The song isn't even about authoritarians or dictators. It's about ANY movement based on a single person, since they name Kennedy and Ghandi too. They don't actually *criticize* any of these leaders, rather the entire idea of following a movement based only on the leader's charisma, IMO.
Rock music was pretty incredible in 1988. I remember that summer, thinking that the current music was the best ever. I still have a soft spot for ‘88. Great reaction!
Living Colour opened up for The Rolling Stones on The Stones "Steel Wheels" tour in 1989. I saw the first concert on the tour in Philadelphia, and LC actually blew The Stones off the stage. About six months later I met Lead Singer Corey Glover at a Hotel in Florida, and I told him I thought they were much better than The Stones. He would not take my word for it, and he seemed like a real humble guy. Corey was also in the movie "Platoon" a year or so later. And yes, Vernon Reid is a great Guitarist, and very underrated.
These guys are all monster musicians. Wil Calhoun is still one of my favorite drummers around. Such a beast. Their first 2 albums are fire start to finish.
Dude, so glad you found your way to this one - when this dropped in my first year at uni, my neighbours got to know it really well lol. To this day, I crank this way above responsible listening levels. Vernon Reid is an absolute beast on the guitar but as you noted, the whole band kicks ass. For a slightly different side of them, you should definitely check out 'Open Letter to a Landlord' as well, I think you'd really dig that one. Thanks for keeping me rocking at my desk - much love from Canada!
Lee, be prepared to fall in love with this band!! ALL OF THEIR STUFF ROCKS!! Also, they are huge Rush fans and you will be able to hear some tastey Rush influence in some of their songs. "Information Overload" is one of those songs. Killer. They are TOP NOTCH musicians and they will throw your brain in a blender and hit frappe! Get ready for a deep Rabbit Hole. Their first three albums, especially, are amazing! I'm excited for you to get smacked in the mouth (haha) by this band!! SICK MUSICIANS! I've seen them a few times in concert. Amazing!
This album was fire🔥 I just saw them back in February they still deliver. Other great songs by them "Open Letter To A Landlord", "Desperate People", "Middle Man", "Funny Vibe","Glamour Boys"and "What's Your Favorite Color". That's just the first album. The second album was dope too, With songs like "Type", "Elvis Is Dead", and "Love Rears It's Ugly Head". A one of kind band!
DO NOT let this be the only Living Color song you hear! Love Rears It's Ugly Head, Type, Open Letter to a Landlord are all great, lyrically and musically
Current bassist, Doug Wimbish who was friends with the band before joining them was and still is a studio and back up musician who toured with various bands including performing with heavyweights in the industry like David Bowie. Legend has it that he invited Mick Jagger to their one of their performances at the legendary club C.B.G.Bs in New York City, met with them after the performance and eventually helped them secure a record deal.
I saw these guys open up for The Rolling Stones in 1989 on their “Steel Wheels” tour and they were great! Mick Jagger is listed as one of the two producers on their debut album, “Vivid” (1988).
One of my main live bands. Best of times. At the Bronco Bowl in Dallas, Corey took a back dive off the stage and landed on his head right in from of us. Vernon was jamming out and we were looking at him and didn't see Corey come off the stage. He was ok but it was the end of the show. 🤣It was during an encore so everybody got their money's worth. Living Colour and King's X were the shit back then.
The band: Will Calhoun: drums, Vernon Reid: guitar, Muz Skillings: bass(later replaced by current bassist Doug Wimbish), and Cory Glover: lead vocals. Little known fact: Cory is also an actor that appeared in commercials like The Children's Aid Society(on drums) which can be found on TH-cam, and was one of the stars of the Vietnam War film, Platoon as the soldier, "Francis" cast along with Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, and an unknown Johnny Depp. Another little known fact: they sued the show, In Living Color over copyright infringements over the name itself!
Always love this band when they first came out the album was amazing I believe Mick Jagger produce them also around that time Living Color the comedy show by the Wayans was on so this brings me back they really rock out great pic❤
Hey L33 just came across real great blues guitarist named Rocky Athas. He’s out of Texas & went to school with Stevie ray vaughn. They were good friends. Give him a listen. Good reaction.
