[Vision2020] Roy Zimmerman

[Tom Hansen]

For those of you who feel that Roy Zimmerman is not cause-driven . . . see below!

Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"There's room at the top they are telling you still 
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill 
If you want to be like the folks on the hill."

- John Lennon
 


Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Roy Zimmerman" <mailing-list at royzimmerman.com>
> Date: July 12, 2013, 1:21:40 PM PDT
> To: thansen at moscow.com
> Subject: Roy Zimmerman Newsletter - July, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> THE ROY ZIMMERMAN NEWSLETTER
> July, 2013
> 
> COMIC SUTRA CD ON SALE!
> In 1996, when Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act into law I thought, “Now that’s absurd! Get me a pencil.” And I wrote “Defenders of Marriage.” That was seventeen years ago, and I’ve sung that song in almost every show I’ve done since. It’s been recorded by Anne Feeney, Charlie King and Karen Brandow, the Prince Myshkins and others. It’s graced a number of same-sex weddings, and spawned quite a few YouTube covers. And I’m unafraid to boast that Tom Lehrer told me it was his favorite song of mine.
> And now that the Supreme Court has found DOMA unconstitutional (duh!) I may have to send “Defenders...” off to the special retirement home where satirical songs go when their work is done.
> 
> Also in ‘96, I left my band The Foremen and began recording my first solo CD, Comic Sutra. And If you’re the completist I think you are, you’ll be happy to hear that Comic Sutra is ON SALE. We’ll be putting one of my CDs on sale every month until Christmas. For the month of July we’re offering the Comic Sutra CD for just $12!
> 
> After the Clinton/Doldrum election, I found myself writing songs that were more socially satirical, “T.M.I.” about people who overshare in public, “Let’s Get Branded” about a then-new trend in body art, “Vasectomy” about... well, yes. And some personal stuff. “You’re Pretty” is about male idiocy. (They say write about what you know.) “What If” ponders the Human nature of God.
> 
> Some political stuff too. “Punish the People” is a happy little anthem for the Republican agenda, more apropos now than it was then. And, of course, “Defenders of Marriage.”
> 
> These songs were better sung solo I thought, so I hung up the suit and put on the sutra. I recorded live - just me, my guitar and percussion provided by Jef Bek, in front of a terrific audience at Luna Park in West Hollywood. I’m very proud of the result.
> 
> So carefully click on the picture below and unleash the secrets of Comic Sutra on your life. Just $12 for the rest of July.
> 
> A NOTE FROM MELANIE
> Just before SCOTUS struck down DOMA last month, Roy was on a solo swing through the Northwest. He called me one evening to tell me he'd given a phone interview that afternoon in which he was asked, "Isn't it easier to write funny songs than songs that mean something to people?" It was a few hours since he'd been interviewed, but he was still a little pissed (mostly amused, but a little pissed.) He said, "You'll be proud of me: I didn't accept the premise of the question."
> I am so proud of him -- Roy has been shining the light of satire on the issue of marriage equality for a long long time. From the recent "I Want a Marriage Like They Had in The Bible" back to "Summer of Loving" back to "Ted Haggard Is Completely Heterosexual" back to the mother of all marriage equality songs, "Defenders of Marriage." In this historic summer of loving, I asked Roy if I could write a paragraph or two about "Defenders" for this newsletter.
> 
> When Roy came to me in the summer of 1996 to tell me he wanted to leave The Foremen and try a solo career, I was dubious -- dubious about his leaving such a vital brilliant band, dubious about how he would fare touring solo, dubious about what kinds of songs he would write. I was not a big fan of the idea. But he showed me the song he had just finished and I was won over. "Defenders of Marriage" is what Joni Mitchell calls "a mighty little song." In fact, she explicitly called "Defenders" that. She coined the phrase about "Big Yellow Taxi" which has been used to tear down parking lots and restore acres of paradise.
> 
> "Defenders of Marriage" is the mighty little song of Roy's that has received the most heartfelt thanks over the years. It gave sustenance to a college student in Oklahoma who made a video diary about his experience transitioning from female to male while living in a girls' dormitory. In Oklahoma.
> 
> It gave encouragement and musical underscoring to an act of defiance for a young lesbian who visited a high school friend of hers in an abusive heterosexual marriage in Fresno. This woman sought me out after a Roy show in San Francisco. She said she wanted to tell both of us her story because she wanted to thank both of us for working to extend our right to marry to the LGBT community. She had just visited her old friend in Fresno who was stuck in a bad marriage with lots of kids. The husband was verbally abusive and ordered her friend around like the hired help. At dinner, the husband -- knowing his wife's friend was a lesbian -- went off on the idea of marriage equality, comparing it, of course, to polygamy, bestiality, etc. The woman said she didn't take the bait, because she didn't want to make things worse for her friend, but had wanted to say, "How can you talk about the 'sanctity of marriage' when yours is a Hell on Earth?" As she was driving out of Fresno, she s aid she felt like she was escaping from prison. She flipped on the local Pacifica station, KFCF, and "Defenders" came on. She said she felt suddenly joyful and wanted to start honking and flipping the bird out her window. But it was Fresno, and she didn't want to get arrested. So she spontaneously just put both feet out the window as she drove out of Fresno with a lighter heart and more hope for both her and her friend.
