And We'll All Live to Play Again
The Devil's Anvil - Hala Laya
Today’s sermon comes by way of Lady Chanticleer, who I found by way of West Texas connections, and hosts a show on Marfa Public Radio and one on WFMU. There’s also an archive over on her Mixcloud page, and man, do I recommend going over there and listening:
When The Devil’s Anvil’s sole album, Hard Rock From the Middle East was released, the Arab-Israeli War began.
Pretty doomed from the get-go, maybe (I imagine that the novelty of an oud and the Arabic / Mediterranean modalities were also limiting its audience to the adventurous), but the timing of the war certainly didn’t boost sales for the album.
It’s easy for me to dismiss this at first glance but there’s no novelty in Hard Rock From the Middle East. And I can back off my dismissal of Felix Pappalardo for ruining the second Dead Boys album We Have Come for Your Children from his producer’s chair, since he plays on this, and produced this album (he still absolutely blew it with Dead Boys). This album is legit, from beginning to end.
And yes, I’m recommending it when there is the added serendipity that a new intifada may be ahead. Not planned to coincide, just like when it was originally released.
But it should be important to acknowledge.
I want to live in a society where conflicts are dealt with by a battle of the bands.
Not rocks, nor rockets, nor airstrikes and ground troops and dying humans.
Your side plays their song, or side plays ours. Whoever moves the crowd wins.
It’s so naive of me.
Like what what’s going on here? Let’s talk!
Not into this song? Stick around for the next one, it may be what you didn’t know you needed! Remember, there are only two genres of music here at SERMONS!: good and bad, and I have too much to do to waste time on bad music.