Phil Ochs
Phil Ochs in concert, May 25, 1973 in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Background information
Birth name	Philip David Ochs
Born	December 19, 1940 El Paso, Texas
Died	April 9, 1976 (aged 35) Far Rockaway, New York
Genre(s)	Folk
Occupation(s)	Protest singer, guitarist.
Instrument(s)	Guitar, Vocals
Years active	1964–1976
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. He wrote hundreds of songs in the 1960s and released eight LP record albums in his lifetime. Image File history File links PhilOchs3. ... May 25 is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... For the railroad company, see Ann Arbor Railroad. ... December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: County El Paso County Government  - Mayor John Cook Area  - City  250. ... Official language(s) No Official Language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... April 9 is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Far Rockaway street scene Far Rockaway is one of the four neighborhoods on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens in the United States. ... NY redirects here. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, and today operates under Atlantic Records Group. ... A&M Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Universal Music Group. ... Folkways Records is a record label founded by Moses Asch and Marian Distler in 1948. ... Rhino Entertainment is a specialty record label originally known for releasing retrospectives of famous comedy performers, including Stan Freberg, Tom Lehrer, and Spike Jones. ... Vanguard Records was a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. ... Hannibal Records was a record label which was acquired by Rykodisc. ... December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... April 9 is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... A protest song is a song which protests problems in society such as injustice, racial discrimination, war, globalization, inflation, social inequalities, incarceration, the Greenhouse effect, the global warming. ... A topical song is a song that comments on current political and social events. ...

He performed at many political events, anti-Vietnam War and civil rights rallies, student events, and at 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. 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.^[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. Opposition to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War began slowly and in small numbers in 1964 on various college campuses in the United States. ... The civil rights movement in the United States has been a long, primarily nonviolent struggle to bring full civil rights and equality under the law to all citizens of United States. ... 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 Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street. ... The 1968 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968, for the purposes of choosing the Democratic nominee for the 1968 U.S. presidential election. ...

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, depression, and alcoholism, and he took his own life in 1976. For other uses, see Bipolar. ... Clinical depression (also called major depressive disorder, or unipolar depression when compared to bipolar disorder) is a state of intense sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individuals social functioning and/or activities of daily living. ... Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ...

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. His best known songs include "Power and the Glory", "Draft Dodger Rag", "There But for Fortune", "Changes", "Crucifixion, "When I'm Gone", "Love Me I'm a Liberal", "Links on the Chain", "Ringing of Revolution", and "I Ain't Marching Anymore". This does not cite its references or sources. ... Peter Seeger (born May 3, 1919), almost universally known as Pete Seeger, is a folk singer, political activist, and author. ... Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), better known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and a pioneer of rock and roll. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Bob Gibson about 1960 Samuel Robert (Bob) Gibson (November 16, 1931 - September 28, 1996) was a folk singer who led a folk music revival in the late 1950s and early 1960s. ... Faron Young (born February 25, 1932 near Shreveport, Louisiana, died December 10, 1996) was an American country music singer. ... Merle Ronald Haggard (born April 6, 1937) is an American country music singer, guitarist and songwriter. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), born Marion Robert Morrison[1] and later changed to Marion Michael Morrison, popularly known as the Duke, was an iconic, Academy Award-winning, American film actor. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ...

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. He grew up in a non-political and non-religious Jewish middle-class family. His father, Jacob ("Jack") Ochs, was a doctor; his mother, Gertrude Phin Ochs, was from Scotland. His father, who had worked on soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge, suffered from manic depression^[3] and was thus not always available to his children. Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: County El Paso County Government  - Mayor John Cook Area  - City  250. ... Far Rockaway is one of the four neighborhoods on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens in the United States. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Ohio, USA Coordinates: Country United States State Ohio Counties Franklin, Delaware, and Fairfield Government  - Mayor Michael B. Coleman (D) Area  - City  212. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Germany Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower Bernard Montgomery Omar N. Bradley George S. Patton, Jr. ... For other uses, see Bipolar. ...

