Flashback photos: 2 years ago, March 2009 in Amarillo, TX

ramblings from an airplane

wrote this last week while preparing to land in Minneapolis in a plane, on my way to Wisconsin...

Out my window.  Bright.  Almost blinding, the reflection from the snow-covered ground, far far below.  How is it that land came to be parceled out in such neat, square-shaped  packages?  I mean, I know how, really, it just seems odd to have taken so much of the country and divided it up.  The natives would have never thought of land so geometrically.

The plane is banking hard left, now.  Some 50 miles from Minneapolis, I believe.  The pilot announced that we may have to circle above for a bit due to heavy air traffic.  I suppose I should be able to see my home state, my final destination (Wisconsin) while circling above the Twin Cities.  In a few hours I will touch down in Milwaukee.  Not exactly the "pearl of the midwest", but no Toledo, either.  Tomorrow: Madison.

Thank 'Em (Unions and Teachers)

Though I no longer live in the wonderful state of Wisconsin (out in Denver now, if you hadn't heard), my thoughts rest entirely there this week.  I am so proud of all of the state employees, teachers, and workers in general who are standing up for their rights and not backing down.  This is not a "budget bill", this is an attack on organized labor, on employees.  If you have no clue what I am talking about, this New York Times article will fill you in nicely.  

Since I can't be in Wisconsin right now taking part, I wanted to do a little something from afar.  Wrote this song last night, "Thank 'Em", with the theme of thanking teachers, and thanking unions.  It is available at that link for free streaming and download, please feel free to use it however you please. 

“It is essential that there should be organization of labor. This is an era of organization. Capital organizes and therefore labor must organize.”
--Theodore Roosevelt

Thank unions,
Thank teachers

Joe works hard from morning to night,
gets home and kisses his beautiful wife.
Watches Fox News, thinks he's got it all figured out,
curses the labor unions, not knowing about...

Thank the unions,
do you like your weekends?
thank the unions,
for minimum wage,
thank organized labor.
Joe don't even know how lucky he is

Joe bitches about his property taxes,
hates the school board and the IRS.
His kids they get a quality, free education,
and the teachers they still get paid shit.

Thank a teacher,
that you can read and write,
thank a teacher,
you can multiply,
thank a teacher, 
thank your education,
count your blessings and get organized.

No Memories

a collaboration with poet Joe Briggs (work in progress, this might see some changes yet)

words by Joe Briggs 
music by John Statz


performed on the banjo


 No Memories by John Statz 


The snowlakes falling slow & bb size,
covering our roof, covering this tomb where I must live
My wife, my love died on the cusp of December,
She's painted in the walls, and makes the floor boards cry.

Need to go outside and feel the snow on my face,
Need to have the wind hit me like a morning alarm,
Want a light to turn on on this empty street,
Want to have...
No memories.
No memories.

Car is low on gas so I take the neighbor kid's bike
Pink with bad brakes, not looking to impress anyone.
Clouds in front of the sun like gauze over a wound.
Turn down main street, where the traffic lights flash and die.

Need to be outside and feel the snow on my face,
Need to have the wind hit me like a morning alarm,
Want a light to turn on on this empty street,
Want to have...
No memories.
No memories.

Staring down the flood

Budapest, Hungary - Feb. 2009

Staring down the flood...

at first, more like casually glancing at a trickle.
Patience.

New Live Photos - Meadowlark (Denver) - 2/09/11

Photos taken by Ryan Cutler (www.theshowlastnight.com) at a 2/09/11 show at The Meadowlark in Denver.

Like Jack Johnson

 Like Jack Johnson by John Statz 


Gonna write a song like Jack Johnson,
sittin' on the beach.
Writing songs to all da college girls,
feeling happy and free...

Well they got this and we got that,
and I don't mean to tit for tat
and Let's sit under the apple tree
and make a pie for you and me
mmmmmm (make apple pancakes)
(maybe its the weekend)

well the sun is out and so are we
and we are fun and happy free
pretend that I am talented
record the same song over again
mmmmmmm

Now this is the chorus, here
we'll make it sound more serious.
When you're gone, girl I miss you
and make sure that you always recycle.
mmmmmmmmm

well Times Like These, and times like those,
dreams be dreams and bubbletoes
gone going give a damn
cookie jar and middle man,
sweeping the floors, open the doors,
turn off your wars, don't go to da stores.
so many things rhyme with simple words,
and when they fail you can always mmmmmmmmmmmm.