Brilliantly put, Dan. I think I'm a few years ahead of you, and a lot of what you wrote could come from me, just with a focus on the Big Red Machine rather than baseball in general. And hell yes, I'll be pushing back! I've already started and am looking for more good trouble to get into.
Another fantastic read, Dan. My heart is broken over what’s happening to our country, but I’m right there with you in terms of allegiance and loyalty. Working with Patti Quatro, I love that you used MC5 as an example. Patti called their songs a “clarion call that woke everyone up.” Let’s make that happen again. Happy 4th of July!
Fabulous rant. Ringing the wake up bell. We have the right to vote and we MUST use it to overwhelmingly beat back thses racist forces and their useful fool, Donald Trump
(The line my 8yo son has been singing the last few weeks after I failed miserably to play the part of Rob Tyner on a karaoke machine. Need more practice...)
Thank you for speaking out. I remember a time when conservatives had people cowed from speaking their minds against the dear leader. We need more upstanding people to also be upspeaking.
Also, how sad is it that I had to pause and think quite hard about *which* Supreme Court justice's wife you were referring to?
If things do go really badly, Dan, you've got a friend here in Switzerland whenever you need it.
Hey Dan, thanks for so eloquently expressing what I attempted to squeeze into my own wider post yesterday. Knowing you now as I do, I know your politics are pure, but I've always felt you keep that distinct from JTL even though, as we noted on our CLash Crossed Channels, plenty of the artists and music we discuss are/is inherently political and so it should be.
I came to the USA believing in it. That belief has been rocked and challenged so often over the years and right now it's being rocked to the core. At the same time, I believe the adage "In crisis lies opportunity" and though we can't change the Supreme Court right now, we can change the Democratic nominee for President. The combination of court decisions and Biden's evident issues of age and capacity (though I reiterate what I wrote yesterday, that he has been a rock-solid POTUS for this particular term) may just result in the groundswell of engagement and activism that has been lacking these last 3+ years, and while understandably so, not justifiably so given the groundswell of engagement and activism that has been going on on the other side (per Project 2025).
In the meantime, the part of me that remains a British citizen has reason to celebrate this particular July 4.
Good choice of song to reference your feelings. I "discovered" that Avengers song "The American In Me" this past week and it's become my new fave rave and theme song for the time being. Which is a way of saying that where there is hopelessness and despair, there is always a song that puts that into words with a euphoric raised middle finger of punk rock electric guitar. Peace on....
Right on, Tony. Yeah, I don't generally like to get into politics here, unless the music I'm (or we're) talking about warrants it — primarily because I see JTL as a vehicle to share joy and music with people, as opposed to rub their faces further into whatever misery is currently afoot. But after the events of this past week, I felt like I couldn't NOT say something.
I have thoughts about whether Biden should/shouldn't stay in the race at this point, but I would honestly vote for a worn gym shoe at this point if it had a solid chance of keeping Trump and the trash that surrounds him from taking the White House again. I simply don't see how this country and this planet could recover from a second Trump term, at least in my lifetime.
Really keeping my fingers crossed for good news out of the UK today. I've seen a snarky meme making the rounds thanking England for our day off, but I would gladly trade a day off for a chance to hand some Conservative shitbags a resounding defeat.
Congrats on Britain closing out the Tory gong show. About that Avengers song...it's a personal fave. I found a copy of that ep while (as an American citizen) living in Canada, and used to play it out at bars all the time, like a self-proclamation. I put it on a Fourth of playlist I put together over on my Substack; you might like. What I missed on that list was this great MC5 song.
Thanks Dan; I'll put this on next year's list, given that I'll probably feel the same bewildering love of this country, despite it's nastiness. I started writing about music as a remedy to these shit-times, but damned if it doesn't get too gross to leave the politics out. It can be armor, it can be refuge, and as Fela put it: it can be the weapon of the future—something the Motor City 5 understood well.
Jamie, great to know there's someone else came to that Avengers song late as well. Can I invite you over to my own recent post - https://tonyfletcher.substack.com/p/midweek-update-51-the-american-in - and you can join the debate as to the best version of it. Also, please share your "fourth of" playlist posyt likewise and I look forward to listening. Cheers!
