While perusing all the music blogs and sites that I digest while diligently at work, I came across this little tid bit.
Let's talk about Yo La Tengo for a second. If you are not familiar, you should be. If you are and say you don't like them, you should go listen to them again because there are about a thousand other bands you do listen to that have been informed by these guys. If you do like them, good on you.
I mean what else can be said about a band that was chosen to back Ray Davies on tour, recorded a song with Danile Johnston (who sang over the phone), have sited influences from the Velvet Underground, Love, and one of my all time favorites the Soft Boys (again if you are not familiar with this music you should be, not only to get a better picture of the guy you're reading, but I mean, you really owe to yourself. You will be a better person in the end, I promise.) and if that's not enough they put out a record in 2006 with one of my favorite titles ever.
I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
They played my college in 1998 along with Sonic Youth and KRS ONE . Alas, I was not there that day. I was super bummed I missed out on it, but I was in Italy, so I wasn't that bummed.
Not only do they make some of the most literate and informed rock music of our age, they have a bit of a heart too. I'm not sure what the bands connection to MS is or if there even is one, but hey I would imagine every little bit helps.
Although, truth be told I don't know how much I really put into these sort of walks, rides, jumping ropes, pie eating, doing it till it hurts sorta things. The spirit is great, I love that there are people out there who want to do something, but I just don't know that this is the way that we are gonna cure anything. We may even end up creating new strains of virus with all the blisters, corns, gout, and athletes foot that these events undoubtedly promote.
Furthermore, I really wonder where all this money is going. I have some friends that have done these things "for me" and it is truly appreciated, it really is. However I did not see one dime from any of these walks or bike rides. What's the deal? I got the damn disease, figure there should be something that I get out of it. Collecting all this money for "research"? How about researching the cost of my medication or the fact that I still want a flat screen TV. Let's do this: every walker, biker, pie eater, etc who is associated with a person who has MS gives half of what they earn to those of us less fortunate. Sounds fair, right?
Go ahead and ask me again if I want to walk a few miles to cure my disease, the answer is still no. So cough it up walkie, I want my cut.
Seriously though, thanks Yo La Tengo, and everyone else involved. It may not be making a tangible differance to us, but I guess there is a lab somewhere and some rats that are real appreciative. (well, maybe not the rats.)
