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• Comment by Tyler on July 12th, 2005 at 6:00 pm:

  http://www.commondre.../views05/0413-28.htm

  Article that orginally appeared in Rolling Stone by James Howard Kuntzer who appears extensively in the ‘End of Suburbia.’ A friend of mine is already looking into doing some agricultural courses. Scary.

  As my friend Gord said, the collapse of the petro-economy could bring us to a new era of governance and understanding or could spiral us into mob rule and violence. Being the pessimist, I chose the latter.

• Comment by Erik on July 12th, 2005 at 6:10 pm:

  for the lonely activist traveller i might recommend [WWOOF] willing workers (or worldwide) on organic (Opportunities on Organic) farms (farms). bum around the world learnin the way of the soil from stoned old hippies who call their crazy selves “phreedom” and “bodi tree.” that’s my peak oil plan, anyways. if anyone can find the winemaking version of this program please contact me.

• Comment by Phil on July 13th, 2005 at 6:25 am:

  While it’s tragic, it’s most likely true, and something I’ve been coming to deal with. So I’ll probably never see Europe. Or Australia. Asia, the Middle East, no longer an option without doing it the old fashion Chris Columbus way (hopefully without the subsequent genocide).

  It’s unbelieveable that our parents and grandparents were able to destroy what they created in two generations, and all while pretending like they had no clue it was coming. Even now, my parents still deny any responsibility for the current state of the world, as they drive their car to the corner store to buy another carton of factory-farmed milk.

• Comment by tom cole on July 13th, 2005 at 1:26 pm:

  Farmers, traditionally, and intentionally, have always been at the bottom of social strata. We harvest food for everyone to eat, receive comparitively low income, and wake up at 5AM to the sound of chickens roosting and cows mooing.
  So, if farmers, like my mother (who is a widow), toil day in and day out, to feed the rich, or richer, why the fuck do we struggle every month to pay off bills??? Why do rich white sub-urban kids make fun of us??? If it wasn’t for farmers, you’d all be dead!
  Last year, my moms farm went out of business. Why??? After more than 2 decades of producing food for people to eat, establishing “loyal” clientelle, and building links among the farming community, why have so many small, organic farms gone out of business in the past decade??
  It is a direct result of the commodification of what we eat, of all foods, and the government (vivre le quebec?)subsidization of factory farms. Now, food, nutritional health, and feces regularization is all secondary to money. Money before food, health, and essentially, all peoples. This is the world we live in. This is capitalism.
  So if any of you reading this now are chomping down on a Big Mac, you should know that you are helping facilitate and directly supporting; making the rich richer; putting family farms (like my moms) out of business; generally non-healthy food production methods, therefore non-healthy food consumption, and undescribably brutal cruelty to animals.
  I hope that if youre eating a big mac, or you support food chain stores, or any non organic food source, that youre rotting soul (much like your stomach) burns eternally in the thermal fires of hell, and that every night, satan comes by and eats your testicles, or clitoris’.

• Comment by Kyle on July 13th, 2005 at 2:19 pm:

  This is all very interesting, and it’s also something I’ve never thought about. And to think I once (kind of) supported genetically modified food!

• Comment by James on July 14th, 2005 at 1:45 pm:

  So then, there goes my chances of seeing a cool G7brand band at my freaking doorstep.
  As far as local food production, I got some coconuts growing around here, some plantains can be snatched away, I’m sure not all of the citrus growing around here is horribly poisoned, however, insecticides are being massively dumped in my suburban marketplaces stormdrains in broad daylight.
  So…I guess I’ll accept being mutated for now.

• Comment by Craig on July 15th, 2005 at 5:09 pm:

  It’s hard for me not to be sarcastic in response to Tom Cole’s comments above, but I’ll try. A Big Mac has a street value of about $1.00 (plus or minus). The average organic meal costs SIGNIFICANTLY more.

  Blaming the consumer who does not have the economic freedom to choose other alternatives is misguided and cruel.

  Comments like yours are precisely why the left has no real presence among the lower classes in this country. You fail to understand that some people don’t have the luxury to pay double or triple for Certified Organic(tm) products. They need to feed their families. They don’t need to be blamed. In many communities, people don’t even have access to non-chain stores. Stop criticizing people for making tough survival choices.

