I never could get into protest music that was played with an acoustic guitar or sang in perfect vocal harmonies. I know, I'm shallow as hell, but for me the instruments had to sound as angry as the lyrics. Luckily I grew up when I did, during the 'post-Punk' 1980's when bands like Black Flag and NWA ripped my speaker cones apart. God, so much of those times I hated, but I sure as hell miss listening to the local radio station, WXCI, during the era.....(I'll have to Google the station to see if it made it this long....or maybe I'll just leave it a mystery.....oh I don't know)
Anyway, go plug your laptop into a set of speakers and crank the songs listed below to 11.
UPDATE: Please leave your favorite Gen X era protest songs in the comments (YouTube video, that is). Thank you to those that already have!
As a GenX'er I find it appropriate to start this diary off with Rage Against the Machine, one of the few political bands that actually sold more than 20K records. They were mad as hell during the 90's, I cannot imagine how angry they were during the Bush years.
None of these scenes were filmed in the United States, but sadly these riot-gear-wearing police look strangely familiar these days......
I know Grandmaster Flash isn't a GenXer, but we sure as hell listened to The Message he laid out for us.
Millions of Dead Cops, one of the most underrated Punk bands of the 80's, needs some more recognition for being awesome. Plus I hate that disgusting chickenhawk, John Wayne.