4 minute read
Opinion
Zipporah Pruitt | Staff Writer
Messianic, satanic, no matter what you call them, they love to play the blues. The Rolling Stones, or Stones, blew the roof off of Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium on Oct. 17, 2021 as they played the second of their two shows in Los Angeles.
Their 2019 “No Filter” Tour was the last tour the Stones had with drummer Charlie Watts before his passing on Aug. 24, 2021. Watts underwent a medical procedure and took time off the tour to recover, appointing New Barbarians drummer Steve Jordan to take his place during the tour.
Arguably, Jordan is a more than adequate replacement to take over Watts' drumming role, considering his musical expertise and relationship with Watts and the other Stones.
Jordan knew Watts for several years and has performed some Stones’ songs as a drummer for original Stone, Keith Richards’ side project X-Pensive Winos. Watts, the original drummer of the Stones, is known by many as one of the greatest drummers of all time, and his drumming has been praised as more clean and precise than other drummers. Watts appointed Jordan to fill in for the 2021 “No Filter” tour in the U.S., and his appointment of Jordan speaks to his belief that Jordan is a more than adequate drummer.
In a statement released by the band on Aug. 8, 2021, Watts said, “I really do not want the many fans who have been
Zipporah Pruitt | The Corsair
The Rolling Stones open their concert at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif .on October 17, 2021.
holding tickets for this tour to be disappointed by another postponement or cancellation. I have therefore asked my great friend Steve Jordan to stand in for me.”
Jordan, while not the relaxed and calm jazz drummer that Watts was known as, commands respect as a drummer. Conversely, Jordan is a thunderous and energetic presence onstage. He has performed with a number of legendary artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Jon Batiste, Bruno Mars, and Beyoncè.
Stones superfan, Larry Johnson, who has been to almost every Stones concert in California since 1972 said about Watts’ death, “I think Charlie did his job and did it very well and he was okay with that. Charlie was a cornerstone of the Stones and sadly I would be okay if the Stones called it quits after Charlie’s death. They have nothing to prove.”
This is a stance many take as the original drummer, Watts, was an integral part of The Rolling Stones. While Jordan has big shoes to fill, he is more than capable of taking over Watt’s duties as drummer for the band.
As many fans wonder what is next after the death of Watts, some believe that the band is close to calling it quits and hanging up their guitars.
Just as a rolling stone gathers no moss, these rock stars will keep rolling on, remembering the legacy of their great drummer, while also making great strides towards the future.
War On Homelessness in Los Angeles
Rashno Razmkhah | Social Media Editor
On Oct. 27, Los Angeles (L.A.) Council President Nury Martinez implemented the 41.18 resolution in the Van Nuys area. Section 41.18 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code prohibits “sitting, lying, and sleeping in public areas.'' Implementing laws that criminalize homelessness is no more than an act of war towards people that are suffering from circumstances beyond their control. Now, law enforcement can arrest and fine the homeless for doing what is necessary to simply exist.
According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, “homelessness starts rising when median rents in a region exceed 22% of median income… in Los Angeles, the median rent is 46.7% or nearly half of median income.” This means that the average income in L.A. is not keeping up with the city’s extreme rent prices, causing more people to fall victim to homelessness every day.
Tanya Myers, a resident of Aetna Street in Van Nuys, has faced homelessness 14 times within the last 29 years. Along with her husband and 21 year old son, Myers was placed at an apartment in Nov. 2019 with the help of L.A. Family Housing, a housing subsidy.
There, she had to tolerate poor ventilation conditions and dehumanizing treatment from the building owners. Additionally, L.A. Family Housing failed to complete routine housing inspections and provide them with the proper resources.
Once Myers and her family were evicted from said apartment, they were back on the streets of L.A. due to the high rent prices. “You don't even have to make affordable housing, just make what is available, affordable,” she said in regards to what the city can do amid the continuous housing crisis. Myers' husband, who was diagnosed with skin cancer, and her son, who suffers from seizures regularly, do not receive consistent treatment through MediCal. These issues do not apply to Myers specifically, but rather the entirety of the homeless community.
Some members of the unhoused community still aim to complete their education in spite of their unstable living conditions which is why Santa Monica College (SMC) has partnered up with Safe Place for Youth in order to connect students facing housing insecurity with the proper resources.
Sarah Fay, the Campus Peer Navigator at SMC provided some options that students may look out for if they are faced with housing insecurity, “there are two places that are more student-focused, The Opportunity House and Shower of Hope”.
Both of these organizations specialize in helping the homeless community by providing necessary resources. To get in contact with Sarah, email sfay@ safeplaceforyouth.org or call 424-4280159.
While temporary housing through social programs are band-aids for bullet wounds, it is essential to continue to advocate for the basic needs of the unhoused members of the surrounding communities and demand policy change against laws that criminalize unhoused persons such as section 41.18 as a more long term solution.
