Funky Nixons
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Funky Nixons | |
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| Country | Berkeley, California, USA |
| Years active | 1990 - present |
| Genres | rock and roll, hip hop |
| Labels | COMA |
The Funky Nixons are a Berkeley-based rock/hip-hop band that has been strongly connected to People's Park. Formed in 1990 on the eve of the first Gulf War, the band has performed over a hundred shows, concerts, and benefits all over the San Francisco Bay Area.
Funky Nixons songs are played on college and pirate radio stations around the Bay Area. Songs include: Screw the Rich, Bum Rap, We Support the Troops, LA Driver, Minimum Wage, We Love the Pope, and Smoke a Joint with Jesus.
Their song Barbara Bush's Dog was used as the theme song of the weekly radio show, The Street Spirit Hour.
Music mpgs and photos of the Funky Nixons are posted at directaction.org
[edit] The Funky Nixons at People's Park
The Funky Nixons have performed at People's Park anniversary shows most years since 1991, and are sometimes referred to as the "House Band of People's Park" by other park organizers. (People's Park is located near Dwight and Telegraph in Berkeley. Food Not Bombs serves free community lunches there on weekdays.)
Each year in late April, several thousand people gather to celebrate the anniversary of People's Park, founded by direct action protests and occupations from 1969-1972, and defended many times since.
Members of the Funky Nixons have sung, danced, vigiled, gardened, served lunch, violated curfew, and been arrested at People's Park.
When an early 1990's anniversary show was washed out by a sudden downpour, the Funky Nixons took the stage in the rain with an old acoustic guitar and a tambourine to do their set for the fifty remaining die-hards.
On another occasion, when police raided a concert and confiscated the PA amplifier, members of the band - who were preparing to perform at that moment - stashed their own gear, then ran down the street carrying the speaker cabinet to the safety of the Chateau student coop, two blocks away.