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. Although Phil originally played classical music, he soon became interested in other sounds on the radio, such as early rock icons Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley, and he was also interested in country music and listened to Faron Young, Ernest Tubb, Hank Williams, Sr., and Johnny Cash avidly. Capital University is a university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Bexley, Ohio, founded in 1830, that offers six schools of study: College of Arts and Sciences; School of Education, Social Work and Professional Studies; the Conservatory of Music; Law School; School of Management; and School of... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), better known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and a pioneer of rock and roll. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Faron Young (born February 25, 1932 near Shreveport, Louisiana, died December 10, 1996) was an American country music singer. ... Ernest Dale Tubb (February 9, 1914 - September 6, 1984), nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. ... For other persons named Hank Williams, see Hank Williams (disambiguation). ... Johnny Cash (born J. R. Cash, February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American, multi Grammy Award-winning influential American country and rock and roll singer and songwriter. ...

Ochs spent a lot of time at the movies too, and he 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 – June 11, 1979), born Marion Robert Morrison[1] and later changed to Marion Michael Morrison, popularly known as the Duke, was an iconic, Academy Award-winning, American film actor. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Marlon Brando, Jr. ... James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) was an American film actor. ...

After graduating from the Staunton Military Academy in rural Virginia in 1958, he enrolled in the Ohio State University in Columbus. 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] Staunton Military Academy The History of Staunton Military Academy[1] September 1860 - June 1976 Staunton Military Academy was founded in September 1860, by William Hartman Kable (1837-1912) at Charles Town, Virginia, in Jefferson County (now West Virginia). ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... The Ohio State University (OSU) is a coeducational public research university in the state of Ohio. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Ohio, USA Coordinates: Country United States State Ohio Counties Franklin, Delaware, and Fairfield Government  - Mayor Michael B. Coleman (D) Area  - City  212. ...

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. 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 and began performing professionally at a local folk club called Farragher's Back Room, and was the opening act for a number of musicians, including the Smothers Brothers in the summer of 1961. Ochs met Bob Gibson that summer as well, and according to Dave Van Ronk, Gibson became "the seminal influence"^[7] on Ochs' writing. 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] The Cuban Revolution refers to the revolution that led to the overthrow of Fulgencio Batistas dictatorial government on January 1, 1959 by the 26th of July Movement and other revolutionary elements in the country. ... Peter Seeger (born May 3, 1919), almost universally known as Pete Seeger, is a folk singer, political activist, and author. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... The Weavers were an immensely popular and influential folk music quartet from Greenwich Village, New York, United States. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... The Smothers Brothers are an American musical-comedy team, formed by real-life brothers Tom and Dick Smothers. ... Bob Gibson about 1960 Samuel Robert (Bob) Gibson (November 16, 1931 - September 28, 1996) was a folk singer who led a folk music revival in the late 1950s and early 1960s. ... Dave Van Ronk on cover of Gazell GPCD 2004 Dave Van Ronk (June 30, 1936 – February 10, 2002) was a folk singer born in Brooklyn, New York, who settled in Greenwich Village, New York City, and was nicknamed the Mayor of MacDougal Street. ...

Early career

In 1962 Phil moved to New York City and began playing numerous small folk clubs, and eventually became an integral part of the Greenwich Village folk music scene. 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 to this day, and could perhaps be described as a socially conscious patriot in the tradition of Woody Guthrie. He described himself as a "singing journalist", or "troubadour journalist", saying he built his songs from stories he read in Newsweek. 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. 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. Although many in the folk world decried Dylan's choice, Ochs was amused, and admired his courage in defying the folk establishment.^[9] Nickname: Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1625 Government  - Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area  - City  468. ... The Washington Square Arch Greenwich Village (IPA pronunciation: ), also called simply the Village, is a largely residential area on the west side of downtown (southern) Manhattan in New York City named after Greenwich, London. ... “Folk song” redirects here. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ... 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 treatment from their employers and political governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labor relations. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... The Newsweek logo Newsweek is a weekly news magazine published in New York City and distributed throughout the United States and internationally. ... The Newport Folk Festival is an annual folk-oriented music festival founded in 1959 by George Wein, founder of the already-well-established Newport Jazz Festival, and his partner, Albert Grossman. ... Bob Gibson about 1960 Samuel Robert (Bob) Gibson (November 16, 1931 - September 28, 1996) was a folk singer who led a folk music revival in the late 1950s and early 1960s. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... The trio Peter, Paul and Mary (often PP&M) is an American musical group that was one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the 1960s. ... Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941) is an American folk singer and songwriter known for her highly individual vocal style. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is a Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ... Thomas R. Paxton was born October 31, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest child of Burton and Esther Paxton. ...

