VARIOUS ARTISTS
Flying Side Kick - Home Alive
Compilation II (Broken Rekids)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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On July 7th, 1993, some evil bastard raped and murdered Mia Zapata, the lead singer of Seattle's beloved punk band, The Gits. After an initial period where everyone seemed to wander around in shock, occasionally looking at one another questioningly as if to ask "did that really just happen," an amazing thing happened: people got mad and took action. Not against the prick responsible for this particular crime, who, in fact, was never apprehended, but on behalf of women in general. A group of Mia's friends, including 7 Year Bitch drummer Valerie Agnew, formed an organization called Home Alive that put on benefit concerts and released compilation CDs, using every incoming penny to fund self-defense classes for women and, in fact, anyone who felt at risk. Nearly a decade later the program is still working, and it's even inspired similar programs elsewhere. Flying Sidekick II is the second CD in a compilation series to help fund this program.

There are 17 tracks here and each is obviously from the heart. That's not to say it's a syrupy sob-fest - there are some ass-kickers as well as some dreamy tunes - so much as to say that there's real passion evident in this music. The roster ranges stylistically from the Git-like The Gossip to the quirky-times-infinity Dead Moon to Indigo Girl on the side Amy Ray & The Butchies. Between those lines you'll find just-right contributions from The Pinkos, Zen Guerilla, Carissa's Weird, The Makers and The Black Haloes, among others. It's a fine CD for a fine cause. Find out more information about that cause at www.HomeAlive.org.

© 2002 - DJ Johnson