They Don't Knock

ICE or IDF, they don't knock

I have a new album out called They Don’t Knock. Many of you will guess to what that refers…

If you follow me, you know that I am a staunch supporter of Pro-Palestinian sovereignty, solidly anti-Zionist, and a supporter of Jews for Peace and any other organization that stands up for the rights of oppressed peoples everywhere to gain liberation from their oppressors. For me, this is not really open to discussion: it is a moral position.

My readers may also recognize my general dismay at the level of vitriol in social discourse.

During the COVID pandemic, I was relatively happy to be sequestered away in my electronic music studio making way too much music. The silence of the parks and the city during this time were so sweet. Then came the invasion of Ukraine, followed by October 7, 2023, and the world has never been the same since. And it gets worse every day, to the point where details of the evil-doing numb my brain, and the only self-preserving response is to take a moral stand, share it with others, and go back into the studio to make my Music of Empathy.

They Don’t Knock is my latest album channeling this energy and feeling. For me, this functions to erase the evil imagery that comes through my social media feed, and replace it with these sonic feelings, these sounds of empathy that simultaneously acknowledge the evils, lament the suffering, and act as a kind of exorcizing of these evil spirits.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to try to sleep, night after night, in the West Bank or Gaza, (or, perhaps to a lesser extent, in Ukraine,) with the possibility that this may be the last night for you and your family. I can’t imagine it, so I summon it in sound. I do this firstly for myself, a kind of sonic therapy. I share these sounds with you in the hopes that you may benefit from an exorcizing too. I have no intention that these sounds represent the suffering of the Palestinians. I have no idea how they might respond to these sounds.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to try to sleep in the USA if you are a person of colour, knowing that your front door could be bashed in at any moment and you or your loved ones removed violently from your home.

THEY DON’T KNOCK.

All revenue generated from the sale of these two tracks and album will be donated to a charity that benefits the Palestinian people.

My closing message.

We are in this together. I only paywall the odd long post, but 95% is free. I appreciate any support you can give my writing, whether free or paid, all are welcome. Your financial support helps me to dedicate more time to creating new music, as well as writing words here.

If you upgrade to Founding Member, you get free downloads of my music on Bandcamp.

Take care of yourself. Remain steadfast for a society of compassion and grace. Free Palestine. And free the citizens of the world from tyranny and authoritarianism.

Lastly, please note that I am not the HBO comedian, though clearly, we have a lot in common

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