Thursday, May 3, 2012

GERONIMO PRATT & "SOUL BREAKER"

For those who missed it, my oldest son Miles put a link in a comment to an interview with the author of a book on Geronimo Pratt, the Black Panther activist from L.A. at the time who was convicted of a murder he didn't commit and jailed for almost three decades before having the verdict overturned,. the victim of an obvious frame.  The link to that interview is here.

The connection to my son Miles' song "Soul Breaker" (the only song he's written both lyrics and music to entirely on his own, the in Bell Engine's first CD it is an arrangement by the band and sung by the vocalists and guitar players and writers of all the other songs on the CD, John and Lisa) is that it was inspired by his reading this book and being deeply moved not just by Pratt's plight but how he remained positive and of service throughout his prison stay, even after many years being held in solitary, and continued to be of service to his community after he was finally freed.

"Soul Breaker" can be listened to (and the lyrics read) here (scroll to the bottom of the page).

6 comments:

tom said...

Listen to one song, might as well listen to them all. Good music and I have added it to my "to buy" list when the money is available.

Lally said...

Thanks Tom. I have to admit, the first time my oldest son played and sang the song for me (he normally doesn't sing, at least not leads, nor play guitar since he's a bassist, and of course on the CD version of his song he doesn't do either, either) it brought tears to my eyes. Not just thinking of all that Pratt suffered and the injustice etc., but of his turning that to positive use and surviving it with more grace and integrity than any of those who committed these injustices against him, and also to my older son's being so moved by it, and especially by Pratt's spiritual connection to his mother who never gave up hope. It's almost a fairy tale story in its plot points, but it really happened and that's what's so moving about it and about my son's turning that into metaphor and poetry and song. Phew. What more could a father ask for?

tom said...

You have every right to be proud of him. I know I've been proud to be published with both my son and my daughter. The more I have listened to Bell Engine the more I like their music. And Miles' song is powerful.

Lally said...

Happy to hear it Tom.

tpw said...

Great song. And beautifully played and recorded. Congratulations to Miles.

Miles said...

tpw,

Thanks for the compliments, means a ton coming from you.

On a different note, I posted lyrics at http://www.bellengine.com/musiclyrics.html