Old footage snippets in the video extend the cult of personality subject from rock stars (American girls who were losing their sh!t the first time The Beatles landed in the US) to world leaders (Kennedy, Ghandi, Stalin...).
i have seen vernon reid live twice, and allen holdsworth,who at the time was guiness record holder,for world,s fastest guitar player.vernon was equally fast.i call him machine gun vernon.
I would have liked to see these guys do better than they did. This song is fantastic but a hard act to follow. Pretty good video, too. How do you top this in the age when MTV was still showing music videos? I never really followed music much back then but I never heard a follow-up.
@@L33Reacts yep the tv show got sued by them for using that name, tv show had to change colour to color, also cult of personality was on grand theft auto 5, and on guitar hero
You have to check out their live performance of Springsteen's "American Skin." It will break you. Living Colour - "American Skin (41 Shots)" Montreux 2001 - th-cam.com/video/MiC68406c3M/w-d-xo.html
Hey, I'm short on $ so I can't buy you a cup of coffee now, but I really think you'll appreciate this amazing song from Living Colour: th-cam.com/video/9EPthwxK4mQ/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
@@Grizazzle Yes! The solo is pure chaotic anger, yet done with extreme skill. It fits the song's storytelling perfectly, rather than just being one more "beautiful" guitar solo.
Vernon Reid is one the most underrated guitarists in rock. He is a master.
he was absolutely killing it here.
I love that "sloppy" guitar style.
The song isn't even about authoritarians or dictators. It's about ANY movement based on a single person, since they name Kennedy and Ghandi too. They don't actually *criticize* any of these leaders, rather the entire idea of following a movement based only on the leader's charisma, IMO.
Agreed!
Well said.
"People are just stupid now." Thanks for realizing that so young. Please fight it.
you nailed it. people have lost the ability to comprehend nuance.
That song knocked everyone on their a$$ at first listen...
I HAD THOUGHT THESE GUYS WERE WHITE WHEN I HEARD IT FOR THE FIRST TIME I LOVE THEM!!!!
Rock music was pretty incredible in 1988. I remember that summer, thinking that the current music was the best ever. I still have a soft spot for ‘88. Great reaction!
Lead singer also has a small role in the movie Platoon. They opened for the Rolling Stones and rocked an entire football stadium.
" hey Taylor man, come on, let's dee dee.. " Francis was awesome in Platoon!
Also played Judas in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar. I was there for one of their shows with The Stones in Philly. They were great!
@@d2d2d28 i saw them in a bar and just a few months later they were playing a football stadium. I knew he does Broadway but I wasn't sure which shows.
I never met a radio where I did not choose to turn the volume to "body feel" level when this song was aired.
Unfortunately, the cult of personality continues today. Excellent song!
it will never not exist.. too many people pick leaders based on their feelings and not reality.
yup. it sure does. i wish humans weren't such emotional creatures when it comes to our leadership.
It sure does! People just won't stop worshiping me.
Vernon Reid is SO underrated it's unfair. That man can shred better than most of the people who are recognized for it. He's one of the very best imo.
I love this rhythm section so much. Living Colour's 2nd album "Time's Up" is one of the more diverse albums of the era and almost all bangers.
It gets a lot heavier too. Pride is my fave from that release.
The next song on the album is "Open Letter To A Landlord", and is very much worth a listen.
Hell yes!
Definitely - that’s my favorite song on the album.
Can't upvote this enough - Corey's vocals still send chills down my spine.
Vernon Reid plays everything - rock, jazz funk everything
Yep just watched-listened to a fabulous cover released last year of WORLD IN MY EYES with TARJA and York ☮💘💥
One of my favorite bangers of all time! I'm 66 and I will still rock this out!
This is a song I track down all reactions of.
Living Colour opened up for The Rolling Stones on The Stones "Steel Wheels" tour in 1989. I saw the first concert on the tour in Philadelphia, and LC actually blew The Stones off the stage. About six months later I met Lead Singer Corey Glover at a Hotel in Florida, and I told him I thought they were much better than The Stones. He would not take my word for it, and he seemed like a real humble guy. Corey was also in the movie "Platoon" a year or so later. And yes, Vernon Reid is a great Guitarist, and very underrated.
Saw this tour too in KC, they were amazing
Everybody is better than the Stones!
