Trinidad has been on holiday since last Friday, which is cool for Trinis (no work) but not so cool for travelers (it’s tough to get around, find food, etc.). But alas my amigos at Anti Everything have been so cool that we got together for one last lime at Randy’s house.
- One more lime!
Good food, drinks and we each played turn as DJ of You Tube to broadcast our favorite punk (and even some not so punk tunes). The night ended with a little jam session of acoustic punk, a cool little diddy called “New Generation”.. see the video below.
But what I’d really like you to check is one of Anti-Everything’s music videos from the 2010 elections in Trinidad. While you may not be familiar with Trini politics, you can probably guess that they struggle with the very same issue that most countries deal with.. corruption, duplicity or just insert your transgression here ________________ actually.
- Bryan & Alan (Anti Everything)
From Eastern Europe to small Caribbean Countries to the so called greatest empire the world has seen (the U.S.A), bad politicians the world over divide and conquer, lie and steal and in general make life more miserable for the rest of us even though we elect them (if we’re lucky) to do the opposite. Some even resort to murder.
Yet I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention there are a few good eggs out there who faithfully serve… at least I hope.
What I like about bands like Anti Everything and my buddies from Los Suziox in Colombia and punk bands in general is that they don’t let the bad guys get away with completely exploiting the masses without at least making some noise about it.
- Johnny & Randy (Anti Everything)
On a personal level I can relate. In the neighboring and much more touristic island of Tobago I was gouged relentlessly my first day there (but not excessively and quite politely I might add) and while I went along with it (I had little choice), I made sure to let the “gouger” know that I knew they were being dishonest, but me being the “gougee” ended up giving them the money anyway.
It was the exploiters (tourist) and the exploited (locals) doing a little dance, one trying to turn the tables on the other. It was unseemly and gross after such realness in Trinidad, but unfortunately an all too common occurrence for the frequent traveler.
It’s an ignorance tax we must pay as travelers who may arrive on the wrong day, or at the wrong hour of night or don’t check around for competitors, or whatever, and perhaps that is what the politicians think of their little “excesses”. It’s just another tax on the dumb, ignorant and apathetic masses. A tax that goes directly to some politician’s pocket more times than not.
And maybe they are right. Maybe we get the government we deserve but at least bands like Anti Everything and punk bands the world over challenge it and their songs let them know that we know they are hoodwinking us and we aren’t as stupid as they think (at least not all of us).
I feel this video for “I’z Da Man” hit this tone perfectly and it features a little kick ass steel pan music.. now when is the last time you heard a punk band do that?
Check it out and let me know what you think.