Ochs contributed many songs and articles for Broadside Magazine, and it was at Broadside he had his first chance to record. 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).^[10] During this early period of his career, his friend Bob Dylan said, "I just can't keep up with Phil. And he's getting better and better and better."^[11] This praise and friendly rivalry was to change in 1965, and at 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] Broadside Magazine Hugely influential in the folk-revival, Broadside Magazine was a small mimeographed publication founded in 1962 by Agnes Sis Cunningham and husband Gordon Friesen. ... All The News Thats Fit To Sing was Phil Ochs first album. ... I Aint Marching Anymore was Phil Ochs second long player, 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 an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, and today operates under Atlantic Records Group. ... The Talking blues was a style of rhythmic speech or near-speech where the melody is free but the rhythm is strict. ... Alfred Noyes (September 16, 1880 – June 28, 1958) was an English poet, best known for his ballads The Highwayman (1906) and The Barrel Organ. ... The Highwayman is a poem by Alfred Noyes published in 1906. ... Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American poet, short story writer, editor, critic and one of the leaders of the American Romantic Movement. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Bells The Bells is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is a Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ...

His managers in the early part of his career were Albert Grossman (manager of Dylan and Peter, Paul, and Mary) followed by Arthur Gorson. Gorson had close ties with such groups as Americans For Democratic Action, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and Students for a Democratic Society.^[13] Peter, Paul and Mary (often PP&M) was one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the 1960s. ... Arthur Gorson, also know as Arthur H. Gorson is a film and record producer. ... Americans For Democratic Action (ADA) was formed in January 1947, when Eleanor Roosevelt, John Kenneth Galbraith, Reinhold Niebuhr, Hubert Humphrey and 200 other activists. ... The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (or SNCC, pronounced snick) was one of the principal organizations of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. ... SDS Button Logo The Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was, historically, a student activist movement in the United States that was one of the main iconic representations of the countrys New Left. ...

Generally a quixotic and high-strung type of person, Phil's moods would often swing drastically one way and then the next. 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, enhancing his solo acoustic guitar performance style with richer orchestration. 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)) 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. A&M Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Universal Music Group. ... Pleasures of the Harbor was Phil Ochs fourth long player, and his first for A&M Records, released in 1967. ... Tape From California was 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 and final studio album. ... }} For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ...

Robert Christgau, writing typically dyspeptically of Pleasures of the Harbor in May 1968, did not consider this a good turn. 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…". (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. …[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.^[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. ... Mao Zedong (December 26, 1893—September 9, 1976) was the chairman of the Communist Party of China from 1935 until his death. ... Sgt. ...

But 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 Christ and JFK 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. 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". 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".) Catherine Susan Genovese (July 7, 1935[1] — March 13, 1964), commonly known as Kitty Genovese, was a New York City woman who was stabbed to death near her home in the Kew Gardens section of Queens, New York. ... Christ is the English of the Greek word (Christós), which literally means The Anointed One. ... JFK redirects here. ... The 1968 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968, for the purposes of choosing the Democratic nominee for the 1968 U.S. presidential election. ... Billboard can refer to: Billboard magazine Billboard (advertising) Billboard antenna In 3D computer graphics, to billboard is to rotate an object so that it faces the viewer. ... A dried flowered bud of the Cannabis sativa plant. ... Beer in the glass Schlenkerla Rauchbier direct from the cask Beer is the worlds oldest[1] and most popular[2] alcoholic beverage. ... Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941) is an American folk singer and songwriter known for her highly individual vocal style. ... Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music...

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). 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. Phil Ochs In Concert was Phil Ochs third long player, released in 1966 on Elektra Records. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), born Marion Robert Morrison[1] and later changed to Marion Michael Morrison, popularly known as the Duke, was an iconic, Academy Award-winning, American film actor. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The Green Berets is the title of a 1968 film starring John Wayne and featuring 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. 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]). Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Eugene Joseph Gene McCarthy (March 29, 1916 – December 10, 2005) was an American politician and a longtime member of the U.S. Congress. ...

