Citizendia

Phil Ochs
Phil Ochs in concert, May 25, 1973 in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Phil Ochs in concert, May 25, 1973 in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Background information
Birth namePhilip David Ochs
Also known asJohn Butler Train
BornDecember 19, 1940(1940-12-19)
El Paso, Texas
DiedApril 9, 1976 (aged 35)
Far Rockaway, New York
Genre(s)Folk
Occupation(s)Protest singer, guitarist. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Ann Arbor is a city in the US state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Far Rockaway is one of the four neighborhoods on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other
Instrument(s)Guitar, Vocals, Piano
Years active1964–1976
Label(s)Elektra, A&M, Smithsonian Folkways, Rhino, Vanguard, Hannibal

Philip David Ochs (December 19, 1940–April 9, 1976) was a U.S. protest singer (or, as he preferred, a "topical singer"), songwriter, musician and recording artist who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and haunting voice. A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Elektra Records is a now-dormant American Record label owned by Warner Music Group (WMG and from 2004 on operating under WMG's Atlantic Records A&M Records is an American Record label owned by Universal Music Group which operates through the Interscope-Geffen-A&M division Folkways Records is a Record label that documents folk and world music Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty Record label and production company owned by Warner Music Group. Vanguard Records is a Record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. Hannibal Records was a Record label and one of the first to work with the World music genre Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A protest song is a Song which Protests against perceived problems in Society. A topical song is a Song that comments on political and/or social events He wrote hundreds of songs in the 1960s and released eight LP record albums in his lifetime.

He performed at many political events, including anti-Vietnam War and civil rights rallies, student events, and organized labor events over the course of his career, in addition to many concert appearances at such venues as New York City's The Town Hall and Carnegie Hall. Opposition to US involvement in the Vietnam War is significant because domestic protest in the U The American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968 refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination against African The Town Hall is a performance space located at 123 West 43rd Street between Sixth Avenue and Broadway, in New York City, New York Carnegie Hall (generally ˌkɑrnɨgi ˈhɔːl is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east Politically, Ochs described himself as a "left social democrat" who turned into an "early revolutionary" after the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which had a profound effect on his state of mind. Chicago Convention redirects here for the Convention on International Civil Aviation for the event also referred to by this name [1] He was often seen as a radical and also a patriot — though he was also interested in differing political philosophies as well as journalism, and was an avid fan of music and movies.

After years of prolific writing in the 1960s, Ochs' mental stability declined in the 1970s and eventually he succumbed to a number of problems including bipolar disorder and alcoholism, and he took his own life in 1976. Alcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions

Some of his major influences were Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Bob Gibson, Faron Young, Merle Haggard, John Wayne, and John F. Kennedy. Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie (July 14 1912–October 3 1967 was an American Singer-songwriter and Folk musician Guthrie's musical legacy Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3 1919 is an American folk singer political Activist, and a key figure in the mid-20th century American Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley (September 7 1936 – February 3 1959 was an American Singer-songwriter and a pioneer of Rock and roll. Samuel Robert ("Bob" Gibson ( November 16, 1931 – September 28, 1996) was a folk singer who led a Folk music revival in Faron Young ( February 25, 1932, near Shreveport Louisiana – December 10, 1996) (aged 64 was an American Merle Ronald Haggard (born April 6, 1937) is an American Country music Singer, Guitarist and Songwriter. John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of His best known songs include "Power and the Glory", "Draft Dodger Rag", "What's That I Hear", "There But for Fortune", "Changes", "Crucifixion", "When I'm Gone", "Love Me I'm a Liberal", "Links on the Chain", "Ringing of Revolution", "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends", and "I Ain't Marching Anymore".

Contents

Early years

Born in El Paso, Texas in 1940, Phil Ochs' family moved around frequently. He was raised in Far Rockaway, New York, then Perrysburg in upstate New York, where he first studied music — clarinet[2] — and then his family moved to Columbus, Ohio. Far Rockaway is one of the four neighborhoods on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Perrysburg is a Town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. Columbus is the Capital and the largest city of the US state of Ohio. He grew up in a non-political and non-religious Jewish middle-class family, with older sister Sonia, known as Sonny, and younger brother Michael. His father, Jacob ("Jack") Ochs, was a doctor; his mother, Gertrude Phin Ochs, was from Scotland. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. His father, who had treated soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge, suffered from manic depression[3] and was thus not always available to his children. The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 was a major German offensive launched towards the end of World War II through the forested Ardennes Mountains

As a teenager, Ochs was recognized as a talented clarinet player, and was praised for having "exceptional musical feeling" and a "gift for interpretation"[4]. His youthful musical skills allowed him to play clarinet underage with the Capital University Orchestra in Ohio. Capital University is a private liberal arts University of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Bexley Ohio, founded in 1830 Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads Although Ochs originally played classical music, he soon became interested in other sounds on the radio, such as early rock icons Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley (September 7 1936 – February 3 1959 was an American Singer-songwriter and a pioneer of Rock and roll. He also listened avidly to country music artists including Faron Young, Ernest Tubb, Hank Williams, Sr., and Johnny Cash. Faron Young ( February 25, 1932, near Shreveport Louisiana – December 10, 1996) (aged 64 was an American Ernest Dale Tubb ( February 9, 1914 – September 6, 1984) nicknamed the "Texas Troubadour" was an American Singer Hank Williams ( September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American Singer-songwriter and Musician who has Johnny Cash (born J R Cash; February 26 1932 - September 12 2003 was a Grammy Award -winning American country Singer-songwriter.

Ochs spent a lot of time at the movies too, and especially liked big screen heroes such as John Wayne and Audie Murphy, and a little later he developed an interest in movie rebels such as Marlon Brando and James Dean. John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American Also see Audie Murphy legacy. Audie Leon Murphy (June 20 1926 – May 28 Marlon Brando Jr (April 3 1924 – July 1 2004 was an Academy Award -winning American Actor, whose body of work spanned over half a century James Byron Dean ( February 8 1931 &ndash September 30 1955) was a two-time Oscar -nominated American Film

After graduating from the Staunton Military Academy in rural Virginia in 1958, he enrolled in the Ohio State University in Columbus. Staunton Military Academy was an all-male military academy located in Staunton Virginia for much of its 116-year history The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The Ohio State University ( OSU) is a Coeducational public Research university in the state of Ohio. Columbus is the Capital and the largest city of the US state of Ohio. Unhappy after his first semester, he took a leave of absence and went to Florida. While in Miami, the 18-year-old Ochs was put in jail for two weeks for sleeping on a park bench, an incident he would later recall: "Somewhere during the course of those fifteen days I decided to become a writer. My primary thought was journalism . . . so in a flash I decided — I'll be a writer and a major in journalism. "[5]

