Netroots Nation in Second Life

This is going to be a long post, but bear with me, it's for your own good.

Look, you've been reading this blog for a while and so you probably know I'm involved in Second Life, running movies and DJing parties and generally hanging out. And you know my politics are somewhat to the left of the more conservative parties in North America -- okay, I've jokingly endorsed the hunting of conservatives with dogs, I admit it, and my selection of Pete Seeger as Spiritual Leader of the Moment might have been a bit of a giveaway, but, yeah, I suppose you could say I am "of the left" in the general scheme of things. And if you've been hanging around here, I'm guessing you might be too.

So that makes this weekend a big deal for both of us.

This weekend is the annual gathering of the lefty/progressive/reality-based internet tribes, Netroots Nation! A whole heap of people like Atrios and Jesus' General and a cast of thousands are descending on Pittsburgh to network, party, plot strategy, party, trade ideas, party, attend workshops, party, listen to speakers, party, and generally celebrate the idea that the United States of America is a liberal democracy that is no longer run by fascist thugs. And party.

Netroots Nation started out as the annual convention for the Daily Kos website, or the Great Orange Satan as its known on the right wing blogs and sort of morphed to become the pre-eminent gathering of web connected liberal activists.

This is not just some random coming together of net geeks and professional protestors - two years ago the convention was addressed by all the Democratic presidential candidates, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Last year Nancy Pelosi and Al Gore spoke. This year, in just a few hours, Bill Clinton will give the opening address, so, yeah, its kind of a big deal.

Now, obviously, going all the way to Pittsburgh is a pretty big effort and would cost you a bunch of money for airfare and accomdation and registration and all that, BUT THERE IS AN EASIER WAY!!!!

Thanks to the efforts of a bunch of dedicated net activists (who just happen to be my pals), you can attend Netroot Nation 2009 absolutely FREE through the magic of the intertubes. Just sign up for Second Life (totally free and you won't get a whole bunch of spam, I promise) and get your virtually butt to the Netroots Nation in Second Life island to see the main events live via streaming video, attend special exclusive Second Life panel discussions on net activism and meet and greet all the coolest people on the internet at the evening parties in the Second Life ballroom. Volunteer are standing by to help you get your virtual self together when you arrive and believe me, the folks involved are beyond friendly.

Bill Clinton speaks at 5 pm PDT/ 8 pm EDT on Thurday.

The rest of the schedule is here.

How can this be free you ask? Is it some kinda liberal commie pinko plot? Well, yeah, it is. You see that little widget on the right side of the blog urging you to buy "The Revolution Will Be Streamed"? Among the many, many other people who have contributed blood, sweat, tears and cash, all those musicians donated their talents so that we could raise some cash to pay to bring you Netroots Nation in Second Life for free, so if you don't go, you are going to be scorning their gift, which is really kinda rude. You don't want to be rude, right? You'd like to hear what Jesus' General sounds like in real life, right? So, what the hell are you waiting for? Get inworld now! It is FREE

Special offer: In fact, its even better than free. I'm so sure that you will enjoy the virtual world of Second Life, aside from the obviously super fun netroots nation conference, that I know you will stick around and hang out at my virtual club, the Red Zeppelin. How sure am I? So sure that I will give $100 virtual dollars (Lindens) to anyone who can find me at any of the NNSL events this weekend in Second Life. All you have to do is mention the Woodshed or the Galloping Beaver and I will give you $100, AND I will throw in a package of free virtual stuff like one of the super cool mini-zeppelins seen above. My name in the virtual world is RevPaperboy Boozehound, stop by the Red Zeppelin booth or just look for the guy in the Fez.

Netroots Nation in Secondlife from Shinigamikayo on Vimeo.

The Revolution Will Be Streamed

ON SALE NOW

I know I blogged a bit about this before, but now that the MP3 album is finally available I thought I might tug on your sleeve about it one more time.

