The universe loves balance, and in dark times, the light shines brightly, but only here and there. In Santa Cruz, for 40 years, our constant spark has been carried forth by the Banana Slug String Band. They are both a beloved kids’ quartet—with catchy songs, sing-alongs and goofy humor— as well as four dyed-in-the-wool environmentalist troubadours who exhibit a subversive Deadhead sense of humor.
From Pete Seeger to Woody Guthrie, who raised their voices about social issues and land ownership, to Bob Geldof, the ultimate anti-rock star whose Live Aid campaign put eyes on the Ethiopian famine in the ’80s, musicians sometimes have had an activist bent. Sure, Sting sang about rainforests and Alanis Morissette rallied for eco-friendly CD covers, but those high-caliber legacy acts are dabblers in social change, at best.
Meanwhile, in the trenches of environmental work—constantly pushing a giant spotted owl up a steep hill, every day, inch by inch—resides the Banana Slug String Band.
Four Banana, Three Banana, Two Banana, One
They are no different than any other band, except for their sheer endurance: 40 years, four men, four distinct characters. Doug “Dirt” Greenfield, “Airy” Larry Graff, “Solar” Steve Van Zandt and “Marine” Mark Nolan each inhabit a precise image—like Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper and Snork, but more elemental than the Banana Splits.
Inhabiting the space of Earth, Air, Sun and Water, they become archetypes, the Major Arcana of forgotten Tarot, and personifications of everything that surrounds us. The trick is mixing everything into a stew of humor, good intentions and musical hooks that only human brains get stuck on.
They have toured the world, and been heard by millions, but how does a local troupe of good-doers endure for 40 years?
“How do we sustain this?” Doug Dirt asks. “All the children and families who have supported us. For 40 years we have seen positive changes in our fans. We hear about teachers that use the music in their classrooms. It’s just amazing. The impact that we’ve had, and the breadth and depth of that impact on children and families, for decades. For generations.
“It’s the people that keep us going through the darkness,” Doug Dirt sums up.
On the Eve of Destruction
Back in the 1980s, environmentalism was a dirty word. The Reagan administration made much over-the-top posturing about being environmentally conscious while selling our gas, coal and oil, on protected lands, to the highest bidder. And let’s not forget President Reagan’s quotes: “Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do,” and “You’ve seen one tree, you’ve seen them all.”
Slithering, very slowly, into the fray that Rachel Carson warned us about in 1962 came the Banana Slug String Band.
Saving trees, clean water and air might not be a top priority these days, but that’s nothing new. “Back when we first started, there were a lot of gloom-and-doom songs about the planet. We even wrote a few ourselves,” Airy Larry says. “But we made a conscious decision that we weren’t going to go that route. I remember us even discussing it—that we wanted to keep our message upbeat and positive, and focused not on the problems, but more on the appreciation of the natural world.”
Airy Larry might be the most recognizable (sorry, Doug) of the foursome, with his work in Santa Cruz bands like Painted Mandolin, but Airy Larry isn’t just a Santa Cruz Sufi spinner’s best friend: He, and the rest of the band, are beloved around the world.
Are You Ready for a Brand New Beat?
Watching a show, you might be fooled into thinking that the sugary exterior is all there is, and you would be wrong. The Banana Slug String Band integrates as much kinetic movement—craft theatre, glimmering costumes, endearing puppets, interactive sing-along—as possible into their performance. Truly flooding the zone. At every show, it’s no time at all before the audience is spontaneously adding their own flourish and dance.
“The kids,” Airy Larry says, “are the fire that keep us going. You can see it in their eyes. Children naturally love the earth. It brings them such joy. It’s a natural, beautiful thing about being a human, that given the right amount of love and attention, people can move out of feeling fear all the time. That’s the space we try to create.”
“Granted, we act very silly and present it to them in the way that we do,” Airy Larry admits, adding, “Kids get it, they get it all. And they respond in such a way that is fueling me. Fuels me! This makes my heart soar and it just recharges me.”
Nobody’s Right if Everybody’s Wrong
There have been highly manipulated lines drawn in our society on climate change, despite the fact that up to 99.9% of scientists agree that “something” is happening in our climate, and humans—us—most likely have something to do with it. And in public discourse, even talking about clean water and air can be incredibly divisive.
The Banana Slug String Band, performing in all states, of all colors, circumvents the politicization of our environment with this slogan: One Team, One Planet.
We are all on the same team. Everyone. Including crabs. They sing about crabs. Yes, they are pro-crab.
Marine Mark, like all of the members, has been involved in teaching about environmentalism to children and parents since the early days.
“Looking at tide pools, watching sunsets, going whale watching and going bird watching. We talk to kids about things like that. We like to sing about things that are inspiring. The most radical thing we do is encourage young people to go outside and discover the beauty of our planet. Then, they can decide what they want to do with it,” Marine Mark says.
Anyone who watches the Banana Slug String Band gets caught up in their engaging lyrics, melodies and costumes. Solar Steve understands that the best way to get a message across is to not be afraid to be silly.
“We always sing with humor, and it’s evident that we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We will dress in crab costumes, the kids will dress like crabs, and we make fun of everything,” Solar Steve says.
Can You See the Real Me?
If there is one quality about the Banana Slug String Band that shines brighter than the others, it’s their authenticity.
“Authenticity is a great word and I’m glad you used that word, because I try to,” Marine Mark says. “I use that word when I’m doing workshops with naturalists. It works best if you’re authentic. Then the spark of creativity can come through our music. We try to create unity through the messages in our songs.”
The messages in the music are clear from some of the Banana Slug String Band’s more than a dozen past album titles: Food Chain, Only One Ocean, We All Live Downstream and—most recently—Pollinator Nation. The latter will be available on CD at the group’s 40th anniversary show at the Rio Theatre this Saturday.
The CD’s underlying theme is that we are all connected. “All” meaning the planet and all of its inhabitants. Divisions are human made. And while social media tries its hardest to make us feel isolated, there is a truth. And the truth is, we are one.
Doug Dirt, the big Kahuna of the band, spouts his philosophy on keeping it together in difficult times. “You have to try and look at the world and feel hope. Aim for love, humor and happiness.”
The Banana Slug String Band will celebrate their 40th anniversary with a performance at 4pm on Saturday, March 29 at the Rio Theatre 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz. Advance tickets are $30 ($15 under 12), plus $5 service charge. Visit snazzyproductions.com.
