Fuck the slug that posted before me, Rick. Pay them no mind. Let's get on with the question.

I have been thinking quite a bit about this question which is why I didn't post before this. I have quite a bit of experience with this, but your question made me think it through instead of just "winging it" as I usually do in these situations. Here is what I come up with. Seems to work for me.

First rule, be yourself. If these young ones are at all similar to the young adults that I have met in these situations, they will spot a phoney in a Toronto second. You walk in there trying to talk like them, dress like them, ......... in other words "trying to relate" by being something you are not, and they will go to sleep on you, at least, and be abusive at worst.

Second rule, show them what you have in common. Communication only occurs when the sphere of your experiences overlaps the sphere of their experiences. Imagine two circles that are apart, then move the circles until they overlap. That space where they do is your opportunity to bridge the gap. I have sat and talked with you for hours on end, and I am telling you that despite the difference in years, you have many things in common with these young ones. Just take the time to find it.

Third rule, get them to focus on the message of the music and don't worry about the delivery. You couldn't do rap if you wanted to and I know you don't. If you have taken care of the first two rules, they will already like you. If you can show them the "message" in your music, they will be hooked. Think about the music of the young people you are talking about here. It is all message driven. Ever notice how much of the music of today has sampling of music from our youth? A fair amount. This music is spawned by the same things that spawned the music of our time, the music of Woody Gutherie, the music of Mother Jones and Big Bill Haywood. Your "relating" to them should come on what you have in common. Talk about the conditions that spawned the music that you are performing.

One good tactic is to pick a couple of the students to interact with, but not exclusively. I usually look for the leader and poke a little fun with him/her. Look for the joker and make a few jokes, the loverboy/girl and tease them. I also look for the quiet one and try to draw him/her out a bit. Some of the best revelations come from these.

I think the most important thing, at least in my experience, is to make damn sure it is a dialogue and not a lecture. Find the way, no matter what, to make sure that this is a conversation with mutually beneficial results. If you it is done right, both you and these young ones walk out with a better, more accurate view of the world.

Bottom line here, my very dear friend, is that you have much more in common with these kids than you realize. I have always found these encounters to be very refreshing and inspirational. Sometimes we old radicals get caught up in the trap of age. We have spent so many years believing a certain set of facts that we alienated ourselves from the ones who are going through their own fires, the same ones that tempered us and made us what we have become. The ability to relate is lost when we forget what that was like or we get caught dwelling on "the old days". I usually end up learning much more from these young ones than I teach them. And it gets me in touch with what is happening now. Many of the "heroes" I see every day are young ones facing more than I ever imagined they would, and dealing with it heroically. Get excited, buddy, you are going to love this if you do it right. I know you will. The fact that you asked this question proves that to me.

Mick