John Trudell - Aka Graffiti Man (1992)

In 1979, Trudell met Jackson Browne and became interested in the musical world. Trudell recorded an album, "A.K.A Graffiti Man", with the Kiowa guitarist Jesse Ed Davis. It was first available only on cassette tape. In 1992 Trudell remade A.K.A Graffiti Man.

John Trudell's music is difficult to categorize. The lyrics are spoken rather than sung, but they are integrated into the music so that they have the feel of songs rather than poems set to music. The musical backing is tough, spare, gritty alt-rock. Trudell's spoken vocals are never less than compelling, and on a few cuts there are choruses sung by members of his band. The main appeal though is clearly the lyrical content. Trudell is an extremely smart, articulate, radical Native-American activist, and his songs lash out at various targets - corporate greed, political corruption, middle-class complacency, sexism, militarism, etc., seldom failing to hit their mark. The stand-out track is "Bombs Over Baghdad", a searing condemnation of the 1992 war with Iraq set to a propulsive rock beat, and listening to it today (October 2002), one cannot help but think that it is even more true now than then. Sample lyric: "New world order is an old world lie. Fighting for peace, see how they die. Dragging in God, as they turn violent. God says nothing, he just remains silent." I also really like "Baby Boom Che", which is about how Elvis Presley first began (unwittingly) to sow seeds of counter-culturalism in the 50's. John Trudell's music will appeal to those who are pre-disposed to respond to his politically-left point of view, to those with a particular interest in Native American culture, and to those who enjoy literate, passionate rock 'n' roll. I'd think that fans of New York junkie poet/rocker Jim Carroll would be likely to like Trudell, as these two artists are actually very similar, although their lyrical concerns are worlds apart.

This is an evocative piece of work that rocks. Jackson Browne, Kris Kristofferson, and Steven Soles (Alpha Band) guest on vocals.

Track listing

01.  Rockin' the Res  (Jesse Ed Davis, John Trudell)  - 3:34    

02.  Grafitti Man  (Jesse Ed Davis, John Trudell)  - 4:03    

03.  Restless Situations  (Jesse Ed Davis, John Trudell)  - 4:21    

04.  Wildfires  (Jesse Ed Davis, Mark Shark, John Trudell)  - 5:07    

05.  Baby Boom Che  (Jesse Ed Davis, John Trudell)  - 5:20    

06.  Bombs over Baghdad  (Mark Shark, John Trudell)  - 4:20    

07.  Rich Man's War  (Jesse Ed Davis, John Trudell)  - 5:51    

08.  Somebody's Kid  (Mark Shark, John Trudell)  - 4:00    

09.  Never Never Blues  (Jesse Ed Davis, John Trudell)  - 2:47    

10.  What He'd Done  (Mark Shark, John Trudell)  - 6:00    

11.  Beauty in a Fade  (Quiltman, John Trudell)  - 2:39    

12.  Tina Smiled  (Jesse Ed Davis, Jim Page, John Trudell)  - 6:01

Released:  1992

Label:  Rykodisc

Genre:  Spoken Rock, Political Folk

Length:  54:03

Producer:  John Trudell

Executive Producer:  Jackson Browne

Personnel

John Trudell - Spoken Words

Jesse Ed Davis - Guitar, Keyboards

Rick Eckstein - Electric Bass, Electric Programs

Carol Eckstein - Background Vocals