OKA II by RHYTHM ACTIVISM
OKA II cassette recorded & released in January 1992 in Tiohtià:ke / Montréal, Québec, as a benefit album to support the legal fees for hundreds of Mohawks defending themselves in local court, 2 years after the 'Canadian crisis at OKA,' because “we all live in OKA.”
It was a 78 day standoff between Mohawks and thousands of heavily armed Canadian soldiers, backed by tanks, APVs, rocket launchers, jet fighters and more. Mohawks of Kanesatake, joined by Mohawks from Kahnawake, wanted to protect their sacred land from a golf course expansion and condo development pushed by the town mayor of Oka, Quebec.
Side A is ‘Listen to the drums.’
Side B is ‘Les drums sonnent,’ the French version. (LPN 010)
This song was originally recorded & released with minimal music in September 1990, in French only, on a 2-song cassette called ‘OKA” (LPN 008). Re-recorded by the three-piece band, with original text translated from French to English.
The cassette came with a long, informative foldout cover, and a two-page insert.
Text typed on a 1945 manual Smith-Cornona old time typewriter, and laid out by hand with Letraset and a hand-held waxer.
Rhythm Activism (RA) was a Montreal-based ‘cabaret rock ‘n’ roll band / rebel news orchestra’ co-founded in 1985 by Sylvain Côté & Norman Nawrocki. They grew from a spoken word & music duo to a full scale band, & had a side project as ‘The Flaming Perogies’ – an East European flavoured dance band. During their 15 year career RA toured North America & Europe, released 15 albums plus dozens of compilations, wrote & performed several ‘community cabarets’ & theatre musicals & shared the stage with acts as diverse as Linton Kwisi Johnson, Fred Frith, The Ex, Mecca Normal, the Dog Faced Hermans, Trench Mouth, etc.
They are the subject of a documentary film, ‘This is the way we tie our shoes,’ and were commissioned to do soundtracks for national radio & TV. They were often compared to Fugazi, Chumbawamba, The Ex & even Tom Waits ‘with a butcher knife.’
Tracklist
| 1. | Rhythm Activism - Listen to the drums | 4:20 |
| 2. | Rhythm Activism - Les drums sonnent | 4:22 |
Credits
Produced by Rhythm Activism: Sylvain Côté, guitar; Norman Nawrocki, violin & vocals; Elaine Stef, drums.
Engineered by Steve Kravac.
Cover art: Norman Nawrocki
License
All rights reserved.Tags
Norman Nawrocki is a Canadian Polish/Ukrainian violinist & composer based in Montreal, Quebec. A veteran of the city’s underground music scene since 1986, he has released 36 albums (solo & with his many bands like Rhythm Activism, DaZoque!, Bakunin’s Bum, SANN, Wild Plains, Crocodile!, The Nawrockis, etc.) & has 35 compilations. He's also an author & a playwright.