This was one of the first songs I wrote for Giant Panda. It was 2001. Our good buddy committed suicide and it was tragic. A few weeks later 9/11 happened and we slipped into endless war. We were always making music as friends. These tragedies gave us motivation to do something that made our friends and families proud. It also was a positive way to get together and make the time count -regardless of what pain or apathy was occurring around us. 

We recorded this song during the “Make It Better” sessions. It just seemed fitting to release it now, being that in 2019 we are still a band and the world is still at war, even though it seems so clear that people just want to love. I like to think that our music has served some purpose. It’s lived its own whimsical twisted life and it’s been good. We are forever grateful for all of the personalities and influences that have been a part of what we are today.

We are still at war. Most don’t have what we call the good life. But many who have it waste it, or are lost. With music, we are still trying for peace and a way to cope. To make it better.

Our friend, he loved that we played music. It was sad. He was young. He was bummed. In the land of plenty, before everything got really crazy, he just couldn’t do it. It feels so long ago. It was such a different reality. For me, music is a great way to stay connected to him. A lot of songs came from that terrible time. I’m not trying to glorify his death or cheapen it by bringing it up, but still, it feels strange to describe it. But being in this band and being a song writer for me has always been about honoring these connections and talking about real stuff. Music has always been for the living and dead.  We play on his memory and those of many others.

Mike Martinez made a nice lyric video for us. We wasted some ice cream. While we’re all watching our ice cream melt, a few folks strategize to own the world. They are plotting the inequity for their gain and spawning the ism schism. It’s divide and conquer. Stop fighting. I know the campaign’s inviting but listen up: who’s igniting this fire we’re fighting???

Peace to infinity.

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