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.^[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. 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] The Youth International Party (whose adherents were known as Yippies, a variant on Hippies) was a highly theatrical political party established in the United States in 1967. ... The Youth International Party (whose adherents were known as Yippies, a variant on Hippies) was a highly theatrical political party established in the United States in 1967. ... Jerry Rubin (July 14, 1938 – November 28, 1994) was a high-profile American social activist during the 1960s and 1970s. ... Abbott Howard Abbie Hoffman (November 30, 1936 – April 12, 1989) was a self-identified anarchist,[1] social and political activist in the United States, co-founder of the Youth International Party (Yippies), and later, a fugitive from the law, who lived under an alias following a conviction for dealing cocaine. ... Paul Krassner (born April 9, 1932) was editor and frequent contributor to the Freethought magazine The Realist, which, first published in 1958, is a very early example of the countercultural press in the United States. ... The 1968 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968, for the purposes of choosing the Democratic nominee for the 1968 U.S. presidential election. ...

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. The cover of his 1969 Rehearsals for Retirement album eerily portrays a tombstone with the words 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ... “Martin Luther King” redirects here. ... Robert Francis Bobby Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also called RFK, was one of two younger brothers of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and served as United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964. ... Rehearsals For Retirement was Phil Ochs sixth album, released in 1969 on A&M Records. ...

Ochs testified for the defense at the infamous trial of the Chicago 7 in December 1969 along with other anti-war activists. 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.^[25] The Chicago Seven The Chicago Seven were seven (originally eight) defendants charged with conspiracy, inciting to riot, and other charges related to violent protests that took place in Chicago, Illinois on the occasion of the 1968 Democratic National Convention. ... Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. ...

Late career

But after the trial he changed direction, deciding 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 one of Elvis' costumers 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. 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. The first show of the night was cut short by a bomb threat; the second, midnight, show went on until 3AM, with loyal fans cheering to the end.^[26] Greatest Hits was Phil Ochs seventh and final studio album. ... Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street. ...

During the time of the "gold suit" concerts, Phil was popping plenty of pills to get through sometimes rocky performances. He had been taking Valium for years to help control his nerves by this point, plus he liked to drink alcohol a lot too. Sometimes he was even prescribed Lithium for his growing mental problems, though he didn't enjoy taking it. 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. 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. There were so many pharmaceuticals around — so many pills. I'd never seen anything like that".^[27] Phil eventually decided to try and take it a little easier on some of the pills, but alcohol was still primarily his drug of choice throughout much of the rest of his life. Diazepam, brand names: Valium, Seduxen, in Europe Apozepam, is a 1,4-benzodiazepine derivative, which possesses anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, sedative and skeletal muscle relaxant properties. ... General Name, Symbol, Number lithium, Li, 3 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 2, s Appearance silvery white/grey Atomic mass 6. ... See also sedative. ... A stimulant is a drug that increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and produces a sense of euphoria or the feeling of being more awake. ... A stimulant is a drug that increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and produces a sense of euphoria or the feeling of being more awake. ...

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 brutal 1973 coup d'état, Jara after being publicly and brutally tortured, Allende under unclear circumstances. Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez (September 28, 1932 – September 15, 1973) was a Chilean educator, theatre director, poet, folk singer-songwriter, and political activist. ... Salvador Allende Gossens[1] (July 26, 1908 – September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from November 1970 until his suicide during the coup détat of September 11, 1973. ... Marxism is the political practice and social theory based on the works of Karl Marx, a 19th century philosopher, economist, journalist, and revolutionary, along with Friedrich Engels. ... A presidential election was held in Chile on 4 September 1970. ... Prisoners outside the La Moneda Palace after their surrender during the coup (1973). ...

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. 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^[28] with Yoko Ono. Greenpeace protest against Esso / Exxon Mobil. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... John Sinclair (born October 2, 1941 in Flint, Michigan) is a Detroit poet, one-time manager of the band MC5, and leader of the White Panther Party from November 1968 to July 1969. ... Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Steveland Hardaway Morris),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. ... Irwin Allen Ginsberg (IPA: ) (June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American Beat poet. ... Yoko Ono Lennon (小野 洋子 Ono Yōko, born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese musician and artist. ...

