Sunday, September 1, 2002

The Original Gang Sign: One Hand Makes a Hat, the Other a Field.

Dear Friends,

   It seems you can't open a magazine or turn on the TV these days without hearing about one thing... family feuds. The common thread of the most recent bestseller lists, both fiction and nonfiction, has been family feuds. Veteran docudramatist Ken Burns has taken his proverbial shovel to the landscape of public television and planted his two cents on the subject, and they have blossomed like a pair of magic beans.
   Even journeyman stage acts like Billy Gilman have tried to use music as a forum to establish a dialogue about (and between) feuding families.  Indeed, it is a sign of our national solidarity that so many bright minds have come together to raise awareness about family feuds and support agencies that promote raising awareness about these families and their feuds.  
   However, the national limelight will not find a new mark until someone addresses the issue of family feuds (and violent family feuding) in a way that is both revealing and cathartic for the American public.  I wrote September's Hard Taco song, "Bring Me the Head of Antonio," to address the fascination and the terror we all feel, and ultimately to allow us to make our peace with family feuds.

With warmest regards,
Zach