Erik started making music at a young age, but it wasn’t until age 16 that he started playing shows with his punk band, The Orphans. Influenced by “Fresh Fruit”-era Dead Kennedys and “Worlds Apart”-era Subhumans, the band had released a 7” (“Anthems for Doomed Youth,” 1996) before half of them were even old enough to drive. They officially disbanded in 2000 and Erik continued to make music…digging into the past for a more traditional sound to mix with punk ideals. The result was “Mirth,” a demo of acoustic punk influenced by medieval danses and raucous Romany dust-raising ditties (2000). The tape was rough and scratchy - yet it was clear that there were solid anthems buried under that hiss, which was evident by the scope of the tape, spanning city and state. Logically, a live show was expected – and despite the drums and extra instrumentation on the tape (all layered on a four-track recorder), there was no band. Over the years, seeing “Mischief Brew” on a flyer meant you were just seeing Erik Petersen with an acoustic guitar or mandolin. There was no PA in the beginning, just a roomful of West Philly’s finest rabble-rousers singing along to the “Mirth” songs. And for quite some time, this is how things stayed until it was necessary to deliver a proper recording.
“Bellingham & Philadelphia” (2003) is a split LP/CD with Washington state’s roving songcrafter Robert Blake. Meanwhile, Fistolo Records (the label Erik co-founded and runs with his wife Denise) released the “Bakenal” CDep. It was hard to believe that all the songs were recorded in the same session and split between two releases, as they were completely different experiences soundwise. “Bellingham” was more Phil Ochs/Bob Dylan-style political folk, while “Bakenal” delivered gypsy-punk swing, Poguesy drinking songs, and even a drunken tango. Two years of touring followed, from punk bars to basement shows. Meanwhile, Erik visited the studio here and there to record a few acoustic tracks for the Orphans discography (“Raise the Youth,” 2004), and the Mischief Brew “Oh Sweet Misery b/w All About the Class War” single (2005).
For an official full-length, Mischief Brew needed a non-traditional studio (by punk standards), since the songs required a more varied instrumentation to bring forth the gypsy melodies and circus beats. Impressed by the work of Israeli producer Tamir Muskat (Balkan Beat Box, Firewater, Big Lazy…), Erik visited the Brooklyn studio that he runs. Vibromonk has produced records by such festive acts as Gogol Bordello, World/Inferno Friendship Society, Firewater and more…the kind of place that knows how to mic a marimba. For this record, a backing band was assembled consisting of bass, drums, accordion, clarinet, and junk percussion. Guest appearances by Sturgeon (Leftover Crack), Peter Hess (Guignol), and Franz Nicolay (World/Inferno, The Hold Steady) bring the album even more character. “Smash the Windows” (2005) includes the folk-punk anthems “Nomads Revolt” and “Roll Me Through the Gates of Hell” – but also the epic tale “The Gypsy, The Punk, and The Fool” and the klez/ska rendition of “A Liquor Never Brewed.” The album closes with “Departure Arrival,” a sweet folk lament about leaving the comforts of home for uncharted cities and towns. “Departure” was also featured on “Up the Stairs and Through the Hall,” a 2xCD compilation of independent artists and bands from Philadelphia.
But wait, there’s more! Meanwhile, Mischief Brew released a split 7” with David Dondero (an influence on Bright Eyes) and another with -Bread & Roses (Boston-based labor folk at its best). The newest recording, “Songs from Under the Sink,” is a batch of anarcho-folk songs written between 1997-2002…finally put on LP and CD once and for all. If it had to all fit under one banner, it would read, "Carnivalesque!"
Gratitude And Thanks
Mischief Brew Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He said he didn't care
When I asked about the sixties
They simply said long hair
Saw a child getting programmed
Getting programmed when she wakes
And I hear a raving elder
Oh, how the bastards screwed me
Son, life's too short to win
And then the students of higher schooling
Hid more pills inside his plate
So,
I'd like to
Send gratitude
And thanks
To those who
Had the courage to defy the mighty ranks
Send it to the students who wave the banners
Who held flowers up to the tanks
And to the ones who are still fighting
Yes, all my gratitude
And all my thanks
So as you sit baked and hammered
So grateful to be dead
Said freedom's here to chill out
So sit and rest your head
Think of those who fought for your right
The path you walked, they paved
And those who fought for your right
To carry it until today
Well it was they who fed the hungry
Scorned the Pentagon for peace
While the army rounded strangers up
And made the instant peace
They who made a union die
So try to fill the jails
And spread a message of unity
Across the nation's rails
And said we're destroying the house that Mack built
Kicking down the doors and pulling nails
And you've the nerve to tell me
That everyone has failed
No,
You should send
Your gratitude
And thanks
To those who
Had the courage to defy the mighty ranks
Send it to the students who wave the banners
Who held flowers up to the tanks
And to the ones who are still fighting
Yes, all my gratitude
Yes, all my thanks
I'd like to
Send out a head and a parting hand
To those who had the courage
To reach and rise and stand
Send it to the lovers and the fighters
To those who stood up and still stand
To those who will chain their wrists
And clench their fists
For here and faraway lands
The lyrics of Mischief Brew's "Gratitude and Thanks" are a call for gratitude towards those who have stood up against oppression and fought for social justice throughout history. The song starts with a critique of apathy, embodied in a student of higher schooling who is indifferent to the struggles of past generations. The lyrics also reference a child being programmed and an elder cursing too late, suggesting a cycle of generational complacency perpetuating the status quo.