He returned to Ohio State to study journalism and began to be interested in politics, with a particular interest in the Cuban Revolution of 1959[6] This was where he met Jim Glover, a fellow student who was a devotee of folk music and who introduced Ochs to the music of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, and The Weavers. The Cuban Revolution refers to the revolution that led to the overthrow of the United States proxy ruler General Fulgencio Batista 's regime on January 1, Jim R Glover (born 1942 is a long-time Peace activist and folk singer from Cleveland Ohio, who currently lives in Brandon Florida. Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3 1919 is an American folk singer political Activist, and a key figure in the mid-20th century American Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie (July 14 1912–October 3 1967 was an American Singer-songwriter and Folk musician Guthrie's musical legacy The Weavers were an influential American Folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. Glover taught Ochs how to play guitar, and they debated politics. Ochs began prolifically writing newspaper pieces, often on radical themes. When the student paper refused to publish some of his more radical articles, he started his own underground newspaper called The Word. His two main interests, politics and music, soon merged, and Ochs began writing topical political songs. Ochs and Glover formed a duet at first called "The Singing Socialists" and then "The Sundowners", but they broke up before their first professional gig and Glover went to New York City to be a folksinger. Phil's parents and younger brother had moved from Columbus to Cleveland, Ohio, and Phil started to spend more time there, performing professionally at a local folk club called Farragher's Back Room. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state He was the opening act for a number of musicians, including the Smothers Brothers in the summer of 1961. The Smothers Brothers are an American music-and- Comedy team consisting of the brothers Tom ("Tommy" and Dick Smothers. Ochs met Bob Gibson that summer as well, and according to Dave Van Ronk, Gibson became "the seminal influence"[7] on Ochs' writing. Samuel Robert ("Bob" Gibson ( November 16, 1931 – September 28, 1996) was a folk singer who led a Folk music revival in Dave Van Ronk ( June 30 1936 – February 10 2002) was a Folk singer born in Ochs continued at Ohio State into his senior year, but was bitterly disappointed at not being appointed editor-in-chief of the college newspaper, and dropped out in his last semester without graduating. [8]

Early career

Ochs in his teens.
Ochs in his teens.

In 1962 Phil moved to New York City and began playing in numerous small folk clubs, eventually becoming an integral part of the Greenwich Village folk music scene. The City of New York Greenwich Village (ˌgrɛnɪtʃ ˈvɪlɪdʒ often simply called the Village, is a largely residential area on the west side of downtown (southern Manhattan Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous He emerged as an unpolished yet passionate vocalist who wrote poignant lyrics about war, civil rights, labor struggles and other topics which continue to be relevant, and could be described as a socially conscious patriot in the tradition of Woody Guthrie. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units The labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better Patriotism is commonly defined as love of and/or devotion to one's country Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie (July 14 1912–October 3 1967 was an American Singer-songwriter and Folk musician Guthrie's musical legacy He described himself as a "singing journalist", or "troubadour journalist", saying he built his songs from stories he read in Newsweek. Newsweek is an American weekly Newsmagazine published in New York City. By the summer of 1963 he was well known enough in folk circles to be invited to sing at the Newport Folk Festival where he performed "Too Many Martyrs" (co-written with [Bob Gibson ), "Talking Birmingham Jam" and "Power and the Glory", his rousing patriotic, but not uncritical, Woody Guthrie-esque anthem that brought the audience to its feet; also appearing at Newport '63 were Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Tom Paxton. The Newport Folk Festival is an American annual folk -oriented Music festival in Newport Rhode Island, which began in 1959 Peter Paul and Mary (often called PP&M) are a musical group from the United States who were one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941 in Staten Island, New York) an American Folk singer and Songwriter known Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major Thomas Richard Paxton (born October 31, 1937) is a well-known American folk singer and Singer-songwriter who has been writing Ochs' return appearance at Newport in 1964 was widely praised, with "Draft Dodger Rag" and other songs. But he was not invited to appear in 1965, the festival when Dylan famously — or infamously — rocked out "Maggie's Farm" with an electric guitar. " Maggie's Farm " is a song by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 15, 1965, and released on the album Bringing It All Back Home Although many in the folk world decried Dylan's choice, Ochs was amused, and admired Dylan's courage in defying the folk establishment. [9]

Ochs contributed many songs and articles for Broadside Magazine, where he also had his first chance to record. Broadside Magazine was a small mimeographed publication founded in 1962 by Agnes "Sis" Cunningham and her husband Gordon Friesen. His first three albums (All the News That's Fit to Sing (1964), I Ain't Marching Anymore (1965), and Phil Ochs in Concert (1966)), all on Elektra Records, contain some of his best work as a pure folk singer and examples of two traditional genres that Ochs contributed to in his early performances, namely the talking blues (such as "Talking Vietnam Blues") and the musical reinterpretation of older poetry (as of Alfred Noyes's "The Highwayman" and Edgar Allan Poe's "The Bells"). All The News That's Fit to Sing was Phil Ochs ' first album Recorded in 1964 for Elektra Records, it was full of many elements that would come back I Ain't Marching Anymore was Phil Ochs ' second LP released on Elektra Records in 1965 Phil Ochs In Concert was Phil Ochs ' third long player released in 1966 on Elektra Records. Elektra Records is a now-dormant American Record label owned by Warner Music Group (WMG and from 2004 on operating under WMG's Atlantic Records Talking blues is a sub genre of the Blues Music genre. It is characterised by rhythmic speech or near-speech where the Melody is free but the Alfred Noyes ( September 16, 1880 &ndash June 28, 1958) was an English poet best known for his ballads The Highwayman " The Highwayman " is a Narrative poem by Alfred Noyes, published in 1906 Edgar Allan Poe (January 19 1809 – October 7 1849 was an American poet, short-story Writer, editor and Literary critic, " The Bells " is a heavily onomatopoeic poem by Edgar Allan Poe which was not published until after his death in 1849. [10] During this early period of his career, his friend Bob Dylan said, "I just can't keep up with Phil. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major And he's getting better and better and better. "[11] This praise and friendly rivalry was to change in 1965, and on one occasion Ochs' criticism of one of Dylan's songs led Dylan to throw him out of his limousine, proclaiming: "You're not a folksinger. You're a journalist". [12]

His managers in the early part of his career were Albert Grossman (manager of Dylan and Peter, Paul, and Mary) followed by Arthur Gorson. Albert Bernard Grossman ( May 21, 1926 - January 25, 1986) was an entrepreneur and manager in the American Folk music scene Arthur Gorson, also know as Arthur H Gorson is a film and Record producer. Gorson had close ties with such groups as Americans For Democratic Action, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and Students for a Democratic Society. Americans for Democratic Action ( ADA) is an American political organization advocating liberal policies. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (or SNCC, pronounced "snick" was one of the principal organizations of the American Civil Rights Movement Students for a Democratic Society ( SDS) was historically a student activist movement in the United States that was one of the main iconic representations [13]

Generally a quixotic and high-strung type of person, Phil would often have drastic mood swings. He was known to enjoy himself, fraternize, joke, drink, and debate extensively with others. Through much of the 1960s Phil seemed to be in a manic creative mood, and he kept advancing his musical art form with each subsequent album release.

Middle career

In 1967, Ochs — now managed by his brother Michael — left Elektra for A&M Records and moved to California, trying a different musical approach and enhancing his solo acoustic guitar performance style with richer orchestration. A&M Records is an American Record label owned by Universal Music Group which operates through the Interscope-Geffen-A&M division In his later studio albums (Pleasures of the Harbor (1967), Tape from California (1968), Rehearsals for Retirement (1969), and the ironically titled Greatest Hits (1970), which actually contains all original material and no reissued recordings) he moved away from simply-produced topical songs and experimented with ensemble and even orchestral instrumentation, "baroque-folk", in the hopes of producing a pop-folk hybrid that would be a hit. Pleasures of the Harbor was Phil Ochs ' fourth full-length album and his first for A&M Records, released in 1967 Tape From California is Phil Ochs ' fifth album released in mid-1968 on A&M Records. Rehearsals For Retirement was Phil Ochs ' sixth album released in 1969 on A&M Records. Greatest Hits was Phil Ochs ' seventh LP and final studio album Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure

Robert Christgau, writing of Pleasures of the Harbor in May 1968, did not consider this a good turn. Robert Christgau (born April 18 1942) is an American Essayist, Music journalist, and the self-declared "Dean of American Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. While describing Ochs as "unquestionably a nice guy…impossible to dislike" as a person, he then went on to say "Too bad his voice shows an effective range of about half an octave… [and that] his guitar playing would not suffer much if his right hand were webbed. Very bad indeed that he has learned so little from Mao Tse-tung's poetry…". Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led (Eight of Mao's poems had appeared on the record jacket of In Concert, with the tagline "Is this the enemy?". ) "Pleasures of the Harbor", continued Christgau, "…epitomizes the decadence that has infected pop since Sgt. Pepper. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the British rock band The Beatles. …[The] gaudy musical settings … inspire nostalgia for the three-chord strum…"[14] Always quick with ironic humor, Ochs includes Christgau's comment (unattributed) about his so-called webbed-hand guitar playing in the 1968 songbook The War is Over on a page called "The Critics Raved", opposite a full-page picture of Ochs standing in a New York City street garbage can. The City of New York [15] Despite his sense of humor, Ochs was unhappy that his work was not receiving the critical acclaim and popular success he had hoped for.

