CheddaREvolution: Songs of Resurgence
Say what you will about Gov. Scott Walker’s politics, but he’s inspired some truly great protest music over the years. Before the 2012 recall election, the folks at WORT 89.9 FM compiled some of the best songs from Wisconsin artists and released an album, Cheddar Revolution: Songs of Uprising. To the disappointment of many, the recall effort failed. But on the bright side, people wrote more protest songs!
On Oct. 7 at the Harmony Bar from 5-8 p.m., WORT will celebrate the release of CheddaREvolution: Songs of Resurgence. Co-produced by WORT music director Sybil Augustine and author Fred Schepartz, the album features 17 tracks from a wide range of Wisconsin-based artists including Lou and Peter Berryman, The Whiskey Farm, VO5, the German Art Students, Tom Kastle and Bing Bong.
“We made this album for the same reason we did the first one — to try and take the
energy we see from the local music community and get the message out,” Augustine says. “We want to emotionally move people and inspire them to take action and to vote for change.”
While the first album focused on Wisconsin politics, the new release takes aim at national politics as well. Songs like “Fuck This Shit” by Swamp Thing and “Fuck Those Motherfuckers” by Beefus aptly capture the nation’s mood. There’s remarkably beautiful music on the album, like “Lift Every Voice” by the acclaimed Milwaukee folk singer Peter Mulvey. And there are moments of lyrical brilliance, especially on “Tore This State Apart” by Ken Lonnquist.
Although the project has been rewarding, Augustine hopes there won’t be a volume three.
“If we can get rid of Walker,” she says, “hopefully we don’t need to do another one.”