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The members of Rise Against.
Credit: Evan Hunt
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Put down that cheeseburger and listen up. If you want to make a real difference in the world, give up meat. The guys from Rise Against will help you. They're a punk rock band from Chicago. Their latest effort, "Appeal to Reason," is almost two years old and still getting play. The album's latest single, "Savior," was spinning recently on "Hard Drive" with Lou Brutus. "Hard Drive" isn't a Vegan music show. And Rise Against aren't necessarily a vegan band. They're just vegans (and vegetarians). And they'll change your view about what non-meat eaters can do.
Open up their recycled, vegetable-inked CD case for, "Appeal to Reason," and out slides a sticker proclaiming that "Meat's Not Green." The PETA symbol is there, too. Now, pop the CD in. The first couple songs will hook you, like a meat hook. Sorry, bad reference.
From Song No. 1, "Collapse (Post-Amerika):
"When our rivers run dry and our crops cease to grow
When our summers grow longer and winters won't snow
From the banks of the ocean and the ice in the hills
To the fight in the desert where progress stands still
When we've lost our will ..."
The first time I heard the CD (via a free copy from an Interscope rep) I was driving to meet my brother for lunch. I had to pull my truck over to the side of the road and make some audio notes with my iPhone. I don't do this often, by the way.
"The second song on the CD is 'Long Forgotten Sons,'" I said into the microphone.
"One of the chorus lines or refrains is 'We stand for something.'
"I would say these guys are good, old-fashioned punk rock that is rebellious and goes against the system. It's the sound of a revolution.
"If you care anything about the environmental movement, you need to hear these guys.
"You need to listen to what they're saying. You don't necessarily need to agree with them ... It's just a whole message that's strong and heartfelt and very topical.
"It goes well in the whole punk vein ... of not being happy with the status quo. They take it to the extreme."
And that was just off the top of my head. So the CD is inspiring, to say the least. And this comes from someone (guilty) who is not a vegan. But someone who will be paying more attention to the meat-free movement, and his diet, from now on.
The band might not be happy enough with that. They're serious. But not all the songs are preachy. None of them sound too preachy. Not every song is about struggling for cleaner air and a better world. You can relax a little during a few tracks (that does not include "Hero of War.")
The people from PETA, mentioned on the sticker, love these guys. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals named them the most animal-friendly band of the year for 2009. Rise Against has featured animal abuse footage in their music videos.
PETA even came up with 10 reasons they love Rise Against, including a quote from singer Tim McIlrath, "If we can make vegetarianism, veganism, work on the road, you can make it work at home. All four members of Rise Against, none of us eat meat."
Regardless of where you fall, give these guys a listen. You have to appreciate a band that's writing about something more than girls and parties. Play it around your friends and see if they notice what's happening.
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