Although he was trying new things musically, Ochs did not abandon his protest roots lyrically or personally — among others, his "White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land" and "The War is Over" include powerful anti-war lyrics ("Raw recruits are lining up like coffins in a cage"[16] and "But just before the end, even treason might be worth a try — this country is too young to die"[17]). Other representative tunes from these albums are "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends", about public, political, and personal apathy, a song in which Ochs used the powerful example of the murder of Kitty Genovese, who was killed despite having her cries for help heard by others, to demonstrate the ambivalent nature of society; "Crucifixion," where he compares the deaths of Jesus Christ and President John F. Kennedy as part of an inevitable "cycle of sacrifice" in which the world builds up heroes and turns around to celebrate their destruction; "Chords of Fame," warning against the dangers and corruptions of fame; "Pleasures of the Harbor," a lyrical portrait of the lonely sailor seeking human connection far from home; "Jim Dean of Indiana," an homage to a small town boy who left to be a movie star, but ended up buried in his small town; and the sad and beautiful "William Butler Yeats[18] Visits Lincoln Park and Escapes Unscathed", about the despair felt in the aftermath of the Chicago 1968 Democratic National Convention police riot. Catherine Susan Genovese ( July 7, 1935 — March 13, 1964) commonly known as Kitty Genovese, was a New York City Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of Chicago Convention redirects here for the Convention on International Civil Aviation for the event also referred to by this name None actually became hits, although "Small Circle of Friends" received airplay and reached #118 on the Billboard charts before being banned from many radio stations for suggesting (perhaps sarcastically) that "smoking marijuana is more fun than drinking beer". See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea It was the closest Ochs ever came to the Top 40. (Joan Baez, however, did have a hit in 1965 with her cover of Ochs' song "There But for Fortune", which was also nominated for a Grammy award for "Best Folk Recording". Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941 in Staten Island, New York) an American Folk singer and Songwriter known The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences )

A lifelong movie fan, Ochs worked the narratives of justice and rebellion that he saw in films as a young man into his music, describing some of his songs as "cinematic" (e. g. , in the live spoken intro to "Ringing of Revolution" from Phil Ochs in Concert). Phil Ochs In Concert was Phil Ochs ' third long player released in 1966 on Elektra Records. He was disappointed, and bitter, when his onetime hero John Wayne embraced the Vietnam War with what Ochs saw as the blind patriotism of The Green Berets. John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia The Green Berets is a 1968 film featuring John Wayne, George Takei, David Janssen, Jim Hutton, and Aldo Ray,

. . . here we have John Wayne, who was a major artistic and psychological figure on the American scene. . . who at one point used to make movies of soldiers who had a certain . . . sense of honor [about] what the soldier was doing. . . Even if it was a cavalry movie doing a historically dishonorable thing to the Indians, even as there was a feeling of what it meant to be a man, what it meant to have some sense of duty. . . Now today we have the same actor making his new war movie in a war so hopelessly corrupt that, without seeing the movie, I'm sure it is perfectly safe to say that it will be an almost technically-robot-view of soldiery, just by definition of how the whole country has deteriorated. And I think it would make a very interesting double feature to show a good old Wayne movie like, say, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon with The Green Berets. Because that would make a very striking comment on what has happened to America in general. [19]

Phil Ochs is perhaps best known as a political activist. He was profoundly concerned with the escalation of the Vietnam War. He performed tirelessly at anti-war rallies all around the country and actively supported Eugene McCarthy's bid for the 1968 Democratic nomination for President. Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy ( March 29, 1916 – December 10, 2005) was an American Politician, Poet, and a He organized several "The War is Over" rallies (". . . Is everybody sick of this stinking war? In that case, friends, do what I and thousands of other Americans have done — declare the war over. "[20]).

Phil was involved in the creation of the Youth International Party,[21] known as the "Yippies", standing alongside '60s radicals Jerry Rubin, Abbie Hoffman and Paul Krassner, although not always in agreement[22] with the Yippie point of view or their tactics. The Youth International Party, whose members were commonly called Yippies, was a highly theatrical and Anti-authoritarian Political party established in The Youth International Party, whose members were commonly called Yippies, was a highly theatrical and Anti-authoritarian Political party established in Jerry Rubin ( July 14, 1938 – November 28, 1994) was a high-profile left-wing American social activist during the 1960s and Abbot Howard "Abbie" Hoffman (November 30 1936 &ndash April 12 1989 was a radical social and political activist in the United States who co-founded the Paul Krassner (born April 9, 1932) was the founder editor and a frequent contributor to the Freethought magazine The Realist, first [23]. But he was part of the planning of the Yippies' "Festival of Life" which was to take place at the 1968 Democratic National Convention along with demonstrations by other anti-war groups including the National Mobilization Against the War in Vietnam. Chicago Convention redirects here for the Convention on International Civil Aviation for the event also referred to by this name Despite warnings that there might be trouble, Ochs went to Chicago as both a guest of the McCarthy campaign, and to participate in the demonstrations. He performed in Lincoln Park, Grant Park] and at the Chicago Coliseum, witnessed the violence perpetrated by the Chicago police against the protestors, and was himself arrested at one point. [24][25]

The events of 1968 — the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the violent police riot in Chicago, and the eventual election of Richard Nixon — left Ochs disillusioned and depressed. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Martin Luther King Jr ( January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, Activist and prominent leader Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy (November 20 1925 – June 6 1968 also called RFK, was the United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964 and a The cover of his 1969 Rehearsals for Retirement album eerily portrays a tombstone with the words

PHIL OCHS
(AMERICAN)
BORN: EL PASO, TEXAS, 1940
DIED: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 1968

Ochs testified for the defense at the infamous trial of the Chicago 7 in December 1969 along with other anti-war activists. Rehearsals For Retirement was Phil Ochs ' sixth album released in 1969 on A&M Records. The Chicago Seven were seven (originally eight known as the Chicago Eight) defendants charged with conspiracy inciting to Riot, and other charges related His testimony included his recitation of the lyrics to "I Ain't Marching Anymore", followed by his singing it to the press corps outside of the courtroom: the singing was aired by Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News, to Phil's amusement. Walter Leland Cronkite Jr (born November 4 1916) is a retired American broadcast journalist, best known as Anchorman for the [26]

