Celebrating the demise of evil – Durango Telegraph

In the summer of 2004, the media attention surrounding Ronald Reagan’s death was hard to avoid. The coverage leading up to his funeral was saturated with sanitized reflections on his legacy as a former president. However, as a teenage anarchist on summer break, my perspective was different. To me, Reagan was a union-hating, racist warmonger. I vividly remember my response to the national conversations about Reagan by penning “REAGAN DIED” in bold caps with a thumbs-up on my horse-themed wall calendar for June 5.

Reflecting on this now, my teenage angst towards the authority of the settler-state feels more validated as an adult. Recently, the musician Ted Leo, one of my favorite indie rock artists, shared a memory from that time on social media. In 2004, Leo was recording his album “Shake the Sheets” when Reagan died. Leo mentioned on Bluesky, “We were in the studio making ‘Shake the Sheets’ the day Reagan died, and friends, we danced and danced and danced.” There’s a sense of karmic satisfaction when corrupt, powerful men meet their end, even if justice may be elusive in the living world. It’s not just about dancing on the grave of monsters but also creating art, music, and poetry celebrating their downfall.

For those unfamiliar with Ted Leo’s work, his music blends the pop rock of Elvis Costello, the new wave soul of Joe Jackson, with hints of Thin Lizzy and Billy Bragg. Leo’s journey in the music world began with D.C. punk bands in the ’80s and ’90s, eventually forming Ted Leo and the Pharmacists and releasing their debut album in 1999. Leo was known for being prolific, often releasing a new album every year, with “Shake the Sheets” being one of his standout works, released in October 2004, just before George W. Bush’s re-election.

During that time, I was introduced to Leo’s music and immersed in the alternative music scene through magazines like Punk Planet. Following the 2004 election, Punk Planet released an editorial expressing bleakness but also noting that “Shake The Sheets” could help numb the pain induced by the political landscape. Leo’s music was not just about protest but also emphasized the personal as political, a theme prominent in “Shake the Sheets.” The song “Me and Mia,” for example, speaks on overcoming an eating disorder, blending melodious pop-punk with heartfelt lyrics.

Twenty years later, “Shake the Sheets” stands the test of time, its relevance extending beyond the moment of Reagan’s death. Each election cycle since then has shown that the normalization of right-wing extremism continues to deepen. Despite the looming threat of grotesque political figures, there is power in finding solace through music and art in the face of oppressive regimes. As we face the uncertainty of the future, moments of creating against tyranny may pave the way for justice to prevail in due time.