A killer collection of 14 tracks of folk, funk, rock, salsa, dance pop and country, The Revolution Will Be Streamed is a cooperative effort by musicians and political activists coordinated by me, with a lot of help from a lot of people. Don't take my word for the quality of the music - click that picture of the radio over there and listen, I'll be streaming the whole album for the next few days on Radio Woodshed. After that, you can go to the Amazon site and listen to free samples. And if my stream is down, you can go listen to the it at the General's joint (His inner Frenchman did the cover art).

All the money raised from the sale of the MP3s available now at Amazon.com (and in a few weeks at itunes) will go to support Netroots Nation in Second Life.

Netroots Nation is a group dedicated to pushing progressive causes and candidates in the United States. It grew out of the Daily Kos website and facilitates activism, political organizing and networking in the progressive community. They aren't the only reason Barack Obama was elected, but they were an important part of the campaign and Bill O'Reilly thinks they are worse than the Klu Klux Klan, which is a good enough reason to support them on its own. Thousands attend their convention each summer. Netroots Nation in Second Life makes it possible for hundreds more to attend the convention online by streaming the various speeches and workshops in Second Life. The massive Second Life effort run simultaneously with the real life event also affords the opportunity to do the sort of networking the convention is intended to foster.

Liner notes
As the famous anarchist "Red" Emma Goldman may or may not have said: "If I can't dance, I don't want to be in your revolution"
There are few things more popular in Second Life than music and dancing. After all, in a virtual universe, we are all young and fit and we can all dance like the genetically cross-bred children of Martha Graham, Fred Astaire, Alvin Ailey, Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson and Gypsy Rose Lee. But while we dance, we talk, and as often as not, we talk politics.
And you can't dance without music, whether it's the hot salsa of Los Gatos, the sunny folk-funk of Richard Maynard-Langedijk, the brooding, country-flavored power-pop of Calliope's Radio or even the off-beat satirical stylings of Billy Bob Neck -- it's all here.
The proceeds from this album will go to aid Netroots Nation in Second Life in its efforts to support progressive politics through online activism, networking, advocacy and work on behalf of progressives running for elected office. We are grateful to the artists for the donation of the their inspiration, creativity and hard work. And to you, the listener for contributing to this worthy cause.
Special thanks to all the artists who contributed, Gen. J.C. Christian, Jillan McMillan, Jane2 McMahon, Rocky Torok, Michele Migrish, Jackson Street Books, and all the regulars at Cafe Wellstone, the Lonely Yak and the Red Zeppelin.
Check out the website:http://www.nninsl.org/

The Revolution Will Be Streamed
1. So Glad - Richard Maynard-Langedijk
2. My Strange Love - Brian Lillie and the Squirrel Mountain Orchestra
3. Super Evil - Spoon Spatula
4. Arianara - Los Gatos
5. Hank Paulson's Blues - The Black Tie Martini Club
6. Gimme a Job - the Extras
7. Jesus: The Anti-Rap - Billy Bob Neck
8. Endless Night - Richard Ainslie
9. Zumbro Valley - Zathras Afarensis
10. One More (Land of Beginning Again) - Katherine King Segal & Charlie Brown
11. Watcha Gonna Do? - Golgotha
12. Rachel's Song - Scott & Michelle Daiziel
13. Samba Do Sueno - Pete Siers & Los Gatos
14. Darker, Longer - Calliope's Radio

Who is on the album? Who are these wonderful, talented and generous people who have given their time and creativity (and royalties) up for good cause? I'm glad you asked.

Richard Maynard-Langedijk

This singer-songwriter-guitarist-producer, who has been a stalwart at the Hillside music festival, operates out of a fortified compound in Guelph, Ontario.

Brian Lillie and the Squirrel Mountain Orchestra

Brian Lillie is a folksinger from Ann Arbor, Michigan who has been playing guitar and writing songs for over 20 years. He has performed in everything from loud, weird rock bands to sufi-inspired dance groups, but his first love has always been simple, heart-felt acoustic music. Other works include Rowboats and Good Luck Fire Chief

Spoon Spatula

Better know in Second Life as Spoon Dastardly, the most dastardly spoon in Spoontown and King of all cutlery.“Super Evil” is about a terrified pedestrian walking through dark city streets while fruitlessly attempting to project the false image that he, himself, is dangerous. Written in Hollywood, CA, in 1994 as part of a collection of songs about Los Angeles.

