Biography

Contact: admin@thisisrowdyhouse.com

Music can be valuable when it creates awareness and makes us think. Rowdy House does just that. Rowdy House contributors are nonpartisan, professional musicians who are providing an essential public service. Their music is an effort to increase national awareness regarding the waste and corruption in Washington. They want everyone to share that purpose so that we can send the message loud and clear: Stop the waste. Stop the corruption. Rowdy House music is meaningful and important for everyone to hear.

Every day, politicians waste our money and create regulations to benefit their special interest friends. We are bleeding billions and no one seems to be paying attention. Politicians believe they can continue to get away with it. They have weakened the voice of the American people by dividing us politically.

We need to heighten public awareness and create a united, bipartisan public pressure to stop waste and restore America’s financial strength. Learn more now, play the music, turn it up and sing along, read about it and discuss it with your friends. There will be more music on related topics coming soon.

To Be Free

The song “To Be Free” was inspired by the struggle of a man to be free. To be free from hunger, disease, financial hardship and the oppression from others in the form of bureaucratic greed, corruption and political power. The struggle was that of a resourceful and fiercely independent man, committed to self-sufficiency and living off the grid. He came into conflict with bureaucrats that live to regulate other people’s lives. It is the modern struggle of self-reliance and independent living verses government control. It is the struggle to not lose the personal freedom to manage your most basic aspects of human existence.

What freedoms will we be losing with today’s direct assault on all our freedoms? In recent times we have experienced a global pandemic intentionally advanced by foreign adversaries, and it’s resulting economic hardships, followed by mobs looting and burning our cities, and ideologically motivated anarchists attempting to destabilize the freest nation on the earth. What freedoms do we have? What freedoms do we not have? What freedoms are we willing to fight to keep?

Toy Plane Christmas

Fun loving people with warm hearts and welcoming spirits were having fun flying little toy planes around for almost a century, at least over eighty years. Some of these hobbyists may have been a little geeky, and some were drawn to the hobby because they were “tinkerers”, you know like Benjamin Franklin (who invented lightning rods, bifocals and “discovered” electricity) or Thomas Edison (who came up with the light bulb, the phonograph, the movie camera and about 1000 other patents to amuse or improve our lives). But most of these flying model enthusiasts are just like all Americans of every age, race, gender, size, and shape, some appearing a little odd, but all just trying to have a good time by building a better flying model to fly around and have a little fun. This hobby has been going on for a long time. Over all these decades, hobbyist have built and flown every type of flying machine imaginable. That’s what they do.

Then with questionable overreaching tactics typical of a bloated self inflating government, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) joined the “party”. And presto, now everything’s called a “drone”, whether or not you fly it or it fly’s itself. They turned a decades old hobby into a crime. Now you can imagine this: they can arrest Benjamin Franklin for flying his kite.

This is a great example of the guy who is not worried about the government because he says he hasn’t done anything wrong. The old adage is that he doesn’t understand that he’s not the one who gets to decide whether he’s done something wrong or not. Some unaccountable bureaucrat makes that determination, and an innocent activity can become criminalized by overzealous regulation, - while we’re all having fun out spinning our propellers and not paying attention to what our government is doing.

Unelected bureaucrats devised a way to apply the civil aircraft registration penalties to create a federal felony offense that can result in up to three years in prison and up to $277,500 in fines for failing to register as the owner of a toy model. Gee whiz, really, a toy plane? Learn more under “About the Song” - Toy Plane Christmas www.thisisrowdyhouse.com

Raisin Renegade

What’s the “Raisin Renegade” about? It’s about someone who you probably don’t know, who fought an epic David and Goliath battle for you and your family; and a world class rocking guitar battle starting at about 2:00 into the song; and the government taking your hard earned money. It’s about taking your personal property that you worked hard to create. The story is also about an antiquated regulation that needlessly costs American consumers in order to line the pockets of government cronies. The hero in the story is Marvin Horne.

Marvin Horne was a simple raisin farmer, and for decades he lived happily farming raisins on a vineyard in Kerman, California. (OK, so now you’re thinking: oh, oh another farmer story, I remember those uppity Pennsylvania farmers that tar and feathered tax collectors back in 1794). It’s important to note that these things don’t usually start with the farmers; they start with oppressive, overreaching or corrupt people in government. And it’s just that the hard work of farming tends to promote the growth of enough balls to stand up against an overreaching government. In this case it was something called the “Raisin Administration Committee”. It sounds like something out of the old Soviet Union, but it’s not. The Raisin Administration Committee (“RAC”) is directly overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture and was created in 1949 as a result of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. It’s basically a committee appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture (Read: cushy job for friends of the Secretary of Agriculture). Come on, the Raisin Administration Committee? LOL Sorry it’s just so ridiculous.

