‘As Long As There’s Poetry, We Endure’
Music inspired by Bette Dangerous
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“We must speak in the language of art.”—Dmitrii Kovegin
Something pretty magical happened — Bette Dangerous has inspired multiple songs in recent months.
As someone who made my living — such as it was — as a music writer and nightlife columnist for many years before accidentally landing in broadcast news, I am truly moved by this phenomenon.
It began when DJ Oisin Lunny put one of my podcasts to music. I was in the desert and wrote this post:
I had just left Palm Springs for the starry, starry night sky of Joshua Tree, and as is my habit, I wake up around 2 am and just start writing. After I recorded the podcast version, Lunny reached out and created something beautiful.
Here is my interview with the amazing DJ:
You can hear the Wash Our Spirits Clean track at the end of that interview, and I will also include in the track listings below.
As those of you who attended our Speakeasy event last week with Ukrainian playwright, Sasha Denisova, already know, I believe art is an essential weapon of war.
That’s why we sought out another playwright, and RadPod will be dropping that interview asap. This time, with Belarus-born director and playwright, Dmitri Plax, whose play Navalny: The Trial is showing at the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theatre.
In the meantime, please enjoy these tracks inspired by the work of Bette Dangerous:
Track One: Wash Our Spirits Clean by DJ Oisin Lunny
DJ Oisin Lunny, from Geek Pie Radio 16th September 2023 mixed my "Wash Our Spirits Clean" post with Starseeds "Elsewhere", taken from their seminal lost album of groovy electronica "Parallel Lives. The poetry starts a few minutes in.
Track Two: Bandaid by Jesse Alex featuring Gregg Sartiano
Singer/songwriter Jesse Alex told me she had never written a political song until she got to know me and the work I do at Bette Dangerous. So she surprised me at a gig one night by introducing a song inspired by yours truly. In my opinion, it’s a winner. Of course, any song that references Dylan, Lennon, Joplin, and freedom is a winner imo. She has already written a second political song, also inspired by these pages. LA readers can see her live at the Viper Room, June 21, at midnight.
Track Three: To Burn A Witch by Little Rock Massacre
Imagine my surprise when a high school band from Little Rock, Arkansas, reached out and asked me if they could use my interview from The Thom Hartmann Program for a pro-choice track inspired by my words.
Of Witches to Burn is incredible old school hardcore banger, that pairs well with my report in Byline Supplement — The Witch Switch. Who knew that Little Rock had a vibrant ‘90s punk scene? Little Rock Massacre is the offpsring of some ‘90s Arkansas punks. Crank it up to 11.
Track Four: Wash Me Down by C. Lynne Smith featuring Marlene Babbert on bass (demo version❤️🔥)
One of our Bette members, Marlene Babbert, sends me beautiful words and images and music. After listening to my interview with Oisin Lunny she sent me a demo of this beautiful song — Wash Me Down — written by C. Lynne Smith. The two of them performed it together unrehearsed in one take — C. Lynne on guitar/vocals, Marlene on bass. C. Lynne wrote the song while standing in a river — the words just flowed to her. I listened to it about two dozen times when she first sent it. I love it so much. And that sweet guitar and bass, and those heavenly vocals — just sublime.
And speaking of Sublime, I am often haunted by the ghosts of my music past. And when Los Angeles Magazine asked me to do an interview with Jakob Nowell, who is stepping into his father Bradley’s shoes to be the frontman of Sublime, I of course said yes. I wrote a book about his dad about two decades ago.
Here is that interview with Jakob. I’ll have more on that in coming days.
As I noted in Wash Our Spirits Clean, as long as there’s poetry, we endure.
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Also, a private link to an annual membership discount for older adults, those on fixed incomes or drawing disability, as well as activists and members of the media is available upon request at bettedangerous/gmail. 🥹
More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter/producer, author, and veteran music and nightlife columnist. She is the cohost of RADICALIZED Truth Survives, an investigative show about disinformation and is part of the Byline Media team. Thank you for your support of independent investigative journalism.
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Begin each day with a grateful heart.
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(DJ Oisin Lunny, Jesse Alex, Little Rock Massacre, C. Lynne Smith Little and Marlene Babbert)