Late career

But after the trial he changed direction and decided that he needed to get back to his musical roots in order to try to have more influence on the general public, the "regular" folks, the working class, the middle class, and to speak directly to the people. He thought he needed to be "part Elvis Presley, part Che Guevara". He commissioned a gold lamé suit from Elvis' costumer Nudie Cohn[27] that he would wear for the cover photograph on Greatest Hits and he went on tour — most famously in Carnegie Hall in March 1970 — wearing that suit, singing medleys of songs by Buddy Holly, Elvis, and Merle Haggard, as well as some new songs from Greatest Hits and new interpretations of his old songs. Nudie Cohn ( December 15 1902 – May 9 1984) was a Ukrainian - American Tailor, known for designing Rhinestone Greatest Hits was Phil Ochs ' seventh LP and final studio album Carnegie Hall (generally ˌkɑrnɨgi ˈhɔːl is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east The Carnegie Hall shows (immortalized in the Gunfight at Carnegie Hall album) were met with hostility from some of the people in the crowd, but with wild appreciation from many others. Gunfight At Carnegie Hall was Phil Ochs ' final album comprising songs recorded at the infamous gold-suited bomb-threat shortened first set at Carnegie Hall The first show of the night was cut short by a bomb threat; the second, midnight, show went on until 3 a. m. , with loyal fans cheering to the end. [28]

During the time of the "gold suit" concerts, Phil was taking several pills to get through sometimes rocky performances. He had been taking Valium for years to help control his nerves by this point, and was also drinking heavily. Diazepam (daɪˈæzɨpæm first marketed as Valium by Hoffmann-La Roche, is a Benzodiazepine derivative Drug. At points, he was even prescribed Lithium for his growing mental problems, though he didn't enjoy taking it. Lithium (ˈlɪθiəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Li and Atomic number 3 The downers would sometimes pull him down too far to perform the way he wanted, so he tried to take uppers to counter their effects, with often devastating results. Depressant is a chemical agent that diminishes the function or activity of a specific part of the body (see also Sedative) Stimulant drugs are Drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness Pianist Lincoln Mayorga recalls this time, "He was physically abusing himself very badly on that tour. The wine was pulling him one way and the uppers were pulling him another way, and he was kind of a mess. Stimulant drugs are Drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness There were so many pharmaceuticals around — so many pills. I'd never seen anything like that". [29] Phil eventually decided to attempt to cut back on pills, but alcohol was still primarily his drug of choice throughout much of the rest of his life.

Ochs would not record any further albums, partly depressed by his lack of widespread appreciation and compounded by feelings of disillusionment, he slipped deeper into manic-depression, alcoholism and idleness, but he still tried to continue his political activism in a number of ways whenever he could.

International travels

He began to travel the world, and met and sang with Chilean folksinger Víctor Jara, a supporter of Chilean President Salvador Allende—a Marxist who had been democratically elected in the 1970 Chilean presidential election—both of whom later died during the 1973 coup d'état, Jara after being publicly tortured, Allende under unclear circumstances. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez ( September 28, 1932 – September 15, 1973) was a Chilean teacher Theatre director, Salvador Isabelino Allende Gossens (June 26 1908 – September 11 1973 was President of Chile from November 1970 until his death during the coup d'état of Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A presidential election was held in Chile on 4 September 1970. The Chilean coup d'état of 1973 is a landmark in the History of Chile and the Russo-American Cold War.

In October 1970, he performed with Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and the Canadian band Chilliwack at the first Greenpeace Benefit Concert, organized to raise funds to send a ship to protest a planned underground hydrogen bomb test by the US at the Aleutian island of Amchitka. Joni Mitchell, CC (born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7 1943) is a Canadian Musician, Songwriter, and James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American Singer-songwriter and Guitarist, born in Boston, Massachusetts Greenpeace, originally known as the Greenpeace Foundation, was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1972 Amchitka (æmˈtʃɪtkə ( Amchixtax̂ in Aleut) is a volcanic tectonically unstable island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands Ochs was personally invited by John Lennon to sing at a large benefit in December of 1971 on behalf of John Sinclair, an activist poet who had been arrested on minor drug charges and given an overly severe sentence; Ochs performed at the "Free John Sinclair" benefit along with Stevie Wonder, Allen Ginsberg, and many others; the rally culminated in Lennon making his first post-Beatle-breakup live onstage appearance[30] with Yoko Ono. John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born John Sinclair (born October 2 1941 in Flint Michigan, United States) is a Detroit Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13 1950 name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris) is an Irwin Allen Ginsberg (ˈgɪnzbɝg (June 3 1926 &ndash April 5 1997 was an American Poet. born in Tokyo on February 18 1933 is a Japanese Artist and Musician.

This was not a prolific songwriting time for Ochs, but he still had his genius: for example re-working his old sarcastic song "Here's To The State Of Mississippi" as "Here's To The State of Richard Nixon" with cutting lines such as "and the speeches of the President are the ravings of a clown"—later improved by Ochs to "and the speeches of the Spiro are the ravings of a clown", referring to Nixon's vitriolic vice president, Spiro Agnew. Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States Spiro Theodore Agnew ( November 9, 1918 September 17, 1996) was the thirty-ninth Vice President of the United States (and the first [31] Despite his disillusionment with the political process as a result of the 1968 election, Ochs continued to work for the election campaigns of antiwar candidates, such as George McGovern's profoundly unsuccessful Presidential bid in 1972 and he continued to record and perform sporadically. George Stanley McGovern

While visiting Africa in 1973, Ochs was attacked and strangled by robbers, which damaged his vocal cords. The attack exacerbated his growing mental problems, and at times he became increasingly paranoid. He believed the attack may have been arranged by government agents (he was convinced—as it happened, correctly—that the FBI had extensive files on him), but he continued his trip, and recorded a "single" in Africa.

Angry and upset on his return from Africa at the deaths of Allende and Jara during the Chilean coup d'état, in May 1974 Ochs organized a major benefit concert, "An Evening with Salvador Allende," at New York's Madison Square Garden Felt Forum which included films of the late Allende, and singers and political activists such as Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, and Bob Dylan, and former United States Attorney General Ramsey Clark. Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four Arenas in New York City. Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3 1919 is an American folk singer political Activist, and a key figure in the mid-20th century American Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10 1947 is an American folk singer The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice (see) concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement William Ramsey Clark (born December 18 1927 is a lawyer and former United States Attorney General. Dylan agreed at the last minute to appear when he heard that the concert had sold so few tickets that it was in danger of being cancelled. Once Dylan's participation was announced, the event quickly sold out.

This led to a reconciliation between Dylan and Ochs, who discussed touring together. That never came about, but the idea eventually evolved into Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review.

The Vietnam War officially ended in April 1975: in what would be his last activist event, Phil Ochs led a final "War is Over" rally in New York's Central Park, which brought together over 100,000 people to hear Harry Belafonte, Odetta, Pete Seeger and others. Harold George Belafonte Jr (born March 1 1927 is an American musician actor and Social activist. Odetta (born December 31, 1930) is an African-American singer actress guitarist songwriter and a human rights activist often referred to as "The Ochs and Joan Baez sang a duet of his "There But for Fortune" and he closed with a finally true rendition of his song "The War is Over".