  Your argument is horribly flawed. You attack capitalism, but your suggestion (that the problems can be solved by simply shopping somewhere else) is actually a pro-capitalist, free-market argument. How many times have you heard the goons at the CATO Institute make that very same argument (the market regulates itself, blah, blah, if people don’t like the product they’ll shop somewhere else, blah, blah). You rail against these people, yet your argument is straight out of their playbook.

  I’m sorry your family lost their farm. It sucks to be the victim. I would think that would make you more sympathetic to the plight of the poor people in this world who can’t afford to shop at Vegan-O-Rama.

  -Craig

• Comment by tomcole on July 16th, 2005 at 11:21 am:

  Craig, I totally agree with you. Holy fuck, am I reactionary or what? It’s such a personal issue for me, that I get very angry, and I stop thinking critically.
  I fully and completely recognize that most people on this earth dont have a choice in the matter of what they eat, due to economic forces at play, and that this is the real tradegy.
  My comments were more directed to some people I know, who are middle/upper class, who are “educated”, who know that alternatives exist, but they’re just too damn lazy or apathetic to do anything about it. This is also a result of capitalism. However, even upper/middle class people are not the root cause of the real problem. Everybody helps to perpetuate capitalism, and 99% of the time, its due to lack of choices. My real anger should be directed to the people on top of the capitalist structure, and politicians, who are always ready to bow down and answer every demand of corpporations.
  You’re assumption, that I am of the left, however, is wrong. I’m glad that you wrote what you wrote, and I think you’re right, that no matter what political stance I might take, my comments are essentially alienating. I’m only human, and I make a fuckload of mistakes. Which means that I learn a lot as well, youre post really taught me something. To not be so reactionary, and unforgiving. I always recognize and aknowledge the human power to change.
  Thank you for not being sarcastic.

• Comment by josh on July 18th, 2005 at 11:24 am:

  Does that mean propagandhi will not be touring? i hope they fucking do

• Comment by Phil on July 18th, 2005 at 5:02 pm:

  Ha, yeah the whole article is just an excuse for Propagandhi to not tour. That wouldn’t surprise me, the lazy bastards ;)

  But really, it’s funny when people talk organics and stuff. No one says you have to buy organics to support the little guy. In fact, it’s generally shopping at a small farmers-market that you’ll help the most, and interestingly, you’ll pay the least for your food as well.

  As one final point, in reference to the “shopping at Vegan-O-Rama” point that was made. Since going vegan, my food bills have dropped. Not significantly, but somewhat. The belief that a vegan diet is more expensive to maintain is in fact only true if you simply live off of prepackaged, prepared foods.

• Comment by D-Rock on July 19th, 2005 at 12:21 pm:

  The comment about our bands touring was a lament, not an eager wish (!). The fact is it soon may become pretty much impossible (not to mention entirely irresponsible … though, as if it isn’t already) for bands to expend scarce, expensive, and environmentally damaging fuel so they can “rock out” and sell merch in various pionts around the globe.

  On a related note, Colin from Fossil Free Fuel wrote in to let us know about his project selling conversion kits for diesel cars to run on waste vegetable oil. Pretty cool.

• Comment by Mikki on July 20th, 2005 at 7:10 am:

  You know the situation’s bad when the British Gov’t funds a report (conducted by the bureau of National Statistics) on the problem of ‘FOOD MILES’.
  Here’s an article from my favorite on-line organ “FoodProductionDaily.com” :)
  http://www.foodprodu...ent-examines-cutting

  And here’s the Defra report link “The Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable Development”:
  http://www.defra.gov...t/2005/food-0715.htm

  Hope the links work, I’m usually shite with things like this.

• Comment by craig on July 20th, 2005 at 12:57 pm:

  Blah,

  ‘gandhi better freakin’ tour for the new album. The last time I got to see them play was a helluva long time ago… Some time around ‘96 or so at a place in Southern CA called the Gotham Club… it was an old gutted bank that was turned into a concert hall… They even made reference to Nazi Punks (the old DK song – “trash a bank if you got real balls”) which was double super cool.

  Oh and Tom: sorry for being a dick. I have a tendency to rant. It’s a personal problem and I’m trying to work through it.

