I've been lucky enough to spend the last six years of my life travelling around the world, encountering many cultures and civilizations, experiencing an amazing sociological adventure. In this time I have learned to listen to something other than music -- the human soul and the natural breath of the world. I have been able to watch it grow and change in so many different ways. In all the corners of the world I have seen how people have changed -- people everywhere have toned thumbs from the constant pressing and pushing of their iPhones and laptops, everyone has their headphones in their ears and no body speaks to anyone else. Technology has blocked normal channels of communication and although there is a lot more information, communicating in any way has become transitional. There's a strong cultural shift and maybe even a human laziness, and as a result I believe a revolution, albeit an unconventional one, is needed to overcome it. In the 1960s and 1970s people hit the streets to voice their opinion. Now, they do it in 140 characters or less. It's like a constant chatter of nonsense without anything really being said -- has this always been the way?
Having being born in the '70s I've seen this change, especially the relationship between man and his computer growing closer. We protest via email, not with our voices. We should ask ourselves -- is this real?
What amazes me beyond this is what happens to knowledge. Now that we can put anything online and Wikipedia has replaced the encyclopedia we are never really sure of what we read. Research is no longer about one sure source its about many sources saying the same thing. If we take a step back from this digital world for a moment, how do we embrace our cultural heritage of this time the way physical photos, and books do -- there's no way to mummify a Facebook page for future generations.
My alter ego is The Bloody Beetroots, and a strong part of this project involves me trying to maintain a sense of old and new, a transition between what has happened and what will happen. My new artist album, titled HIDE, has many examples of this. My longtime friend, Tanino Liberatore has been with me since the start of The Bloody Beetroots and is not a graphic artist, but one who uses his hands to illustrate. He is physically creating my heritage. I have also collaborated with some incredible people from music history on this album, the most notable being Paul McCartney. The Beatles defined a period of music. They sold physical albums and vinyl. They were truly influential and some of my fans, who might be only teenagers, might not know who they are. There are more examples of this on my album from Peter Frampton to Penny Rimbaud to Sam Sparro.
I want people to hear the album, because I want to create a bridge between old and new generations in the Bloody Beetroots way. I want my younger fans listening -- to research who Paul McCartney is, to find out more about his history -- and I want Paul McCartney fans to learn about what The Bloody Beetroots is. I wanted and still want to build a bridge between old and new and let the floodgates open.
So this is a call to action for anyone reading, how can we keep what is real today and make it as valuable as something that is physically real. Let's find a way to leave our mark and build a bridge between yesterday, today and tomorrow. If you really want to be a rebel, this is how you do it -- interact with history, it's all written there. Find the time to do it, learn to enjoy it and enjoy making history -- your way.