Decline and death

Intensely disappointed by his lack of commercial success and unable to write new songs, Ochs was also haunted by bipolar disorder and an alternate personality under the drunken, chaotic persona John Butler Train. Dissociative Identity Disorder ( DID) as defined by the American Psychiatric Association 's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM After spiralling downward in a long stretch of erratic, self-destructive behavior, Phil Ochs hanged himself on April 9, 1976 at his sister's home in Far Rockaway, New York. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Far Rockaway is one of the four neighborhoods on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens

Many years after his death, it was revealed that the FBI had a file of nearly 500 pages on Ochs. [32] Much of the information in those files relates to his association with counter-culture figures, protest organizers, musicians, and other so-called "subversive" types. The FBI often didn't do a very diligent job of collecting information on Ochs: his name is frequently misspelled as "Phil Oakes" in their files, and they continued collecting information on him after his death, until somehow, months later, they heard that he had passed on. [33]

Congresswoman Bella Abzug (D-NY), an outspoken antiwar activist herself who had appeared at the final "War is Over" rally just a year before, entered this statement into the Congressional Record on April 29, 1976:

Mr. Bella Savitsky Abzug ( July 24, 1920 &ndash March 31, 1998) was a American Congresswoman and a leader of the women’s movement Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Speaker, a few weeks ago, a young folksinger whose music personified the protest mood of the 1960s took his own life. Phil Ochs—whose original compositions were compelling moral statements against war in Southeast Asia—apparently felt that he had run out of words.

While his tragic action was undoubtedly motivated by terrible personal despair, his death is a political as well as an artistic tragedy. I believe it is indicative of the despair many of the activists of the 1960s are experiencing as they perceive a government which continues the distortion of national priorities that is exemplified in the military budget we have before us.

Phil Ochs' poetic pronouncements were part of a larger effort to galvanize his generation into taking action to prevent war, racism, and poverty. He left us a legacy of important songs that continue to be relevant in 1976 — even though "the war is over".

Just one year ago—during this week of the anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War—Phil recruited entertainers to appear at the "War is Over" celebration in Central Park, at which I spoke.

It seems particularly appropriate that this week we should commemorate the contributions of this extraordinary young man. [34]

Writing in the Village Voice ten days after Ochs died — far too late for Ochs to appreciate the irony or benefit from belated praise — the same critic Robert Christgau who had been so critical of the Pleasures of the Harbor album eight years earlier wrote: ". This article is about a New York newspaper For the Ottawa Hills Ohio magazine see The Village Voice of Ottawa Hills. Robert Christgau (born April 18 1942) is an American Essayist, Music journalist, and the self-declared "Dean of American Pleasures of the Harbor was Phil Ochs ' fourth full-length album and his first for A&M Records, released in 1967 . . I came around to liking Phil Ochs's music, guitar included. My affection [for Ochs] no doubt prejudiced me, so it is worth [noting] that many observers who care more for folk music than I do remember both his compositions and his vibrato tenor as close to the peak of the genre. "[35]

Legacy

Thirty years after his death, Phil Ochs continues to influence singers and fans worldwide, many of whom never saw him perform live. There are active online discussion groups and listservs dedicated to Ochs and his music (e. g. , the "no-more-songs" listserv and two Yahoo groups)[36]; websites that have music samples, photographs, and other links (e. g. a MySpace Music page); articles and books[37] continue to be written and published about Ochs (e. g. , Big Bridge Press devoted an entire issue[38] to his work): all of which promote his legacy to a new generation of fans. He is survived by his older sister, Sonny Ochs (Tanzman), who runs a series of "Phil Ochs Song Nights" — with a rotating group of performers keeping his music and his legacy alive, singing his songs in cities across the U. S; his younger brother, Michael Ochs, who is a well-known photographic archiver of rock music personalities; and his daughter Meegan Lee Ochs who worked with Michael to produce a wide-ranging box set of her father's music titled Farewells & Fantasies — the title was taken from Phil's sign-off on the "postcard" on the back of the Tape from California LP: "Farewells & Fantasies, Folks, P. Farewells & Fantasies is the 1997 posthumous box set of the work of singer/songwriter Phil Ochs, chronicling his life and career in music from 1964 through 1970 Ochs" . Ochs was married to Alice Skinner Ochs in 1962 and separated in 1965 — they never divorced. [39]

Covers and updates

Phil Ochs' songs have been covered by David Rovics, Cher, Cilla Black, Gordon Lightfoot, Pete Seeger, Betty and the Baby Boomers, Judy Collins, Harry Nilsson, Dave Van Ronk, Carolyn Hester, Julie Felix, Jim and Jean, Joan Baez, Eric Andersen, Billy Bragg, Peter Asher, Bastro, Teenage Fanclub, Ani DiFranco, Gene Clark, Dick Gaughan, Eugene Chadbourne, John Wesley Harding, Crispian St. Peters, Eddie Vedder, The Weakerthans, Marianne Faithfull, Travis MacRae, Melanie Safka, Diamanda Galás, Freddie Feldman and They Might Be Giants, Ray Naylor, Black 47, OldBat, The Shrubs, Thea Gilmore and Pat Humphries, and Tempest among many others. In Popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition ( Performance or Recording) of a previously recorded commercially released David Rovics (born April 10, 1967) is an indie singer/songwriter and Grassroots political protestor from the United States Cher ( IPA: /ʃɛr/ born Cherilyn Sarkisian, May 20 1946 Cilla Black OBE (born Priscilla Maria Veronica White on 27 May, 1943) is an English Singer-songwriter and Television Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr, (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer and songwriter who achieved international success in folk country and Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3 1919 is an American folk singer political Activist, and a key figure in the mid-20th century American Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939 in Seattle, Washington) is an American folk and standards Singer Harry Edward Nilsson III ( June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994) was an American Songwriter, singer Pianist, and Dave Van Ronk ( June 30 1936 – February 10 2002) was a Folk singer born in Carolyn Hester (b 1937 Waco Texas was an important figure of the early '60s folk revival singing traditional material in the manner similar to that of later chanteuses such as Julie Felix (born 14 June 1938, Santa Barbara, California) is a Folk rock recording artist, who was produced Jim and Jean, Jim Glover and Jean Ray, were a Folk music duo who performed and recorded music from the early 1960s to the late 1960s Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941 in Staten Island, New York) an American Folk singer and Songwriter known Eric Andersen (born February 14, 1943) is an Norwegian - American Singer-songwriter. Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957 in Essex, England) better known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician who Peter Asher was born on 22 June 1944 in Willesden, London, then part of Middlesex, England. Bastro was an American Math Rock / Post Hardcore band in the late 1980s and early 1990s Teenage Fanclub are an acclaimed Scottish Alternative rock band from Bellshill. Ani DiFranco (ˈɑːniː (born Angela Maria DiFranco on September 23 1970 is a Grammy Award winning Singer, Guitarist, and Songwriter Gene Clark, born Harold Eugene Clark (born Tipton Missouri, November 17, 1944 - May 24, 1991) was an American Richard Peter Gaughan (born 17 May 1948 is a Scottish Musician, Singer, and Songwriter. Eugene Chadbourne ( January 4, 1954 in Mount Vernon New York) is an American, Improvisor, Guitarist and Banjoist Wesley Stace (born 22 October 1965) is a folk /pop singer-songwriter who often goes by the stage name John Wesley Harding and who has called his Crispian St Peters (born Robin Peter Smith 5 April 1939, Swanley, Kent, England) was a British pop singer Eddie Vedder (born December 23 1964 in Evanston, Illinois) is an American singer, Songwriter, Composer, and Guitarist The Weakerthans are an award-winning four-piece (and sometimes six-piece Canadian Indie rock band that blends Punk rock with Folk rock. Marianne Faithfull (born December 29 1946) is an English Singer, Songwriter, actress and Diarist whose Travis MacRae is a Canadian Singer/songwriter known for his folk (or folk blues) music for his accomplished Guitar and Harmonica Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk (born 3 February 1947 in Astoria, New York City) is an American singer-songwriter Diamanda Galás (born August 29, 1955) is an American-born Avant-garde Performance artist, Vocalist, keyboardist and Composer They Might Be Giants (commonly abbreviated to TMBG) is an American Alternative rock band which began as a duo of John Flansburgh and John Based in New York City Black 47 is a Celtic rock band made up of Irish expatriates formed in The Bronx by Larry Kirwan and Chris Shrubs were an English Rock music group formed in Watford in 1985. Thea Eve Gilmore (born 25 November 1979 is a British female Singer-songwriter. TEMPEST is a Codename referring to investigations and studies of compromising emanations (CE

Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon, in their album Prairie Home Invasion, recorded a version of "Love Me, I'm a Liberal" with lyrics updated to the Clinton era. Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958) more widely known by the Stage name Jello Biafra, is a musician who first gained Mojo Nixon (born Neill Kirby McMillan Jr, August 2, 1957 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina) is an American musician Evan Greer, part of the Riot Folk collective, later updated "Love Me, I'm a Liberal" for the Bush era. Ryan Harvey, also part of the Riot Folk collective, has remade "Cops Of The World" with updated lyrics. The Clash used some of the lyrics to Ochs' "United Fruit" in their song "Up in Heaven (Not Only Here)," which appeared on their 1980 album Sandinista!. For the debut album by The Clash see The Clash (album The Clash were The United Fruit Company was a major United States Corporation that traded tropical Fruit (primarily Bananas and Pineapples grown Sandinista! is the fourth album by the Punk rock band The Clash. During their recent performance on VH1's Storytellers, Pearl Jam covered "Here's to the State of Mississippi" with updated lyrics to include Jerry Falwell, Dick Cheney, John G. Roberts, Alberto Gonzales and George W. Bush. VH1 (known as VH-1 Video Hits One from 1985 to 1994 and VH1 Music First until 2003) is an American Cable television Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990 Jerry Lamon Falwell Sr ( August 11 1933 – May 15, 2007) was an American evangelical Christian Pastor, Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney (born January 30 1941 is the forty-sixth and current Vice President of the United States. John Glover Roberts Jr (born January 27 1955) is the seventeenth and current Chief Justice of the United States. Alberto R Gonzales (born August 4 1955) was the 80th Attorney General of the United States. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States.

In 1998 Sliced Bread Records released a tribute album[40] a 2 CD set of 28 Ochs songs covered by artists such as Pat Humphries, Billy Bragg, Sammy Walker, Magpie, Dave Van Ronk, Tom Paxton, Eric Andersen, Arlo Guthrie, Peter Yarrow, Nanci Griffith, John Gorka, and many others. Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957 in Essex, England) better known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician who Sammy Walker (born in 1952 near Atlanta Georgia) is an American singer-songwriter Dave Van Ronk ( June 30 1936 – February 10 2002) was a Folk singer born in Thomas Richard Paxton (born October 31, 1937) is a well-known American folk singer and Singer-songwriter who has been writing Eric Andersen (born February 14, 1943) is an Norwegian - American Singer-songwriter. Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10 1947 is an American folk singer Peter Yarrow (born May 31, 1938 in New York City, New York) is an American Singer who found fame with the 1960s Nanci Caroline Griffith, (born July 6, 1953 in Seguin Texas) is an American Singer, Guitarist and Songwriter John Gorka (born 1958 Edison New Jersey) is a contemporary American Folk musician In 1991 Rolling Stone magazine called him "the preeminent The liner notes indicate that all record company profits from the sale of the set were to be divided between the ACLU Foundation of Southern California and Sing Out! magazine. The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) consists of two separate Non-profit organizations the ACLU Foundation a 501(c(3 organization which focuses Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of Folk music and Folk songs that has been published since May 1950

Kind Of Like Spitting released an entire album, Learn: The Songs Of Phil Ochs, consisting of covers of nine songs written by Ochs and originally recorded by him, in order to pay tribute to his music and raise awareness to the artist they felt had been overlooked by many. Kind of Like Spitting was an American Indie rock band They formed in 1996 in Portland Oregon. On his solo acoustic tour following 'Learn's' release, frontman Ben Barnett refused to sell Kind Of Like Spitting T-Shirts opting instead for black shirts with bold white letters spelling 'OCHS'.

Tributes

The Todd Snider song "Thin Wild Mercury," which has been recorded by Peter Cooper [41], is about Ochs' infamous clash with Dylan and getting thrown out of his limo. Todd Daniel Snider is a singer-songwriter born October 11, 1966 in Portland Oregon. It includes the line "Judas went electric and he never looked back. " Ochs is mentioned in the Dar Williams song "All My Heroes Are Dead," the Will Oldham song "Gezundheit," the They Might Be Giants song "The Day. Dar Williams (Dorothy Snowden Williams born April 19, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter specializing in Pop folk. Will Oldham, aka Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (born 24 December 1970 in Louisville Kentucky) is an American Singer, Songwriter, They Might Be Giants (commonly abbreviated to TMBG) is an American Alternative rock band which began as a duo of John Flansburgh and John " The Josh Joplin Group recorded an eponymous tribute to Ochs on their album Useful Music. Josh Joplin Group was an American Georgia -based Pop music band led by Singer-songwriter Josh Joplin Schooner Fare recorded "Don't Stop To Rest (Song for Phil Ochs)" on their album Closer to the Wind (1981). Schooner Fare is a Portland Maine folk duo consisting of Steve Romanoff, and Chuck Romanoff.

In addition, Ochs is the subject of "I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night", by British singer Billy Bragg, from his 1990 album The Internationale. Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957 in Essex, England) better known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician who The Internationale is a 1990 Album by Billy Bragg. Originally released on Bragg's short-lived record label Utility Records it is a deliberately political British group Latin Quarter memorialized him in the song "Phil Ochs" on their album Long Pig (1993). Latin Quarter were a British band of the 1980s and 1990s The line-up in their 1986 heyday was Steve Skaith (main vocals guitar Richard Wright (guitar vocals John Wesley Harding has also recorded a song titled "Phil Ochs, Bob Dylan, Steve Goodman, David Blue & Me", the title a reference to the Ochs song "Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Me". Wesley Stace (born 22 October 1965) is a folk /pop singer-songwriter who often goes by the stage name John Wesley Harding and who has called his Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major Steve Goodman ( July 25, 1948 – September 20, 1984) was an American Folk music Singer-songwriter from David Blue ( February 18, 1941 — December 2, 1982) born Stuart David Cohen, was an American Singer-songwriter Singer-Songwriter Nanci Griffith wrote a song about Phil entitled "Radio Fragile". Nanci Caroline Griffith, (born July 6, 1953 in Seguin Texas) is an American Singer, Guitarist and Songwriter English folk/punk songwriter Al Baker recorded a song about Ochs entitled "All The News That's Fit To Sing", a reference to Ochs' first album, Cajun musician Vic Sadot wrote a song about Phil entitled "Broadside Balladeer", singer-songwriter Jen Cass has recorded a song titled "Standing In Your Memory", and Harry Chapin "The Parade's Still Passing By" as tributes to Phil Ochs. See the article talk page for permission userMikkalai --> Jen Cass is an American Singer-songwriter born in Detroit, Harry Forster Chapin ( December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer Songwriter, and Humanitarian Expressing his feelings upon learning of Ochs' death, Tom Paxton in his 1978 album Heroes wrote the touching song titled simply "Phil". Thomas Richard Paxton (born October 31, 1937) is a well-known American folk singer and Singer-songwriter who has been writing On The 2005 Kind Of Like Spitting Album "In The Red" Songwriter Ben Barnett included his song "Sheriff Ochs" inspired by reading a biography of Ochs. Kind of Like Spitting was an American Indie rock band They formed in 1996 in Portland Oregon.

