Southside Café released the song Revelation in the fall of 2017. Our intention was to capture the sense of impending judgement day that we felt in the wake of increasing environmental problems, political conflicts and distrust in society. Today, however, the song feels more urgent than ever. The pandemic that is currently spreading over the world has forced numerous countries into drastic actions. The corona-virus has caused illness and death, but also generated an anxiety that nowadays must be deemed as a pandemic in itself. Never before has the sense of impending doom been so evident.
As for me, I've been in a home quarantine for over two weeks after a trip to Asia with the family (I still have a tan but no sign of a flu). In the beginning, I saw this quarantine as a privilege: I could work undisturbed, avoid time-consuming travels and also get more time with my dog. Today, however, I know that isolation is a danger in itself. For every day that has passed, I have felt increasingly paranoid. It's hard to get things done and I have spent way too much time browsing the Internet and social media in search of the latest corona news, mostly fake news and rumors.
Many of us will be involuntarily at home this spring. Take care of yourselves. Continue to wash your hands and avoid unnecessary social contacts – but talk to people. Call your friends, have a laugh. Stay isolated physically but not in your minds. And don't believe all the “information” that is spread through social media. Spend time listening to good music instead. Read a good book. Get a dog.
Another fun pastime is to decipher our song Revelation. The lyrics are full of references to the Book of Revelation. Some are obvious. Johnny is of course the Apostle himself. But why do we mention a prison cell? And Elvis Presley? The Super Bowl? Have fun listening (we had fun writing the song) and don’t hesitate to ask questions or leave a comment in the comment section below. After all, it's more important than ever that we talk to each other.
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