O Counterculture, where art thou?, part II: Occupy Wall Street

Keep hope alive. Those three words echo in my head as the OCCUPY movement across the country and around the world is about to celebrate its two-month birthday. Perhaps my prophecy of a new counterculture in part one of this article is bearing fruition. And it almost directly coincided with the 20th birthday of Nirvana's Nevermind. A movement which oddly enough is amorphous, has no leaders, and no one to claim as the spokesperson for the new generation. But perhaps these college kids want it that way. As with the punk movement and others before it, the proclamation has always been "kill your idols". Or have none to begin with. It makes sense, for idols always fail us. One thing is for certain, though. The phrase "Mic check!" is no longer a mindless hip-hop slogan.

Of course, the question is, is the OCCUPY movement with us to stay or is it just another flash-in-the-pan phenomenon? Never mind the brutal tactics of the NYPD or its surrogate police departments across the country. Or the relentless media machine led by none other than Rupert MURDERdoch lambasting the movement everyday, calling for pansy third-term Mayor Bloomberg to step in and shut down the encampment at Zuccotti park. Or the skels, drug addicts, rapists, and general provocateurs sent in by the police to divide and conquer. Do these signify a uncertain future for the occupy movement, or is the age-old adage certain, that that which does not kill us will only make us stronger? Two months is certainly not enough time to answer that, but rest assured, with the country and world behind what started out as an idea, it surely has gained enough momentum.

Only one thing is missing from this conglomeration of souls geared toward revolution. The clear absence of music from the 99% bursting upon the scene and dominating the airwaves. Have we gone too far as a nation that we can't overturn pop-culture and its accompanying Fashion Industrial Complex? That popular music must only be arbitrated by the judges of American Idol in order to gain mass appeal? Or do we have to wait four or five years for the 90's revival to take place in the club scene? No one alive during the 60s can forget how music shaped the counterculture in relation to the politics and everything else around them. Without a resultant musical phenomenon, OCCUPY is beyond stale. Its ill-fated. In order to create a successful movement, musically speaking, we're going to have to go far beyond a drum circle and a few random hippies strumming a guitar. We need a musical statement. One that flies in the face of Lady Gaga. One where people tune in and make the phenomenon mainstream. Or leave the occupation and go back home. Its your choice.