The punk band Squirrel Bait cited Ochs as a major creative influence in the liner notes of their 1986 album Skag Heaven, and cover his "Tape From California". Squirrel Bait were a mid 1980's (1983-1988 punk band from Louisville Kentucky. A Greek folk record, Dimitris Panagopoulos' Unstable Equilibrium (1987), was dedicated to the memory of Phil Ochs.

Popular culture

Among Ochs' many admirers were the short story writer Breece D'J Pancake and actor Sean Penn. Breece D'J Pancake ( June 29, 1952 - April 8, 1979) was an American author of Short fiction. Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an Academy Award - and Golden Globe -winning American Film Actor Meegan Lee Ochs writes in her Foreword to Farewells & Fantasies that she and Sean Penn discussed "over many years" the possibility of making a movie about her father. [42] Author Jim Carroll's autobiography, The Basketball Diaries, was dedicated to Phil Ochs. This article is not about corporate consultant and author Jim Carroll The Basketball Diaries is a 1978 book written by American author and musician Jim Carroll. [43] The Go-Betweens' Grant McLennan wore a shirt with the words "Get out of the car Ochs" in an early promo photo. The film Spanking the Monkey contains reference to Ochs and his suicide. Spanking the Monkey is a 1994 US independent Black comedy written and directed by David O Ochs is mentioned in the Stephen King novels "The Tommyknockers"[44] and "Hearts in Atlantis"[45]

In 2003 PHIL WIL, a play by Jack Yuken was a finalist in The Theatre League of South Florida New Play Competition and was workshopped at the Flamingo Arts Center in West Palm Beach, FL. The Tommyknockers is a 1987 horror novel by Stephen King. While maintaining a horror style the novel is more of an excursion into Hearts in Atlantis (1999 is a fictional work by Stephen King. A biography of sorts, it compares Ochs with a modern day activist who faces similar problems/politics/demons 30 years later.

Professional affiliations

Discography

Studio albums and live recordings

Compilations and other albums

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Schumacher (1996), p. All The News That's Fit to Sing was Phil Ochs ' first album Recorded in 1964 for Elektra Records, it was full of many elements that would come back Elektra Records is a now-dormant American Record label owned by Warner Music Group (WMG and from 2004 on operating under WMG's Atlantic Records I Ain't Marching Anymore was Phil Ochs ' second LP released on Elektra Records in 1965 Phil Ochs In Concert was Phil Ochs ' third long player released in 1966 on Elektra Records. Pleasures of the Harbor was Phil Ochs ' fourth full-length album and his first for A&M Records, released in 1967 A&M Records is an American Record label owned by Universal Music Group which operates through the Interscope-Geffen-A&M division Tape From California is Phil Ochs ' fifth album released in mid-1968 on A&M Records. Rehearsals For Retirement was Phil Ochs ' sixth album released in 1969 on A&M Records. Greatest Hits was Phil Ochs ' seventh LP and final studio album Gunfight At Carnegie Hall was Phil Ochs ' final album comprising songs recorded at the infamous gold-suited bomb-threat shortened first set at Carnegie Hall Camp Favorites, by "The Campers", is the first known commercial record made by Phil Ochs. Chords Of Fame was a 2-LP compilation of folksinger Phil Ochs ' career compiled by his brother shortly after Ochs' death in 1976 Songs For Broadside, alternatively known as Broadside Ballads Vol Folkways Records is a Record label that documents folk and world music Interviews with Phil Ochs, alternatively known as Broadside Ballads Vol The Broadside Tapes 1, alternatively known as Broadside Ballads Vol A Toast To Those Who Are Gone was a 1986 compilation of recordings that Phil Ochs made in the early-to-mid 1960s mostly between his contracts with Elektra Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty Record label and production company owned by Warner Music Group. The War Is Over The Best of Phil Ochs was a 1988 compilation of Phil Ochs ' works on A&M Records recorded between 1967 and 1970 There But for Fortune was a 1989 compilation that summed up the three albums that Phil Ochs recorded for Elektra Records between 1964 and 1966 There And Now Live in Vancouver 1968 was a 1990 (or early 1991 archival release of a concert by Phil Ochs in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada Live at Newport is a 1996 compilation on Vanguard Records of folk singer Phil Ochs ' three appearances at the Newport Folk Festival Vanguard Records is a Record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. Farewells & Fantasies is the 1997 posthumous box set of the work of singer/songwriter Phil Ochs, chronicling his life and career in music from 1964 through 1970 American Troubadour is a 1997 British 2-CD set that presented a portrait of singer-songwriter Phil Ochs' later career featuring selections from each of the five albums The Early Years is a compilation of seven recordings Phil Ochs made for a Vanguard compilation in 1964 and twelve made at three Newport Folk Festivals Phil Ochs ' 20th Century Masters is a brief compilation of his later works on A&M Records. Cross My Heart An Introduction to Phil Ochs is a British best-of compilation of the U Polydor Records is a Record label currently headquartered in the UK, and is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. William Lewis Moore ( April 28, 1927 – April 23, 1963) was a postal worker and Congress of Racial Equality (CORE member who staged Robyn Ochs (1958- has been a American bisexual rights activist since 1983 when she was involved in the founding of the Boston Bisexual Network which was followed 201
  2. ^ Schumacher (1996), pp. 23–4
  3. ^ Schumacher (1996) pp. 16–17
  4. ^ Schumacher (1996), p. 24
  5. ^ Doggett, P. All the News That's Fit to Sing & I Ain't Marching Anymore liner notes, Elektra, 2001
  6. ^ Schumacher, pp. 33–34
  7. ^ Schumacher p. 43
  8. ^ Information about Ochs' college years from Schumacher (1996) pp. 30–45.
  9. ^ Newport Folk Festival details from Mark Kemp, "Song of a Soldier: The Life and Times of Phil Ochs", Farewells & Fantasies liner notes, 1997
  10. ^ Schumacher (1996), pp. Mark Kemp (born April 10 1960 Asheboro North Carolina) is an American Music journalist and Author. Farewells & Fantasies is the 1997 posthumous box set of the work of singer/songwriter Phil Ochs, chronicling his life and career in music from 1964 through 1970 108-109.
  11. ^ A Letter From Bob Dylan (Broadside Magazine, January 1964). Link: http://www.slopbucket.com/bob/tbob/writtenword/letter.html
  12. ^ Schumacher (1996), p. 106
  13. ^ Eliot (1989) pp. 66–67
  14. ^ Robert Christgau, Column, Esquire, May 1968, reproduced online on Christgau's site, accessed 7 August 2006. Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  15. ^ Phil Ochs, The War is Over (1968), p. 44
  16. ^ "White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land" on Tape from California, 1968
  17. ^ "The War is Over" on Tape from California, 1968
  18. ^ "Yeats" was Ochs' reference to himself; he later took the name "Butler" as part of his alter ego, John Butler Train.
  19. ^ From an interview by Sis Cunningham and Gorden Friesen, editors of Broadside, "Interview with Phil Ochs", Broadside #91; quoted in Schumacher (1996) p. 178.
  20. ^ Phil Ochs, "Have You Heard? The War is Over!", Village Voice, November 23, 1967; a longer excerpt of Ochs' Voice piece is in Schumacher (1996), p. 171; the full text is in Ochs' 1968 The War is Over songbook, p. 92
  21. ^ Eliot (1989), p. 177
  22. ^ See, for example, Schumacher (1996), pp. 169, 183–4; Mark Kemp, "Song of a Soldier: The Life and Times of Phil Ochs", Farewells & Fantasies liner notes, 1997, p. Farewells & Fantasies is the 1997 posthumous box set of the work of singer/songwriter Phil Ochs, chronicling his life and career in music from 1964 through 1970 48
  23. ^ Despite their disagreements, the Yippies used several Ochs songs in their media, in particular Ochs' "signature song" (so-called by Ben Edmonds, "Track by Track", Farewells & Fantasies liner notes, 1997, p. Farewells & Fantasies is the 1997 posthumous box set of the work of singer/songwriter Phil Ochs, chronicling his life and career in music from 1964 through 1970 74 and Schumacher (1996), p. 91) the anti-war "I Ain't Marching Anymore". For example, see this Yippie-produced documentary
  24. ^ Ochs comments on the events during a Vancouver concert, recorded on There and Now: Live in Vancouver 1968, which includes his song "Where were you in Chicago?". There And Now Live in Vancouver 1968 was a 1990 (or early 1991 archival release of a concert by Phil Ochs in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada
  25. ^ See also the documentary film Conventions: The Land Around Us at Google Video. Google Video is a free video sharing website and also a video service from Google that allows anyone to upload Video Clips to Google's web
  26. ^ Eliot (1979), pp. 187–190
  27. ^ Mark Brend, American Troubadours: Groundbreaking Singer-songwriters of the '60s (2001), Backbeat Books, ISBN 0879306416, p. 108.
  28. ^ Schumacher (1996) pp. 227–233
  29. ^ Lincoln Mayorga quote found on pg. 51 of Mark Kemp's liner notes of the Farewells & Fantasies 3 CD set, 1997
  30. ^ Schumacher (1996), p. Farewells & Fantasies is the 1997 posthumous box set of the work of singer/songwriter Phil Ochs, chronicling his life and career in music from 1964 through 1970 258)
  31. ^ The "Spiro" lyrics were performed in concert by Ochs many times; see, for example, this clip from the 1971 "Free John Sinclair" rally.
  32. ^ Blair, Folk Singer for the FBI: The Phil Ochs FBI File, page 4
  33. ^ Eliot (1989), pages 301–308
  34. ^ Bella Abzug, Congressional Record, vol. 122, pt 10, April 29, 1976, quoted in Schumacher (1996), pp. 354–55.
  35. ^ Christgau, Robert. Robert Christgau (born April 18 1942) is an American Essayist, Music journalist, and the self-declared "Dean of American "Phil Ochs 1940-1976" (Voice column reproduced on author’s website), Village Voice, 1976-04-19. This article is about a New York newspaper For the Ottawa Hills Ohio magazine see The Village Voice of Ottawa Hills. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Retrieved on 2007-09-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself  
  36. ^ no-more-songs, phil-ochs, phil_ochs
  37. ^ For example, There but for Fortune : A Critical Analysis of the Protest Rhetoric of Phil Ochs, Jayne Stewart Marlatt, 1985 thesis dissertation, California State University
  38. ^ Big Bridge #9
  39. ^ Eliot, Mark, Death of a Rebel (NY: Doubleday, 1979), p. 151.
  40. ^ What's That I Hear? The Songs of Phil Ochs,
  41. ^ Peter Cooper - The Official Site
  42. ^ Farewells & Fantasies (1997) liner notes, p. 3
  43. ^ Jim Carroll official website
  44. ^ Stephen King (1988). The Tommyknockers. Signet, page 80.  
  45. ^ Stephen King (2001). Hearts in Atlantis. Pocket, pages 397, 398, 401, 405, 407, 460, 511, 514, 516.  
  46. ^ Mark Kemp, liner notes with photo of Phil's signed membership card on page 35 of the "Farewells & Fantasies" 3 CD set, 1997

