A.L.A. W.A.T. U. S.O.D.

What is up with America, now? It seems like Mike Judge is a prophet. His movie Idiocracy is right on point.
Is it just me?
Because...

I see a nation of individuality
with finger tip convenience for you and me
information screams availability
the rich use it for the things they need
they post pictures of the food they eat
and our attention span will never be
focused on our fraudulent society

Every moment is spent with your phone some way
With your eyes locked tight on your screen display
You need a GPS to drive a mile away
who keeps cryin' 'bout the teacher's pay
yeah no one listens to them anyway
cuz everybody's gotta text to make
while the need for education just fades away

They keep you distracted disabled and numb
They manifest reasons we need all these guns
A shell game of blame in a world which is run
By the folks who work hard each day
As they believe they should all get payed
To keep us guessing in a way that we all just stay dumb

As long as we all just stay dumb

and it's A.L.A.. W.A.T. U. S.O.D. now

Every headline speaks to your hostility
until you lose your mind and all your empathy
every glass is full of negativity
The middle class doesn't whine to be
Between a rock and all the irony
So far away from that money tree
But a little too close to the poverty

Every day is spent with your phone some way
With your eyes locked tight on your screen display
You need a GPS to walk a side walk straight
and who was cryin' about the teacher's pay
no one listens to them anyway
cuz everybody's gotta text to make
while the need for education just drifts away

They want you distracted disabled and numb
They manifest reasons we need all these guns
A shell game of blame in a world which is run
By the folks who work hard each day
As they believe they should all get payed
To keep us guessing in a way that we all just stay dumb

As long as we all just stay dumb

and it's A.L.A.. W.A.T. U. S.O.D. now

Self Service Man

Your just a self service man with nothing to gain

But satisfaction as you dish out your pain
In a direction that will hurt someone else
So you can turn and run away from your self

Hard times come too easy
Thin line starts to fade
All the lies are so deceiving
As they try to push the truth away

Some have tried to give fair warning
And some have tried to heal the pain
But some will only look for others
To hold accountable for all the blame

Your just a self service man with nothing to gain
But satisfaction as you dish out your pain
In a direction that will hurt someone else
So you can turn and run away from your self

You raise your opinion
Just to bring people down
Can't take the competition
Unless you're standing on the highest ground

Some have tried to give fair warning
And some have tried to heal the pain
But some will only look for others
To hold accountable for all the blame

Your just a self service man with nothing to gain
But satisfaction as you dish out your pain
In a direction that will hurt someone else
So you can turn and run away from your self

Laws And Sausage - The Uptones of The United States Of America

Winston Churchill said,
"THOSE WHO LIKE LAWS AND SAUSAGE SHOULD NEVER WATCH EITHER BEING MADE."

And most of us agree. The process in which laws (and sausage) are made is a horrible and disgusting, step by step process. In ordinary day to day peace we may find disagreements. Disagreements can turn into to arguments. Arguments turn into fights. Fights lead to political upheavals. Political upheavals turn into war. The winner of wars make new laws to reestablish peace. A bizarre cycle. It is a strange hoola hooping of history, I say. But that isn't the worst of it. Nay. The greed that motivates politics is the worst of it. The reasons politicians go to war are usually not that complicated. It's always for money and the power to control the money. The method is this type of madness. And it destroys everything in its path.

With that being said, I would like to lighten the subject matter.

My good friend Eric Din from The Uptones has addressed this topic with one of my favorite methods of topic addressing. With a song. A catchy song, too. An amazingly well written and very poetic reprise of Churchill's quote. A tune called Laws and Sausage. This tune has a habit of getting stuck on replay in my brain for hours. I had so much fun with The Uptones when we recorded this. I think this song should be attached to our national anthem, actually. A mandatory musical suffix, if you will.

Anyway...

A brilliant woman named Lisa McElroy took The Uptones' "Laws and Sausage" song and illustrated it most poetically with archival footage, says Eric on his new facebook page called Laws and Sausage. Check it out if you want to get your rant on. I will see you there if you do. And now...

your friendly cyberhood

Uncle Samurai

We Got A Scapegoat Now!

President?

Politics?

Elections?

