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Israeli national anthem, somber
hook; Bern wants you
tion was interrupted around age 10
Smartie Mine by Dan
rhythms and Remedy's vivid lyrics and
when his parents divorced; he had a
Bern (DBHQ Records)
to think about the
small, low-key bar mitzvah, and, for
spitfire rap, is a must-hear.
absurdities of the
Dan Bern has been
The chorus creates goose bumps:
world, about how we
most of his childhood, was teased
making waves, provok-
conduct our lives and
about being Jewish.
ing listeners and slowly
Today, his bedroom is filled with
Never again shall we march like
§ how we might just
drawing more and
sheep to slaughter.
improve ourselves.
books on Judaism. A copy of the Torah
more fans since his
Smartie Mine, the
sits by his bed. Current reading
Never again leave our sons and
1996 debut, dog, boy,
singer's fourth release,
includes a biography of Theodor Herzl
daughters.
van. And he's been
and a history of Jews in America.
Never again shall our children be
may be his last as
doing it with the pres-
Stripped of our culture, robbed of our
Bern. During a sum-
And, where he once was ashamed
sure of one of those
mer trip to Lithuania
to tell people he is Jewish, he now
names
"next Bob Dylan" mill-
Raped of our freedom and thrown
with an Israeli cousin
proudly displays the fact around his
stones around his neck.
neck in the form of an oversized gold
into the flames
to visit his father's
(Then again, he is a
Star of David hanging from a five-
Forced from our families, taken from
hometown of
guitar-strumming, har-
Skuodas, Bern decided
ounce. gold chain.
our homes
monica-blowing Jewish
"My Jewish interest just came about
Pulled from our God and burned of
to reclaim the family
kid from the Midwest
name of Bernstein.
three or four years ago," Remedy says.
our bones
who has a magical way Dan Bern: Rel igious themes
and references to Judaism crop
His father, classical
"I've been learning about it from my
Never again.
with words.)
up frequently in his work.
pianist/composer Julian
family and doing research. I'm on a
Nonetheless, Bern,
search for truth. I believe strongly in
Remedy has been invited to
Bern, and one brother
33, remains prolific,
it. I think it definitely helped give me
Moscow and Tel Aviv to perform the
escaped when the Germans occupied
profound and sometimes profane to
song, and even performed it as part of
security."
Lithuania in June 1941, killing 94 per-
get his point across.
Yom Kippur services in a Los Angeles
"Never Again" came from research-
cent of the country's 225,000 Jews,
No subject is off limits, nothing
synagogue last year.
ing the Holocaust after Remedy's 93-
Julian Bern's parents and three siblings
escapes his ever-questioning eye, sar-
You should hear it, too.
year-old grandmother
among them.
castic, sometimes tender pen and
told him he had lost
emotive voice. Everything is song fod-
"I went [to Lithuania] to get my
American Water by Silver
family in the Shoah. He
house in order, to make peace with the
der — from questioning the coming
Jews (Drag City Records)
was angry he hadn't
past. Facing it, looking at it, was a
of the Messiah in "Jerusalem" (Bern
Not since Kinky
learned about the
very profound experience. It's still set-
decides to reveal he's the Messiah) to
Friedman & the Texas
Holocaust in school.
tling and reverberating," the soft-spo-
revealing Charles Manson's real name
Jewboys rode the pop
Someone, he decided,
ken younger Bern says.
in "Krautmeyer" (Bern suggests
music range in the '70s has
had to say something to
"I decided to go back to using
Manson would never have turned out
a band come along adver-
his generation.
the way he did had he used the name
Bernstein, just dropping Dan alto-
tising the religious back-
"I did this from my
gether. My dad dropped Bernstein
Krautmeyer).
ground of its frontman.
heart," he says.
Religious themes and references to
when he came to the United States.
In this case the lead
"Never Again" is
But a woman we met in Skuodas
Judaism crop up frequently in his
Silver Jews is fronted by
Silver Jew is singer, song-
more than just a song. It
knew the name Bernstein, and from
work, the most touching in "Oh,
David Berman, who says
writer, guitarist and pub-
is a signal that young
that moment I felt I was Bernstein.
Sister," a tribute to his older sister
of the group's name, "I
lished poet David
Jews are not forgetting
Jennifer, a cantor in a Norfolk, Va.,
Now when I say 'Bernstein,' I feel
think Jew' is a pretty
Berman. In fact, he is cur-
history. It's also a sign
something every time."
synagogue.
word and I wanted to let
rently the only Jew in the
that among Jewish youth it float free. I wanted it
Until that next record by Bernstein,
Smartie Mine is a 27-song, double
band. But it's his band.
to whom being hip is so free from its negative —
explore this one. It is the sound of a
CD brimming with provocative social
"I love words and lan-
compelling voice doing its part to raise
important, Judaism is
observations reminiscent of not only
or any — connotations."
guage and was always dis-
cool.
Bob Dylan but Woody Guthrie, Bruce
consciousness and repair the world.
tressed that the word `Jew'
Until Remedy
Springsteen and Lenny Bruce to boot.
(even the name con- was always transformed into a slur," the
One of the collection's highlights is
"Never Again" by Remedy
33-year-old Virginia native says of how
j ures up tikkun
(Wu-Tang Records)
"Talking Woody, Bob, Bruce & Dan
the band got its name.
olam) gets his own
Blues," Bern's recognition of this lin-
It's unusual to write
"I think 'Jew' is a pretty word and I
record deal, "Never
eage in which he pays a visit to the
about just one song on a
wanted to let it float free. I wanted it
Again" is available
record, but "Never Again"
Boss and tries to prove his worthiness.
free from its negative — or any —
commercially only
is the most powerful,
Bern does the best parody/vocal imita-
connotations."
on a rap compila-
potent, chilling yet poetic
tion of Springsteen you're ever bound
American Water was released in
tion record called
piece of music about the
to hear.
1998, and Berman keeps getting rave
RZA Presents Wu-
While Bern takes long looks at
Holocaust this writer has
reviews in the alternative and main-
Tang Killa Bees: The
human failings and frailties, he also
ever heard.
stream music press. But he gets little if
Swarm (Wu-
Remedy is a white
does it with a sense of humor and
any mainstream airplay. His fan base
Tang/Priority
Jewish rapper from Staten
includes himself in the mix. The
grows despite being on a small, inde-
Records). Much of
strength in this collection is the range
Island, N.Y., who works
pendent record label and his reluc-
the rest of the
with the popular hip-hop
of voices, moods, styles and instrumen-
tance to tour. He prefers poetry read-
record is rap that
act Wu-Tang Clan. The
tation Bern uses to convey his songs.
ings. His first book of poems, Actual
An angry but humorous rant one
29-year-old, whose real
Remedy: "Never Again," with carries a "Parental
(Open City Books), was published
Advisory,
Explicit
Air
name
is
Ross
Filler,
has
moment, heartfelt compassion the
its fusion of Hebrew prayers,
to critical acclaim earlier this year.
Content" sticker.
next. But no one is ever let off the
been researching his Jewish the Israeli national anthem,
To get an idea of the Silver Jews'
roots for the past several
somber rhythms and Remedy's But "Never Again,"
sound, mix a little Lou Reed and
Scott Benarde is a Florida-based
vivid lyrics and spitfire rap, is with its fusion of
years.
a must-hear.
Jonathan Richman vocals with the
music writer.
Hebrew prayers, the
His early Jewish educa-

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12/3

1999

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