External links

Phil Ochs
Discography
Studio albums: All the News That's Fit to Sing • I Ain't Marching Anymore • Pleasures of the Harbor • Tape from California • Rehearsals for Retirement • Greatest Hits
Live albums: Phil Ochs in Concert • Gunfight at Carnegie Hall • There and Now: Live in Vancouver 1968 • Live at Newport
Other albums: The Campers: Camp Favorites • Interviews with Phil Ochs
Posthumous releases: Songs for Broadside • The Broadside Tapes 1 • A Toast to Those Who Are Gone • The Early Years
Posthumous compilations: Chords of Fame • The War Is Over: The Best of Phil Ochs • There But for Fortune • Farewells & Fantasies • American Troubadour • 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Phil Ochs • Cross My Heart: An Introduction to Phil Ochs
Related articles
Topical song • Protest song • Civil Rights Movement • Opposition to the Vietnam War
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All The News That's Fit to Sing was Phil Ochs ' first album Recorded in 1964 for Elektra Records, it was full of many elements that would come back I Ain't Marching Anymore was Phil Ochs ' second LP released on Elektra Records in 1965 Pleasures of the Harbor was Phil Ochs ' fourth full-length album and his first for A&M Records, released in 1967 Tape From California is Phil Ochs ' fifth album released in mid-1968 on A&M Records. Rehearsals For Retirement was Phil Ochs ' sixth album released in 1969 on A&M Records. Greatest Hits was Phil Ochs ' seventh LP and final studio album Phil Ochs In Concert was Phil Ochs ' third long player released in 1966 on Elektra Records. Gunfight At Carnegie Hall was Phil Ochs ' final album comprising songs recorded at the infamous gold-suited bomb-threat shortened first set at Carnegie Hall There And Now Live in Vancouver 1968 was a 1990 (or early 1991 archival release of a concert by Phil Ochs in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada Live at Newport is a 1996 compilation on Vanguard Records of folk singer Phil Ochs ' three appearances at the Newport Folk Festival Camp Favorites, by "The Campers", is the first known commercial record made by Phil Ochs. Interviews with Phil Ochs, alternatively known as Broadside Ballads Vol Songs For Broadside, alternatively known as Broadside Ballads Vol The Broadside Tapes 1, alternatively known as Broadside Ballads Vol A Toast To Those Who Are Gone was a 1986 compilation of recordings that Phil Ochs made in the early-to-mid 1960s mostly between his contracts with Elektra The Early Years is a compilation of seven recordings Phil Ochs made for a Vanguard compilation in 1964 and twelve made at three Newport Folk Festivals Chords Of Fame was a 2-LP compilation of folksinger Phil Ochs ' career compiled by his brother shortly after Ochs' death in 1976 The War Is Over The Best of Phil Ochs was a 1988 compilation of Phil Ochs ' works on A&M Records recorded between 1967 and 1970 There But for Fortune was a 1989 compilation that summed up the three albums that Phil Ochs recorded for Elektra Records between 1964 and 1966 Farewells & Fantasies is the 1997 posthumous box set of the work of singer/songwriter Phil Ochs, chronicling his life and career in music from 1964 through 1970 American Troubadour is a 1997 British 2-CD set that presented a portrait of singer-songwriter Phil Ochs' later career featuring selections from each of the five albums Phil Ochs ' 20th Century Masters is a brief compilation of his later works on A&M Records. Cross My Heart An Introduction to Phil Ochs is a British best-of compilation of the U A topical song is a Song that comments on political and/or social events A protest song is a Song which Protests against perceived problems in Society. The American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968 refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination against African Opposition to US involvement in the Vietnam War is significant because domestic protest in the U
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