Song From a 9th Ward Volunteer: "Heart of Darkness"

Early into my 2nd 2-week stay helping out in the 9th Ward of New Orleans, my new friend and fellow volunteer, Quinten Collier, gave me a CD of some songs he'd written and recorded. A few months into his 6-month stay in New Orleans, Quinten found an old reel-to-reel tape recorder buried in a storage closet at Common Ground, the relief organization we both volunteered with. Thus was born the 1-man band Watermelon's recording of "Echo's Bones," a lo-fi 14-song acoustic guitar masterpiece (in my humble opinion). This is the brilliant last song on the CD. Slapped together with video and pics I shot, much of it during "Spring Break in the 9th Ward." Here's a different picture of a generation you're not seeing on MTV or Girls Gone Wild videos.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• New
• Orleans
• Common
• Ground
• Quinten
• Collier
• Bob
• Makela
• volunteering
• activism
• 9th
• ward
• katrina
• watermelon
• love
• spring
• break

[SecondLineNews]

I listen to DemNow! reporting on the murder of black residents at Algiers Point during Katrina, and now I end up watching this video for inspiration, for a contrast to the horrible status quo, and glimpse at what humanity is capable of.

[bmakela13]

I'm glad you like my video. I'm in New Orleans right now and there's still good work being done. Happy holidays to you.

[DivincentM1Dodge]

fucking hippies

[NatalietheDoll]

Thanks for making this and sharing it. One of my friends is in two of the pictures! Common Ground is on Deslonde St now, and I can see some of the stuff from that area in the vid, too. Good work :) God bless.

[jimmobigs55]

Rock on.

[jaredten]

Bob,

Love the video...awesome!!!

[tigerlilygio86]

Hey Bob,

I was in the UIC group that was there when you were. I don't think you know who I am. I was the girl who sang "Amazing Grace" at the open-mic. I just wanted to say that i love the video. Good job at capturing how it truly is down there. I plan on going back to help.