Los Gatos

This Michigan-based Latin Jazz quartet has a pair of albums to its credit: "Cats Got Your Tongue" and "Insight". Los Gatos plays weekly at the Firefly jazz club in Ann Arbor as well as in numerous music festivals. They have been together since 1997. "Samba Do Sueño" was originally released on Insight and the previously unreleased "Arinañara" was recorded at the Michigan Jazz Festival in 2007. Check them on video here

Black Tie Martini Club

Lead by Second Lifer and podcaster extraordinaire Caleb Bullen. Sadly, the astounding podcast which can be found here or on itunes, is on semipermanent hiatus, though the management is still throwing fans an occasional bone. Thankfully, we still have the archives.

The Extras

Terrific Canadian band from back in the day, best known for their paean to contraceptives "Circular Impressions" -- more can be learned here and here.

Billy Bob Neck

A fine upstanding conservative Christian man who's Hour of Being Good is a beacon in the darkness for us all.

Richard Ainslie

A mysterious man of mysterious talents who intends to keep it that way.

Zathfras Afarensis

Network geek? Raconteur? Rootsy, eclectic Second LIfe DJ with a KT Tunstall fixation? Minnesota-born folk singer and occasional songwriter? Guilty, on all counts.

Katherin King Segal and Charlie Brown

Katherin King Segal is a singer-songwriter from New York who is now based in Los Angeles. She teamed up with veteran studio guitarist Charlie Brown for their 2006 album Land of Beginning Again. And she is very understanding (we hope) about rookie producers who spell her name wrong.

Golgotha

Goth-tinged rockers featuring Second Lifer NTropy Sellers, "I'm not sure who this band is but they have great shoes."

Scott and Michelle Dalziel

Amazing husband and wife team who are much in demand musically in both first and Second Life. The fresh and soulful sounds of Scott and Michelle's voices, combined with their high energy performance, memorable and meaningful songwriting, and instrumental finess, put them in a category all their own. Said to have more sound than two people should be allowed, they cannot be confined to acoustic the Rock or Folk genres, as they continue to branch out intoThey R&B, Jazz, roots, and Blues. The duo were Kerrville Folk Festival finalists in 2004 and 2007, and they were selected as a featured artist of the month in 2008 by Folk Alley, one of the leading genre radio stations. Their 2007 CD, Thinking Out Loud, hit #12 on the International Folk charts.

They are also very understanding and forgiving of rookie producers who spell their name wrong in liner notes (we hope).

Calliope's Radio

Formed in mid-2006, Calliope's Radio is the dazzling product of many musical backgrounds, stories and styles. With Dana Komer's soaring vocals fronting a dynamic band, Calliope's Radio recounts haunting, beautiful and instantly classic musical stories. These Kitchener-based musicians are capable of capturing the audience with everything from Joplin-esque and Sheryl Crow alt-rock infused hooks to aching country-steel ballads, reminiscent of the Cowboy Junkies . Calliope's Radio is melody at its finest.

The General has more to say.

And for those of you among what my kids now call "Dad's cartoon friends" in Second Life - Fez Records (me) and NN in SL will be throwing a big release bash at the Netroot Nation Ballroom on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 7 pm until whenever - we will play the whole album, there will be DJs, including me, contests, prizes, dancing and plotting of revolution. Be there!

News Flash!

"The Revolution Will Be Streamed" is now available in the United States as an MP3 download at Amazon. Go there and listen at your leisure to samples or tune in to Radio Woodshed starting Monday when I and a few other bloggers will be playing the playing the album in an endless loop all day. It should be available by Feb. 23 on the U.S. and Canadian itunes stores as well.

Come back on Monday and I'll have a whole bunch of information about the artists involved --and the great big virtual release party we're planning in Second Life.