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2 may 2008
Boston, MA: Spring finally here!! Gorgeous!! Working six days a week at RE Office. Five months of this game, the game of people chasing money and money getting away! Then I am FREE again!!!
Dropped a Marshall Combo Amp on my ring finger last week. Had to do a gig with it all blown up. Stoopid!!! The amp was undamaged! I took a little break from the guitar after that. I don't need any more physical problems. The hips are bad enough.
Looking forward to hitting the streets of Cambridge soon. Some day we might even practice. Hardly ever see any of the musicians I live with. We'll have to make a date or something.
As far as The Peasants, I'm letting it sit. I'm working too much to do anything else. Plan to go over to England and visit my brother and family in the Fall 2008. The Peasants have a chance to come back over to Germany/Holland on a tour March 2009. We will try to make it happen. Things are getting kind've crazy.
In the news, The US Economy continues to dive. Yesterday the gov't released figures that some 300,000 people were on Unemployment. That's alot of jobless Americans. Also we are definately in a Recession. We've been living on borrowed time for a LONG time here in the good ol' US of A and it's catching up to us. Bush's Eight Years of Stupidity and Endless War have put the nail in the coffin. Peace!!!
23 april 2008
Boston, MA: Working like a dog in the Real Estate market of Boston again. Six months a year I toil so I can rock free of a day job. This real estate is getting way too serious. Very competitive. Still, I like it. Like the freedom.
The Fighting Cocks got together last night to practice. We have a gig Friday at Ralph's in Worcester. On the bill is Super 400, a killer trio from Albany and a band called Awesome something or other with Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth. We'll see...
Is there anyone out there in Boston who needs a place to live? If so, write to me at petecassani@yahoo.com. I'll hook you up.
Spring is here. Sun is blasting today. Supposed to go up into the 70s!! Trees are already sprouting. Won't be long now before The Peasants hit the street.
6 april 2008
Jammed down at The Cantab Lounge last night with The Fighting Cocks again. Played with The Darlings and Angeline. Stellar bill. All bands delivered the goods to a packed house. Very exciting. Think we're changing the name of The Fighting Cocks to Loud Mouth Baby.
Am back at work in Real Estate. If you or anyone you know needs an apartment in Boston, I'm your man!!! Email me at petecassani@yahoo.com. Season is already crazy and it's only April. Last year it was going full bore by May/June. Shit economy has got everyone scrambling.
New England is slowly warming up. Excited to hit the streets of Cambridge soon. Looks like we'll have Dave Lieb on bass and whoever is available on drums. Sometimes it'll be Justin from The Chickenslacks. Sometimes it'll be Andy Plaisted. And then occasionally we may get Charlie ... when he's not too busy playing some heinous function in a tuxedo!!
4 april 2008
Went back to the Day Job April Fools Day. If you've ever seen the movie Glengarry Glenross, that's my day job. Renting apartments at breakneck speed in a real estate office bouncing with freaks (me being one of them). This is the best non real job I've ever gotten. It's hard work but it's worth it. This year is going to be fast and furious with the economy all fucked up. We're already seeing some crazy shit in the market as a result of the unmentionable recession.
Today we heard 80,000 people lost their jobs, the Pentagon is asking for a few Billion more dollars for the Wars on Terror and George Bush wants to spend Billions on Missile Defenses in Europe cause he's afraid of Iran. I'm afraid of George Bush. If he's so afraid of Iran, why doesn't he pay for a Missile Defense System over his ranch in Crawford, Texas and go live there. I'm so tired of this moron.
Rattling sabers, fighting Terror with Fear, Fear with Terror. I don't believe any of this shit. Does anybody? Weapons of Mass What?? Remember that? It's all so much BULLSHIT!!! Nobody ever asks these guys to be held accountable for these Billions of dollars. And you know who pays? We do. And you know who dies? Lots of brown skinned civilians. And you know who's going to retire Billionaires? Dick Cheney and George Bush... and leave a smoking, smoldering, broke, broken down, polluted, globally warming mess in their wake. Thanks you assholes! Who Voted For these Morons?? I'm goin to bed!
