Student to launch protest album with Dylan influence
(Photo courtesy of Thomas Monroe )
Saddleback student Thomas Monroe, 27, world religion major and president of the Poetry Club, is about to release his new album “The Sky Catching Fire.”
According to Monroe, the album is a protest album. It was inspired by an interview he watched featuring Bob Dylan. Monroe was impressed by how through songwriting, Dylan was able to influence people and promote ideas of social change and good causes, by addressing issues such as human rights.
“Globalization is a tool for exchanging ideas and sharing information,” Monroe said.
He also believes that songwriters with strong ideas should take advantage of globalization. “It is a real opportunity to stand for what we believe in and inspire the world around to do the same.”
In his songs, Monroe addresses highly sensitive and complex issues such as rape, abuse, obsolete social values, and homophobia. He uses words and music to illustrate situations of disadvantage and their victims.
“We must rise above merely imitating the past and repeating history’s mistakes,” Monroe said.
He especially likes two songs: “War” and “Talking Mother Earth Blues.” The first one is about how banks fund all parties in every conflict. The latter is a satire about Mother Earth incarnating a human body and walking around town witnessing absurdity of reality.
The album contains six songs, of which Monroe wrote and composed himself. His work can be viewed on http://www.reverbnation.com/theskycatchingfire.