Monday, November 7, 2016

So about that fascist running for office....

I will admit to having slight panic attacks when I hear the orange cheeto dusted eugenics spouting, nuclear winter promising mad man speak. I will admit to laying awake, wondering who else he is tweeting angrily at from his bed, the one he shares with his immigrant wife, at that totally random sleepless moment in the middle of any given random evening. I also will own the fact that for the life of me, I cannot understand how so many people can have so much hate and intolerance for refugees, immigrants, women, people of color, LBGTQ folk....that they could allow someone who has absolutely nothing substantive to say except hate to take the nomination of the same political party which once freed the slaves.....but here we are. I am here, you are there, and amazingly this internet and technology allows us to communicate and be in community with each other all over this beautiful earth.  So, I have been working with intent and at a somewhat feverish pitch over here at Phat Man Dee Productions, in collaboration with my old friend, the talented and beautiful musician Liz Berlin. She is a founder and current member of Rusted Root. We have been producing an album called "Social Justice Disco : Songs to Fight Fascists By". For she is like me, worried about the world we are creating right now, she, unlike me, is a platinum record selling artist..... but I have hopes. Whether or not this album gets me there, is not as important to me as making sure the songs are heard. We are choosing to use our music to foster extreme tolerance, unity and to be used a danceable tool with which one may rhythmically and melodically fight fascists. We have assembled a force of musicians who are united with us in this mission. We have about 8 songs tracked and another 6 to go. I cannot wait for you to hear it in it's completion.

We have released one track so far and it is "Fourth Reich Arising" you can check out the brand new music video online:


You may purchase this song on CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/phatmandee5

If you REALLY want to help us make this album and be part of the community who is standing up and saying we are going to help this world through music, love and tolerance, I humbly ask you support and share our fundraiser:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/social-justice-disco-by-phat-man-dee-liz-berlin--2/

We have 3 weeks left on this campaign, it is tax deductible and we have studio time booked in mid December, when Liz gets back from Rusted Root tour. It's pretty intense working with her, it's kind of like being in an art tornado. She is one of the hardest working artists I have ever been blessed to collaborate with.

Here is a great article written by Scott Mervis at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2016/10/27/Local-Scene-in-Music-Phat-Man-Dee-and-Liz-Berlin-bring-April-Fool-s-Joke-to-life/stories/201610270017

It has been featured on the radio shows by Mike Canton of the Soul Show on WYEP in Pittsburgh, listen here:
https://www.mixcloud.com/soulshowmike/tss-110516-the-soul-show-11516-new-robert-glasper-and-more/

Also on Desolation Angel radio in New Orleans, listen here:
http://desolationangel.podbean.com

And on Hell's Kitchen with John Hell on Radio Valencia in San Francisco:
http://hellskitchenradio.blogspot.com/2016/10/hells-kitchen-radio-279-trick-and-treat.html?spref=tw&m=1

I hope you like the song, I hope you support the album and help us make this a reality.
photo from our first performance of "Social Justice Disco" at the Funhouse at Mr Smalls.
Don't say no to these faces. We want to sing to you and we really need your help to do it.
Thank you for believing in me to this point. I believe in you. Let's show the world together who we are, and demonstrate that we won't let the bullies win. Please support our project and please, for the love of everything holy on God's and the Goddess's good green earth, vote.

Love, faith, hope,
Mandee

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