Occupy Oakland: Dock Strike

Contrary to popular media's portrayal, the port blockade in Oakland on December 12 was not only very well attended, with a diverse crowd including families with kids and people of all shapes/colors/sizes, but it was super fun.  The videos below are not very representative of the gigantic crowds, which were closer to the center of the demonstration, but they do show us rocking out hard.  There were no problems with police.  From what I could tell it was all peaceful, civil, and it successfully managed to shut down the dock for a full 24 hours. High 5, Oakland.

Occupy International - free compilation

Occupy International is both the title of a freely downloadable music compilation and a worldwide conceptual movement.  Featuring an array of artists from the US, Belgium, Chile, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, the 24-track compilation runs the gamut from hip hop to dubstep, with a little punk rock thrown in for good measure.  The "Occupy International" concept itself is simply the idea of spreading the sentiment behind the Occupy Wall Street protests to an international level, a movement which has already begun in places such as Belgium, Germany, Poland and Spain.

Birthed by producer/musician Jonah Mociun (AKA Th' Mole) of the Magical Bass blog and record label, "Occupy International" was originally just a two-word concept which quickly manifested itself in the idea to create a music compilation.  Primarily by using Facebook, Mociun contacted the artists directly, all of them agreeing to contribute tracks free of charge.  Popular artists such as Dead Prez responded surprisingly quickly.  Along with art by Bay Area-based Ezra Li Eismont and mastering by one of the contributing musicians, Bloodysnowman, the project apparently came together with ease, spurred by the momentum of the cause.

While the music on Occupy International ranges widely, including political artists as well as non-political ones, for the most part it is energetic, with lyrics relevant to the OWS movement.  While a few contributions, such as Blondtron's cover of "Wolf Like Me" by TV On The Radio, are not exactly protest music, most of the tracks, including Riddlore?'s "State Of The Nation" and Mochipet's Rage Against The Machine remix, are the perfect soundtrack for standing up and taking to the streets.  In the especially poignant track "I Think I'm Ben Bernanke" rapper Sole states, "We've been under occupation.  Time to occupy the occupiers."

STREAM/DOWNLOAD PAGE HERE

01. Corvus Corax "Miser (DJ 0.000001 Remix)"

02. sole "Dumb This Down (DJ 0.000001 Remix)"

03. Saul Williams "Penny For A Thought"

04. Mike Ladd "Awful Raw"

05. Bleubird "A Millie Joel"

06. Dead Prez "Malcolm Garvey Huey"

07. Big Juss "Illustrations Of Hieronymous Bosch (DJ 0.000001 Remix)"

08. dDamage ft. Big Juss "Verdi Rough"

09. Nephilim Modulation Systems "Brave New World (DJ 0.000001 Remix)"

10. Bizzy Bone "Stonehenge"

11. Amp Live "Hot Right Now (Bassnectar Remix)

12. The Bug ft. Wayne Lonesome "Buckleup"

13. Asian Dub Foundation "Witness (DJ Scud Remix)"

14. Th' Mole "We Control Everything (DJ 0.000001 Remix)"

15. Karyzma "Work (DJ 0.000001 Remix)"

16. Ed Cox "Attack Of The Werewolf Clowns"

17. Bucovina Club Vs. Taraf De Haiduks "Carolina (DJ 0.000001 Remix)"

18. Infernal Noise Brigade "Nanafushi (Live)"

19. Byrds "Turn Turn Turn (DJ 1 Billionth Remix)"

20. Street Sweepers Social Club "Promenade (DJ 0.000001 Remix)"

21. Rage Against The Machine "Killing In The Name (Th' Mole Remix)"

22. Drumcorps "Down (DJ 0.000001 Remix)"

23. DJ Scud "V.I.P. Pressure Pt. 1"

24. Alex Tune "Message"

25. Fischerspooner "Infidels Of The World Unite (Th' Mole Remix)"

26. DJ 0.000001 "What The F* Do I Think I'm Doing? (We All Fall Down Version)"