We get a lot of similar questions regarding the band’s use of Arab themes. To address those questions and any others you might have we are going to put up a FAQ (frequently asked questions) page on the website. Please visit our Formspring page and leave any questions you might have.

Unheard Words

Starting September 1st 2001, I spent a year studying in Amman at the University of Jordan. The tumultuous world events surrounding my stay there have been a source of inspiration/catharsis for many of the Red Dons songs. It has been interesting to let people hear and read the lyrics without context, then name the song based on their interpretation. Most of all its pleasing to arrive at a tittle that both reflects the audiences understanding of the lyrics and the writers attempt at expressing a moment crystallized in time.

A picture has been stuck in my head since its creation. I was stuck in a library where I had taken cover from the tear gas (or whatever caustic substance they fired at us). It was starting to clear and the noise had died down. Finally i got up and peered out the window. I expected to see hundreds of students facing off with Police. Instead there was nothing, just shoes, handbags, and personal effects attached to no one. No people, only things. Things that would never be abandoned. Where did they all go? At one end, at the other side of the main gates were Police vans as far as the eye could see, and in the other direction on the campus there was one ambulance from the University’s Hospital.

I had gotten out of class and it was the end of the day for me. There had been unrest on campus all month. It was October or November and since the 9/11 inspired bombing of Afghanistan the students had been demonstrating on a regular basis. There had been some confrontations and the Police had threatened to enter the gates of the University. For the most part everything had been ok and i had been able to pass through the demonstrations to walk out of the university home. Each protest was an event in and of itself and i would always go to watch them. Most of the other foreigners were too afraid (the embassy had pulled students of staff out already) or let their western xenophobia get the best of them. I was dead curious to see and understand life here.

I could see the line of students marching and chanting Allah Akbar (God is Great). As I rounded the corner to the main square I pulled up short at the clock tower. Straight ahead at the main gate a massive Police presence was lined up opposing a very large group of students. At this point things had gotten so tense that Al Jazeera had shown up, or at least that was the rumour going around. The police were wearing balaclavas and had guns for firing tear gas canisters tilted up at a 45 degree angle. The mass of students kept building and chanting ever louder Allah Akbar Allah Akbar. I drew closer. This was nothing unusual. The students could demonstrate with some confidence as the Police were not allowed to enter the University. If they did the school could lose its credentials and some were saying it could only happen 3 times ( i don’t recall the exact number). It had happened once before quite some time ago, maybe the 70’s and did not seem likely to happen again. On this account we were all wrong. Police began to fire tear gas over the main gate.

Earlier in the week there had been a massive demonstration against the US and the Jordanian governments outside of a mosque, spurred on by the Friday sermon. It had spilled onto the streets and blocked a major road. Police had been present for every sermon at this particular mosque recently but this time something changed. As events in the region and the outside world intensified the energy was projected into Jordan and onto the streets. The Police fired tear gas at the crowed and sparked a massive running riot, but that is another story: Hajji Takes a Ride.

As the gas reached me i retched and headed for the library on the left side of the square. My eyes watered and i ran up the stairs. I could hear shouting and yelling and the continued throb of Allah Akbar. By this time i was in the main section upstairs running among the stacks to get to a window. Being a hot country though, all the windows were open and the the air was quickly choked with gas. By the time i got to my destination I couldn’t take it. I got down low and waited for it to clear. I lay sometime in the foreign literature section and in the very same stacks much later i borrowed a book of Rudyard Kipling’s poetry in order to write a paper on Imperialism.

Scattered everywhere. All that remained were their shoes, not pairs just a shoe here and there punctuated with purses, backpacks, books, and clothing. It was the silence, the utter stillness of the image that has been forever burned in my mind looking down from amongst the books. Hundreds of students gone. Where? Were they hurt? Locked up? Did they run away? The juxtaposition of a bustling university, a massive demonstration and total stillness, the detritus of life. In my curiosity i followed the demonstration, strained to hear what they said, why they cared so much. In the confusion and wrapping of smoke they disappeared, Words Unheard.

- Husayn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001–present)
http://www.ju.edu.jo/home.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Jordan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11

Unheard Words

Thanks to everyone who helped us name our song. It was REALLY difficult choosing just one title. All the suggestions were great. Since they were so exceptional, we’ve decided to give everyone who participated a t-shirt and a copy of our new 7.” We’ll be sending e-mails asking for addresses and shirt sizes this week. So, be sure to check the e-mail address that you registered with. The 7″ will be out this spring. There will be a detailed post about it later.

The title we finally chose is “Unheard Words.” It is inspired by Bruno’s suggestion of “Unheard Words of Innocence.” However, we were so impressed by other suggestions that we are thinking of using many of them for songs in the future. There will be more details about that in e-mails we send out to each of you.

