Mir Veln Zey Iberlebn!

Today is Yom HaShoah, and I think the news that antisemitic acts are on the rise across the country, especially here in NYC and in NJ, perfectly illustrates why it's so important to not only educate and "never forget," but to actively fight against hatred by any means necessary. ("We learn from history, generations have to fight. And those who crave for mastery, must be faced down on sight. And if that means by words, by fists, by stones or by the gun. Remember those who stood up for their daughters and their sons."*) Long live the spirit of The 43 Group. Mir veln zey iberlebn!

* Lyrics excerpt from "Ghosts of Cable Street," by Paul

Simmonds (The Men They Couldn't Hang), 1986.

We In Purgatory Sing Fondly Of Hell

Photograph by Lee Greenfeld © 2022

Today Is Right Here

Horace Andy cut his first record back in 1967 and countless classics in the years since ("Skylarking", "Fever," "See A Man's Face," "Every Tongue Shall Tell," his version of ""Ain't No Sunshine," "Government Land" "Money Money," "Child of the Ghetto," "Love Is The Light,"  and on and on). He released the essential 'Dance Hall Style' LP in 1982, gained much deserved notice outside of reggae via his work with Massive Attack in the 1990s, and now at age 71 has released one of the best albums of year.

Bombing The System!

Fare thee well to Keith Grayson, better known as DJ Kay Slay aka DEZZY DEZ. If you’re of a certain age and grew up in NYC, you know his massive importance in our street culture: graffiti, DJing, mixtapes, publishing... the man rocked it all. Another truly sad loss from Covid, and gone way too young. Rest In Peace.

Photograph by Henry Chalfant

Swing For The Crime

"Locked in a room full of words

I'm a one-eyed midget with a curse

The simpleton who sweetly smiles

At his young lover now beguiled

The sycophantic morons lied

At Romeo, who is the bride, let's ride

Stoned as I walk down the hall

The ad men wait to hear the curse and call

The angels scream in discontent

As to the river they are lent

The actors bow and pay the rent

We cover them in cold cement

Let's swing for the crime

Everyone in double-time

And we hope that you had a good time

Yeah, smile as you sign on the line

Because life on your knees can be fun

Surprised now you're not the only one

Led like a lamb into this gloom

Yeah, Freud is in a back room with his goons

Now they've got new experiments

The metal groans, the limbs are rent

The anti-heroes mock dissent

We market now by mass consent

We swing for the crime

Everyone in double-time

Scream like you'll burst if they cry

Is changed by the words that you learn

But Jack the Ripper is inside

And Moriarty has imbibed

They live, they marry, all the while

We laugh and have them circumcised

And we hope that you had a good time

Yeah, smile as you sign on the line

Because life on your knees can be fun

Are you glad that you're not the only one?"

There's rightfully much praise and ink-spilled over Chris Baily's incredible voice — the perfect combination of punk snottiness, a deep down-under blues ache and longing with a sarcastic, winking bite — but it needs to be noted that the man was also a one of a kind lyricist, up there with the very best. May his memory be a blessing.