The PR Blog

The music of the Appalachians is a living tradition that tells the story of a people and their journey. From the rolling hills of Ireland and the rugged highlands of Scotland to the misty mountains of Appalachia, this music has traveled across time and space, evolving and enriching the cultural tapestry of America.

The Appalachian region of the United States, stretching from the southern tier of New York to northern Alabama and Georgia, is renowned for its rich musical traditions. This distinctive sound, often associated with bluegrass, folk, and old-time music, owes much of its origin to the Irish and Scottish settlers who immigrated to America in the 18th and 19th centuries. Their musical heritage, combined with the diverse influences encountered in the New World, gave birth to what we now recognise as Appalachian music.

After learning of JD Vance's roots in the Hillybilly hills of Kentucky, I was fascinated by people who grew up in these isolated but close-knit communities. 

James David Vance, better known as J.D. Vance, has carved a notable path from a turbulent upbringing to a prominent role in American politics. Born on August 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio, Vance's early years were marked by instability and hardship.

Raised in a working-class family in Middletown, a town deeply affected by the decline of American manufacturing, Vance experienced firsthand the struggles that many families in the Rust Belt faced.

His mother, Bev Vance, battled addiction issues, leading to a tumultuous household environment. His father left the family when Vance was very young, and his mother had a series of partners, adding to the instability.

 “For the average person, all problems date to World War II; for the more informed, to World War I; for the genuine historian, to the French Revolution.”
― Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, Leftism Revisited: from de Sade and Marx to Hitler and Pol Pot

The 14th of July is celebrated every year in France. This national holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, a pivotal event at the beginning of the French Revolution. 

I sense that the weather conditions are right for a second coming of the storm that brought down the French Monarchy. All around the world, the people have had enough. And if it unfurls, after yesterday's attack on former President Trump, it will make the French Revolution look like a trial run. The People are singing and their voices are getting louder each day. 

Today marks a dark day in American and global politics: a day when a political figure was shot at a rally for " Making America Great Again. "

How tragic and wicked our world has become. We have seen it all before. When Dark Shadows try to change things. Because from the dark shadows comes Great Light. 

Assassinations and attempts on the lives of world leaders have long been part of the tumultuous fabric of global politics. These acts of violence have altered the courses of nations, shifted power dynamics, and left indelible marks on history. Today's attempted assassination of Donald Trump is something that is not a novel event. When a political enemy is seen to be more of a threat to the incumbent, the solution has often been to just eliminate the threat. 

I watched the old 1977 classic, " Rolling Thunder " last night. Why can't they make films like this anymore? Raw and more layers than an onion...... no wonder Quentin Tarantino, a notable fan, has cited it as one of his favourite films, highlighting its influence on his work. 

Without giving too much away, the story follows Major Charles Rane (William Devane), a Vietnam War veteran who returns home to San Antonio, Texas, after being held captive in a POW camp for seven years. Upon his return, Rane is celebrated as a hero and awarded a silver dollar for each day he was imprisoned. However, he struggles to reconnect with his wife and son, who have moved on in his absence.

Rane's attempts to adjust to civilian life are shattered when a gang of thugs, led by a ruthless criminal named Texan (James Best), invade his home. They brutally attack him and his family, seeking the silver dollars he received. Rane's wife and son are murdered, and Rane is left for dead, with his right hand mangled in a garbage disposal.

Surviving the ordeal, Rane is consumed by a desire for revenge. He teams up with his war buddy, Johnny Vohden (Tommy Lee Jones), who is also struggling with his own post-war demons. Together, they embark on a relentless and violent quest to track down and eliminate the perpetrators.

Or did they?

I grew up in a small rural community in the hills of New Zealand. My early life was shrouded in mist and the ever-present wind that pummeled our hilltop community and we loved every wet windy second. So much so that even today, all these decades later, my definition of a perfect day is a misty drizzly soggy one where I can snuggle down and take life off the hook and feel perfectly justified in being a sloth.

As kids, we roamed the paddocks, built campfires and fought incredible wars. 

Just above our home was a dairy farm and it boasted what was the very best staging post for monumental battles. We called it Pine Cone Hill. It was aptly named because there was a stand of pine trees that gave generous ammunition for two armies to lob at each other. The added bonus was that it was the site of an old maori Pa or village in layman's terms. What not many people know is that the Maori people of New Zealand had perfected the art of trench warfare long before the French military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban came up with his clever idea back in the 17th Century. ( as we discussed yesterday. )