KC Wheelchair Santa Hustle, from "The Evolution of a CRO-MAGnon" Options

[metamorphosis]

Evolution of a Cro-Magnon: Catching up with a Cro-Mag Here

“Food is very important to me because I grew up in a broken home and abusive foster home where it wasn't provided for me and my two brothers. That was the catalyst which affected my entire outlook. I know hands down I would have continued in a life of crime if I didn't meet the Bad Brains and had been introduced to a vegetarian lifestyle. This started a spiritual quest that also led to exercise, yoga and Krishna. Once I changed what I put in me, it changed my view about myself, taking care of my body, and my outlook on the environment where I lived...............



Though Joseph himself fell victim to the addiction of drugs for a short period, he credits his adherence to an active lifestyle and values he took from his devotion to Hare Krishna to getting him back on the path to self-realization.





Joseph is announcing his next book "Meat Is For Pussies", a play on the popular “For Dummies” instruction manuals. “I have been a vegetarian/vegan almost 30 years now, people today are bombarded by advertising for cheap fast food and ingestion of those foods not only wreak havoc on your system but most of the havoc wreaked on the planet is due to the slaughter of the animals.

[ePiTau]

if universes are just soap bubbles
havoc on the planet are tiny stripes there
perhaps nothing to get bulged out of one's whatever for

[zvs]

I actually know John somewhat; he's a very interesting character. An obviously conflicted nature, but he obviously wants to do a lot of good things with his time on earth. From what I understand, he's currently writing a no-nonsense book about vegetarianism and health, and is also working with street kids to keep them from getting into the lifestyle he lived when he was younger.

He was initiated as Jayananda dasa. From what I understand, he became so depressed when his guru fell down that he became convinced Prabhupada was the only guru figure he could trust.

Whenever I see him, he is very nice, and even invited me on stage once to sing a few lines with the Cro-Mags at CBGB.

[Kalisurfer]

Whenever I see him, he is very nice, and even invited me on stage once to sing a few lines with the Cro-Mags at CBGB.

ZVS, great story concerning John Joseph, did you eventually go up on stage to sing a song with the Cro-Mags? Which song did you join up on? I would think being able to perform even one number on the historical stage of the late CBGB's would be a thrill in many ways, so many great bands and singers performed up there, it would be something akin to a punk parakram event, standing on the footprints of the rock and roll masters of the past. That place was kind of a dump when seen empty and out of context of what it provided, but when it filled up with people and somebody was onstage, it had an aliveness, character and personalty that just could not be beat in terms of witnessing a live performance.

[zvs]

Kali, yes, I did get up there; now that I think about it, it wasn't the Cro-Mags at that time (by name), but rather a band he was doing called Bloodclot, which played mostly Mags songs. I had seen the Mags three times prior, and their line-up was changing all the time anyway, so Bloodclot was pretty much just as good as seeing the Mags.

I should also clarify that his "invitation" was grabbing me by the wrist, pulling me onto the stage and handing the microphone to me. The song I sang was "We Gotta Know."

It meant so much to me not only because I love the song, but as you said, because I couldn't believe that I was singing on CB's stage. This was shortly before it was closed, so I got to live out a part of history, and a private dream, before it was made impossible forever.

I also have a bizarre story about singing with 7 Seconds at a Warped Tour date in cleveland when I was 16.

[kalki]

The only reason some of these cats at the bottom stay in the movement is because they hope to one day reach the top and exploit the others now at the bottom.

Without doubting his facts, I am wondering what kind of local community he had joined, if he thinks the devotees' only motivation was as above.

From his writings and the inclusion of the name Ramapada Swami, it would most likely be New York City. I remember the Cro-mags staying at our temple in Washington D.C. when they performed in the area back in the early 80's. They came across as pretty quiet guys around devotees as opposed to the hard-core persona's they had on stage. They liked the philosophy to an extent, but never really joined up in terms of getting initiated. As usual, a Sannyasi or Senior ISKCOnite would attach themselves to being their friend in order to preach and reach younger people, as was done with the band Shelter, and no doubt they were used in that way. John Joseph was an independent wild child and was not about to be under the authority of any leaders back then.

From what I have read about him, he is now a big supporter of the IRM (ISKCON Reform Movement) movement and raises money for their cause, which is ironic due to their rather conservative fundamentalist viewpoints that would most likely find much fault with his lifestyle. He is into all kinds of conspiracy theories about who controls the world and ISKCON. An interesting creative person by all means, but I can't help but feel he has taken some creative license in the story about the KC wheelchair Santa.

Actually, John was initiated, as ZVS says, his name was Jayananda. He was initiated by Ramesvara, one of the big eleven. So of course he got involved with big money scams because that was what the 80's was all about. I don't think that the IRM would down him for his lifestyle. He is a now a hardcore vegan and he has a wife or a girlfriend or something, so not a whole lot of illicit sex probably (illicit in the sense of sleeping around). And he probably doesn't mess with drugs. So 4 regs and listening to Prabhupada audio is what IRM is all about so I he probably fits the philosophy to the tee.

He was involved with Kapindra Swami for a long time until Kapindra Swami misused the funds he raised from a rock concert in Tompkins square which was intended for a food program. The Swami ended up using it for Krishna service in some other department like rent or something. So John got pissed and left and eventually at least two other devotees left Kapindra and formed the IRM and they got a place on St. Marks with a restaurant. I have no idea how its going, but I believe this is all in his book.

I know a bit first hand because I knew him just a little back then and knew Kapindra a lot. In a way, John made me a devotee because I was listening to Cro-Mags when I was in 8th grade and I met him one day in New York in a building we were both working in, so I asked him some questions.

One of his guitar players still is a non-initiated devotee, named Doug Holland. I think Harley got into it for a while, but the whole thing pissed him off, the corruption and all. But he is on record saying he still digs Prabhupada.

[darwin]

I'm trying to restart the Krishnacore Hardcore scene:

View at Youtube

[Dhyana]

I should also clarify that his "invitation" was grabbing me by the wrist, pulling me onto the stage and handing the microphone to me. The song I sang was "We Gotta Know."

MERCY
How I wish I could hear you sing!

[kalki]

I should also clarify that his "invitation" was grabbing me by the wrist, pulling me onto the stage and handing the microphone to me. The song I sang was "We Gotta Know."

MERCY
How I wish I could hear you sing!

Looks like you can download an album over here: http://www.bastionrecordings.com/nbeaches.htm

[kalki]

The only reason some of these cats at the bottom stay in the movement is because they hope to one day reach the top and exploit the others now at the bottom.

Without doubting his facts, I am wondering what kind of local community he had joined, if he thinks the devotees' only motivation was as above.

I guess he was saying, "some of these cats..." meaning not all of them. He was in New York when this happened most likely. Lot of confusion in those days in New York so I understand.