GREYCOATS at the Meadowlark

Greycoats play at the Meadowlark this Friday, 5/1 (with everyone's friends, Popwreck, et al.) To listen to Greycoats' lyrics is to hear of struggle, manipulation, disillusionment with a thought-rock backdrop of philosophers, authors and world politics. Take the song "That Great and Terrible Day," inspired by Burma. Two years ago was the so-called Saffron revolution, when thousands of monks and others protested against the military government. Reports said security forces cracking down on the protesters ended up beating and arresting dozens of monks. Jon Reine went to Burma years earlier but says he still feels influenced by that trip. Jon Reine e-mailed with us from the road:

What was your first instrument and how old were you when you learned to play?

Jon: I started taking piano lessons when I was six years old

What took you to Burma? What are some of the lasting memories from being there and how has it influenced you?

Jon: I was helping to coordinate a few youth camps in Hong Kong and Rangoon
in 2000. Burma took my breath away. I returned later that year to visit two
Karan refugee camps on the Thai/Burmese border, teaching and playing music.
The people in these camps had been forced to relocate again and again high
into the hills to keep the soldiers from crossing the border and attacking
them at night. People were much more free here to talk a little bit about
their political situation and their experiences. Inside Burma are too many
informants; refugees have nothing left to lose. How does one respond to the
scars of a soldier's machete? I was only there for a few weeks, but nine
years later I'm still haunted by these hills.

So what's up with the propaganda on your Web page?

Propaganda polarizes and demonizes. People become puppets. We want to pull
the strings.

Any idea what theme your next album will take on?

I spent a bit of time this winter with the Dust Bowl, Gatsby, Jack London,
and some mythology....we'll see where that leads. Survival in the Golden
Age. I like the idea of our Berlin Wall falling beneath the weight of the
dollar.

*******

Wanna hear a treat? Tune in to our favorite FM station, 101.5 in Denver, at 9 a.m. MDT Friday, 5/1.