A Lighter Note: A Band That's Thrilling Audiences Across The Country, For Their Counter-Culture Folk Anthems, Making Art From The Shards Of The Shattered Propaganda Of The Covid Era: Red Pill Friends

Keeping Alive The Timeless Art Of The Protest Song: "This Is Real Anti-Establishment Music."

I love their music, and am proud to count them among my true friends.

I was able to attend one of their live shows in Hudson Valley, NY, this winter, and it was like a secret tunnel to a world where Covid didn’t murder music. At least not all music.

Not all groups with a “message” can also write brilliant, moving songs, but these guys have tapped into something so pure, it doubles as soul revival.

They bring back that rare quality that got sucked out of the very air in the Covid era—conveying, with love, through great song writing—(in the tradition of folk music before it went statist,) the healing power of live music. Healing from sadness, from propaganda, from alienation—from humorlessness and sterility.

A few rows in front of me sat Tom Cowan, a devout fan, and his wife Linda. Tom was listening with utter attentiveness, and I got to share some healing words with him afterwards, about some of the painful rifts in health freedom, HIV dissent, and NV (No Virus) circles.

This conversation was one of the highlights of my (lengthy) current stateside trip.

Red Pill Friends (Mike Merenda, Jude Roberts, and Brendan Daniel) radiate joy, friendship, and protest music that is uniquely, and sometimes humorously focused on the countless unspoken pains of the propaganda shards most musicians allowed themselves to be de-humanized by in the Covid era.

“This is real anti-establishment music. You are ahead of the curve, and on a trajectory that most musicians won’t touch.”

You can buy their new album “Same Side,” here.

Here’s one of their live songs, “Red Pill Friend” from the show I attended:

“Tried to take my joy, tried to take my light. Tried to take the blue right from the sky.”

—Mike Merenda, Free State Of Mind

Mike is also well known from the The Mammals, whose music I have posted before. Here, Ruth Ungar Merenda (Mike’s wife) plays a very famous song written by her father, Jay Ungar, “Ashokan Farewell:”

And one more:

We all despaired over how counter-culture (or so we thought) rock stars, from Neil Young to Willie Nelson to Joni Mitchell, betrayed their “protest music” avatars and imploded into full-on Covid prunes and scolds, just when we needed them most. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters even stood accused, (not without cause,) of causing the sudden death of his drummer, Taylor Hawkins, who died suddenly just before a gig of a heart attack, after Grohl demanded not only band members but audience too, get their Covid shots, complete with proof, to attend any show. (I have my own Foo Fighters pharma-betrayal story, but I’ll save it for another time.)

Here’s a list of top 10 rock Quislings:

RED PILL FRIENDS website, here.

Make Pretend

A long long long time ago back when I was then

Life was so much simpler than it has been here since

And, sure, we had our problems with our mythology

But at least the world was free to roam and no one was scared of me

Now I can’t go to my favorite show or speak free with my pen

Despite the fact I’m healthier than I have ever been

And even with my oldest friends I have to lie to them

When certain subjects do come up and I play make pretend

And polarized don’t even come close It’s more like a chasm sky

In the hearts of those who I once thought had open minds

And my own family looks at me like I’m some kind of freak

Because I choose the natural remedies of which history speaks

Let thy food by thy medicine and sunlight drink it in

Bathe yourself in forests and surround yourself with friends

And keep your light burning in the ocean of your mind

Let it all flow freely through your limbs and skin and spine

But the signs all say I’m not allowed in the city that never sleeps

While the hospitals are filled up with folks who think they’re safe from this disease

And I’m not saying it’s anyone’s fault, I’m not sayin it’s yours

Medicine’s bureaucracy’s written well behind closed doors

With the lobbyist money pourin’ in from their revolving door

That man who is your congressman guess who he soon will work for

And If I were to speak any of this would you cancel me outright

Despite the peace I’ve tried to create here throughout my life?

Many tides turn slowly, storms roll out to sea

Remember that I am your friend and not your enemy

A long long long time ago back when I was then

Life was so much simpler than it has been here since.

—Words and music by Mike Merenda

Today, Mike sent me this, a schedule from their upcoming tour, if you happen to be able to catch any of these shows:

Celia! Behold! We released the album yesterday. If you’re so moved to write something nice about this new album we’d be very grateful. Also, if you have friends in the following hoods, let us know we’re coming through! Thanks!

4/16 Clear Branch Alchemy Church of Fermentation, Black Mountain, NC

4/17‍ ‍Bon Aqua Computer Club, Bon Aqua, TN

4/18 Cooper Young Porchfest, Memphis, TN

4/19 Mai’s Garage, Tulsa, OK

Confluence Festival, Bandera, TX

Details at redpillfriends.com/tour

Their new studio album “Same Side,” again, is here.

Mike’s excellent podcast “Terrain Theory” co-hosted with his friend Ben Hardy, is here.

I would love to see these guys on The Highwire, during their Texas visit—to talk about how non-conforming musicians found themselves creatively, socially, and professionally ex-communicated by their own, in the Covid era—a frost that has yet to melt—crimes yet to be atoned for.

This is a subject dear to my heart, as I come from a musical background originally—was a rock drummer for about 15 years.

My sister, Bibi, also felt the painful blows of the music world’s Covid dogmatism, as did so many of our mutual friends.

Several of our musician friends were unceremoniously expelled from bands they’d formed, bands they’d been in sometimes for decades, for not getting the shot, or not wearing masks.

Our friend Ron Norris, from The Bongos, (who Bibi plays with) was one such castout.

It was the coldness with which it was all carried out that hurt the most.

I’ve long wanted to say something about all this, and salute the brave musicians who kept the music alive, and the love flowing, despite all the silencing, hateful frequencies of the 2020-2024 era. We owe them a debt of gratitude, and they all need our support more than ever.

Count also our good friend Emily Duff, (also editor of our Duesberg memorial film) among the brave musicians who guarded the flame, and paid the price of shunning:

One last thing: Three years ago, Jude Roberts wrote the anti-Fauci anthem “Fall On Your Sword Mr. Fauci,” and I produced it, played minor percussion on it (as did Rob Norris) and enlisted Greg Reese to make the video.

You can hear it here:

And one super obscure fact about Jude: He was close friends with dissident author and journalist Liam Scheff, and was the very person who endured Liam’s (initial) scorn for being the first to tell him not everything was what it seemed with HIV theology. Liam eventually dropped his incredulity, and did some of the most powerful work of any journalist on that frightful beat.

Rest in peace Liam.

May the circle be unbroken.

Music is alive and well even after Covid; The phonies are cleared out, and the real artists are drawing crowds, and love, wherever they go.

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