Kyshera - Know Your Enemy

'Know Your Enemy' is an Alternative Rock song and a 2013 B-Side from Kyshera's political 'Made In China' period.

'Know Your Enemy' has a Zeppelin-esque Funk tinged heavy Rock groove, several jumps in tempo, intricate Guitar & Bass riffs and vocal stylings which include singing, screaming & an almost Rap like delivery from Kennedy on verse 2. The song has an obvious Rage Against The Machine influence and perhaps the naming of the song was a hint towards that. Another live favourite due to its relentless funk drum rhythms, double time mosh pit moments & gang vocal chants. Kennedy wrote the song in reaction to the Banking Bailouts of the previous years and the general political climate of the time. Throughout the song, Kennedy references War Crimes, bailouts, corruption and a feeling that voting is useless because 'they're all criminals now'. In the chorus, Kennedy also sings that 'We are many & they are few', a line strikingly similar to what later became the motto for the UK Labour Party under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. The song encourages direct action and a complete disregard for the traditional political process, a view which was popularised a few years later by Russell Brand.

'Know Your Enemy' was released as a free download & Kyshera encouraged people to copy & share the song (and it's message) with as many people as they liked. Kennedy also performed the song acoustically at the gates of the parliament buildings in London with protesters & campaigners from the Occupy Democracy movement, as well as inside the 12 Bar Club on Denmark Street in London, which was the scene of a controversial 'sit in' by protesters who were later forcibly removed by Police - videos and audio recordings can be found online of both performances.

The song is still popular among the politically active due to its slogan orientated lyrics and the fact that many of the points made in the song are still politically relevant today.

LYRICS

Big banks and Big Business Big Government we charge you as guilty Of Treason and Perjury War Crimes and daylight robbery

'Cos they're all criminals now They're all criminals now Left or Right, black or white Same agenda, different lie

But we are many and they are few And we are their biggest fear We don't need to know the answers Just know your enemy Soon

So the middle and the working classes Must stress and toil To pay the bail outs, ever higher taxes And Wars for power and Oil While they loot the planet By force, lies and fear When are we gonna see the systems rigged And our votes will never ever, never ever change it

'Cos they're all criminals now They're all criminals now They're all criminals, don't be a sucker to their political Charade

But we are many and they are few And we are their biggest fear We don't need to know the answers Just know your enemy Soon

They're all criminals now They're all criminals now Left or Right, black or white Same agenda, different lie

I know my enemy & our war is always with me x24