Radical Thought, Life-Affirming Music

A contrast of cynic and idealist, Gregg Alexander is the New Radical. The pseudo-group's (Alexander and various players) debut album for MCA, "Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too" offers caustic, yet often caring commentary on the chaotic state of today, cushioned by skillfully arranged songs with touchstones of rock and pop past.

"We're living in a really crazy, dangerous time in the history of mankind," Alexander says. "On some level, this album is maybe indicative of that time."

The New Radicals' success has been bolstered by the hit single "You Get What You Give." The music and vocals echo the likes of World Party and The Kinks’ Ray Davies (the latter a reference that makes Alexander smile). The song reads like an anti-suicide tract, a strike against despondency with the chorus: "Don't let go/You've got the music in you/One dance left/This world is gonna pull through/Don't give up/You've got a reason to live/Can't forget/You only get what you give."

"Four years ago, it may not have made sense -- even a year from now," Alexander says. "It's a song of its time. Maybe people feel like they’re at the end of their rope in a world more systematically designed to make human functions unmanageable."

Perhaps the song rings so true -- as do other tracks, such as "In Need of a Miracle" and the title song -- because Alexander's lived those words and feelings. Growing up in Grosse Point, Michigan, he was a poster boy for the slogan "question authority" when it came to his school. Music was the obvious retreat. He played electric guitar in a band with his brother on the drums.

"We'd bash it out, " Alexander says. "Everything from Billy Squier to things like Rick James and Smokey Robinson's ‘Cruisin.’" But the real power was found in British rock, especially The Who and the songwriting of Pete Townshend. "He's more important than Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin combined," Alexander says. "That should piss some people off, but he's undervalued. Ray Davies, too."

Despite the permeating (and appealing) melancholy of "...Brainwashed..", Alexander is constantly looking for -- and often finding -- affirmations.

"It became a trend in the ‘90s to hate, to be cynical about life. People are expected to define themselves, their careers, points of view, fashion style, musical taste -- all to be judged by the age of 21," Alexander says with disgust. "It's stunted the spiritual growth of 95 percent of this country."

Alexander is also a believer in music as a great motivator, but only when mass appeal enters the picture. "In pop music, like most mediums, you're amusing -- till you start being culturally relevant, with a lot of ideas and ideals that might be truly scary to the status quo."

~ Darryl Morden ~

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