PETA. Look, I’m all for humane treatment of animals, but, let’s get something straight. Humane treatment of animals is not necessarily the same thing as the ethical treatment of animals. Ethical treatment requires a social value judgment. It asks, “Should we?” Humane treatment refers to the actual treatment of the animals we use. It asks, “How should we?” Don’t mix the two up.
There is a story by a fly fishing literature author, I believe it is John Gierach, where he recounts being pelted with rocks by PETA people from the top of a bridge. In the river below he was trying to cast to a big brown trout. The gathered activists screamed derogatory names at Gierach, said he was inhumane because they claimed the hookset caused fish pain, the fight of the fish was panic, and the release to live again after such a “fright” to the fish and removal from its environment, rendered Geirach a monster. Geirach was driven from the water by the bombardment as it put down the fish and became dangerous to his physical well-being. He thought angrily about the specie-ism of the protestors. “You didn’t see any of them protesting the fish when they slashed and grabbed caddis flies off the surface of the river as the flies deposited their eggs, did you?. Where are the ‘Save The Caddis Flies’ activists?”
Why do I bring this up? Well, I listened to B Sides and Seasides, a March 30, 2012, seven track release by Tony Haven from which 20% of all of the income will go to the Animal Welfare Institute. No matter how good the music may be I was not about to promote or support a minority cause that tries to impose its morals on others. Therefore, I went out and did a little research on the Animal Welfare Institute and, based on my research, it appears the Institute is involved solely in the humane question - “How should we?” not the more judgmental ethical question - “Should we?” I’m okay with that. Thus, let me tell you about this outstanding new release since it will only be available for download until the end of 2012.
Tony Haven is an acoustic lap tapping acoustic guitar machine. He was born in High Wycombe and raised in rural southwest England. He supposedly developed his guitar technique to the background noise of the ocean breaking around rocks on the southwest shore.
On B Sides and Seasides four of the seven tracks feature vocalist Kieta Bennetts. Bennetts’ voice has a Lauryn Hill/Rickie Lee Jones quality. Singer Lara Regini also appears on two tracks. Regini’s voice is more pop - a little like early Alanis Morissette. When combined with Haven’s guitar, a little piano and percussion the whole becomes an engrossing, harmonious trip in to the folk countryside. It is wonderful coffee shop background material. I wholeheartedly recommend it for winding down after a long day fly fishing.
- Old School