Legit Quality Rock
These guys are all monster musicians. Wil Calhoun is still one of my favorite drummers around. Such a beast. Their first 2 albums are fire start to finish.
Dude, so glad you found your way to this one - when this dropped in my first year at uni, my neighbours got to know it really well lol. To this day, I crank this way above responsible listening levels. Vernon Reid is an absolute beast on the guitar but as you noted, the whole band kicks ass. For a slightly different side of them, you should definitely check out 'Open Letter to a Landlord' as well, I think you'd really dig that one. Thanks for keeping me rocking at my desk - much love from Canada!
The energy in that band, dang! When they showed up on MTV I was glued to the screen. Excellence!
Loved this from the day it came out. Still awesome!
Lee, be prepared to fall in love with this band!! ALL OF THEIR STUFF ROCKS!! Also, they are huge Rush fans and you will be able to hear some tastey Rush influence in some of their songs. "Information Overload" is one of those songs. Killer. They are TOP NOTCH musicians and they will throw your brain in a blender and hit frappe! Get ready for a deep Rabbit Hole. Their first three albums, especially, are amazing! I'm excited for you to get smacked in the mouth (haha) by this band!! SICK MUSICIANS! I've seen them a few times in concert. Amazing!
Sweetie, you gave a testimony, and now I'm subscribing. :-) Please do run for office. --your substitute grandma
Sooooo bad ass!!
These fellas ate and left NO crumbs! Thanx Mick Jagger for introducing them to the world.
This album was fire🔥 I just saw them back in February they still deliver. Other great songs by them "Open Letter To A Landlord", "Desperate People", "Middle Man", "Funny Vibe","Glamour Boys"and "What's Your Favorite Color". That's just the first album. The second album was dope too, With songs like "Type", "Elvis Is Dead", and "Love Rears It's Ugly Head". A one of kind band!
Vernon was the original guitar player for Ronald Shannon Jackson & the Decoding Society. An astounding band and Jackson was an incredible drummer.
I forgot have amazing every aspect of this song is.
DO NOT let this be the only Living Color song you hear! Love Rears It's Ugly Head, Type, Open Letter to a Landlord are all great, lyrically and musically
Great song, quite unusual at the time, very meaningful!
it has a lot of truth in it. some folks don't like truth!
@@L33Reacts As the saying goes, the truth hurts.
Only humans follow unstable leaders, animals would never.
This was great. So much energy and an interesting video. Thank you, Lee and Gail, for the introduction!
(Her little cameos are sweet.)
Current bassist, Doug Wimbish who was friends with the band before joining them was and still is a studio and back up musician who toured with various bands including performing with heavyweights in the industry like David Bowie. Legend has it that he invited Mick Jagger to their one of their performances at the legendary club C.B.G.Bs in New York City, met with them after the performance and eventually helped them secure a record deal.
This was amazing .. what a banger!
pure banger. love it.
No prisoners. Correct.
I saw these guys open up for The Rolling Stones in 1989 on their “Steel Wheels” tour and they were great!
Mick Jagger is listed as one of the two producers on their debut album, “Vivid” (1988).
KOOL !!!!!!!! This band also has a deep connection with my beloved TARJA ☮💘💥
Very good rock and roll band
One of my main live bands. Best of times. At the Bronco Bowl in Dallas, Corey took a back dive off the stage and landed on his head right in from of us. Vernon was jamming out and we were looking at him and didn't see Corey come off the stage. He was ok but it was the end of the show. 🤣It was during an encore so everybody got their money's worth. Living Colour and King's X were the shit back then.
You’re absolutely right about what is happening in our country.
its a banger
The first time I heard this song, I was driving on the Interstate. I nearly ran off the road when I heard that opening riff . . .
Saw these guys back in the day, and again earlier this year. They have only gotten better!!
The band: Will Calhoun: drums, Vernon Reid: guitar, Muz Skillings: bass(later replaced by current bassist Doug Wimbish), and Cory Glover: lead vocals. Little known fact: Cory is also an actor that appeared in commercials like The Children's Aid Society(on drums) which can be found on TH-cam, and was one of the stars of the Vietnam War film, Platoon as the soldier, "Francis" cast along with Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, and an unknown Johnny Depp.