  -Craig

• Comment by tomcole on July 21st, 2005 at 12:39 pm:

  no need to apologize dudeski.

  as a truck driver i have a lot to say on these issues, but im too hungover.

  enjoy your peaches and bananas while you can.

  no matter what modifications you might try to make on a passenger veichle it still uses energy (maybe way less), and still emits warm by-products.

  toddski is actually the one who fucking reeks. reap.

• Comment by Food Monster on July 22nd, 2005 at 2:07 am:

  I wish for 99% of all bands to stop touring

• Comment by sadlife on July 25th, 2005 at 12:18 pm:

  No wonder a number of really good bands have left G7.

  Jesus, your whole label acts like you’re doing us a favor by letting us consume your music. It’s a good thing you have some pieces of the propagandhi catalog to support your label.

  I don’t mean to be too harsh, but it seems you have too many conflicting ideas going on up there in Winnipeg.

• Comment by D-Rock on July 26th, 2005 at 12:13 pm:

  Sadlife: Conflicting ideas are often the nature of existence. It’s the fine balance (if there is one) between doing something you love and recognizing its impact on the world. Hardly acting like we’re doing you a favour. If you don’t like our bands, listen to something else. Really, we’re fine with that. Epecially since you’re very put upon by our reflections on the ethics of business-as-usual.

  As for the “really good bands” that have left our label … all the BEST bands actually (and sadly) broke up. As for the others who left, fact is that money speaks louder than ideas my friend. We will never be Epitaph by choice, and we are proud of that. We didn’t start this thing to move units. In case you hadn’t noticed.

• Comment by tomcole on July 26th, 2005 at 12:50 pm:

  yes, epitaph. thats why i loved the “i plane epitaph” photo on that catalog. hilarious.

  sadlife (i wonder why you chose that name): prop is by no way the best band on g7. id say gmac, just cause hes the most down to earth and decent musician ive ever met. but hiretsukan will tear you to shreds. they conquer. they assault you with precisely targeted punches and razor sharp kicks. they grip our hair and shit on our face, and we love it!

  i bet the only reason youre saying stuff like that is because you only have prop records and no other g7 material. prove me wrong.

  they are fucking amazing at breaking up bands though…… lets have a count:
  but alive
  consolidated
  i spy
  clann zu
  warsawpack
  malefaction

  thats 5! i actually used to be into epitaph, what are they at now, punk o rama 13? its not the same anymore. its labels like g7, constellation, alternative tentacles, that preserve the music industrys vibrant and creative juices flowing. that challenge the music industry and capitalism as a whole. these and many others are the labels of the future…….if we survive…..aaaaaaaaaaaah

• Comment by james on July 28th, 2005 at 10:35 pm:

  I agree with the above, and would add, that ipecac recordings soothes my demons, as does some a few recordings off of relapse and dischord and volcano; all fine purveyors of conveyor belt products.

• Comment by craig on August 1st, 2005 at 8:02 pm:

  Bands and record labels… Bleah…

  It’s so hard for me to have the religious zeal of a 17 year old when it comes to worrying about record labels. I don’t know whether it’s apathy or maturity; and I don’t care (that kinda points to the former, eh?).

  I’d prefer that the bands whom I enjoy were not signed to some mega company, but, damnit, I still like Bad Religion even if they’re on Atlantic… And even if they now have their own shoe. And even though they don’t sound as cool as they did when they were 16. AND I’ll still buy their shitty new records.

  And what is the point of a label if not to move units? If an band wants no exposure, they can just play backyard parties for the rest of their (short) careers.

  And Propagandhi should tour more because live music is fucking cool and I’m freakin’ old.

  -Craig

• Comment by caitlin on August 2nd, 2005 at 11:56 am:

  I don’t think its fair to tar all labels with the same brush – at the end of the day, music needs to be produced and distributed, and for labels like G7 to try to do it in the most decent and honest way is something to be encouraged.
  Music has huuuuuge potential to be a subversive and educational thing (as well as damn fun) and i think record labels do too. You could even go further to say that labels like G7 are proactively changing the purpose of labels under the current system. To “play the game” in certain respects while still retaining their principles, implenting fair workplace structures and keeping their focus on works of merit rather than to “move units” is pretty admirable. Most importantly its providing an alternative to the bands.
  While no-one with a mind wants to die on their ass economically, look at G7s catalogue and say they’re only in it for profit.
  I don’t think its refusing exposure, its more exposure on the right terms with principles intact.
  But then, I don’t work at G7 or any other label and I don’t know anyone who does work at G7 so I should just shutup now.
  And I hope Propagandhi do tour.

