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Fighting for Human Rights One Song at a Time!
“A Punch in the gut!” That’s how the band’s charismatic lead songwriter and singer, turned Human Right Activist, describes his music. With his powerfully colorful voice and the emotional intensity he brings to his songwriting, as Apollo Alexander puts it, ”At least that’s how I feel when I write it. I purge my emotions so when others spin my songs they can purge theirs too.” Apollo and his band likes to make it real with a sound that mixes Power Pop with Rock in a stew that paints a picture of reality that is as poetic as it is raw. Known for it’s high murder rate, Apollo was raised in the hard streets of Kansas City. Says Apollo, “When you have to fight just to get to school you learn a lot about yourself, people and life. But it also toughened me up so I could bring music to the world and sing about things that matter to me. In my opinion artist, beside being entertainers, should also be the Super Hero voices of the people exposing the ills of society!”
Apollo recalls a number of events that turned his music into a channel for fighting for Human Rights. He says,“I remember when I was a kid being pushed to the ground by a bunch of thugs! I was getting beat up, bad. When I looked up I was being pummeled with fists pouring down upon me in a rain of pain. Bruised and humiliated I somehow got the courage to start fighting` back against an overwhelming force. From that day on I became a fighter! Music became my way to channel that fighter. So I know what it’s like to get beaten down. What it’s like to be a victim.”
The final straw for Apollo came when he played at a concert to benefit the family of a 12 year old girl who was found in a dumpster murdered with both arms severed. Says Apollo, “I thought, what kind of monster would do such a thing. I knew, right then and there, that I would use my music to fight monsters. And there are monsters everywhere in the world repressing human rights and destroying the dignity of the individual.” This fueled Apollo’s social activism for the under dog and becoming very vocal about his political views, ”As a Human Rights activist artist I’ll write songs about peace and justice as well as love songs. There are forces in the world that want to divide us into race and class, in both politics and religion. Our people need to put a stop to this divide and conquer strategy perpetrated by the enemies of humanity and find common ground. Historically, artists have been the voice of the common person to push back against the forces of darkness that would enslave us. I believe it’s an obligation for artists to take up the mantle for the rights of those that support our art and livelihood.”
“I was raised around music and helping others in need” says Apollo. “When I was a kid I used to listen to my father play harmonica and sing the blues late into the night. I would listen to folk music OGs like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and music from the 60’s my parents would to listen to about fighting for human rights.I was raised by a Father who would drive around in poor sometimes dangerous neighborhoods delivering bread to the needy from out of the back trunk of his car. Recently I thought about the music of today and somehow I feel music has lost its way, especially rock. I had this revelation that all along rock’s true purpose or destiny was to take the social consciousness of folk music and blast that message out loud and in your face with screaming guitars, thunderous drums and rhythms!” However, Apollo states, “I also like rock to be fun and glamorous as well! While rock has evolved musically at the same time, it has also lost its sense of direction. Many people say rock is dead and not charting like Rap music. Maybe that’s the reason……rock has lost its pop, its consciousness!”
Apollo and The Human Nation likes to mix musical influences much like that of a Cajun Gumbo. Synthesizing many of the great movements in Rock and Roll history into their music, ATHN creates a unique blend that is as modern as it is traditional. It’s a musical exploration that takes the listener on a journey with a sound that varies between straight up Power Pop to Alternative,Classic Rock and even Punk. As Apollo describes it, “I put a little bit of this and a little bit of that in my music. I see myself as a sponge, soaking up different types of music from different periods. When I am writing music somehow, at least subconsciously, I’m wondering what it would be like to mix Panic at the Disco, Blink 182 and Green Day with Greta Van Fleet, Lenny Kravitz, Aerosmith and even Elton John.” Rap figures as well in his Urban influences with Kanye and Drake as well as OG’s such as Tupac and Dr Dre! Says Apollo, ”All kinds of music will bleed into my creativity not just musically but in attitude as well.”
