Rev Billy,
We saw your show with Neil Young in Vancouver. You seemed to be straining to persuade the crowd that we are doomed by a giant global heatwave. On the other hand, you adopt the name like rightwing preachers and wear a gospel costume. Why the goofy come on, if your subject is life or death?
Wonderful music, though. Just confused by your approach.
Paul and Abby, Vancouver
Dear Paul and Abby,
On our way across the country in the bus, between Chicago and Denver, our bus driver “Johnny” pulled off the freeway and stopped in a little country cemetery. He took our Stop Shopping group of 7 performers to the grave of Philip K. Dick. He knew that we read Dick’s works with a kind of devotion, you might say.
I want to answer your question by remembering Philip K. Dick. Think of the film Bladerunner, based on his story “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep”. Here we have many actors in many costumes operating in a dark dystopic verwsion of Los Angeles. (Please remember the scene starring Daryl Hannah, our leader this past month with her partner Neil Young.)
Bladerunner runs history in reverse, from a society of robots programmed by mysterious billionaires toward our present life where we still hope that the billionaires and their self-driving cars can be controlled by humans. The fantastic story is both scary and hilarious, and that movie’s message goes deep.
Our American fixation with the many versions of rightwing preachers has left us unable to live on the Earth without poisoning her. All powerful Gods, Big Oil, Big Banks, AI, and the SuperBowl leave us walking around in a low-grade hypnosis. Americans don’t believe the natural disasters are real.
Paul! Abby! My Reverend Billy character is one effort at breaking through with humor, music and the truth. Go ahead and make up your own messenger!
Earthalujah!
Billy