Thanks to my friend Sam DeWitt, who sent news of this video clip with the message “Here is Josh Korda (our teacher at NYC Dharma Punx) interviewed on CBS Doc Dot Com. America will never be the same!”
CBS’s own caption for the clip: “Dharma Punx in New York City mixes the tradition of Buddhism with the ideology of punk rock. Dr. Jon LaPook talks with teacher Josh Korda about how the seemingly different connect with the help of meditation.” Check out the video, after the jump. (more…)
This year’s Tibet House benefit concert — it’s twentieth! — just got a boost: Iggy Pop, legendary frontman of The Stooges (just named as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees (for whatever that’s worth)) has now joined previous performers Philip Glass and Patti Smith on the bill, along with Gogol Bordello, Regina Spektor, and more. Now that’s cool.
The benefit will be held at Carnegie Hall on February 26. For tickets or more info call Tibet House (NYC) at (212) 807-0563, between 10AM and 5PM, Monday through Friday. More info of course on the TH site, here.
After first writing up this item, I decided to start playing recordings by the great artist, Iggy, himself. Some after-listening thoughts:
First off, I have to give kudos to Tibet House for booking Iggy. And Iggy for supporting Tibet House. (It goes without saying that anyone who supports a fine cause has earned their kudos, of course. And Tibet House surely qualifies as a fine cause.)
But why is Iggy cool? Well, as a writer of music (albeit a private and “unconventional” — read: bad – one) I would say this:
If I could write one song as good as, say, “Gimme Danger,” I’d be… well… I’d be Iggy Pop. And there really can be only one Iggy Pop.
I mean, who else could write (and sing) the phrases “that’s like hypnotizing chickens” and “I’m just a modern guy; of course I’ve had it in the ear before”? And not only that, he put them back to back. (Those are lyrics from “Lust for Life.” Don’t let those horrible cruise commercials ruin that song for you. The song is brilliant. And darkly so. And, okay, those lyrics may not thrill you, but trust me, it’s about context. And Iggy had it. “Lust for Life” wasn’t key to the soundtrack of 1996’s Trainspotting for nothing.)
Also, as a guy who calls himself a Buddhist (and who advocates meditation for everyone, in pretty much whatever form works for you), I want to hear why Iggy is playing this show. Maybe it’s just that he’s available and said, “Sure,” because he’s an affable and enthusiastic and good guy. Maybe it’s something else, more specifically related to meditation or Buddhism.
Either way, I’d like to know — this is an actual artist, a lifer. And he knows a thing or two about perseverance through suffering. That’s the type of person I consider worth following, whatever the reason he’ll be performing at Tibet House in February. So I’ve got a message in to Tibet House to see what they say.
Anyway, that’s besides the point. The real point is: Iggy is big-time, enduring Great. Nice get, Tibet House. Iggy rules.
This woman does not kid around. I first made contact with her a short while ago on Shambhala SunSpace and now she’s written her first guest post there.
Lots more to come – thanks to the many of you who’ve emailed and commented lately. You’ll be seeing your contributions here soon, once I dig out from the current workload.
…plus, Dinosaur Jr., Lou Barlow, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks(!), Mono, Faust, Roxanne Shante, Diamanda Galas, and more — that’s who’ll be appearing at Pop Montreal this year. Quite the lineup, huh? Get more details here.
The unstoppable Sam DeWitt writes to let fellow Worst Horses know:
“I have started a Dharma Punx NYC podcast site. Just getting it up now, but there are several talks, all by our teacher Josh Korda, up now.”
Be sure and check it out, and thanks as always Sam!
The third and final installment of my Shambhala Sun Audio interview with Noah Levine, founder of the Dharma Punx and Against the Stream movements, is now online.
In it, Noah talks about how he deals with all the attention he gets, and why Americans might want to take a good look at creating their own stream of Buddhist practice. You can listen here. You’ll also find links to the previous two installments. Noah has some good stuff to say — definitely worth a listen.
Hey, Horses… I just posted the first of three interview segments with Noah Levine (of Dharma Punx, Against the Stream, and Meditate and Destroy fame) over at Shambhala Sun. I think you’ll dig, and hope you’ll check it out.
While you’re there: there’s a pretty interesting discussion going on about downloading dharma materials — when they’re not expressly for free distribution. The mighty Than Geoff even makes a cameo via a comment. Y’all are web-heads, so you might have something to say. Click here if you’re interested, and thanks!
Giant, GIANT thanks to Konchog Norbu for sending this clip, via the blog, “Truth is Within: Just Another Buddhist Monk’s Weblog.”
You may recognize its initial title-card as a reference to Penelope Spheeris’s infamous documentary series about punk and metal, The Decline of Western Civilization.
I want to see this!
Kin, one of the Horse’s two brothers from another mother, recently pointed out some lyrics from the band Embrace. Embrace were, essentially, Ian MacKaye — previously of Minor Threat, and later, of Fugazi — backed by three former members of fellow 80’s/DC hardcore pioneers, The Faith. The pointing-out was aimed at the track, “Do Not Consider Yourself Free.”
Take a look:
I didn’t want to see people
Hurting people
But I refuse to close my eyes
So in front of me
I see ugly people
Seething and believing ugly
Lies
And yes, of course, I’m
Scared of being hurt
And yes, of course, I’m
Scared of being wrong
But at the same time my silence
Will convict me
And the evil will carry on
If I can do some good
I want to do it
If I have a choice
I want to make it
It’s my human responsibility
That life lives
Selfishness gives
And death becomes natural
So you can stay cool behind
Your window
And choose the view
You want to see
But as long as there are
Others held captive
Do not consider
Yourself free.
Now, don’t get me wrong — I am in NO WAY suggesting that this is a “Buddhist” song, or that MacKaye and company are or were Buddhists. Not at all. But still: is it just Kin, and me, or are these lyrics a wonderful take on the Bodhisattva’s Vow?
And more importantly: what songs do you know of, Buddhist-created or not, that inspire and uphold your practice?
Dig this new New York Times “Bowery Journal” report on Noah Levine, Dharma Punx, and Josh Korda, who runs an NYC DP group.
A sample quote: “Perched on a ledge behind Mr. Korda, who was kneeling at the front, was a small white statue of a seated Buddha — with a mohawk. It is a curious combination; punk is typically seen as an expression of aggression, whereas Buddhism espouses compassion. But Mr. Korda and his friend Noah Levine, who started Dharma Punx, say both movements are rooted in dissatisfaction with the way things are, a desire to live in the present and a thirst for peace of mind.”
What’s extra cool is that as of 10 am, this article was the lead on the front page of the NYT site. What’s less cool is that the Dharma Punx site is seemingly down because of all the traffic they must be getting.
Well, nice problem to have.