A Film and Television major in college, Apollo writes and directs his own music videos. Apollo describes translating his songs into a Video, ”My songs are very visual and videos allow me to express my ideas through pictures.” The video for his song “Bitch” has a number of different plot lines stacked on top of each other. Says Apollo, ”One story line is the guy being cheated on by his girlfriend. Another he’s also a struggling Graffiti artist who takes his frustration out in his art. Then he and his band also get abducted by a UFO that turns them all into Aliens and at the end they all take off in a flying saucer!”
Apollo finds much inspiration through his passion for sci-fi. Apollo muses, “I’ve probably seen every Star Trek and Star Wars Movie ever made! As a little kid I use to tell my brothers and sisters UFO stories at night until we all fell asleep. To top it off I finally got to see a real Star ship! One night this UFO came flashing through the sky like a sparkling disco ball. As I watched breathlessly, it split into 3 smaller ships and then came back together again just as quickly! It was like an arial show of some fantastic technology and I was there to witness it. My Star Trek dream had come true!”
With that, Apollo and his band’s first ”punch in the gut” release, is a raging Power Pop single called,“BITCH!” In the vain of Olivia Rodrigo’s song,”Get Him Back,” the song rips into a story of jaded love, anger and the pain of betrayal. Apollo states, “I don’t like writing softball songs. I want get to the heart of the matter and sing lyrics the way people really talk and feel, like me and my friends do. So when they hear it, it’s like they could have written the song themselves! Like Bitch. It’s about a guy who wants to mess around on his girlfriend but she messes around on him instead. It’s about sexual freedom for women. Women today have been so victimized, sexually and otherwise. The Goddess is returning and she’s powerful! Every woman has a “Bitch” inside of them that can be an expression of their own personal power.”
This self proclaimed, “Pop Revolutionist” describes his Band, The Human Nation, “It’s a concept band really, serving as a rallying cry for uniting and bringing people together through music. We want to create socially relevant music and art that inspires and transforms people’s lives and do it in a fun, glamorous and entertaining way! These days pop music seems so dark, how bout a little light!” His all girl band is part Band and part Performance Art. Says Apollo, “In our band we are all playing Super Hero type characters we want to emulate and also inspire our audience to step into their Super Hero as well to help save the planet!” For instance, Apollo is the Defender of the Weak, Athena-Protector of the Earth, Ravenhood- Defender of Justice, Andromeda-Protector of Humanity and Diana-Defender of the Innocent! “I know it may sound corny to some but on our website we have suggestions on how to serve your community and help save the planet! The Human Nation is more than a band and anyone can be a member as long as they are willing to take a stand for justice to make the world a better place to live in for everybody not just a few at the top!”
With the release of their single,”BITCH,” well......brace for impact! Point made!
QUICK PITCH (250 WORDS)
“A Punch in the gut!” That’s how this Urban Rock Poet Apollo Alexander describes his band’s music. ”At least that’s how I feel when I write it. I purge my emotions so when others spin my songs they can purge theirs too.“ Apollo and The Human Nation like to make it real with a sound that mixes Power Pop with Rock in a stew that paints a picture of reality that is as poetic as it is raw.
Synthesizing many of the great movements in Rock and Roll history into his music, Apollo and The Human Nation create a unique blend that is as modern as it is traditional. A musical exploration that takes the listener on a journey with a sound that varies between straight up Power Pop to Alternative, Classic Rock and even Punk Rock styling. Says Apollo, ”When I am writing music somehow, at least subconsciously, I’m wondering what it would be like to mix Panic at the Disco, Blink 182 and Green Day with Greta Van Fleet, Lenny Kravitz, Aerosmith and even Elton John!
What characterizes the band the most is their charismatic lead singer with his powerfully colorful voice and the emotional intensity he brings to his songwriting. With that, their first release is a raging Power Pop single called, BITCH!” In the vain of Olivia Rodrigo’s song, ”Get Him Back,” the song rips into a story of jaded love, anger, betrayal and the sexual freedom of women. With the release of ”BITCH,” well......brace for impact! Point made!
QUICK PITCH (50 WORDS)
“A Punch in the gut!” That’s how Lead Singer Apollo Alexander describes the music of his band The Human Nation. Synthesizing many of the great movements in Rock and Roll history into their music that varies between straight up in your face Power Pop to Classic Rock,Alternative and Punk.