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.^[29] 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. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Spiro Theodore Agnew (November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th Vice President of the United States serving under President Richard M. Nixon, and the 55th Governor of Maryland. ... George McGovern on May 8, 1972 cover of Time Magazine George Stanley McGovern, Ph. ...

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 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 brutal 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, Ramsey Clark, and Bob Dylan, who 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 article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Peter Seeger (born May 3, 1919), almost universally known as Pete Seeger, is a folk singer, political activist, and author. ... A press photo of Arlo Guthrie. ... William Ramsey Clark (born December 18, 1927) is a lawyer and activist. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is a Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ...

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. 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". Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Harold George Belafonte, Jr. ... Odetta (b. ... Peter Seeger (born May 3, 1919), almost universally known as Pete Seeger, is a folk singer, political activist, and author. ... Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941) is an American folk singer and songwriter known for her highly individual vocal style. ...

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. 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. For other uses, see Bipolar. ... Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is defined in the DSM-IV-TR as a condition where a single individual evidences two or more distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment. ... Suicide (Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of intentionally taking ones own life. ... Far Rockaway is one of the four neighborhoods on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens in the United States. ...

Many years after his death, it was revealed that the FBI had a 410-page file on Ochs. Most of the information in those files seems to be regarding his association with counter-culture figures, protest organizers, musicians, and other so-called "subversive" types. The FBI often didn't do such a diligent job of collecting information on him though, they frequently misspelled his name as "Phil Oakes" in their files, and continued collecting information on him after his death, until somehow, months later, they heard that he had passed on.^[30] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ...

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: Bella Abzug Bella Savitsky Abzug (July 24, 1920 – March 31, 1998) was a well-known Jewish American political figure and a leader of the womens movement. ...

Mr. 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.^[31]

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: "... 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."^[32] The Village Voice is a New York City-based weekly newspaper featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... ... Pleasures of the Harbor was Phil Ochs fourth long player, and his first for A&M Records, released in 1967. ...

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., his Yahoo group and the "no-more-songs" listserv); websites that have music samples, photographs, and other links (e.g. a MySpace Music page); articles and books^[33] continue to be written and published about Ochs (e.g., Big Bridge Press devoted an entire issue^[34] 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. Ochs" . Ochs was married to Alice Skinner Ochs in 1962 and separated in 1965 — they never divorced. 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. ...

Covers and updates

Phil Ochs' songs have been covered by David Rovics, Cher, Cilla Black, Gordon Lightfoot, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Harry Nilsson, Dave Van Ronk, Carolyn Hester, Julie Felix, Jim and Jean, Joan Baez, Eric Andersen, Billy Bragg, Peter Asher, 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 Galas, Freddie Feldman and They Might Be Giants, Ray Naylor, Black 47, The Shrubs and Pat Humphries among many others. In popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition (performance or recording) of a previously recorded song. ... David Rovics sings at the A16 rally in Washington DC in early 2005. ... Cheryl Sarkisian LaPiere (better known as Cher) (born on May 20, 1946),[1] is an Academy Award-winning American actress, singer, songwriter, and entertainer. ... Cover of Cilla Blacks 1966 album Cilla Sings a Rainbow. ... Lightfoot on the cover of 1975s Gords Gold Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. ... Peter Seeger (born May 3, 1919), almost universally known as Pete Seeger, is a folk singer, political activist, and author. ... Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939 in Seattle, Washington) is an American folk and standards singer. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Dave Van Ronk on cover of Gazell GPCD 2004 Dave Van Ronk (June 30, 1936 – February 10, 2002) was a folk singer born in Brooklyn, New York, who settled in Greenwich Village, New York City, and was nicknamed the Mayor of MacDougal Street. ... Carolyn Hester (b. ... Julie Felix- is a folk rock recording artist who was produced by Mickie Most on his RAK Records label. ... Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941) is an American folk singer and songwriter known for her highly individual vocal style. ... Eric Andersen (singer/songwriter; born on February 14, 1943, Pittsburgh, PA, USA) belonged in the early sixties together with Phil Ochs en Bob Dylan to the Greenwich Village folkscene in New York. ... Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957), known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician renowned for his blend of folk, punk-rock, and protest music, and his poetic lyrics dealing with political as well as romantic themes. ... Peter Asher (born on June 22, 1944 in London, England) is a guitarist, singer and record producer. ... Teenage Fanclub is a Scottish alternative rock band from Bellshill, near Glasgow, formed in 1989. ... Ani DiFranco (IPA: ) (born Angela Marie Difranco on September 23, 1970) is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter. ... For other uses, see Gene Clark (disambiguation). ... Dick Gaughan is a Scottish singer-songwriter. ... Eugene Chadbourne (January 4, 1954 in Mount Vernon, NY) is a USA composer, improvisor, guitarist and banjoist. ... John Wesley Harding (b. ... Crispian St. ... Eddie Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III on December 23, 1964) is the lead singer and one of three guitar players for the rock band Pearl Jam. ... The Weakerthans are a four-piece (and sometimes six-piece[1]) Canadian indie rock band, whose blend of punk-inflected folk rock with literate, witty, introspective lyrics[2] have made them one of the more popular bands in the current Canadian indie music scene. ... Marianne Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress whose career spans over four decades. ... Travis MacRae is a Canadian singer/songwriter known for his folk (or folk blues) music, for his accomplished guitar and harmonica playing, and for his rough, somewhat Southern-styled vocals. ... Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk (born February 3, 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, and composer. ... They Might Be Giants (commonly abbreviated to TMBG) is an American alternative rock duo consisting of John Linnell and John Flansburgh that formed in 1982. ... Black 47 is an American-Celtic rock band made up of Irish expatriates, formed in New York City by Larry Kirwan and Chris Byrne in 1989. ... Shrubs were an English rock music group, formed in Watford in 1985. ...