> 
> And then, a few years ago, I opened an email that started with this sentence, "'Defenders of Marriage' saved my life." It was absolutely heart-stopping to read that. The email was from Richard Girvan who grew up gay in rural New Zealand where the only three out gay people he knew had been bullied to the point of suicide. He tells the story in his documentary film “Freedom to Be.” Here’s Part One. And here’s Part Two. Richard uses “Defenders of Marriage” in the film. He first heard the song just by chance on the local public radio station, and he says it gave him heart when he most needed it.
> 
> Just before Proposition 8 was voted into law in 2008, this version of "Defenders" showed up on YouTube. I think it is my favorite version of all. I think you'll see why.
> 
> What an historic summer of loving 2013 has been. Congratulations to us all!
> 
> NEW SONGS THIS WEEKEND!
> I’ll be premiering a couple of brand new songs in San Geronimo tomorrow night. If you’re anywhere near Marin, come to the show, bring friends and you can say you were there when I got the words wrong:
> Saturday, July 13 -  8 pm   
> SAN GERONIMO, CA
> Wake Up Call
> San Geronimo Valley Community Center
> 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd
> San Geronimo, CA
> $15 advance
> 
> THE SCHEDULE
> Saturday, July 13 -  8 pm   
> SAN GERONIMO, CA
> Wake Up Call
> San Geronimo Valley Community Center
> 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd
> San Geronimo, CA
> $15 advance
> 
> Friday, July 19 -  8 pm   
> SANTA ROSA, CA
> Wake Up Call
> the Glaser Center
> 547 Mendocino Ave
> Santa Rosa, CA
> $15 advance / $20 at the door
> 
> Sunday, July 21 -  10 am   
> KENSINGTON, CA
> Sunday Service
> Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley
> 1 Lawson Rd
> Kensington, CA
> 
> Thursday, July 25 -  7 pm   
> MT. KISCO, NY
> Wake Up Call
> UU Fellowship of Northern Westchester
> 236 S Bedford Rd
> Mt. Kisco, NY
> tickets - $18 (or pay what you can)
> 
> Friday, July 26 -  8 pm   
> EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ
> Wake Up Call
> The Unitarian Society
> 176 Tices Ln
> East Brunswick, NJ
> $18 or pay what you can
> 
> Monday, July 29 -  7 pm   
> DOBBS FERRY, NY
> Wake Up Call
> Meade House
> 12 Elm St
> Dobbs Ferry, NY
> $15
> 
> Tuesday, July 30 -  8:30   
> NEW YORK, NY
> Wake Up Call
> Cornelia Street Cafe
> 29 Cornelia Street,
> New York, NY
> $20 includes one drink
> 
> Thursday, August 1 -  7 pm   
> BUFFALO, NY
> Wake Up Call
> Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo
> 695 Elmwood Ave
> Buffalo, NY
> $18 or pay what you can
> 
> Friday, August 2 -  7 pm   
> AMHERST, NY
> Wake Up Call
> Center for Inquiry
> 1310 Sweet Home Road
> Amherst, NY
> $18 at the door
> 
> Saturday, August 3 -  8 pm   
> KINGSTON, NY
> Wake Up Call
> UU Congregation of the Catskills
> 320 Sawkill Rd
> Kingston, NY
> $20 - to benefit the UUCC Youth Heritage Trip
> 
> Thursday, August 8 -  party at 5 pm, show at 7 pm   
> STALLION SPRINGS, CA
> Wake Up Call
> details TBA
> House Concert
> reservations and info: Shanan Harrell - 661-713-0450 - yogashanan at gmail.com
> 
> Saturday, August 10 -  8 pm   
> STUDIO CITY, CA
> Wake Up Call
> UU Church of Studio City
> 12355 Moorpark St
> Studio City, CA
> $18 or pay what you can
> 
> Sunday, August 11 -  10 am   
> SANTA MONICA, CA
> Sunday Service
> Unitarian Universalist Community Church
> 1260 18th St
> Santa Monica, CA
> 
> Sunday, August 11 -  3-4:30 pm   
> SANTA MONICA, CA
> Songwriting Laboratory
> McCabes Guitar Shop
> 3101 Pico Blvd
> Santa Monica, CA
> $40
> 
> Sunday, August 11 -  time TBA   
> SANTA MONICA, CA
> Wake Up Call
> McCabes Guitar Shop
> 3101 Pico Blvd
> Santa Monica, CA
> $17.50
> 
> Tuesday, August 13 -  7 pm   
> LA CRESCENTA, CA
> Wake Up CallUU Church of Verdugo Hills
> 4451 Dunsmore Ave
> La Crescenta, CA
> $18 or pay what you can
> 
> Saturday, August 17 -  8 pm   
> NEWBURY PARK, CA
> Wake Up Call
> UU Church of Conejo Valley
> 3327 Old Conejo Road
> Newbury Park, CA
> $18
> 
> Friday, August 23 -  7:30 pm   
> FRESNO, CA
> Wake Up Call
> UU Church of Fresno
> 2672 E Alluvial Ave
> Fresno, CA
> $18 or pay what you can
> 
> Sunday, August 25 -  7 pm   
> MONTEREY, CA
> The Peace Resource Center
> Wake Up Call
> 1364 Fremont Blvd
> Seaside, CA
> $18 or pay what you can
> 
> DEFINITELY SLOW DOWN...
> ...for this polyamorous intersection in Tacoma, WA.
> 
> 
> Looking forward,
> 
> Roy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Site content © 2008 Metaphor Records. Site design © 2008 Darren Zieger
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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