Photo Courtesy of Billy Joseph
The Army of Love, from left: Austin Nicholsen, bass, vocals; Nick Kirgo (seated) guitars, vocals; Billy Joseph, guitar, lead vocals; Shelly O’Neill, percussion, vocals (seated); Sean McMorris, drums, vocals.
“One More Gone” was written by Billy Joseph after witnessing the video of George Floyd being killed in broad daylight in front of three police officers doing nothing to stop it. Recorded by Billy Joseph & The Army of Love, the track was released along with a music video worldwide on Martin Luther King Day: January 18, 2021.
The intention of the song is to shine a light on the urgent need for police reform and an end to any racism that exists, either consciously or unconsciously, in this world. The aim is not to vilify the police or any one group, but to unite all of us in taking responsibility for positive change that will unify our country and override the great division sown over the history of the United States of America and amplified in recent years, and which threatens the very health of our mighty and influential country.
The song, “One More Gone,” is a call to remember our priorities here: respect for every single life, and the vital need to see things from a broader perspective than just our own, based on the understanding that we deepen connections when we embrace our differences and, in doing so, strengthen our nation.
Same old, same old song?
One more gone, yeah one more gone
You know it’s wrong
It’s always wrong
Life ain’t long, no life ain’t long
And now one more’s gone
Who should not be gone
Following decades of diverse musical explorations, Billy Joseph & The Army of Love came together in 2018 with the idea of making Rock & Folk & Soul music with flow, vibe, improvisatory interplay, and vocal harmonies at the forefront. Billy’s uncompromising songwriting craft unites him with guitarist Nick Kirgo, bassist Austin Nicholsen, drummer Sean McMorris, and vocalist/percussionist Shelly O’Neill, who all share a deep passion for the poetry, catharsis, and pure and simple joy of song. It is their mission, as an Army of Love, to share that passion with fellow music lovers across the world. n
Contact Billy Joseph at: (310) 433-1279; bombaybill@gmail.com; billyjoseph.com.