This was a lot of fun for us. We hope you enjoyed it too. There will be more interactive posts in the future, so please check back to the website periodically. “Seasick’s” suggestion that we let everyone name our entire next album is definitely intriguing. We loved your interpretations of the lyrics. Hajji will make a post soon about the experience in Jordan that inspired the song. Thanks again to everyone who participated. Lets do this again soon!

We are having a difficult time choosing a name for one of our new songs. So, we think it would be best to hear suggestions from all of you. Below is a recording of the song with the lyrics. If you get an idea, please leave it as a comment on this post. The person who comes up with the best title for the song will get free Red Dons records, merch, and basically anything else they want. We are looking forward to see what you come up with!

Untitled Song

Dear Inspector Hajji
There’s an uproar in the streets below
Just crawl to your window
Look down on the crowd
You can see their faces hear them now
They’re calling to God and

Fear of all
Danger is shut out
Gotta hear the words they say
Come on now

Uniformed Supermen
Use their guns to clear this place
It’s law now it’s law now
Where did all
The people go
Nothing but their shoes remain
It’s odd how their gone now

Fear of all
Danger is shot down
Gotta hear these words they say
Come on now

Would you follow me into town
Could you follow me there
Though the streets continually
Seem to be narrowing

And every breath you take
You feel like every step you make could be a big mistake
Ducking into alleyways
And hiding from Mukhabarat

Be advise of your rights
Gotta hear the words they say
Come on now
Come on now
Come on now
Gotta hear the words they say
Come on now

NEW PAGES ADDED!!!

We have been updating and adding to the Red Dons website. After the addition of a STORE to the site, a VIDEO page has been added. The new page feature videos from our most recent tour in Brazil. Check out the page periodically because we will changing the featured videos often. To make room for the VIDEO page, we have move the INTERVIEWS to the ABOUT page. The LYRICS page has also been updated. Hopefully it is a little easier to find songs. We will be adding the lyrics from our upcoming 7″ and album soon.

For those of you who have inquired about ordering records directly from the band, we have added a STORE to the website. This store is the only location where you can find the Brazilian Presses of our releases. For those of you who have inquired lately about t-shirts, we hope to have some new designs available next month.

For those who missed it, here is a link to audio of the Chemicals performance on KBOO’s Life During Wartime Program. It was Dougie Druggie’s (Douglas Burns) last set with the group. Thanks to Erin, Kevin, Kate, and Calie for all the work they did to make the show happen. Another big thanks goes out to everyone who came down to watch us play. It was a lot of fun. Here is the set list from the night. Enjoy or Die!!!

Frustration / Same Old Pattern / Peppermint Schnapps / Chemical Burn / Bubble city / Just For Kicks /Chemical Livin!/D.R.A.G. / Play with our Brains / Times I Died / Radiation / 30 MG’s / I Don’t Like the Way You Look/ The Ballad of Richie and Dougie / Out with the Tide

Here is a photo by Sachiko Arakawa from last month’s show with the Triggers at Work/Sound. Thanks to Jonny, Candy, Justyn, & Tarika for asking us to play. The Triggers played an amazing set and a lot of money was raised for Dave Lieberman’s medical expenses. We all enjoyed the chance to play one more time in Portland this year, so thanks again to Derek Willman. Without him it would not have been possible. He did a great job filling in for Hajji on the bass. It was really fun collaborating and we’re excited that we were able to find enough time to record a song together. That song will be featured on an upcoming 7″ that should be out at the end of 2009. For more photos by Sachiko check out her flickr page by clicking HERE.

It’s a quick one while he’s away…On July 18th the Red Dons will join Salted City, Severance Package (ex-Blackfork), and the Triggers for one last show in Portland before Douglas moves to Chicago. This show is a benefit for Dave Leiberman who shattered his leg in a bike accident earlier this year. It is the first time that the legendary Triggers have reunited for a show after breaking up over five years ago. Derek Willman (pictured above) of Hellshock and The Estranged will fill in on bass for the Red Dons in Hajji’s absence. Here is the information regarding the event.

SATURDAY, JULY 18th!!!

TRIGGERS
SEVERANCE PACKAGE (ex BLACKFORK!!!!)
RED DONS
SALTED CITY

8:30pm 5$ at the door
@ WORKSOUND (SE 8th and Alder)

He’s gone. So sad. Hajji has returned to England for the remained of the year. There will be no more Red Dons shows in 2009. Before he left however, we were able to finish tracking a new LP. Expect it to be released by the end of the year.

In other news…I’m currently piecing together a day by day report from our Brazilian tour last January. It will be featured on Mountza.Blogspot from Greece and translated in a Portuguese for publication in Brazil. I’ll also post small excepts from it on this website later this month. I’ll be sure to announce when each version is released.

-Douglas