Pay no attention to the fool on the hill trying to hide his disguise
Haze and smoke behind the mirrors as the years burn red in your eyes
Pass that buck like a flame and we'll know who to blame next time
Ask that man in the hot seat sweatin' through the cracks of his mind

We got a scapegoat now, we knew he'd turn up somehow
So take your problems on down for the man with the two horned crown
We got him now! We got him now yeah...we got a scapegoat now
We got him now yeah!

Bend right over til your back starts to break from the weight in your arms
Send your burdens to the top because they never seem to do him harm
He was made to take a punch we just never had a hunch who he was
See him wobble back and forth at the podium of promises

We got a scapegoat now, we knew he'd turn up somehow
So take your problems on down for the man with the two horned crown
We got him now! We got him now yeah...we got a scapegoat now
We got him now yeah!

Hold your laughter at the bank til you're sure that you're walking away
Spend your money on a steak while you talk about the good old days
Who could have guessed at the price that you're payin' for your gasoline
But you'll never have to think twice if you don't have a clue what it means

To have a scapegoat now, we knew he'd turn up somehow
So take your problems on down for the man with the two horned crown
We got him now! We got him now yeah...we got a scapegoat now
We got him now yeah!

(written during the G.W. Bush era)
words and music by Musashi Lethridge

a.k.a.

your friendly cyberhood

Uncle Samurai

Ska/Reggae Jams by Uncle Samurai

Hoping to put a little upbeat in your day/afternoon/evening...

Ska/Reggae Jams

All songs instruments played by

your friendly cyberhood

Uncle Samurai

Keep On Walking

If Egypt has taught us anything recently, it's that you can make a stand for your rights with out the use of violence. Which happens to be a very popular method in the world of music...for the last 1000 years, or so. Even Gangsta Hip Hop doesn't bruise or leave a physical mark when you listen to it. Or as Bob Marley put it: When it hits you, you feel no pain.

As a musician, I cater to this philosophy always and would rather compose, EDIT and sing my points of view to the people. Especially when it is so easy to do so using the incredible technology that has been bestowed upon us via the interwebs.

So here is a ska/reggae tune I wrote and recorded at my friend Ev's. It goes out to the GOP and anyone else who needs a little reminder of what too much cynical thinking will do to humanity. Just because the Bible says dooms day is possible doesn't mean that it is inevitable. Maybe it's just a little side note about what could happen if you don't take some ancient advice from some folks who learned the hard way.

Even as a Buddhist, I concur...

All sounds made by yours truly

your friendly cyberhood

Uncle Samurai

Keep On Walking Demo by Mooska

World's Youngest Ska Dancer!

As a certified Skankster, I take pride in what I do. I play in a ska band called The Uptones. It's not just a job, it's a way to produce instant happiness with fun music. Although sometimes I wish it did pay like a job, I do not fret my current financial situation. Because I know that during a ska show, money is the last thing on my mind.
It was yesterday that we, The Uptones, played Oakland Chinatown's Street Festival. And it was at this festival that we made history and fun happen simoultaneously. Not only did we pay homage to a culture rich with tradition, we witnessed something phenomenal. My niece might be the youngest ska dancer to ever pull a crowd onto the dance floor! From stage I did not even realize what was happening. But if you watch this video, you will see my niece, Aria. She's 2 and a half years old. Notice at the beginning of the song how many people were dancing. Then note the end. It is obvious to me that she has the gift of dance and the ability to enjoy ska music. I'm not saying that she is a protoge', I'm just realizing that it must be in the blood, or something.
The other great thing is that I do not have to convince people anymore about the magic of ska music. You can see it for yourself in this video.
Skanking Foolz Unite!
I am a proud Uncle Moose!

Cash For Clunkers? New Canvas For Ska Fans!

Out with the old and in with the new. Folks are starting to get rid of their jalopies and rust buckets which might be riddled with old bumper stickers that have been out dated for years now.










So why not slap something new and refreshing on that new vehicle! With a statement that is politically correct, hip AND more importantly, girl friendly!
Are you familiar with the old term for "skank?"
It used to mean wretched, filthy whore, drug worn lady of the night...etc...
And that aint right. Women hate that word.
The new and current meaning of the word "skank"
has been redefined by the world of Ska music fans and enthusiasts.

And now with this trend of Cash for Clunkers hitting the auto world, it's a perfect opportunity to re address this statement, with its more suitable definition. NO longer is this word a noun...

To Skank is to Dance.

Check it out here...you'll see what I mean.