27 march 2008
Finally got out to see Dennis Brennan last night, a guy I've been hearing about for years. He's a Boston Legend. Been playing around a long time and has a killer band. Sure enough I get down to the Lizard and the place is jammed!! On a Wednesday night!! One burning mother fucker on Slide guitar and Duke Levine playing Lead. Duke Levine is an incredible guitar player. Plus the rhythm section was great. Billy Beard on drums and some big guy on Bass with a beautiful high harmony whenever you need it. As if that was not enough, Peter Wolf showed up and sang a tune with them. Here is a you tube from a previous night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfPeTvPXojc
And we finally got some videos of The Peasants Unplugged at TT The Bear's from March 3rd. Dave on plastic keyboard, me on the Martin. Here is that!!!
http://www.youtube. com/user/ ThePeasants
We are looking forward to hitting the streets of Cambridge as early as weather allows. Will try for sometime in May if possible. Keep checking back! Peace!
18 march 2008
Listening to the Experts talking about the War in Iraq just makes me laugh. I don't know why I listen to these morons. I guess so I can feel superior, so I can scream a big I TOLD YOU SO at the radio!!! They are just coming around to admitting that there were never any weapons of destruction in Iraq. The Experts finally confirming this. Kind've sad because they still keep talking about how we must stay in Iraq.
No ties to Al Queda were ever found. No weapons. No Great Conspiracy against the United States. Just people. Now alot of dead people. And a completely destroyed country. Both Iraq and the United States. Destroyed. As Iraqis die, the soul of the US dies with them. And the US economy too. What goes around, comes around.
Here are some statistics:
300,000 That's how many people Saddam killed in 30 years.
1.2 million That's how many Iraqis have died in the last 5 years.
If Saddam
was the Butcher of Baghdad, what is the United States?? We've killed four times
as many people as The Butcher in One Sixth the time. Seems we in the United
States are WAY better at slaughtering Iraqis than Saddam ever was.
4 march 2008
Boston, MA: Dave and I played a short acoustic set of Peasant songs with Organ/Piano. Dave flew over the keys in a blitzkrieg of melody as I held down the rhythm. Arthur Freedman, a Boston Music Documentarian, videotaped the entire show at the request of Billy Ruane, another Boston Rock Institution, who was at the bar holding court and buying drinks all night.
The Swaggering Growlers swaggered and growled thru a set of Irish folk songs. We did our thing and Jason Bennett and The Resistance did a set of their stuff completely acoustic and though all bands played unplugged, there was no lack of power onstage.
We hope to
do more of these acoustic, unplugged type shows in the future and are open to
anyone who wants to book us. Today some huge primaries are being held that will
hopefully decide the Democratic Nominee for President. Texas, Ohio and a few
others are up for grabs. It's a balmy 60 degrees here in Boston. Spring is toying
with us. It's been a long winter.
22 february 2008
Heavy snow is falling on Boston once again. No line between
the ground and the sky. All just one big WHITE. Am working at nothing much at
all these days.
Taking it real easy this winter. Start working again in April and will be on
the street again this summer.
Doing a benefit show next weekend that helps families of children who are very sick. Some friends and I get together once a year and do this up in Saratoga, New York. We've known each other since college. Dragging Charlie out there with me. Always a good time.
Am doing another solo acoustic show with Dave on Keyboards next Monday, March 3rd at TT and The Bear's Place in Cambridge. We go on at 9 pm. Dave is gonna do the honky tonk keyboard thing plus some ORGAN so you don't want to miss it if you're in Boston.
Lastly, I'll be playing guitar with Sal Baglio's latest rock incarnation. Sal Baglio is a Boston Rock Institution and is most famous for his work with The Stompers. That show is Saturday, March 8th at The Cantab Lounge. Come on out and play if you can!!!
13 february 2008
Obama slammed Hillary into the ground yesterday in all three primaries!!! He pulls ahead of her for the first time in this battle to head the Democrats. Hillary's hoping Texas and Ohio will save her but why? Texas isn't exactly a hotbed of liberalism and Ohio is Middle America, and they like Obama fine.
