There is a January 11 demonstration that a coalition of human rights groups has been organizing to mark the tenth anniversary of the detention center at Guantanamo. Show up and bring a friend or two.

The goal is to get enough people to participate to form a human chain from the Capitol to the White House. This is an important anniversary. Guantanamo seems more like a permanent fixture now than it ever has before.

Show up to protest its continued existence and the growing use by the U.S. of indefinite detention without charge.

The event will start at noon with a rally in Lafayette Square and end at 2 pm.

GREED RUNS THE CLOCK
AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME

Here are 4 songs for the Occupy groups in NYC and everywhere.

Play and download them for free, or if you're in New York you might find a CD copy on the streets.



1. Greed Runs The Clock (And We're Running Out of Time) / (Unreleased)
- a brand new song on a EP coming soon

2. We Shall Not Be Moved / (from Lies)
- our version of the classic protest song

3. Johnson!!! / (from Lies)
- inspired by past Wall St. debacles

4. Consumer Society (from Track III)
- one of our first songs, originally by the Colombian Neckties

Hi friends,

Lots of new things happening with BLOWBACK!

First, we're about to record some new songs with zen master Don Zientara at Inner Ear Studios. Being at Inner Ear is always inspiring since that's where so many of our favorite recordings were made -- Bad Brains, Fugazi, Minor Threat -- and Don is a huge guiding force in making songs a reality. We posted some demos of what we'll be working on in the Fifth Column forum - sign up for our mailing list to get an early listen.

Also we did an interview with Harvey at 'Punk Rock 77' that just got posted - it was fun to rewind and talk about BLOWBACK from the beginning. You can check out the full interview here and find out why the heck we're doing this.

Finally, Richard Klin's book "Something To Say" - which features BLOWBACK's Franklin Stein along with Howard Zinn, Pete Seeger and others, is getting some good reviews and is available now on Amazon.

Thanks for your support and look for some new BLOWBACK songs soon!

There's a new book out by New York author Richard Klin, which includes a profile and interview with our very own Franklin Stein. The book is a look into arts and activism, and includes profiles of 15 artists including Pete Seeger, Howard Zinn, Yoko Ono and a host of others -- including Franklin. Thanks to Richard for making us a part of this!

We'll let the publisher blurb do the talking:

The fusion of art and politics is axiomatic in much of the world. In America, their relationship is erratic. What is art in the service of social justice? Is an artist obligated to address the political? This book profiles, in words and photos, disparate creative forces who offer thoughts on their point of engagement with the political sphere.

You can order Something To Say at Amazon now.

Hey everyone,

There are lots of ways to stay in touch with BLOWBACK, but the best one is really our email list. It's called the "5th Column" and is for our supporters and friends.

It's easy to sign up - just CLICK HERE and enter your email address - that's it.

We've just added something new - when you sign up, you'll get a link to a special forum where we're posting new demos and looking for feedback and ideas from 5th Column members. The images here are a hint on some of the new songs we're working on that you'll be able to check out.

We don't send a lot of email but when there are new recordings available or shows happening, you'll be the first to know.

One Common Unity is a grassroots non-profit organization based in Washington, DC which supports peace education and building a non-violent culture through music and art.

They have just released a compilation, "Common Folk: Voices of a Movement Vol.1" which includes the BLOWBACK song Drug War.

For the holidays they are making the album available as a free download - you get get the music and find out more on the One Common Unity site.

Take a listen and help support a good organization. Here's the track list:

1 Mikuak Rai - The System is Sick
2 The Cornel West Theory - Oil as Slick
3 TV Babysitter - Just Objects
4 Bobby T and the Magical Voyagers - Looking Up From The Bottom
5 Everlutionary - Whale Suicide
6 Karikatura - Milkmaid
7 Rising Appalachia - You Don't Miss Your Water Til Your Well Runs Dry
8 Khadijah Ali-Coleman - Sleep
9 Princess of Controversy - Stand Tha Song
10 The Lost Tourists - Injuring Eternity
11 Shahid Buttar - Bumpin' In My SUV
12 Blowback - Drug War
13 Enoch the 7th Prophet - Eat to Live
14 NEIGHBORPOEM - Gone is Going

Hey, we just posted a couple of new MP3s for you to download.

Bible Belt, from our last 7" Drug War. Since a couple of us grew up in South Carolina, this one just kindof came naturally.

SMF, recorded live at KPSU in Portland. This was originally on our first album Track III, it's a rant about covert wars that still holds pretty true today. The best part was that the radio station ran a disclaimer during the song - TWICE. Check it out.

Hope you like them and check out the Music page for other MP3s, or get the full records here.

We hope to have some new songs ready soon, so keep checking back or sign up for the email list...

Thanks ABC No Rio and everyone who came out to make our first NYC show in a long time great Thanks especially to Bunnyrat and Iconcide -- excellent show.

If you couldn't make it, here's the setlist (thanks Jon), including 5 new songs that are working their way towards completion (Cassandra, Smoke Break, Greed, Rats, Faux). .

Stay tuned, more to come...

Nice.

Our first time in New York in a looong time... Also on the bill:
ICONICIDE
BUNNYRAT
PUBLIC DISTURBANCE