My sentiments exactly. Things are very bad right now. The Supreme Court is rewriting constitutional law at a rapid pace, and for the worse. Trump, meanwhile, is a true fascist. The other night at an open mic I mashed up "Mistra know it all" by Stevie Wonder with "All you fascists gonna lose" by Woodie Guthrie. It was the least I could do!
As an outsider I sometimes can’t believe what I’m witnessing. A train wreck in slow motion. Not trying to sound hyperbolic here, but is this how it was in 1930s Germany? The difference here is that we should’ve learned something from history. The problem may just be that to some people that history looks okay. Scary times though.
Not hyperbolic at all. But most of the mainstream news US media is too invested in “horse race” coverage (and both-sidesing everything in an attempt to seem impartial) to call it out, and thus the less-engaged citizens think it’s all business as usual. I’m hoping that the more those people hear about Project 2025, the more they’ll realize that a vote for Trump is a vote for a sort of Christian Sharia Law - something they would be VERY unhappy about living under.
Dan, thanks for speaking up and out. I'm pushing back with you!
On a side note, I had no idea who The MC5 was before coming across your Substack, but my buddy who I dink around on guitar with knew who they were right away. Probably his being from Detroit had something to do with it? Anyhows, just wanted to let you know I enjoyed the clip, put a smile right back on my face, particularly the guitars and the jams!
Spot on, and it really hits home here in the 'heartland' of Michiana, as I'm camped out within a lane of maga shit in yards and on flagpoles, I prefer bananas.
Brilliantly put, Dan. I think I'm a few years ahead of you, and a lot of what you wrote could come from me, just with a focus on the Big Red Machine rather than baseball in general. And hell yes, I'll be pushing back! I've already started and am looking for more good trouble to get into.
Right on, Jackie!
I'm right there with you, dude.
✊🏼
Another fantastic read, Dan. My heart is broken over what’s happening to our country, but I’m right there with you in terms of allegiance and loyalty. Working with Patti Quatro, I love that you used MC5 as an example. Patti called their songs a “clarion call that woke everyone up.” Let’s make that happen again. Happy 4th of July!
Fabulous rant. Ringing the wake up bell. We have the right to vote and we MUST use it to overwhelmingly beat back thses racist forces and their useful fool, Donald Trump
"Well, well, well, take a look around!"
(The line my 8yo son has been singing the last few weeks after I failed miserably to play the part of Rob Tyner on a karaoke machine. Need more practice...)
Thank you for speaking out. I remember a time when conservatives had people cowed from speaking their minds against the dear leader. We need more upstanding people to also be upspeaking.
Also, how sad is it that I had to pause and think quite hard about *which* Supreme Court justice's wife you were referring to?
If things do go really badly, Dan, you've got a friend here in Switzerland whenever you need it.
Thanks, my man - I hope I don’t have to take you up on that!
Hey Dan, thanks for so eloquently expressing what I attempted to squeeze into my own wider post yesterday. Knowing you now as I do, I know your politics are pure, but I've always felt you keep that distinct from JTL even though, as we noted on our CLash Crossed Channels, plenty of the artists and music we discuss are/is inherently political and so it should be.
I came to the USA believing in it. That belief has been rocked and challenged so often over the years and right now it's being rocked to the core. At the same time, I believe the adage "In crisis lies opportunity" and though we can't change the Supreme Court right now, we can change the Democratic nominee for President. The combination of court decisions and Biden's evident issues of age and capacity (though I reiterate what I wrote yesterday, that he has been a rock-solid POTUS for this particular term) may just result in the groundswell of engagement and activism that has been lacking these last 3+ years, and while understandably so, not justifiably so given the groundswell of engagement and activism that has been going on on the other side (per Project 2025).
In the meantime, the part of me that remains a British citizen has reason to celebrate this particular July 4.
Good choice of song to reference your feelings. I "discovered" that Avengers song "The American In Me" this past week and it's become my new fave rave and theme song for the time being. Which is a way of saying that where there is hopelessness and despair, there is always a song that puts that into words with a euphoric raised middle finger of punk rock electric guitar. Peace on....
