To help clench his victory in the 2002 Illinois gubernatorial election, Rod Blagojevich vowed to eliminate the sort of political corruption that has plagued his state's government for years. Jump to Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 and Gov. Rob Blagojevich (D) is now being arrested for, among other things, attempting to sell Barrack Obama's open senate seat to the highest bidder. David of the Chicago, IL indie-pop band Bird Names wrote an album for and about the now infamous governor entitled "For The Love of Rod" and has made it available to the public.

It's probably best if we let David explain the project:

"In may 2005 I quit my job working at a hotel and immediately wrote a short album about and for the Illinois state governor, Rod Blagojevich. Inside three days I completed the album (with help from Naomi of Bird Names) and mailed it to him with a letter.

The letter explained that I understood that we (Rod and I) had a complicated relationship but that he (Rod) did not know this (since he was busy with other stuff) and so I would sing our relationship to him. I was pretty amped to get the music to him as fast as possible, that he should know disturbingly quickly such inspiration as he made in me.

The letter explained each song to him (especially the closing "The Great Rod Inside," which talks about him being governor of heaven someday, because I didn't want to get arrested or put on some list) and the music, if crude and novel, was sentimental and extremely sympathetic.

I received no response.

Today Rod was arrested for a list of things that an evil cartoon governor would do (i.e., trying to sell Obama's senate seat). Blagojevich has been a man of rich mythic textuality. I knew little about him then except (mostly) for this weird resonance that i think people can still really feel.

I want to give to you today this album, For the Love of Rod. I'm not proud of it musically, but I think we would all do well to remember the man and governor he was once imagined to be."

Rods Theme

Ride Rod Ride

We Toast the Govs Hair

Sadie Hawkins Dance

Rod at Leisure

The Great Rod Inside

posted by: Harold Johns III

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For the Love of Rod

December 10, 2008 Art, culture, The Rathaus

To help clench his victory in the 2002 Illinois gubernatorial election, Rod Blagojevich vowed to eliminate the sort of political corruption that has plagued his state’s government for years. Jump to Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 and Gov. Rob Blagojevich (D) is now being arrested for, among other things, attempting to sell Barrack Obama’s open senate seat to the highest bidder. David of the Chicago, IL indie-pop band Bird Names wrote an album for and about the now infamous governor entitled “For The Love of Rod” and has made it available to the public.

It’s probably best if we let David explain the project:

“In may 2005 I quit my job working at a hotel and immediately wrote a short album about and for the Illinois state governor, Rod Blagojevich. Inside three days I completed the album (with help from Naomi of Bird Names) and mailed it to him with a letter.

The letter explained that I understood that we (Rod and I) had a complicated relationship but that he (Rod) did not know this (since he was busy with other stuff) and so I would sing our relationship to him. I was pretty amped to get the music to him as fast as possible, that he should know disturbingly quickly such inspiration as he made in me.

The letter explained each song to him (especially the closing “The Great Rod Inside,” which talks about him being governor of heaven someday, because I didn’t want to get arrested or put on some list) and the music, if crude and novel, was sentimental and extremely sympathetic.

I received no response.

Today Rod was arrested for a list of things that an evil cartoon governor would do (i.e., trying to sell Obama’s senate seat). Blagojevich has been a man of rich mythic textuality. I knew little about him then except (mostly) for this weird resonance that i think people can still really feel.

I want to give to you today this album, For the Love of Rod. I’m not proud of it musically, but I think we would all do well to remember the man and governor he was once imagined to be.”

Rods Theme

Ride Rod Ride

We Toast the Govs Hair

Sadie Hawkins Dance

Rod at Leisure

The Great Rod Inside

posted by: Harold Johns III

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2 Comments

Currently there are "2 comments" on this Article:

  1. Politics says:
    December 10, 2008 at 11:09 pm

    I really like what you had to say here! It\’s about time! Would you mind if I placed a link back from my blog?

  2. Goldmünzen says:
    December 30, 2008 at 7:37 pm

    Hi I like your post

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