We need to appreciate the fact that what happened would take years of stressful, expensive and complicated legal filings, responses, court battles, jurisdictional arguments, hot potato passing and appeals to courts owned by the biggest bully around, the US Government. That’s easy to say, but not so much fun to live through. Marvin argued that the raisin program violates the Constitution’s ban on taking property without compensation. He lost that argument repeatedly, but he appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, – twice. It’s not easy to be a “Raisin Renegade”, but sometimes it’s just the right thing to do to help everyone else. To learn more visit www.thisisrowdyhouse.com. Check under Raisin Renegade "About the Song".

Benghazi

From the beginning there has been a lot of “hoopla” about Benghazi. Congressional hearings have been held, documents withheld, emails deleted, computer servers have been wiped clean, FBI investigations have been conducted, names of witnesses have been changed, dozens of books have been written, movies have been made, and scores of “journalists” have published articles with the ever changing “All the Facts You Need to Know About Benghazi”.

There are a lot of contradictions and inconsistencies in all the reports. And there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

Realistically, how can you sell 77.7 percent of the market share for global arms sales and not “alter the basic military balance” practically everywhere on the globe? Was the US selling to both sides? How did the US more than triple its revenue in arms deals with foreign countries in just one year? Did we covertly supply arms to “revolutionaries”?

How did we spend $500 million to train 60 Syrian fighters? It only costs about $35-$50,000 to get a soldier to their first duty station. So who got that extra money? Who got paid?

Why do the details surrounding the payments to Iran, as much as $33.6 billion in cash or in gold and other precious metals, remain shrouded in mystery? Why would we fund Iran who is recognized as the largest state sponsor of terrorism? And why was Iran paid $700 million every month between January 2014 and July 2015, when the Obama administration was hammering out the final details of the nuclear accord? Who got paid?

Remember the 1986 Iran Contra Scandal? Senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to Iran, which was the subject of an arms embargo. Fourteen administration officials were indicted, eleven convictions resulted, some of which were vacated on appeal. The rest of those indicted or convicted received a presidential pardon. What did the administration learn to do (or not do) to prevent those scandals from emerging? Learn more on our site at: www.thisisrowdyhouse.com


Spy Drone Bounty

The song “Spy Drone Bounty” starts with a reference to a true story from the small town of Deer Trail, Colorado. One of its citizens thought it might be fun to highlight his displeasure with government surveillance and so he created a proposal for a town ordinance to sell “Drone Hunting Licenses.”

Notably, the Deer Trail Drone Hunting licenses generated public interest from all over the country. Before the residents had a chance to vote on the ordinance, Deer Trail had such a wide interest in their unofficial drone hunting licenses that they stopped counting how many checks they had to turn away.

The little town of Deer Trail is just a micro-example of the controversy surrounding our deteriorating privacy rights and the apathy that many Americans exhibit toward losing their liberties and their lack of understanding of the importance of the unique freedoms they temporarily enjoy.

But Deer Trail was also “late to the party”. Almost a year earlier, Charlottesville, Va., became the first city in the United States to formally pass an anti-drone resolution on February 4, 2013. Some civic leaders understand right to privacy issues and are…Learn more on our site www.thisisrowdyhouse.com

I WON’T COMPLY

“I Won’t Comply” was written in a traditional eight bar blues format. The song was inspired by the overreaching federal regulations proposed to regulate family farmers. It is important to remember that the United States began as a republic of independent farmers seeking freedom from a tyrannical government – in those days, the British Empire. Thomas Jefferson wrote: “Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens, they are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bonds.”

The family farm is the basic unit of the predominately agricultural economy which has existed throughout human history. And if you reach back into the history of American music, in its roots you find the blues. African American work songs were an important precursor to the modern blues. These included the field hollers and songs sung by laborers and the musical shouts of slaves working the fields. The early blues conveyed to listeners the feeling of misery, always the result of oppression and abuse by others, pressing upon the poor and unfortunate down trodden souls who yearn to be free from life’s troubles. That desperate plight seems similar to today’s family farmer struggling to exist under an overbearing federal government.

It is appropriate that “I Won’t Comply” was created to follow in these traditions and this genre, while relying on the modern electric guitar with piano and saxophone embellishments, both demonstrated with masterful blues and jazz techniques.

Knowing

The song “Knowing” is performed with a female vocal lead backed by a sprightly played acoustic guitar, bass, drums, congas and other percussion instruments. As far as genre, “Knowing” fits in with “jazzy pop R&B”. The song begins with a lively acoustic intro leading into the soulful female vocalist caterwauling as the lyrics begin.

Initially it may be thought that the song is about a female wronged by a philandering male lover. It projects the emotion of a woman simmering over a guy who has not been straight with her. He screwed up, he tried to deceive her, and although he’s tried to hide it, she knows it, and she’s calling it like it is.

