late 90s, but hadn't finished it. "Michael Baker" was also a song from the early 70s that I wrote for the weasel of that name that was a Federal drug informant working against political dissenters. All of these songs had the same thing in common: outrage.
​
While I don't expect all people to be informed and educated about political matters, or even if informed, to necessarily agree with my point of view, but I'm not going to accept a world like the one we live in today that is based on total ignorance and false premise.
​
Take away my Social Security that I've paid into all my life? How about we line you motherf$%*ers up at the guillotine? That was my state of mind when I, almost extemporaneously, created and sang the track for "Heads R Gonna Roll". Of course, the art is about as far as I'd really go personally as I don't support public beheadings for real.
​
But, with the French Revolution in mind, I figured, they want to go extreme, I'll go extreme and we can always negotiate!
"Rupert Murdoch Sucks" – a lot of those idiots are long gone, but Murdoch still sucks. "Clucking Fox Suckers" are abound as the largest industrial propaganda machine for the uber-rich continues to dis-inform the unsuspecting public, turning the USA into a banana republic where it's austerity for the poor and welfare for the lazy rich. I should update this one with the cast of new characters.
While recording this album, my neighbors called the cops when I was rehearsing with my band. This, after their kid went up and down the driveway every frickin' day with his super-loud Hotwheel bike, leaking through the sound proofing. I tolerated that for hours daily and they call the cops like bitches for a 2 hour rehearsal? "Screw The Neighbors" was my response. Mind you, I was in a mood for this album!
"Smokin' Marijuana" is how I've always felt since I first started smoking it in the 60s.
Pot is legal in the majority of states in some form, but who is anyone to tell me what I can use, misuse or abuse? I mean, if you think you know best, go practice it yourself and F the F off! I'll take anything I please, and I don't need some ignorant fools or their laws to guide me in this life.
​
​
"Penile Transplant" was a song I wrote during the MOB JUSTICE timeframe that is
just a light-hearted look at the trans-gender issue. My wife and I have had trans-gendered friends and colleagues. I did not intend anything other than to make the issue and the understanding of the issue into an amusing song to play at open mics. Since trans-gendered people are also heavily negatively impacted by the Banana Republican, pseudo-religious brand of fascism, and to make the minimum 10 songs to make an album, this was included.
​
I consider the cover to be my "Sgt. Pepper". When conceptualizing the cover as a scene reminiscent of the French Revolution, I wanted the cast of evil characters lined up for justice, but I needed to pick someone to be in the guillotine itself. I did some thinking, and the most reprehensible person with the piggy-est lifestyle I could come up with was the arrogant idiot host of Celebrity Apprentice, Donald J. Trump. It is not lost on me that the guy I considered to be the worst possible role model in the entire world would be elected by the clucking Fox suckers!
​
This album was completed in 2011 at Bongo Boy Studio in Mckinleyville, California. Jimmy Foot wrote all the songs and played guitar, keyboard, bass and sang all vocals. Jimmy Sage, drummer, and Robin Sylvester, bassist, played on half of the album. Both are well-known players from northern California. Drummers Mike Yasemi and Mike Kimmel also contributed to the album.