mountain bed Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Today I will celebrate one of America's great voices of conscience and freedom. Gil Scott-Heron is 59 years old today. What Bob Dylan is to rock, and Bob Marley is to reggae, so Gil is to R&B/Soul. His words and music have changed many lives. Unfortunately he has never received the accolades that I believe he is due. Even more unfortunate - he seems to have fallen on hard times in the last decade or so. I hope that he can get it together so he can get back out there and share his genius with the world. We need him now more than ever. Here's a later clip (1990) of Gil doing one of my favorite pieces: "Winter In America". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" blew my mind when I was in high school. It still does today. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Great performer. I saw him a couple times back in the day which was like the late 70s at Chicagofest. I have a few of his albums. Where are the performers with substance now??? (Jeez we are nearly the same age...yikes.....I always thought he was quite a bit older than me, he must have started young.) LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouisvilleGreg Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Much appreciation from where I'm sitting. I've got most all of the 70's releases on vinyl an denjoy them all, though "from Souith Carolina to South Africa," is a fav. He's had a rough go of it the past decade or so. He's been covicted on multiple drug charges and has been in and out of prison. A few years ago in DC, there was a small, Free Gil Scot Heron rally. I wish I had some pictures to share. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JerseyMike Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Nobody sent me a birthday present, and Whitey's on the moon! It is sad and ironic that the very things that he fought against are the things that brought him down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Twisted Acres Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 "Lady Day & John Coltrane" is one of my all-time favorite songs... "Pieces of a Man" is one of my all-time favorite albums... HAPPY BIRTHDAY GSH!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 My Fave:Whitey On The Moon Happy Bday Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 I meant to mention earlier: the hyphen actually goes between Scott and Heron. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share Posted April 1, 2008 Great performer. I saw him a couple times back in the day which was like the late 70s at Chicagofest. I have a few of his albums. Where are the performers with substance now??? LouieBI remember Gil doing a show at the Vogue in Indy. 21 and over place. I was 20. So sadly, I've never caught him live. The guy just has so many songs that are powerful statements on the human condition. Simple titles like "Gun", "Alien", "The Bottle"...that deal with complex issues that are still with us today. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share Posted April 1, 2008 I meant to mention earlier: the hyphen actually goes between Scott and Heron. D'oh! I was still half asleep when I started this thread this AM. Thanks for pointing that out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share Posted April 1, 2008 One of the great music docs imo. Definitely worth checking out - in fact I think I'll bust it out and watch it. It's been a long time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boywiththorninside Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Nice work posting this, mountain bed. I just got around to seeing it. Gil is truly one of the greats and, yes, woefully underappreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 Nice work posting this, mountain bed. I just got around to seeing it. Gil is truly one of the greats and, yes, woefully underappreciated.Thanks man. You have a fantastic avatar btw. I would be remiss if I didn't mention this - to all of you Ronald the Ray-Gun haters, Gil did some outstanding work using RR as fodder for his caustic tongue. Please check out "B-Movie" or "Re-Ron" for examples. I'm truly sorry that I only have this stuff on vinyl (for those who might be innarested). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 B Movie and Re-Ron are both great songs.... I would have to say Winter in America is just plain a great song..one that is less topical and also very tuneful. Although The Revolution will not be Televised is certianly one of his biggest hits, strangely the sentiment is now sort of dated, since we all know that the Revolution in fact WILL be televised.... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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