I really enjoyed watching that video of my hometown boy. He is so right on so many levels about the state of our country.
It's kind of sad to see him so discouraged but I am still very proud of the work he did and the fact that he cared enough to try.
Thanks, Jesse Joe...you help me remember that there is more than corn in Indiana...
"I am still very proud of the work he did and the fact that he cared enough to try." Very well said Nightingale !
He is an amazing guy ! I have many interviews of him on VHS tape, including this one from when it aired in 87. Can you imagine a man like him being in office ??? I really like it when he mentions, that Statue Of Liberty. {lol} I envy you for being from the same part of Indiana as he is. If ever I was to live in the USA, I always said that it would be Hawaii, but #2 would be Indiana, to simply be closer to him...
Canadian: Gordon Lightfoot... American: John Mellencamp... Two great guys !
thanks cuz for posting this! Seems like farm aid is a thing of the past now? Many of the larger farms are gone here in CT now. There had been a dwindling in numbers for the smaller...but a little resurgence here. Mainly of those who have left corporate America with considerable savings to try their hand in small farming and hope for more peaceful, simpler way of life. A little different from subsistence farming. But I do see that people are finding ways to make it work like by forming strong co-ops and sharing resources.
Because it's no longer at the forefront of the news...I am really clueless about what our government is doing (or not). Out in the mid-west it's more of an issue than back east here.
Always appreciate the efforts of performers like Mellancamp! Being that I'm from a small town (and I lived in a 'pink' house) -cows in the backyard and the occassional horse popping it's head in the kitchen window...we always supported our local subisistence farmers.
More recently CT's Christopher Dodd was chided in an article in time magazine, for his support of locally grown and raised produce and products. The writer had to twist Dodd's words in order to make a point about how we simply can't eat a meal without using a product(s) from elsewhere...and how that would hurt other producers if we did.
Cuz Pam your so funny you remind me a lot of Cathy Cowett that used to post here on Corfid. We should have more people like you. You seem to look at everything with a pretty good sense of humo(u)r.
It is sad what you write about the farms being a thing of the past. Performers like Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and so many others too numerous too mention did what they could to help. But I guess it's like the Mellencamp song,
" I fight authority, authority always wins."
Pretty much the same problem here in Canada. Some years ago they had a huge line-up of Canadian talents at 'The Air Canada Centre' in Toronto, for the farmers in trouble over here. Our man was there with the boys. (band) Fred Eaglesmith was the more outspoken one I found on that Sunday afternoon.
We are losing so much of our country to big corporations. Farmers around here have a very hard time keeping up with the rising cost of property taxes, fuel for farm machinery, chemicals and fertilizers for the ground and the cost of the seed itself.
I keep hearing how farmers are getting rich because the ethanol craze has raised the selling price of soybeans and corn for farmers...it's just not true. The rising cost of everything else pretty much cancels out the big profits people imagine farmers rake in.
We have lost a lot of our farm ground to new housing. Our little corner of the world has become quite popular as we are between two major cities and can easily commute to either for work or play. Many young farming families, and older farmers that are ready to retire, end up selling farm ground at high prices for building purposes...who can blame them?
It's a shame, but that's the way it is. The farms that people are losing to greedy bankers that have over extended their loans, very often the ground is sold to big corporate farming companies. They own thousands of acres and it's a huge business and not farming as our part of the country has always known it...it's a bit un-nerving to say the least.
Sorry, my computer keeps logging me off and I lose my post so I have to do this in several installments.
Many of the big corporate farming companies are more interested in getting every tax break and government subsidy they can manage. They often tear the hell out of everything....woods and parts of the farm fields that generations of farmers have left alone because it was wiser not to farm that ground.
Many areas can have serious erosion problems or be part of a wetland area that has been left alone for that very reason....what do these big corporations do?
They come in and tear them up and call it land improvement so they can get tax breaks on the cost of the destruction they cause.
They destroy the habitat of wild animals and ruin the ground for any other use as well as the visual beauty for no reason....when they are done they still can't use it for farming so it is a waste.
If you add in the fact that around here we have a lot of farmers that moonlight at the automotive factories to help bring in more income, then you can probably already see where I am going with this....
We are losing our automotive factories at an alarming rate in this area. In my hometown, we had five major auto factories and they just closed the last one a few months ago...it's unbelievable...
Nobody ever thought that could happen, but it did...
We have farm ground....a little over two hundred acres and that's cosidered a family farm for around here.
We would starve if we depended on our income from farming, and we would never be able to hang onto it if we were trying to make the ground pay for itself.
There are just way to many hands reaching out for every penny you make off of it.
Last edited by Nightingale; 03-23-2008 at 01:32 AM.
Lastly, I agree with John about the Statue of Liberty.
We need to care more about the people of this planet than the icons we build to symbolize our ideals.
Okay, I am off my soapbox now...lol.
Thanks for all the John Mellencamp info.
He really is great and I can see why you admire him so much.
If you ever want to move to Indiana, call me....I may have some farm ground I will sell you at a good deal...lol.
All very true and discouraging what you say Nightingale. It is a bloody shame like John Fowles would say. I could get into it about the kind of goverments we have these days, but its best I dont. I will always admire Mellencamp, and others like him who can voice out what is going on. But if they cant change the people who run our Country's, then what chance does the little guy have...
"If you ever want to move to Indiana, call me....I may have some farm ground I will sell you at a good deal"...lol. You never know ?
Just in Time for Summer Reading - BRAND NEW Book Detailing John's Walter Reed Concert Available Now!
We are pleased to announce the release of John Mellencamp: The Concert at Walter Reed, a book written by Jim Bessman, in association with John Mellencamp, and featuring photo contributions from Elaine Mellencamp and Mark Cornelison.
Through story and photos, the book documents the behind-the-scenes planning of the concert, the history of the Walter Reed Center, and John's performance at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center on April 27, 2007. This hard cover book features beautiful black and white photos, in-depth interviews with John, his manager Randy Hoffman, and members of the Mellencamp band.
With over 20 years of contributions to Billboard magazine, as well as numerous other global publications, the author, Jim Bessman, is one of the best-known, and most respected, music journalists, in the US. He is the author of Ramones--An American Band, and has been a devoted fan of John Mellencamp's since first seeing "Johnny Cougar" perform 30 years ago at Headliners in Madison, Wisconsin.
During her notable modeling career, Elaine Mellencamp gained an affinity for the art of photography behind the lens, as well as in front of it. Elaine began taking photographs semi-professionally, but her skills and experience found her rapidly advance to become a reputable and noted photographer. Her featured JM work has graced several Mellencamp album covers, been used in Rolling Stone Magazine, and on mellencamp.com.
Mark Cornelison is a highly-praised Midwestern photographer whose eye-catching Mellencamp concert photography brought him to the attention of John. Cornelison's Mellencamp work has been used in numerous publications including Rolling Stone, The New York Times, the Associated Press, and, ultimately, mellencamp.com.
"An American Band, and has been a devoted fan of John Mellencamp's since first seeing "Johnny Cougar" perform 30 years ago at Headliners in Madison, Wisconsin."
To Patti,
Have you ever seen Mellencamp in concert in Madison Wisconsin ?
Interesting 1987 Interview With Mellencamp!
