Fela Describes Music as a Weapon

Writer, composer, and Peabody Award-winning podcaster Jad Abumrad joins Kirk to talk about Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, his new 12-part series on the life, music, and legacy of Afrobeat superstar Fela Kuti.

DISCUSSED/REFERENCED:

• “Miryea’s Death” by Jack Nitzche from Revenge, 1990
• “Prologue” by Alexandre Desplat from Birth, 2004
• Excerpt from Port(al), music by Paola Prestini and Jad Abumrad, performed by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus
• “It’s Highlife Time” and “Amaechi’s Blues” by Fela Kuti and his Koola Lobitos, ca. 1963-69
• “Jeun Ko Ku,” “Eko Ile,” and “Je’nwi Temi” by Fela Kuti from Afrodesiac, 1973
• “Zombie” by Fela Kuti from Zombie, 1976
• “The Great Curve” by Talking Heads from Remain in Light, 1980
• “Life During Wartime” and “Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads from Stop Making Sense, 1984
• “The Prince We Never Knew“ - Sasha Weiss’ essential New York Times feature on Ezra Edelman’s unreleased Prince documentary
• “RITUAL” by Jon Hopkins from Ritual, 2024
• “Open Eye Signal” by Jon Hopkins from Immunity, 2013
• “A Quiet Glow” by Siavash Amini from Songs for Sad Poets, 2022
• “In The Dust of This Planet” - 2014 Radiolab Episode featuring the poetry of Eugene Thacker
• “The Right Man (Daniele Baldelli & Marco Dionigi Cosmic Remix)” from The Units - Connections, 2011
• “quiero sentirme bien” by Kali Uchis from Sin Miedo, 2020
• “Looking for Love” by The Tallest Man On Earth from Henry St., 2023
• “Sweet Surrender” by Sarah McLachlan from Mirrorball, 1999

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | Paypal

🏠 HOMEPAGE
strongsongspodcast.com

👚 MERCH
strongsongspodcast.com/store

📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER
newsletter.kirkhamilton.com

📷 SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton
Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com

💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER
strongsongspodcast.com/discord

🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS
kirkhamilton.com/gear

🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC
kirkhamilton.com/music

🎨 SHOW ART
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

--------------------

OCTOBER 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation
Andy
Ben Barron
Catherine Warner
Cesar
Christopher McConnell
Christopher Miller
Corpus Frisky
Damon White
Daniel Hannon-Barry
Dave Florey
David Mascetti
Elizabeth Culver
Greg
Jamie White
Jay Swartz
Jenness Gardner
Jeremy Dawson
Joe Laska
Ken Hirsh
Lisa Crotty
Melanie Andrich
Melissa Lucas
Nathaniel Bauernfeind
Paul Delaney
Rick Keeler
Robyn Metcalfe
Rush
Sami Samhuri
Thomas McIlheran

OCTOBER 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Aaron Cain
Aaron Wade
Aaron Wilson
Abbie Berg
Abraham Benrubi
Achint Srivastava
Adam Clark
Adam Stofsky
Adam W
Ailie Fraser
AJ Schuster
Alan Kress
Alan Maass
Alex
Alex Miller
Alexander
Alexander Polson
Alison Dugan
Amanda Furlotti
Andrew Baker
Andrew Fair
Andrew Hofer
Angela Livingstone
Anthony Mentz
Arjun Sharma
Aruni Jayatilleke
Ashley
Bea
Ben Stein
Bernard Khoo
Betsy Barre
Bill Thornton
Bonnie Prinsen
Brad Callahan
Brendan McLeod
Brett Douville
Brian Amoebas
Brian Rinckenberger
Brian John Peter
Bruno Gaeta
Carlos Lerner
Caro Field
Catherine Clause
cbalmain
Charles McGee
Cheryl Wilke
Chris K
Chris Remo
Christian Hessmann
Christopher Selby Spink
Clare Holberton
Claudia Carty
Clint McElroy
Colin Hodo
Dallas Hockley
Dan Cutter
Dani
Daniel Kaberon
Daniel Markoff
Daniel Nervo
Dave Douglass
Dave Kolas
dave malloy
Dave Sharpe
David
David
David Futter
David Joske
David Noah
David Stroud
Deebs
Dent Earl
Dermot Crowley
Dhu Wik
Diane Hughes
Diane Turner
Dick Morgan
Donald Mackie
Doreen Carlson
Doug Belew
Douglas H Frazer
Dr Arthur A Gray
E Margaret Warton
Edward Steen
Eoin de Burca
Eric Helm
Eric Prestemon
eric sp
Eric Stone
Erik
Ethan Bauman
Ethan Laser
Freddy Freeman
Gary Pierce
Gavin Doig
Geraldine Butler
Glenn Jackson
Grettir Asmundarson
Henry Mindlin
HiddenJester
Ian Karmel
Ian Pidd
Inmar Givoni
irritable
James
James Johnson
James McMurry
Jamie
Janice Berry
Jason Pratt
Jeff
Jeff Ulm
Jeffrey Bean
Jeffrey Olson
Jennifer Bush
Jez
Jim Sellers
Joe Gallo
John Berry
john halpin
Jonathan Daniels
Jordan Gatenby
Joseph Romero
Josh Singer
Joshua Hill
JRRJ
Julie Kellman
Justin McElroy
Karma Jay
Kaya Woodall
Kayla Russell
Kellen Steffen
Kelli Brockington
KenIsWearingAHat
Kenneth Jung
Kevin Marcelo
Kevin Potter
Kevin Stafford
Kym Griffith
Lauren Knotts
Lauren Reay
Lawrence
Lee R.
LG
Linda Duffy
Lisa Turner
Lottie Aron
Luigi Boccia
M Shane Borders
Margaret McReynolds
Martín Salías
Mathias Schmidt
Matt Betzel
Matthew Jones
Max
max barnes
Melanie Stivers
Melissa Kuhns
Melmaniac
Merv Adrian
Meryl Allison
Michael
Michael Berman
Michael Casner
Michael Singer
Michael Wisnosky
Michelle Laughran
mino capossela
Misty Haisfield
mjs
Monica St. Angelo
Mordok’s Vape Pen
Naomi Watson
Nathan Gouwens
Nell Morse
Ol Parker
Pascal Rueger
Paul Bigelman
Paul Wayper
Peter Harding
PhantomMare
Philip Kelly
Portland Eye Care
Princess of Whales
R J Helow
Rachel
Rand LeShay
Randal Vegter
Randy Souza
Richard Sneddon
Richard Toller
Rishi Sahay
Rob Tsuk
Robert Granat
Robert Heuer
RsP
Ryan Rairigh
Sarah Vetters
Sean Murphy
Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble
Simon Hellman
STEPHEN
Stephen Tsoneff
Stephen Wolkwitz
Steve B
Steve Martino
Steve Paquin
Stu Baker
Suzanne Crawford
Sy Jacobs
Tanner Morton
TB
Thomas
Tim Rosenwong
Tim Sheehan
Tom Coleman
Tucker Ped
Wendy Gilchrist
Whit Sidener
Wiggy Hash
Zach Putnam
Zak Remer