John McCain pretty much has the Republican Party wrapped up though they don't think he's psycho enough to be President. I dunno, a hundred more years in Iraq sounds pretty psycho but Bush will be a hard act to follow. Let's consider George W. Bush's accomplishments in only Seven Years:
1) Illegally invading Iraq based on lies and
false information.
2) Putting Incompetent Republican Donors in charge of rebuilding Iraq.
3) Throwing Billions of Taxpayer Dollars down the Toilet in Contracts to rebuild
Iraq, most of it disappearing with almost none of the work done.
4) Rolling back Civil Rights for Americans.
5) Spying on Americans.
6) Making Torture US Policy.
7) Setting up concentration camps in Cuba and Iraq and holding people without
charges or access to lawyers.
8) Cutting funding for Veterans returning from war while cutting taxes for richest
1% of US Taxpayers.
9) Institutionalizing Rape of Employees at KBR.
10) Invading Afghanistan and then botching that too!! Heroin Production is the
highest it's ever been in Afghanistan since US Invasion. Wait a minute! So now
Heroin's cheaper!! Maybe this is one of the Success Stories of the Bush Years.
A Legacy, even. I can see it now. George standing at the podium. "Yes,
and during my time as President we've seen unprecedented growth in Heroin thruout
the Afghan region, making junk affordable to all peoples, rich or poor, throughout
the world but especially here at home in the United States." Thanks George.
From the bottom of a syringe.
I hope Obama makes it and does what he says. Peace!!
10 february 2008
Sunday afternoon in Boston, MA. Snow on the ground. Sun blazing. Played two great shows this weekend. Great cuz they were well attended by the good people.
First time ever at Ralph's Diner in Worcester Friday night. We played second. I'm on guitar for The Fighting Cocks. Huge following out there in Worcester. Ralph's was packed for our set. Worcester NA came out for Jamey bigtime. And what a room!!! Ralph's is a rock n roll museum. Diner downstairs serving burgers basically. Club upstairs... serving ROCK!!! We played with some good young bands. Everyone was dressed to kill, Motley Crue style.
Saturday night Dave and I did our first Official Acoustic Peasant Show w/Keyboards at Right Turn Inc, Arlington, MASS. Thought the weather was bad and the venue unknown we pulled a numerous, attentive audience, raised a bunch of money for the cause and sold a STACK of CDs!!! Very kind audience. The piano was smoking. We did a bunch of the quieter stuff and the sound was ethereal. Thanks to everyone who came.
5 february 2008
Rare Acoustic Show!!!
Dave (bass) and I (Pete/Guitar) are going to do a very rare acoustic show this SATURDAY NIGHT in ARLINGTON. Yup! We will play some of the prettier, quieter stuff we never play out. Dave is an exceptional piano player and so will be doing that. I will be playing a gorgeous Martin acoustic guitar I got back in September. We hope you can make it. Here are the details.
Show: Right
Turn Inc., 299 Broadway, Arlington Center, MA.
More information: http://www.right-turn.org/
Date: Saturday, February 9, 2008.
Show Time: 9 pm.
Doors: 8 pm.
Also, today
is the Primary. Make sure to VOTE!!! Dennis Kucinich is still on the ballot
so I'm voting for him. He was and still is the ONLY Man who voted against The
War in Iraq, The Patriot Act (cuz he read it) and Universal Health Care. Hillary
and Obama stole his best punchlines. I'm voting for the Man, not his cheap imitations.
I'm sure I'll be voting for one of them in November. The Primary is for Dennis
Kucinich!!!! Rock On Dennis!!! PEACE!!!!
4 february 2008
Millions of us watched that Stupor Bowl last night, even some French Peasant fans. What an Upset!!! The New York Giants, undisputed Underdogs, absolutely tore The Patriots apart. Well ran all over their quarterback anyway. It was as if The Patriots just lost their desire and were a completely different team against New York. They couldn't get their shit together and the Giants were just psyched.
