Blog Archives - Page 19 of 20 - Hardcore Humanism

Benjamin Zephaniah and the Freedom of Anarchy

Benjamin Zephaniah is a writer, poet, actor and recording artist. His new autobiographical book, The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah, chronicles his personal, spiritual and creative journey. To understand Benjamin Zephaniah’s journey, one must understand his roots in Rastafarianism–a religion that has its origins in Jamaica. Rastafarianism has informed almost every aspect of Zephaniah’s life–including his art form of […]

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Spitting at Mortality with Jus Oborn

Blog / aylinfriedman

“The dying world gasps its last breath as we turn off our minds All hope is lost There’ll be no new dawn And all of your dreams will die, die” From “See You in Hell” by Electric Wizard From an early age, Jus Oborn of Electric Wizard knew that he felt a bit “off.” Oborn has struggled

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The Curious Grit of Loni Love

Blog / aylinfriedman

Loni Love is doing it all. Not only does she co-host the television talk show “The Real” and co-host the radio show “Café Mocha” with M.C. Lyte, but she will also host the Ellen DeGeneres-produced TV show “Heads Up.” She has been a stand-up comedian for years and has appeared in several movies, including Soul Plane and the upcoming Garry Marshall-produced Mother’s Day, and

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Tommy Vext and the Deafening Sound of Self-Termination

Blog / aylinfriedman

“Slave away, it’s just another day It’s just another day without meaning Blue to gray, another bill to pay Until you die under a glass ceiling.” –From “Learn To Live” by Bad Wolves Six years ago, Tommy Vext had resolved to take his life by stepping in front of a moving train. The despair that Vext felt

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Why We Still Love ‘Please Kill Me’

Blog / aylinfriedman

Gillian McCain told me, “If I wasn’t an author, I think I’d want to be a therapist.” Should she choose to switch fields, McCain is off to a good start. Because with the book “Please Kill Me,” an oral history of the development of punk rock music, McCain and co-author Legs McNeil have delivered to

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Legs McNeil Shows Me the Secret of Punk Rock Innovation

Blog / aylinfriedman

“The more we fear the future, the more we recycle the past.” Legs McNeil Growing up, my knowledge of punk rock music was limited to dancing to the Ramones’ “I Want To Be Sedated” at United Synagogue Youth events and watching videos of the Clash’s “Rock the Casbah” on MTV. Later in life, as I became more familiar with punk

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Keeping the Faith With Cindy Williams

Blog / aylinfriedman

“Call it what you will. I call it God.” — Cindy Williams When I told friends and family that I was interviewing Cindy Williams, the reaction was always the same: “What? You are interviewing Shirley?!?!” That’s because while Cindy Williams’ acting career has spanned over 40 years, with roles ranging from the 1973 movie American Graffiti to her recent cameo in the 2013

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Jill Janus’ New Beginning

Blog / aylinfriedman

“The dark, the dark, The darkness falls on you. The dark, the dark, The darkness swallows you.” —“The Dark” by Huntress Jill Janus is perhaps best known as the incendiary lead singer of the progressive thrash metal group Huntress. For years, Huntress, which Janus describes as an “occult” band, has combined its intense sound with themes of fantasy to convey the

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The Real Strength of Mike Mahler

Blog / aylinfriedman

For years, Mike Mahler has been a leading fitness guru, specializing in a range of techniques, including kettlebell and body-weight training, as well as the health benefits of a plant-based, vegan diet. The core of Mahler’s message transcends technique, however. In order to succeed in life, one must find purpose, set goals to serve this purpose and

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The Magical Consciousness of The New Tarot’s Monika Walker

Blog / aylinfriedman

“I feel like I was once Separated twice, Now I feel like I Will never know my mind.” — “Heavy Metal” by The New Tarot Monika Walker and her band, The New Tarot, are certainly making their way into the public consciousness. Critics say their “hard-rocking brand of Synthpop,” which is “equal parts mystical and danceable,”

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