Paul Stein uses his accordion, melodica, claviola, voice, & original songs to support peace, justice, & the environment. Co-founder of The Occuponics, who were active throughout Occupy Wall Street, he can be heard at marches, demonstrations, rallies, & vigils all around the New York City area, often with the Filthy Rotten System band.
This video captures our spirited sing out on April 22, 2012, a rainy Earth Day in Brooklyn, when people gathered around the country (and abroad) to sing This Land Is Your Land at the same time as part of Sing Out for Earth Day (organized by Hali Hammer of Occupella). Our intrepid group from Occupy/Ocupemos Sunset Park joyously sings in Mandarin, Spanish, and English in our beautiful park. Both The Occuponics and The Filthy Rotten System (the Catholic Worker band) braved the wind and rain along with Sunset Park occupiers.
This second video is the wonderful Sing Out for Earth Day compilation that captures groups of people singing This Land Is Your Land in dozens of locations throughout the US and overseas. It was exciting and uplifting to be part of it!
This is wonderful news, because everybody associated with this project has worked very hard over the past few months to get the word out about the glories of being super-rich and irresponsible. So let’s give a big huzzah for The Tax Dodgers – the bad guys you love to hate and hate to love!
Here’s a quick clip of our wonderful team performing outside Ann Romney’s birthday party at Trump Tower on April 15th – the Dodgers’ favorite day of the year!
Occupy Guitarmy Squad leader Stephen Carl Baldwin and Paul Stein lead the 99 Mile March in “One Guitar” as they prepare to set out from Philadelphia to New York City on July 5th. The march raised awareness about the range of Occupy Wall Street issues, celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Woody Guthrie’s birth, and advocated for funding music education in the schools, which has been severely cut back in recent years. Steve and Paul took part in the beginning and end of the march and are in awe of those occupiers who marched all seven days.
The Occuponics had the pleasure of providing music for Occupy’s first National Gathering, AKA #NatGat, which happened this past week in Philadelphia.
Thanks to vidographer kgosztola for recording this free form performance of the song called “#Natgat: In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love.” This performance was recorded the night of July 3rd, in Franklin Square. Featuring Stephen C. Baldwin on guitar and vocal, Paul Stein on melodica, and Carlos Mandelbaum (AKA David Intrator) on saxophone.
#NATGAT (City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love)
They call it NatGat In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love NatGat In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
Down at Franklin Square In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
We’re gathering there In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
You need a good spot In the Quaker Friends parking lot Down at NatGat Is in the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love Cause every hep cat Is in the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love Down at NatGat In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
It’s a vision thing In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love It’s imagining In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love Another world’s way In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love And a better day In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
It’s not for fat cats In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love But it’s where it’s at In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love National gathering, it’s a happening In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love Weird weather, all together In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
Yeah, it’s NatGat In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love It’s where it’s at, in the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love City of Love/City of Love City of Love/City of Love
Lyrics c. 2012 Stephen C. Baldwin
The Occuponics – along with The OWS Sax Man, Guitarmy and the OWS Pulse Drum Circle – provided musical support to the second annual Animal Rights Day ceremony in Union Square Park this past Sunday, June 3rd. Toward the end of our concert, it began to rain, but folks kept right on dancing, and this short video captures of the magic of dancing in the rain!
The Occuponics have been consulting and playing with The Occupy Guitarmy, an open source music collective that allows musicians of all stripes to perform socially conscious songs together.
There is a lot of work that goes into organizing The Guitarmy, but also a lot of fun when we can put down our Word Docs and Spreadsheets and jam together. The following video captures the Guitarmy’s second rehearsal together; the song performed is Florence Reece’s “Which Side Are You On.”
In July, The Occupy Guitarmy will lead a 99-mile musical march between Philadelphia and New York City in solidarity with the Occupy National Gathering. Over at http://occupyguitarmy.tumblr.com, you can learn more about participating in this exciting event.
Master song parodist Dave Lippman tops himself with “Bank The Knife,” a scintillating update of the classic Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht song. Incidentally, Dave will be playing in Brooklyn, Friday, June 1, at the Good Coffeehouse Music Parlor, 53 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, NY 11215. Show time is 8pm.
Our friend Dave Lippman has a new song he’s uploaded to DaveLippman.com called “Are Your Sleeping” that aptly demonstrates the master art of effective song parody by using a song we all learned as a child. Check it out here: http://www.davelippman.com/mp3s/AreYouSleeping/
(Note: you will need to click on the “Play” button to hear Dave’s new song.)