So here we go again. Boston has yet another great reason to hate New York!!! I'm sitting here wearing my New York Mets T-shirt too!!! Yee Haa!!! Funny how much attention we Humans pay to games that have no real effect on our lives.
The real game is Government. Whether The Patriots or The Giants win the Super Bowl, it won't affect how much money you make or whether you can pay your rent/ mortgage, whether your kids can go to College or War. It means nothing if Italy or Venezuela win the World Cup. Yes, it's more interesting, more exciting, but it means nothing. And that's the way the Corporations and Banks like it. Keep watching that Idiot Box. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Drink another beer and pay no attention. And while you're at it, don't bother voting either. I'm kidding, of course!!!
And as far as Government goes, wouldn't it be
AMAZING for the United States to have a BLACK PRESIDENT?!?! And not just a Black
guy but a guy who began organizing in Chicago Ghettos, not snorting coke in
Corporate Boardrooms? A man who's political life began serving people instead
of serving himself and his friends government handouts, tax breaks and contracts?
Yea, I thought so. Vote for Barack. Remember, he was against the war on day
one. Hillary, for all her smarts, was fooled by George Bush. Do you really want
to vote for someone who was fooled by an Idiot? I didn't think so. Vote for
Barack. Peace!!
1
february 2008
Best Quote of The Night
"It took a Clinton to clean up after the first Bush and I think it's probably gonna take another Clinton to clean up after this one," said Hillary Clinton in debate last night with Barack Obama on whether the USA needs another Clinton in the White House.
Watched debate on CNN. Both Hillary and Barack sounded good. Unless the Republicans rig the election again, or declare martial law, this election is for the Democrats to lose. Bush has done such an awful job as President that it will be very hard for a Republican to win again. They are having trouble raising money and a huge number of Republican Congressmen are retiring rather than run again in November. Americans are pissed and they blame Republicans with Bush, who destroyed the US politically, economically and spiritually with his never ending Wars.
Sunday is the Stupor Bowl. New York Versus Boston AGAIN!!! The rivalry that keeps going. Instead of The Yankees and The Red Sox it is going to be The Giants and The Patriots. I think The Patriots are gonna win but if they don't, there's gonna be a ton of angry people here in New England. New York has been spoiling it for Boston for decades.
Next Tuesday most of the United States will vote
for either Barack or Hillary BUT it may still go all the way to August before
one of them is chosen. As you can see, there is alot going on right now in the
USA. I've been junking out with the politics every day. Can you tell?? PEACE!!!!
20
january 2008
Watching the Politicians fighting it out during the Primaries. The American Gandhi, Dennis Kucinich, finally had to drop out of the race. He was being shut out of the debates and blacklisted from the Mass Media. With no money, it is impossible to fight the entire system of corrupt media in the US. Also the Sharks were circling for his seat back in Cleveland, OH while he was out fighting for us.
Dennis is the ONLY guy who was, is and always will be totally against the Invasion of Iraq. He is the ONLY guy who wants us all to have Health Care, not Health Insurance. Health insurance is a ripoff. Health Care is what we need. Dennis is the ONLY guy who keeps saying IMPEACH BUSH and CHENEY NOW!! Today he filed papers for IMPEACHMENT in the Congress.Yea Dennis!!! Am going to help Dennis win his seat in Congress for another two years. I like Congress a whole lot better with him in there fighting for us. God Bless him. I hope you feel the same. Pls donate here. http://www.kucinich.us/
Hillary and Barack are battling it out with Barack kicking much ass, winning South Carolina on Saturday and huge endorsements from The Kennedy Family. Looks like Barack might make it past Hillary. Inspirational speaker but firmly in the pocket of Health Insurance Co.s and not very strong against the War in Iraq. He voted, along with Hillary, to spend billions to fund it. That is not an anti war candidate. If you don't believe in it, you don't spend billions of dollars for it. Still, if he's the best we can get, I'll take it. At least he's black. Would be pretty cool to elect a Black President after the last eight year horror show.