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. 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!. 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 Roberts, Alberto Gonzales and George W. Bush. Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958) is more widely known by the stage name Jello Biafra. ... Mojo Nixon (born August 2, 1957) is a satirical psychobilly musician. ... Riot Folk is the name given to a sub genre of punk that originated in the emo movement of the early 1980s. ... Riot Folk is the name given to a sub genre of punk that originated in the emo movement of the early 1980s. ... The Clash were an English punk rock band who were active from 1976 to 1986. ... The United Fruit Company (1899-1970) became prominent in the import-export trade of tropical fruit (notably bananas and pineapples) coming from Third World plantations and sent to the United States and Europe. ... Sandinista! is the fourth album by the punk rock band The Clash. ... VH1 (VH-1: Video Hits One until 1994) is an American cable television channel that was created in January 1985 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communications and owners of MTV. VH1 and sister channel MTV are currently part of the MTV Networks division... Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990. ... Jerry Falwell (born August 11, 1933) is a fundamentalist pastor and televangelist from the United States. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ... John Glover Roberts Jr. ... Alberto R. Gonzales (born August 4, 1955) is the 80th and current Attorney General of the United States. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

In 1998 Sliced Bread Records released a tribute album^[35] 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. 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. Sammy Walker (born in 1952 near Atlanta, Georgia) is an American singer-songwriter. ... The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, is a non_governmental organization devoted to defending civil rights and civil liberties in the United States. ... 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. On his solo accoustic 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" is about Ochs' infamous clash with Dylan and getting thrown out of his limo, wrapping up the situation with 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". The Josh Joplin Group recorded an eponymous tribute to Ochs on their album Useful Music. Schooner Fare recorded "Don't Stop To Rest (Song for Phil Ochs)" on their album Closer to the Wind (1981). In addition, he is the subject of "I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night", by British singer Billy Bragg, from his 1990 album The Internationale. British group Latin Quarter memorialized him in the song "Phil Ochs" on their album Long Pig (1993). 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". Singer-Songwriter Nanci Griffith wrote a song about Phil entitled "Radio Fragile". 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. Expressing his feelings upon learning of Ochs' death, Tom Paxton in his 1978 album Heroes wrote the touching song titled simply "Phil". 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. Todd Daniel Snider is a singer-songwriter born October 11, 1966 in Portland, Oregon. ... Dar Williams (full name Dorothy Snowden Williams, born 1967) is an American singer-songwriter specializing in what can be described as folk-pop. She frequents folk festivals across the nation, such as the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale, New York. ... Will Oldham (born 24 December 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. ... They Might Be Giants (commonly abbreviated to TMBG) is an American alternative rock duo consisting of John Linnell and John Flansburgh that formed in 1982. ... Josh Joplin Group publicity shot c. ... Schooner Fare is a local Maine folk band, consisting of the late Tom Rowe (1950 - January 17, 2004), Steven Romanoff, and Chuck Romanoff. ... Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957), known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician renowned for his blend of folk, punk-rock, and protest music, and his poetic lyrics dealing with political as well as romantic themes. ... The Internationale is a 1990 mini-album by Billy Bragg, originally released on Braggs short-lived record label, Utility Records. ... Latin Quarter were a British band of the 1980s and 1990s. ... John Wesley Harding (b. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is a Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ... Steve Goodman (July 25, 1948 – September 20, 1984) was a Chicago folk music singer and songwriter. ... David Blue was a singer-songwriter from the folk rock movement of the 1960s, he didnt produce a lot of records, and eventually died in obscurity while jogging in the early 1980s. ... Depiction of Nanci Griffith on the cover of her album Flyer Nanci Caroline Griffith, (born July 6, 1953 in Seguin, Texas) is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas. ... Harry Forster Chapin (December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer, songwriter, and humanitarian. ... Thomas R. Paxton was born October 31, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest child of Burton and Esther Paxton. ...