However, the lyrics could be about whatever the listener is thinking. The listener can insert their own cast of characters. Be it their favorite federal, state or local officials, family members or lovers gone wrong. Learn more about "Knowing" on our site www.thisisrowdyhouse.com

Hurricane Blues

The song “Hurricane Blues” is presented in the key of G in a traditional 12 bar blues format using old school blues instrumentation - the Dobro and harmonica - combined with non-traditional instruments. This unusual combination of instruments results in a unique orchestral feel that forcefully drives the song’s musical portrayal of the horrific beauty and fury of a hurricane. The lyrics describe the process one goes through when caught in the path of this powerful force of nature, a frightening experience that will be familiar to those who have lived in coastal areas.

Hurricanes have impacted mankind for centuries. The word hurricane comes from the word hurucane, used by the pre Colombian Tarino culture to mean “evil spirit of the wind.” Hurricanes are immensely powerful. A single large hurricane releases the same amount of energy as several atomic bombs.

Hurricanes destroy homes and take lives -- sometimes by the thousands. They are the only natural weather event devastating enough to deserve their own names, and they are predictable enough to have their own season. In the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Season runs from June 1st to November 30th.

The financial cost for damages resulting from a single hurricane can now exceed 50 billion dollars. We all pay that bill in one way or another, and we can expect the costs to increase in the future. To understand why that happens, or to read more about the song “Hurricane Blues” please go to the website. www.thisisrowdyhouse.com

Energy Policy

Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism in its lyrics. This is a light spirited Reggae tune which informs the listener about deficiencies in the U. S. Energy Policy and highlights concerns that the policy favors political cronies, does not prioritize energy affordability and negatively impacts everybody (else), especially those who must fill their gas tank “once a week”.

The Reggae tune “Energy Policy” incorporates R&B and Jazz elements, and is guided by solid rhythmic cross stick drum techniques and strong accents from the toms. The distinctive sound of a Hammond B-3 is used to play the choppy “bubble feel” and add a few witty Caribbean influences between verses. The improvised guitar and bass embellishments expand traditional patterns to weave a more complex exploration of the genre. The distinctive Jamaican vocals are light and inviting with friendly harmonies and the melodic toasting styled comments during the turnarounds add brief humor. Learn more about this song at www.thisisrowdyhouse.com


DON’T LET A LIAR LEAD YOU

“Don’t Let A Liar Lead You” is a fearless, hard hitting, fast paced, wake-up call which emphatically pleads the title and mirrors the concepts explored in a little grey book offered by the best-selling author, Andy Andrews.

The hard rumbling, enthusiastic drum work, active bass line and guitar interactions never smother the singer's insistent vocal explanation. The second verse describes the simple steps leading to the most well-known tragedy in human history which was the result of a government sponsored strategy of lies. And that verse’s imagery puts you there to “remember, but it’s too late”. This epic rock anthem shines light on subjects that are not discussed often enough in an effort to get the American idea back.

The song was inspired by a book written by the best-selling author Andy Andrews. A New York Times reporter hailed Andrews as “someone who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America.” Andrews has spoken at the request of four different United States presidents. His book, which is titled “How Do You Kill Eleven Million People? - Why the Truth Matters More Than You Think”, issues a wakeup call: “become informed citizens who demand honesty and integrity from our leaders, or suffer the consequences of our own ignorance and apathy. We can no longer measure a leader's worth by the yardsticks provided by the left or the right. Instead, we must use an unchanging standard: the pure, unvarnished truth.”

FAMILY FARM

The song “Family Farm” is a powerfully simple “Texas Country” format with harmonies accompanied by drums, electric guitars, banjo, fiddle and steel guitar. Country music is one of the most listened to radio genres during the evening and morning rush hour commutes and “Family Farm” will get you going in either direction.

Derived from the traditional Western and honky tonk musical styles, and mixed with the anger of an alienated group of our country’s most independent citizens, – the family farmer – this song might be considered to be a new interpretation of the “outlaw” country music from years past. This time however, the whole family has been made “outlaw” by the overreaching federal government and they’re “really riled up.” Even the cows are upset, just listen.
Check it out. You may know an “outlaw.” If you farm or grow stuff, you may be one. Buy this song, tell your friends, and let everybody know what’s happening.

PINK SLIME BURGERS & GOV CHEESE

This is a lighthearted song that hints about a complicated and serious matter: Inappropriate connections between government regulations and the commercial interests. The government “buddy system” profits enormously from lucrative government contracts, subsidy programs and strategic regulations. This graft is even more insidious when it masquerades as beneficial social programs designed to gain public approval.

One line of the song’s chorus sings out, “They make us all dumb and easy to lead” reflecting the disturbing belief of the political elite that thinks it can get away with picking our pockets. And clearly, they have gotten away with it…both political parties for too many years.

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All songs written by Rowdy House ® - Rally Up America Music - ASCAP