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With the invasion of Ukraine, the world witnesses (again) the result of Authoritarianism, when a decision by one person can potentially destroy a country and sadly, the world.   As an artist, one has to make a decision on how to confront such evil.  Songwriters in the past have written songs that have taken evil head on.  The great Woody Guthrie wrote "Talking Off Hitler's Head Blues" and had a sign put on this guitar, THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS.   The guitar, the song obviously couldn't kill Hitler, but it has the power to sway minds and hearts.  Political music is inevitable and can be used by all sides in a conflict to help sway the masses.  Telling artists that they cannot write political songs is like telling the wind not to blow.  And when artists get political, it is difficult to separate the artist's work from the artist.  As an artist, my mission is to bring people together through my music.  If I have something to say that could be construed as political in nature, my tendency is to present it without judgement or accusation.  It is a tall order in today's "knock you down" world. 

The other part of this podcast has to do with addressing our own collective guilt with Ukraine.  The fact that our world has been permissive with authoritarians is something that we all take part in whether we like it or not.  Xi Jinping, an authoritarian, has publicly declared he wants to make the democratic country of Taiwan "part of China", much like Putin maintains Ukraine is historically Russian.  Martin uses himself as an example of when he purchased lights for his backyard.  He bought lights through Amazon that of course were made in China.  If we wish to fire a bullet at authoritarianism, it has to start in our own backyards.  Purchasing democratically made goods and the practice of civility and voting for civility-minded leaders are three necessary steps in the war on Fascists and Authoritarianism. 

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Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
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As we bid farewell to Black History Month, we take a look at how Black American history has been shaped by Canada.  Martin talks to Pastor Drew Jacques of St. David's Presbyterian Church in Campbellville, Ontario.  Jacques starts with a lithograph that appeared in Harper's Magazine in 1891, showing four African-American men, musicians, heading to a gig.  Entitled, "Music for The Dance", the scene is one that is almost photographic in it's capturing of a rare moment of musicians, relaxed, not playing, but heading to a winter dance.  They are confident, happy and carrying their instruments for an evening of playing music-hard work for any musician who has had to keep dancers out on the floor. 

Pastor Drew uses this picture as an analogy of where things are today, musically as well the social standing and well-being of black people on either side of the border.  He quotes the Reverend Martin Luther King, when he gave a speech in Ontario in 1968, just months before his murder.   King talks about Canada's contribution to African-America and also the role music played in the political and societal shift away from slavery and ultimately freedom.

Jacques family was involved in the underground railroad, having schooners on Lake Huron that were used so bring rye across to Rochester, New York and smuggle fugitive slaves across to Canada.  

We also touch on the fact that the notion of individual freedom today has been distorted in the recent protests in Canada.  The mixing of the notion of individual responsibility that freedom requires with the notion of individual entitlement that is anti-freedom and undemocratic.  Listen in. 

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

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Martin McCormack - YouTube

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Russia, the largest country in the world, wants to get larger.  Specifically, Vladimir Putin, has made it his legacy to create a world in which Russia is the Empire that strikes back.   He has chosen Ukraine as his target, apparently by force or threat of force wanting to have that democratic country once again under the thumb of the Russian Federation.  

As the West threatens back with sanctions and possible (remotely possible?) military confrontation, it made Marty and Sandeep wonder what the average person can do about it.  The conversation is about how we, as beneficiaries of a free society can (or should) act on a daily basis to restrain the actions of not only Putin's Russia, but the Chinese Communist Party of China.  Is it possible to make a global difference by acting different locally?  Let's discuss. 

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

MARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Martin McCormack - YouTube

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Switchback is back at work!  Brian and Marty detail the effort behind their new album project.  They also talk about Saint Patrick's Shows for March 5 at the Grand Theater in Keokuk, Iowa and March 17 at FitzGerald's in Berwyn, Chicago.  Capers the dog gets in on the act and the lads reflect on the secret to Brian's songwriting ideas, the physical effort that goes into Switchback performances and much more! TUNE IN!

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

MARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Martin McCormack - YouTube

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Annie and Martin bring back another podcast about their ongoing experiment in being Airbnb hosts.  Their residence called "A bit of the North Woods on Chicago's North Side" has earned them Superhost Status for two years running.  With that status has been some hard work.  One thing that has helped them sell the residence, is that the space tells a story.  A lot of that story was in the history of once-upon-a-time livery stable that existed on the property for over 100 years.  Another chapter of the story was the impulsive purchase of a moose head by the mid-life crisis challenged McCormack.  Giving the moose head a home was the start of creating a modern space with some natural touches.  Add the history, and Annie and Martin made a desirable destination in the northern "wilderness" of their northside backyard.  

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

MARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Martin McCormack - YouTube

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Ever thought about turning that spare bedroom or vacant garage into an Airbnb place?  Well, tune in as Annie and Marty talk about their adventures with their Airbnb abode called "A Bit of the North Woods on Chicago's North Side!"  

This is the first in an ongoing series that will be presented by Annie and Marty as they share their secrets, suggestions and experiences of hosting.  

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

MARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Martin McCormack - YouTube

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 A little more than a year ago, John and Patricia Kennedy, of Chatham, Illinois found their lives overturned and upended with Covid.  In the late fall of 2020, John attended a family reunion that centered around a ritual that is familiar to a lot of rural Midwesterners: deer camp.  That deer camp had particular importance.  His brother Patrick was dying with cancer.  His father was elderly, and the family knew that this would be the last time all would be together.  

John's wife Pat didn't want him to go.  The pandemic was already raging across the country with no vaccine in sight.  She had a feeling that something terrible was going to happen to John. 

It did. 

His father contracted Covid.  The family did not know he had it.  And yet, by the time the camp was over, John and several of the family had it.  For John, who was a bit skeptical about the virus, it was something that nearly took his life.  For Pat, it was dealing with the anger of being left behind, not only by the decision of John's, but by the possibility of his now dying from Covid. 

Luckily, (and narrowly) John survived.  But the aftermath was the sorting out of feelings about Covid, about their relationship, about their friends and what their friends believed and the overarching question of why it had to be this way in the first place.  

With a year's perspective behind them, Pat and John agreed to come back and be interviewed about how life has progressed.  We return to the deer camp. 

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

MARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Martin McCormack - YouTube

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Áine McCormack recently celebrated her 8th birthday.  Already she has made some strides in the music world, having been on two albums.  The last one, Miss Rack's Zoo features her singing voice quite prominently throughout.

We took the moment over a very crowded birthday weekend to sit down and ask her what is on her mind as an 8-year-old girl.  The result is an insight into what children are processing as they face the chaos (and death) of the Covid pandemic, the uncertainty of climate change and the social issues (particularly race) that are front and center on the stage.  Somehow, with all that angst in the background, a little kid wants to keep playing and enjoying her time as a child. 

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

MARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Martin McCormack - YouTube

FACEBOOK
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Sandeep and Marty talk about adjusting to wintertime and in the second half of the podcast, Marty describes what is going on with his website, his visual art and music.  

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

MARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Martin McCormack - YouTube

FACEBOOK
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Marty turns to his trusted political consultant, society editor, gossip columnist and fashion plate, Sandeep Gopal to make predictions for 2022.  A must listen show. 

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

MARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Martin McCormack - YouTube

FACEBOOK
Facebook...