Right on, Tony. Yeah, I don't generally like to get into politics here, unless the music I'm (or we're) talking about warrants it — primarily because I see JTL as a vehicle to share joy and music with people, as opposed to rub their faces further into whatever misery is currently afoot. But after the events of this past week, I felt like I couldn't NOT say something.
I have thoughts about whether Biden should/shouldn't stay in the race at this point, but I would honestly vote for a worn gym shoe at this point if it had a solid chance of keeping Trump and the trash that surrounds him from taking the White House again. I simply don't see how this country and this planet could recover from a second Trump term, at least in my lifetime.
Really keeping my fingers crossed for good news out of the UK today. I've seen a snarky meme making the rounds thanking England for our day off, but I would gladly trade a day off for a chance to hand some Conservative shitbags a resounding defeat.
Congrats on Britain closing out the Tory gong show. About that Avengers song...it's a personal fave. I found a copy of that ep while (as an American citizen) living in Canada, and used to play it out at bars all the time, like a self-proclamation. I put it on a Fourth of playlist I put together over on my Substack; you might like. What I missed on that list was this great MC5 song.
Thanks Dan; I'll put this on next year's list, given that I'll probably feel the same bewildering love of this country, despite it's nastiness. I started writing about music as a remedy to these shit-times, but damned if it doesn't get too gross to leave the politics out. It can be armor, it can be refuge, and as Fela put it: it can be the weapon of the future—something the Motor City 5 understood well.
Jamie, great to know there's someone else came to that Avengers song late as well. Can I invite you over to my own recent post - https://tonyfletcher.substack.com/p/midweek-update-51-the-american-in - and you can join the debate as to the best version of it. Also, please share your "fourth of" playlist posyt likewise and I look forward to listening. Cheers!
My sentiments exactly. Things are very bad right now. The Supreme Court is rewriting constitutional law at a rapid pace, and for the worse. Trump, meanwhile, is a true fascist. The other night at an open mic I mashed up "Mistra know it all" by Stevie Wonder with "All you fascists gonna lose" by Woodie Guthrie. It was the least I could do!
I like the way you think!
I also mashed up Norwegian Wood and Fourth Time Around. Only a true 60s afficionado would get the connection.
Well played!
Hey, Dan, I couldn't agree more. In fact, a huge part of the country feels exactly this way, yet here we are.
Dan, as always, I want to thank you for having written Stars and Strikes. I love the book and I often recommend it to baseball fans.
Thanks, John — that’s still my favorite of my baseball books. I’m thinking about trying to get a new edition out in time for 2026, but we’ll see…
As an outsider I sometimes can’t believe what I’m witnessing. A train wreck in slow motion. Not trying to sound hyperbolic here, but is this how it was in 1930s Germany? The difference here is that we should’ve learned something from history. The problem may just be that to some people that history looks okay. Scary times though.
Not hyperbolic at all. But most of the mainstream news US media is too invested in “horse race” coverage (and both-sidesing everything in an attempt to seem impartial) to call it out, and thus the less-engaged citizens think it’s all business as usual. I’m hoping that the more those people hear about Project 2025, the more they’ll realize that a vote for Trump is a vote for a sort of Christian Sharia Law - something they would be VERY unhappy about living under.
Dan, thanks for speaking up and out. I'm pushing back with you!
On a side note, I had no idea who The MC5 was before coming across your Substack, but my buddy who I dink around on guitar with knew who they were right away. Probably his being from Detroit had something to do with it? Anyhows, just wanted to let you know I enjoyed the clip, put a smile right back on my face, particularly the guitars and the jams!
Right on, Jim! Keep on pushing! And yeah, the MC5 always have that effect on me, too!
Spot on, and it really hits home here in the 'heartland' of Michiana, as I'm camped out within a lane of maga shit in yards and on flagpoles, I prefer bananas.
Ugh! Be careful out there. You know I love me some Michigan — but how it came to be a Southern state I will never, ever understand.