As many of you know, Sweet Talk's roving reporter Buckshot Johnson has roamed the globe for gripping stories in the world of sports and leisure. Following his last piece on Barry Manilow and Brian Boitano , Buckshot is currenlty at the time trials in Cholet where he has unearthed a striking find for Dead Heads everywhere:

Robert Hunter is a sprinter in this year's Tour de France. He rides for Barloworld.

Yes, put that in your Shakedown St. Pipe and Smoke it!

Follow Hunter's quest for the Yellow Jersey!

For years I always quietly condemned the direct use of music as a bully pulpit for politicalchange.  In general I believe Music should be about providing a mental space for people to find their own meaning in the sounds and words of a song. I of course applaud artists who give their time, money and spotlight to worthy causes, but when they are on the stage it should be all about the music.

However we live is some disturbing times and things seem to be heating up as the far corners of our world grow closer and closer, and unalienable rights are seemingly evaporating before our eyes. Therefore I am examiing more and more the importance of Music as a DIRECT vehicle for social change. A collegue recently sent me to a website that examines this exact paradigm; it's called Music For Democracy. 

In their own words:

The digital age has opened up an area of tremendous potential for positive change and education at the interface of music and politics. While politics has always played a role in socially-conscious music, politicians have often engaged musicians and their fans only in shallow, self-interested ways. To many young people now, musicians are the cultural leaders of our time -- acute observers outside of the "game" of politics who can be trusted to articulate their own authentic vision of the way things are.  At the same time, however, the corporate music industry has played a role in discouraging musicians from expressing their political views if doing so might alienate potential audiences and buyers for their products.

If this strikes a "chord" and you want to learn more check it out: Music For Democracy 

Okay this is one of the most mind-blowing Street Animation Sweet Talk's eyes have ever seen. This is an incredible 5 minute procrastination experience.

Keith Haring would be so Proud!

http://blublu.org/sito/video/muto.htm

Thanks again to Brother George for the head's up!

So if you ignore the somewhat high school cheese factor of the clean cut Jack Johnsonish video on his my space page, this kid is pretty good.  Good voice and amazing stage prescence. Maybe a Jazon Mraz with a bit more cohones.

http://www.myspace.com/justinnozuka

Here is a little bit of inspiration if you are having the typical Monday blues:

From our faithful Sweet Talk Readers (Thanks JV) we bring you another jaw dropping music video; the kind you wish still played 24 / 7 on MTV.
Kevin Wyatt kicking ass as he normally does:

The talented absurdity of this band has always made me chuckle, not to mention that in a way they are family:

My wife and I have already started practicing for Halloween.  If you are a Bollywood fan, it simply does not get any better than this.  Keep an ear out for the Toni Basil “Hey Mickey” themes.

For my own version of March Madness I decided to create a bracket of all the “Life on the Road for a Musician is Really, Really Hard...no REALLY” videos.  If you are of legal drinking age and own a TV you are aware of the genre we are discussing.  If you were abandoned as a baby and raised by a wolf pack you may not, for your edification here are some of the essential criteria:

* Lyrics about the Hard Part of Rocking so Hard
* Slow Tempo, Semi Ballad (This is serious and important)
* Missing Family Shots (Hey man we’re not orphans, if so we’d be in a punk band)
* Boarding Private Airplane Shots (This is how we roll)
* Hysterical Fans Weeping Shots (we make women swoon / bare breasts/ and men raise their fists / bump chests)
* Pyrotechnics at the Song’s Climax (duh)
* Sweat from all the Hard Work (Don’t let the smiles and repetitive high-fivin’ fool ya; It’s hard work, and all those CRAZY cool lights are f&*ckin hot!)
* Contemplative Limo Shots (hey man it’s lonely out there)
* Mustached Roadie Passing Out Towels and Opening Doors Shots(they’re our Boyz!)
* Stretching, Shadow Boxing, Jumping in Place (It’s just like goin’ 15 rounds EVERY NIGHT)
* Drummer Drumming a Chair / Couch Backstage (You do what ya can to get fired up, it’s hard bringin’ it EVERY NIGHT)
* Booze, Lots and Lots of Booze, (it’s crazy hard out there and sometimes you need to unwind)
* Sunglasses, Preferably Mirrored (hey man it’s bright out there. I’ve been up all night and I don’t want people to see my bloodshot peepers, in fact don’t even try to make eye contact with me)
* Lots and Lots and Lots of Contemplation (We think hard)
* Slapping Hands with Fans from the Stage (hey, they paid big bucks to be up front, or they’re hot)
* haunting repetitive piano / semi acoustic guitar lick w/ a little finger picking (Hey man we can play; not everyone can play this part; it’s hard)
* Hotel Rooms, they all look the same (you probably don’t know this; we are on the road a lot, so we stay in lots of hotels, we figure we’d show you what we do in them)
* Looking out the tourbus at the long stretch of road / horizon/ mountains (we tour nationally, and some places look differently than other places, sometimes it’s hard to remember where you are)
* Girls, Chicks, Groupies, etc (hey we rock and chicks are the reward if you rock this hard)
* Check out the Arena When it’s Empty, to Get a Feel for the Stage (It’s not just about Showtime, you gotta put in some hard hours)
* Silhouette Shots (Sometimes it’s dark sometimes it’s light, but it’s always hard)
* YOU MUST HAVE LONG HAIR (It takes Commitment to Rock this Look, and Commitment is Hard)...............................................................................................................................

Although entertaining, the first few rounds proved unsuccessful for any darkhorse upstarts, which paved the way for some real heavies to dance into the final four.

Representing the North East Conference: Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive”

Representing the Midwest Conference (Via Detroit): Bob Seger’s “Turn The Page”

Representing the Southern Conference (Via Detroit): Kid Rock’s “Only God Knows Why”

Representing the Western Conference: Journey’s “Faithfully”

This week is “Faithfully” vs “Turn The Page"” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” vs Only God Knows Why”

All votes will be tallied so please do you part and show your support through the comment section below