Another little known fact: they sued the show, In Living Color over copyright infringements over the name itself!
A great band, they had 3 or 4 killer albums. They should have been more famous. All kinds of great songs. A great period for rock music.
Try the LC tune “Funny Vibe.” It’s a banger. Great video too.
They did Elvis Is Dead featuring Little Richard and Maceo Parker. Other great songs are Solace Of You, Nothingness, Glamour Boys and Flying.
So may excellent songs by them:)
The show was In Living Color
Always love this band when they first came out the album was amazing I believe Mick Jagger produce them also around that time Living Color the comedy show by the Wayans was on so this brings me back they really rock out great pic❤
yeah, i also saw that mick jagger produced for them. they had a great sound.
See also by them 'Middle Man' and 'Open Letter to a Landlord.'
Loved jamming this with a buddy, never nailed it down though.
Hey L33 just came across real great blues guitarist named Rocky Athas. He’s out of Texas & went to school with Stevie ray vaughn. They were good friends. Give him a listen. Good reaction.
Have to listen to this a few more times and follow some recommendations
isn't it great?? i'm glad we got to hear it. bangin stuff.
Yeah, damn huh? Peace!
Check out Fishbone
Old footage snippets in the video extend the cult of personality subject from rock stars (American girls who were losing their sh!t the first time The Beatles landed in the US) to world leaders (Kennedy, Ghandi, Stalin...).
i have seen vernon reid live twice, and allen holdsworth,who at the time was guiness record holder,for world,s fastest guitar player.vernon was equally fast.i call him machine gun vernon.
I would have liked to see these guys do better than they did. This song is fantastic but a hard act to follow. Pretty good video, too. How do you top this in the age when MTV was still showing music videos? I never really followed music much back then but I never heard a follow-up.
Open letter to a landlord..Phenomenal song by them. Absolutely Phenomenal.
I have been trying for years to find out who the girl in the beginning is have not been able to find out anything.
If you want to see a totally different side of them, check out Glamour Boy.
Another group from around that time that falls into the "hard rocking brothers" category was 24-7 Spyz.
hard rocking brothers! that's great. i will be checking them out, thank you1
@@L33Reacts If you want to do a reaction I’d recommend Stuntman, Break the Chains, or Crime Story.
Also check out Bad Brains.
@@frankhiehle187 Bad Brains and Death are the OGs of hard rocking brothers.
There was a TV Series called "In Living Color" - no relation to the band.
yup, with jim carrey. he was so funny on there.
@@L33Reacts yep the tv show got sued by them for using that name, tv show had to change colour to color, also cult of personality was on grand theft auto 5, and on guitar hero
The b/w film of girls being handed over a fence? One reactor asked was it a concentration camp? ERR no. It was outside a Beatles gig.
👍💯
It’s the entrance music for CM Punk.
The live version from Arsenio blows this one out of the water believe it or not.
Vernon Reid, Lead guitar, Sexual Chocolate, Coming to America
In the video they left out the biggest cult personality of all , Hitler
You have to check out their live performance of Springsteen's "American Skin." It will break you. Living Colour - "American Skin (41 Shots)" Montreux 2001 - th-cam.com/video/MiC68406c3M/w-d-xo.html
thank you for the suggestion! i'll check it out.
Evolution taught us to look for a strong leader. Charlatans taught us to look at our leaders closely..
always keep asking questions! no matter what they tell you.
You really should watch their video for Type. As relevant today as the day it was released. Unfortunately.
Prog metal bro.
Hey, I'm short on $ so I can't buy you a cup of coffee now, but I really think you'll appreciate this amazing song from Living Colour: th-cam.com/video/9EPthwxK4mQ/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
You Are A Cult Of Personality.😅
Like Mussonlini!!! 😉🤣🤣
faded too fast
MLK😢
This song rocks,but that guitar solo is horrible.
Disagree. A more melodic solo wouldn't fit the song.
feel free to upload a video of you shredding how it should have been.
we will wait for the link.
i feel like that solo was dope as hell. absolute chaos to fit the themes of the song, in my opinion of course.
@@Grizazzle Yes! The solo is pure chaotic anger, yet done with extreme skill. It fits the song's storytelling perfectly, rather than just being one more "beautiful" guitar solo.