Sunday, October 19, 2008

THE GITS, Eugene Debs and Revolution

I have been watching alot of documentaries lately. I like them. The latest one I've seen, THE GITS was a disturbing but revolutionary one. This film gave me alot to think about. It is the story of the the late eighties/early nineties punk band from Ohio via Seattle called THE GITS.

In 1993 I saw the band the Gits at a club in San Francisco called The Bottom of the Hill. I think they were a part of the Noise Pop festival, but I don't remember exactly. At that time I was playing music with my boyfriend. This band had a very memorable line-up. Their music was unlike anything I'd heard before--much more melodic and faster than Green Day or whatever.

The film is the story of the rise to signed status for the band as it coincided with the murder of the singer. It actually is a horrible story of her beauty, creativity, soul and chilling death. It is the story of how her killer is sought. Her strangler is shown which makes it even more disturbing. But for those about to rock, this band and its story is so important.

Revolution is important. Revolutionary ideas are important. The band THE GITS and its documentary are revolutionary. Eugene Debs was a revolutionary. Where is he now? Tonight I went to the cafe Revolution in the Mission. I saw a quote from Eugene Debs on the bathroom door about the word 'revolution' being one of the most important words in any language.

Recently I saw a singer who was visiting from France. She was out playing in San Francisco. She told me while we were waiting for the bathroom that she was playing all over Paris and that it's possible to play all over Paris. She sang a cover of Edith Piaf's 'Je ne regrette rien.' There were people speaking different languages at this cafe. I felt like I was in Europe again...and I wondered how she would sound in a cafe in Paris.


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