The punk band Squirrel Bait cited Ochs as a major creative influence in the liner notes of their 1986 album Skag Heaven, and cover him with the title track from Tape From California. A Greek folk record, Dimitris Panagopoulos' Unstable Equilibrium (1987), was dedicated to the memory of Phil Ochs. Squirrel Bait were a mid 1980s (1983-1988) punk band from Louisville Kentucky. ... Tape From California was Phil Ochs fifth album, released in mid-1968 on A&M Records. ...

Popular culture

Among Ochs' many admirers were the short story writer Breece D'J Pancake and actor Sean Penn. 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.^[36] Author Jim Carroll's autobiography, The Basketball Diaries, was dedicated to Phil Ochs.^[37] 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. Breece DJ Pancake Breece DJ Pancake (June 29, 1952-April 8, 1979) was an author of short fiction whose promising career was cut short by an apparent suicide. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Jim Carroll (born August 1, 1950 in New York City) is an author, poet, autobiographer, and punk musician. ... The Basketball Diaries is a 1978 book written by American author Jim Carroll, in which he chronicles the decline of a promising young, white basketball player in New York City in the 1960s. ... Spanking the Monkey is a 1994 US independent black comedy written and directed by David O. Russell. ...

Professional Affiliations

• Ochs was a member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists^[38], which is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

• The music publishing company he formed with Arthur Gorson, Barricade Music, was an ASCAP company.

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists AFTRA is a performers union that represents actors in radio and television, much like the Screen Actors Guild does for movies, as well as radio and television announcers and newspersons, singers (both royalty artists and background singers), promo and voice-over... American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL-CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 54 national and international unions (including Canadian), together representing more than 10 million workers. ... The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) is an organization known as a collecting society that protects intellectual property, ensuring that music which is broadcast, commercially recorded, or otherwise used for profit, pays a fee to compensate the creators of that music. ...

Discography

Studio albums and live recordings

• All the News That's Fit to Sing (Elektra, 1964)
• I Ain't Marching Anymore (Elektra, 1965)
• Phil Ochs in Concert (Elektra, 1966)
• Pleasures of the Harbor (A&M, 1967)
• Tape from California (A&M, 1968)
• Rehearsals for Retirement (A&M, 1969)
• Greatest Hits (A&M, 1970)
• Gunfight at Carnegie Hall (A&M Canada, 1975)

All The News Thats Fit To Sing was Phil Ochs first album. ... Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, and today operates under Atlantic Records Group. ... I Aint Marching Anymore was Phil Ochs second long player, 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 long player, and his first for A&M Records, released in 1967. ... A&M Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Universal Music Group. ... Tape From California was 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 and final studio album. ... Gunfight At Carnegie Hall was Phil Ochs final album, presumably comprised of songs recorded at his infamous second show at Carnegie Hall on March 27, 1970, containing less than half of the actual concert. ...