• Comment by james on August 3rd, 2005 at 12:52 pm:

  I’m gonna agree with the above and add that I enjoy the assoholic elitists at G7 moreso than most any other loose collective of creators whom are deemed Label Runners. They encourage discussion rather than promote alienation. I went to a hardcore show last night, and while the music was fierce and the smiles were aplenty, the only sounds for change (horrible play on words) were issued from the voice of the Merch Barker to purchase the entire Band’s (and their friends) discography. Lukewarm indeed; violent lyrics with no direct confrontation of policies that encourage disenfranchising and death, yet still supporting the ‘Burn it all down” ethos? For what? The sale of a t-shirt that’s three sizes too small and dyed with a nuclear-type radioactive substance (like the chips I was just eating)? Without what was burnt, sales would not be.
  I walked away feeling ripped off of money (Blinded by the mirror holding capitalist bastards again!) better spent on food or condoms.

• Comment by sadlife on August 7th, 2005 at 2:31 am:

  “If you don’t like our bands, listen to something else. Really, we’re fine with that. Epecially since you’re very put upon by our reflections on the ethics of business-as-usual.”

  …and again, I should be privledged to pay for your fair trade pick me ups and vegan goodies.

  Don’t get me wrong, I respect a band if they don’t want to tour, but to me enjoying a band entails seeing them live in some manner of living room, basement, elk lodge, club etc. It’s how a lot of bands create and hold on to their fan base. I’d much rather dig some local bands I can go see on the weekends or even a semi regular touring band. And this brings us back to your thoughts on music going regional. Tell me, will at the sales from Winnipeg metro support your label? Just what percentage of your ware is currently hocked to suburban US white teenagers? Riding the allowance gravy train from their Volvo driving parents works as well for G7 as Epitaph. Except…we’re hipper.

  I’m sorry. Can we all just be nice?

• Comment by C-Wipe on August 8th, 2005 at 12:24 pm:

  Hi Sadlife,

  chris here at G7. this is my first post on this blog! exciting!

  i think you’re making a little too much of what was a fairly off the cuff quip by Derek regarding some real-life speculations being made about peak oil.

  certainly from our point of view, we don’t consider people “privileged” to support us. every time someone sends us any kind of support, whether it’s financial or spiritual, we always do our best to let them know how much we appreciate it.

  it’s true that we often lament the state of music and the lengths that “alternative” and “independent” labels go to, to expand their marketshare, but our goal in being critical certainly isn’t to be “hip” or to merely appear as “curmudgeons”; ultimately it’s really an attempt to figure out if words like “independent” and “alternative” really mean anything anymore.

  it’s also true that we are conflicted in this work. yes, perhaps we would be better suited to living and working off the proverbial grid, free from mechanisms of market forces, but we’re still holding out (for now) that the trade-off between the profits we generate for the system are somehow proportionally offset by music’s power to deeply affect a person and how they view the world. it had that effect on us many years ago anyway.

  it seems to me that our sense of humour (which is usually the approach we resort to, just to keep ourselves enternained) just doesn’t appeal to you. that’s no crime. but i think you’re reading in to it too much to imply that we think people should feel privileged to support us.

  over and out!

• Comment by sadlife on August 11th, 2005 at 12:52 am:

  Thanks, Chris.

• Comment by thomas on August 14th, 2005 at 10:37 am:

  ok, what does peak oil mean?

• Comment by tommy-carlos williams on September 27th, 2005 at 6:07 pm:

  “but we’re still holding out (for now) that the trade-off between the profits we generate for the system are somehow proportionally offset by music’s power to deeply affect a person and how they view the world”

  amen. i have certainly been forever changed by my exposure to propagandhi and from there to other ethical and political ideas. i am sure bands like propagandhi (and for that matter my own) feel like we are “preaching to the converted” most of the time. but i hold out hope based on my own experience that this is not always the case, and that someone CAN be moved by what they hear, and from there be made more aware by the stance and beliefs of the lyrics or the day to day ethical workings of the band itself.

  i can’t say thanks enough to G7 for opening my eyes to veganism (i got a “why vegan” pamphlet in a mailorder)

Dialogue has ended on this post.

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