Speaking of which, down to one last year with The Worst President in US History, George W. Bush. This Bush presided over the destruction of the middle class on his watch, giving massive tax breaks to the top 1 percent of the population and making everyone else much poorer. Gave away billions to corrupt Corporations, Halliburton, Blackwater, GE, you name it. Made Torture an American Institution. Unleashed massive greed on Wall Street which we, the people, are paying for with our blood, sweat and tears. Had a golden opportunity to galvanize and inspire after September 11, 2001 but blew it by telling us we should all just go shopping, spend money, don't worry, be happy. That was his fuckin message. Like I said, The Worst President in US History. Less than a year to go. Tonight was his last State of The Union Speech. I couldn't care less. Hard to find anyone who does. Good riddance. Please impeach him already, Dennis!!!
Peace!!!
20
january 2008
Had a blast playing guitar for The Fighting Cocks @ The Cantab Lounge last night. Saw some great stuff. Sal Baglio from The Stompers did a beautiful acoustic set as well as some other people. The Darlings were amazing. Female singer sounded like Loretta Lynn or Amy Lou Harris. Beautiful voice. A Right Turn Benefit. Good time.
Dennis Kucinich,
the Congressman from Ohio, continues to get the shaft from the Mass Media here
in the USA. He was banned from a Democratic Presidential Debate in Nevada AFTER
he was INVITED. They changed the rules and disinvited him. NBC is owned by General
Electric, one of the huge Corporations in the US that makes military equipment
and literally makes a Killing on Wars, specifically in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Kucinich, the only anti war candidate in the Democratic Party, is Enemy #1 to
General Electric. The last thing they want is to for people to hear this incredible
man. So I say FUCK GENERAL ELECTRIC. Watch Dennis for yourself right now. Here's
a You Tube with Dennis Kucinich actually answering questions on CNN. Peace!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWymRNyHuoU
16 january 2008
Pete Cassani from The Peasants will be joining
The Fighting Cocks
on guitar THIS SATURDAY, January 19th @ The Cantab Lounge, 738 Mass Ave., Central
Square, Cambridge. The Fighting Cocks includes an Allstar lineup of local rock
legends: Jamey and Tom from the Original Cocks, Tony
Savarino on Guitar, Karl Biancucci on Bass and Pete. All proceeds to
go to Right Turn, Inc., a center to help artists recover from
alcoholism and drug addiction.
Here is the bill: The Fighting Cocks (12); The
Darlings (11); Sal
Baglio (Stompers) (10); Bird Mancini (9); The Mr Curt Ensemble (8:30).
Cover is only $7. Come early and stay till the
end. The Cantab is
right in the heart of Central Square. Easy access.
7 january 2008
Happy New Year to everyone! Good to be home and chillin out in so many ways. Finally got a new photo up on the site from the Fall Tour. Hope you like it. Seems to capture the Spirit of Todd, Nils and I rocking in Germany, don't you think?
New Year's Resolutions: End the Occupation of Iraq, Impeach Cheney, Fire Bush, Repeal The Patriot Act and quit drinking coffee! Day 7 on the coffee thing. Still working on the other stuff.
Was great to play The Abbey Lounge Friday night w/The Dirty Truckers and a few other bands. Met The Flukes from Ohio. Very cool band. Hung out w/them Saturday. Soon to be called something else but great band out there burning up the road. Go Flukes!!!
Was disappointed to see Dennis Kucinich shut out of yet another Public Televised Debate on Saturday. I listened to it. Boring as hell. They NEED Dennis to make it interesting. He's the only guy who says anything... I guess that's why they can't have him on television. People will vote for him if they hear him. See for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0MFiceafq4
Looks like
The Peasants won't be back in Europe for another year. Already too late for
September 2008. Germany is a popular place. Winter 2008? Keep you posted. Meanwhile,
much Love and Respect to all the beautiful people in Holland, Germany, Austria,
France and Switzerland!!! Cannot thank you enough. Hope to see you all again.
Much Love, Respect and Peace in 2008.
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