Band jams LA freeway to jam on behalf of homeless kids

[Count Olaf]

L.A.'s normal morning-commute nightmare was a standing-room-only affair today when a band seeking attention blocked a major freeway to serenade irate motorists, the Los Angeles Times tells us. The stunt was apparently intended to raise awareness of and money for homeless children.

The band, Imperial Stars, parked their truck across southbound lanes of the 101 Freeway in Hollywood about 10:30 a.m. and performed for their captive audience from the roof. The California Highway Patrol said three band members were arrested, but the truck driver fled in a car and took the truck's keys. The backup extended many miles into the San Fernando Valley. The truck was towed by noon and traffic began flowing normally (or what passes for normal in LA).

The Imperial Stars call themselves a "hard core hip hop band" from Orange County. They were plugging their latest song — "Traffic Jam 101." The band says all proceeds from the song will go to homeless children.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/10/band-jams-la-freeway-to-jam-on-behalf-of-homeless-kids/1

[mike_c]

1. traffic jam 101....

:rofl:

[rocktivity]

4. Yeah, musicians are supposed to jam with their instruments!

rocktivity

[CBGLuthier]

2. self-aggrandizing idiots fuck up traffic

[Binka]

7. Poor Traffic

Props for using the word aggrandizing, the rest of your message= FAIL.

[Gold Metal Flake]

10. And thus DU has reached outrage overload.

Implosion is imminent.

[rocktivity]

3. At least they had enough sense to wait until after the morning rush hour

Though I remember driving from a club in LA at 2AM and there were enough cars on the freeway to make you think it was 2 in the afternoon!

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Beaverhausen]

20. Rush hour lasts all day here

8 am till 8 pm

[Renew Deal]

5. That's pretty funny but...

They should all be thrown in jail and given 100 hours of community service cleaning roads.

[ensho]

6. good for them - hugs and kisses all round

america should not have homeless kids

and still be called civilized

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[dem mba]

11. why are people defending these aholes?

just because they donated money to charity? fuck them.

no one should have to sit in traffic for 3 hours because some morons want to promote THEMSELVES. Donating the money to charity is simply a PR move they thought of ahead of time.

[ensho]

12. how do you know that? assuming?

nt

[Name removed]

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[dem mba]

19. how do I know its a PR stunt?

maybe because they plastered their likeness onto the side of the bus they parked across the highway.

[Name removed]

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[superduperfarleft]

21. I completely agree with you.

Nevermind the fact that they look like tools and their "music" is fucking awful. Hopefully the audience will pelt them with feces at their next show for sucking so bad.

[The Uncola]

13. Good on 'em!

Personally, I think the time for non-violent civil disobedience has arrived. It has become quite apparent that just talking and working to get people elected who claimed they would work for us has failed. They lied. We are being taken for granted and our plight is being ignored.

[ensho]

14. kick

nt

[Binka]

16. You Fucking Rock

Get your disobedience on baby! Welcome to DU Uncola.

[The Uncola]

17. Grew up on it...

.. we forced the end of a war, by doing it. If the young people of today want to have any chance at a future, they going to have to step up and fight like their lives depend on it.

[superduperfarleft]

22. No talent attention whores trying to be "rockstars" is not civil disobedience. n/t

[The Uncola]

34. And that is..

.. your opinion, which I happen to disagree with and I've actually lived civil disobedience, not just spouted off about it on the net.

[-..__...]

37. They're gonna be bigger than the Stones!

Musical genius like this only comes around once in a lifetime...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsfeqw8Wzw4

[BootinUp]

52. rofl, that is some really intellectual protest type stuff there. nt

[lame54]

44. why not

[KurtNYC]

24. pissing off those who may have taken to your cause is ALWAYS a mistake

inconvenience those who are opposed to your cause -- NOT the general public

terrible strategy. remind me of South Park: "more tunes"

[The Uncola]

25. Yessiree...

... wouldn't want to "inconvenience" any worker ants, would we? The corporate machine might get angry!

oh noes!!!!

:spank:

[Gold Metal Flake]

30. "worker ants"?

Who are you talking about?

[KurtNYC]

32. the corporate machine doesn't give a rat's butt

but the worker ants get pissed and you lose allies. quite a flawed strategy I think.

[The Uncola]

33. Do you ..

.. have a clue as to why social disruption is a necessary side effect to EFFECTIVE non-violent protest?

I mean really. I'll bet you also think "free speech zones" are a "good idea."

Meh. Screw you're being "inconvenienced." Do you think it's "convenient" to be homeless, hopeless and ignored by the society you've given a lifetime of work to? I've been part of EFFECTIVE non-violent protests, have you? We put our asses on the line to take on the war machine and ended an immoral war. What have you done to end injustice? Bitched about getting held up in a traffic snarl for a while, because people you've done your best to ignore the plight of's were trying to get your attention? Oh my, such a hardship you've born.

