The Occuponics is a musical collaboration inspired by the energy, experience and values of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. Founded by musicians Paul Stein on accordion, melodica, claviola, and vocals and Stephen Carl Baldwin on guitar, percussion, and vocals, The Occuponics is inclusive, eclectic, and participatory. Paul currently anchors The Occuponics and is joined by other musical agitators.
In this third segment of “Voice of Art – The Tax Dodgers”, you can see how the game is played and hear the musical accompaniment of The Occuponics. Check it out!
In this second segment of “Voice of Art – The Tax Dodgers”, Wall Street’s least favorite baseball team “The Tax Dodgers” prepare their performance tactics for a big upcoming game. Citizens for Tax Justice illustrate the problem of corporate tax dodging, a former police captain fights against “corporate sociopaths,” and The Yes Men and Common Cause detail the corporate hijacking of the US political system through devious means.
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 Tax Dodgers – a satirical baseball team that The Occuponics often accompany when they stroll and sing the “Tax Dodger Song,” were on the radio recently with Danny Schecter, the News Dissector. Here they are on the radio: this show was broadcast on PRN (the Progressive Radio Network) on April 27, 2012.
The Occuponics’ Paul Stein was on hand this past Tuesday to provide musical accompaniment for The Tax Dodgers as they strolled around town in support of the May Day protests in New York City. At Union Square, the Dodgers were approached by Amy Goodman, of Democracy Now, and had a chance to be interviewed and perform their original song, “Take Me Out to the Tax Game.” This is the complete (slightly edited) interview of the Tax Dodgers (and of The Occuponics briefly at the end) with a transcript. Part of this interview and the complete “Take Me Out to the Tax Game” found here was a segment of the national broadcast of Democracy Now on May 2, 2012.
Another fun video recording of the Tax Dodgers’ late-night visit to Rockefeller Center, home of GE, NBC, and MSNBC. This video, shot by the Adventure Pants production company, is very nicely produced, and features The Dodgers, The Occuponics, and the famous Illuminator truck, a high-tech vehicle that projects images on iconic buildings — in this case, Radio Music Hall.