The song goes on to celebrate the courage of activists, students, and protesters who took a stand against power and oppression, waving banners and holding flowers up to tanks. The lyrics honor those who fought hunger and war, those who fought for union rights, and those who spread messages of unity and peace. The final verses of the song are a challenge to listeners to remember and honor those who have fought for justice and to continue their work for a better world.
Overall, "Gratitude and Thanks" is a song of reflection and inspiration, reminding us to be grateful for the efforts of those who came before us and to keep fighting for a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
I asked a student of higher schooling
I tried to engage with someone knowledgeable, but they were apathetic
He said he didn't care
The person I asked was totally disinterested and uninvolved
When I asked about the sixties
I was curious about bygone times but couldn't get meaningful information
They simply said long hair
All I got out of the conversation was a flippant remark
Saw a child getting programmed
I noticed a young person being indoctrinated
Getting programmed when she wakes
The child was being conditioned early and often
And I hear a raving elder
I overheard an aged person going on a tirade
Cursing twenty years too late
This person was angry but seemed to be taking action too late
Oh, how the bastards screwed me
Experiencing personal injustice and feeling helpless to prevent it
Son, life's too short to win
Frustrated by life's inherent unfairness
And then the students of higher schooling
In another encounter with educated people
Hid more pills inside his plate
These students were engaging in dangerous behavior despite their intelligence
So, I'd like to Send gratitude And thanks
Focusing now on showing gratitude toward others
To those who Had the courage to defy the mighty ranks
Honoring those who had the bravery to go against authority
Send it to the students who wave the banners
Paying homage to those who protest and make their voices heard
Who held flowers up to the tanks
These protesters confronted militarized forces with nonviolent tactics
And to the ones who are still fighting
Recognizing that these struggles continue
Yes, all my gratitude And all my thanks
Grateful for the people who have challenged oppressive systems
So as you sit baked and hammered
Addressing a presumably intoxicated or high audience
So grateful to be dead
Joking about being high and relaxed to the point of feeling like you're dead
Said freedom's here to chill out
Asserting that leisure is a sign of liberty
So sit and rest your head
Encourages relaxing and feeling good
Think of those who fought for your right
Reminding others of the hard-won freedoms they enjoy today
The path you walked, they paved
Acknowledging how previous generations laid the groundwork for modern society
Well it was they who fed the hungry
Praising past activists for their humanitarian work
Scorned the Pentagon for peace
Pointing out how anti-war activists challenged the nation's military-industrial complex
While the army rounded strangers up
In contrast, highlighting the dangers of blindly following authority
And made the instant peace
Ironically, this kind of military action tends to only create more conflict
They who made a union die
Depicts the struggle to organize labor from the perspective of activists
So try to fill the jails
Encouragement to make more activist sacrifices
And spread a message of unity
Encouraging people to work together across differences
Across the nation's rails
Demonstrating how even transportation infrastructure can become a metaphor for community unity
And said we're destroying the house that Mack built
Metaphorically criticizing the societally-constructed idea of the American Dream
Kicking down the doors and pulling nails
Further imagery of demolition and the implied rebuilding of society to better serve marginalized people
And you've the nerve to tell me That everyone has failed
Acknowledging the fact that activists are often met with cynicism and criticism
No, You should send Your gratitude And thanks
Returning once more to the importance of thanking those who have made progress possible
To those who Had the courage to defy the mighty ranks
A reminder of who deserves the recognition
Send it to the students who wave the banners
Continuing to emphasize the power of protest and activism
Who held flowers up to the tanks
Repeating the earlier appreciation for peaceful protest tactics in the face of militaristic repression
And to the ones who are still fighting
Recognizing the ongoing struggle for justice
Yes, all my gratitude Yes, all my thanks
Enduring thanks and appreciation for those on the front lines of progress
I'd like to Send out a head and a parting hand
Closing the song with another thank you
To those who had the courage To reach and rise and stand
Again emphasizing the bravery involved in activism
Send it to the lovers and the fighters
Expanding the scope of gratitude to more broadly include many kinds of campaigners for justice
To those who stood up and still stand
Honoring all those who have and continue to work for progress
To those who will chain their wrists And clench their fists For here and faraway lands
The song ends with an acknowledgment of both personal and collective sacrifices made for a more equitable future
Contributed by Evan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.