Same to the responder above you.

Meh.

[superduperfarleft]

41. Laughing my ass off at the naivete of thinking these tools give two shits about

homelessness.

And why should we have to buy their shitty song before they'll donate anything? They could've been in a soup kitchen as opposed to assaulting LA motorists with their awful music.

[The Uncola]

47. Sorry pal..

... I don't care what you think of their music, they are doing something for others and you are bitching that isn't in the way you want. Too bad, so sad. Maybe you should try thinking of someone other than yourself for once in your life.

[superduperfarleft]

48. They aren't doing shit for others. You have to actually buy the song before they donate anything.

"Maybe you should try thinking of someone other than yourself for once in your life. "

Blah blah strawman blah blah.

You got that rent check for me yet?

[The Uncola]

49. Anything they are doing..

.. is 100% more than you are. I'd work on my humanity if I were you.

[KurtNYC]

53. if you have a decent argument that doesn't include lame personal

attacks, putting words in people's mouths and unfunny sarcasm I would be happy to discuss that with you.

But if you really think you can bully people into agreement with you (verbally or physically) then perhaps you aren't as non-violent as you think.

IMHO you will have a hard time blocking your potential allies on the freeway all by yourself

[superduperfarleft]

40. I'm a worker ant. You going to pay my rent?

You're free to send me a check in between stickin' it to the man. :eyes:

[Quantess]

23. That's just annoying.

I mean, it sounds good to anyone who wasn't there. How would you like to be stuck in traffic for hours for some stunt like that?

[noamnety]

27. It's not just annoying, it's dangerous.

Speaking as someone who's driven my kid to ER a couple of times - do they not get that the highways include people with medical emergencies, women in labor, etc?

[namahage]

29. Oh, who the hell cares? STICK IT TO THE MAN, BABY!!! n/t

[name not needed]

26. I'm disappointed that they didn't get tasered.

[BootinUp]

39. lol nt

[itsrobert]

28. I'm sure employers were understanding when employees were late

NOT

[cherokeeprogressive]

31. I guess those defending these assholes have never seen how many rear-enders can be caused by

a single stopped car on a freeway. I'd hope that any insurance company paying out claims for auto damage and neck injuries that happened due to this publicity stunt takes them to court and takes everything they have, including their instruments. I mean really, what the fuck is "hard core hip hop"?

[JohnnyBoots]

35. They're lucky they didn't get shot by an angry motorist...nt

[-..__...]

36. Shitheads need a fastball to the face...

for pulling this ignorant, juvenile stunt.

Too bad they won't see any jail time for it though, but I hope a heavy fine is levied and their truck and equipment sold to pay for the costs
of managing the mess they created.

[superduperfarleft]

46. Their equipment should be confiscated on general principle.

Have you actually listened to these guys? It's not music...it's like anti-music.

[crazyjoe]

38. Gee, I hope nobody died trying to get to a hospital.

[lame54]

42. all proceeds will go to their bail

[slackmaster]

43. Those clowns will never work in LA again

Idiots.

[independent_voter]

45. yeah, that's going to win people over when

some kids end up homeless because their dad died in a car accident created by their stunt, or dies in an ambulance on the way to the hospital, or just fired for being late to work

[Count Olaf]

50. We need more of this- from every liberal star in Hollywood who gives a fuck

Lindsey Lohan, every time they try to get a picture of her, should turn and say something about the state of the world.

At a time when the 'news' is all entertainment tonight, entertainers now have all the power to make change.
That is all people care about.

If only the cast of Jersey Shore would stand up for the homeless...

[MilesColtrane]

51. Assholes.

What does this song have to do with homeless children?

Party! In the traffic jam live in Cali! No one better get in my way! Playing live on the freeway today!

I'm a rock star, living on the edge! Known for hanging out and partyin' with my friends! I'm a rock star, living on the edge! I'm takin' on the world and I'm destined to win!

In the traffic jam, go bumper to bumper, heat for your winter, cool for your summer. Get out the hit, make you fiend for another. So roll and roll like I got your number.

This time I'm ready to win! I'm on a roll I can't be stopped and I'm going all in.

I got the energy to get you high, watch me roll, watch me ride. If you want the energy inside then ride, ride, ride, ride. Okay, now here we go, it's Imperial rockin' your stereo. And you know we shut down the scene, stuck in traffic it's all tenastically.

I'M A ROCKSTAR LIVIN ON THE EDGE KNOWN FOR HANGING OUT AND PARTYIN WITH MY FRIENDS

How about parking that hoopty in front of the state capitol and actually writing a song about the issue in question next time, you clowns?