Compilations and other albums

• The Campers: Camp Favorites (Cameo, 1962)
• Chords of Fame (A&M, 1976)
• Songs for Broadside (Folkways, 1976)
• Interview with Phil Ochs (Folkways, circa 1976)
• The Broadside Tapes 1 (Folkways, circa 1980)
• A Toast to Those Who Are Gone (Rhino, 1986)
• The War Is Over: The Best of Phil Ochs (A&M, 1988)
• There But for Fortune (Elektra, 1989)
• There and Now: Live in Vancouver 1968 (Rhino, 1990)
• Phil Ochs at Newport (Vanguard, 1996)
• Farewells & Fantasies (Elektra and Rhino, 1997)
• American Troubadour (A&M Britain, 1997)
• Phil Ochs (Vanguard, 2000)
• 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Phil Ochs (Universal, 2002)
• Cross My Heart: An Introduction to Phil Ochs (Polydor, 2004)

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 , was a 1976 compilation of songs that Phil Ochs had recorded for Broadside Magazine as demonstration recordings or at benefit shows for them. ... Folkways Records is a record label founded by Moses Asch. ... Interview with Phil Ochs, alternatively known as , was, as its title stated, an interview with folksinger Phil Ochs conducted by Broadside Magazine around 1968 and released around eight years later, after Ochs April 1976 suicide. ... The Broadside Tapes 1, alternatively known as , was a compilation of demonstration recordings done by Phil Ochs for Broadside Magazine in the early-to-late 1960s. ... 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 Records and A&M Records. ... Rhino Entertainment is a specialty record label originally known for releasing retrospectives of famous comedy performers, including Stan Freberg, Tom Lehrer, and Spike Jones. ... 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. ... Phil Ochs at Newport was a 1996 compilation on Vanguard Records of folk singer Phil Ochs three appearances at the Newport Folk Festival, in 1963, 1964 and 1966. ... Vanguard Records was a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. ... Farewells And Fantasies was the 1997 box set of singer/songwriter Phil Ochs, chronicling his career from 1964 through 1970. ... American Troubadour was the 1997 British 2-CD set that chronologized the five albums and various non-album singles that singer/songwriter Phil Ochs released on A&M Records between 1967 and 1974. ... The Early Years was a compilation of seven recordings Phil Ochs made for a Vanguard compilation in 1964 and twelve made at three Newport Folk Festivals in 1963, 1964 and 1966, the latter tracks previously released on the 1996 compilation Phil Ochs Live at Newport. ... Universal Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. ... 1920s vintage Polydor export label with its double-horn gramophone logo In 1954 Polydor Records introduced their distinctive orange label. ...

Further reading

• The War is Over by Phil Ochs (New York: Collier, 1968): "His songs and guitar arrangements — with interviews, photos, poetry, and comments"
• Death of A Rebel: Starring Phil Ochs and a Small Circle of Friends by Marc Eliot — ISBN 0-385-13610-2 (Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1979)
• Death of A Rebel: A Biography of Phil Ochs by Marc Eliot — ISBN 0-531-15111-5 (New York, NY: Franklin Watts, 1989)
• There But for Fortune: The Life of Phil Ochs by Michael Schumacher — ISBN 0-7868-6084-7 (New York: Hyperion, 1996)
• Phil Ochs: A Bio-Bibliography by David Cohen — ISBN 0-313-31029-7 (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999)

See also

• William L. Moore
• Breece D'J Pancake
• Robyn Ochs

William L. Moore (April 28, 1927 – September 23, 1963) was a postal worker and Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) member who staged lone protests against racial segregation. ... Breece DJ Pancake Breece DJ Pancake (June 29, 1952-April 8, 1979) was an author of short fiction whose promising career was cut short by an apparent suicide. ... Robyn Ochs is a long-time activist, and the editor of the Bisexual Resource Guide and the new anthology Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World She has taught courses on topics including GLBT history & politics in the United States, the politics of sexual orientation, and the experiences of...

External links

• Phil Ochs web pages includes lyrics, discography, images, &c.
• Phil Ochs's career on A&M Records with gallery, international discography
• All things Phil: Phil Ochs on the Web
• Folkways Smithsonian Bio & Music Samples
• Phil Ochs Yahoo Group
• Sonny Ochs' History of Phil Ochs Song Nights
• Excerpts from the Testimony of Phil Ochs at the Chicago Seven Trial
• Phil Ochs "Cosmic Baseball" Page
• No Depression #10, Jul–Aug 1997
• Photos
• Philip David Ochs, fan site

References