New live video! “Don’t Know Much About Star Wars”

I haven’t been playing a ton of shows recently while I’ve been working on writing a book, but Jamie DeWolf gave me a microphone at Tourettes Without Regrets in Oakland last month and today I discovered there’s video evidence! Here’s my little lighthearted, dark-humored ukulele tune, “Don’t Know Much About Star Wars” that both is and is not about Star Wars, including a new verse I wrote for the occasion. (Thanks to Kenny Hoff for the vid!)

New video! “I’d Rather Be High (Than An Asshole)”

IT’S HERE! Ever since I released Folk In Your Face, I’ve been wanting to make a video for “I’d Rather Be High (Than An Asshole)” and now here it finally is – directed by Jamie DeWolf, featuring some of my favorite Bay Area performers! I wrote this song because not only did marijuana help me quit smoking cigarettes after I got out of the military, it also helped me deal with PTSD and generally be less of an asshole. Video & track credits below. Get the song here!

Two years ago today, I was standing trial in Philadelphia, having being violently arrested and jailed by some adorable-looking park rangers near the Liberty Bell the summer before. I’d been waiting in the 90º shade to play my song “I’d Rather Be High (Than An Asshole)” at a marijuana legalization demonstration later in the afternoon. The rangers had aggressively taken me down after refusing to tell me the reason they were clearing the park, and I later found out it was because they were using that area to process the herb they’d seized from demonstrators. The deep irony of the arrest – that I’d been prevented from playing this song due to the rangers being assholes about a marijuana demonstration – inspired me to release this video today, on the second anniversary of my conviction. And hey, Californians will be voting tomorrow on cannabis legalization! WHAT A COINCIDENCE.

Shot by
Jamie DeWolf and Gabriel Hurley

Edited by
Adam Parmalee

Assistant Director
Sara Shea

Supporting Cast

Angry Commuter Man
Patrick Ohslund

Weed Fairies
Kaila Love
Laika Fox

Sexy Cops
Jesi Ringofire
Wonder Dave
Police Brutality Victim
Duke Bossman

Commuters
Emalee McNally
Scott Kimball
Carrie Jean Miller
Brenna Miller
Jaron Smith

Jesus
Jamie DeWolf

Song Credits

Lyrics & Music by Emily Yates

Ukulele/lead vocals
Emily Yates
Piano
Jordan Feinstein
Dobro
Erik Yates
Backup vocals
Melody Walker & Erik Yates