I was checking out Pigeons and Planes when I came across quite an interesting video. The video shows a homeless man (nicknamed Mustard), covering “Creep” by Radiohead. It was recorded on the Opie and Anthony show. Apparently they do a segment where they pick a homeless person off of the street and buy them clothes. Mustard was chosen for it and mentioned that he was a musician.
They gave him a guitar, and this was the result:
http://www.vimeo.com/8132302I gotta say, it is quite a powerful performance. This man sings the lyrics with passion, and meaning. Thanks to Pigeons and Planes for finding this!!!! Let’s make this guy the next viral video celebrity!
47 Comments
i’ve seen this guy do this in washington square park he’s the man
that dude was awesome.
I thought it was gonna be entertaining because it was so bad. I was so surprised. Thanks for the linkback
So niiiice.
I love what Jason said “he’s the man”.
That’s amazing! Thanks for sharing. Also really enjoy reading your blog
This is epic! if i saw this guy, i would give him a $20
Mustard probably always wanted a chance to making a lasting “footprint” … to make a difference in someone’s life … to matter to someone … well, he succeeded. I hope this video does go viral not only to let the world hear Mustard’s heart speak but to remind the record business what music is all about.
Thank you, Mustard … thank you (thanks Will for posting this)
I just found the link to 4 songs that Daniel Mustard did:
http://opieandanthony.tumblr.com/post/286862717/mustard-audio
Oh, isn’t that special.
You’re kidding. Right?
Taking a homeless person, dressing him up to be “presentable” then using him as, essentially, an organ grinder’s monkey.
Did they find him a home or give him a meal or change his situation for the better in ANY way that doesn’t serve the media?
Uh, no. Probably not.
Giving him “a twenty” would be insulting.
How about giving him a real hand up instead of a hand out?
People who find this type of “entertainment” lifting or redeeming need a better education on how we treat each other. I doubt Mustard gets residuals or holiday cards from O & A. And if they passed him again in WP, would they bother to acknowledge him more than a wave and a walk-by?
The next time you see a homeless person of either gender, ask yourself what it would be like if that person were you?
Sorry..the only reason this guy is in the studio is that he is homeless. I guess that’s an advantage when you want to showcase lower than average musical talent. Shave this losers beard and put a clena set of clothes on his dirty ass and he will never see a second again in the spotlight. The pity factor got him some airtime. Now go back to your dumpster you fucking LOSER.
@Tony
You are an asshole.
Thanks,
the rest of the human population
@TONY Wow, internet anonymity sure is cool..
@ROSIE And Rosie, why don’t you just assume more. Given that you don’t listen to the show, nor I assume would you enjoy it if you did – you would have no idea that Opie is doing his best to get Mustard sobered up enough to record his tracks for a small cd that he can make some money off of.
But you are right, it’s 100% profiteering on the part of the on air folks, and they surely don’t give these guys hot meals and money for food or clothes whenever they’re on the show. I’m SURE they never ever take them to the doctor.
They’re not going to invite them into their damn apartments to live, but give them a little something to make their lives potentially better… it’s more than I ASSUME (see how easy it is to do that) you and I have done combined.
It should be obvious I’m a fan of their show by now, but in knowing their show, I don’t have to assume that they are the assholes you assume they are. I KNOW what they do.
This is boring. TONY’s kinda right.
Heh, it may be boring to you but it’s a pretty cool story to me. James H hit the nail on the head!
Everyone has their gift, they just need a chance to show it to the world. Thanks for sharing.
Rosie is a fool.
Opie and Anthony get a BUSSLOAD of homeless EVERY WINTER and spend HUNDREDS of dollars on them. It just so happens Mustard can play music.
How about you open your mind and listen to the show before you baaaaaa like the rest of the sheep.
I stumbled on this and have been pimping it out for the last week. I wish that this guy could get some love from the people in the business that could change his life.
Rosie,
I see where you were trying to come from with your point, but James H is right about O&A. They do a lot of stuff for these people.
Tony,
You could say the only reason any musician gets noticed is because they were in the right place at the right time. How many bands have you seen that weren’t signed, yet were better than half the signed artists out there. Who cares why he got notices. If you judge him honestly on his talent, he has a cool style and a good raspy bluesy type voice. The point that is being made about him is the fact that he is a talented guy, and could easily have a record contract if he could keep himself cleaned up.
that was great. i love radiohead, and this dude haha
If more people showed this much heart when they sang…the radio wouldnt be full of sellouts…and we could get back to the true gritty meaning of what music and expression is all about…
as a formerly “homeless person” , I find Rosie O’s comments absolutely condescending. get off your sanctimonious soap-box, already
Sounds good to me.
This video is great. theres a lot of passion in those words. did anyone think that maybe this Mustard gentleman preferred to live the life he lives?
I don’t personally know him so I can’t say, but I know people that live a nomadic lifestyle that is liken to being homeless and they have chosen to live that way.
Whether or not Mustard feels this way, the video is amazing and I hope he has a fulfilling life.
Woah! That, I must say, is “fucking special” indeed! Everything from the performance to how the lyrics connect with being homeless and the amazing delivery this man offers, it’s winsome in the highest degree. Someone get this man a record deal!
Hes awesome!
I just liked the humanity of it.
Sure the fact he’s a bum adds to that, if Brad Pitt sang the same song it wouldn’t have the same effect. But Mustard chose the song, chose how to sing it. It’s obvious from the performance it meant something to him, and that helps in the deliverance of meaning to us the audience.
This project can only help awareness (and I mean that fully) of homelessness; by transforming the anonymous silhouttes of people we see on the street into people who has a real power to move our emotions as Mustard today did (for me at the least).
why do people have to be so fucking mean on the internet? No one gave that dude a “handout.” He got some clothing and an opportunity to share his talent by people who want to hear it. Im so glad trolls like rosie and tony have there anonymous forum to post shit on. Cant we just appreciate how fucking cool that was?
I love his voice. I really hate radiohead because of their egos and this shows how much raw talent goes unrecognized.
man…if that is the talent on the street..what the hell are we doing paying for the stars..people like this should be performing this stuff..so much more emotion. Don’t get me wrong.. I really like radiohead, but Mustard has so much passion….
by the way, we should be paying Mustard what we pay Radiohead…just for the passion..
He aint bad.
I agree with rosie to a certain extent in that too often people watch these and feel they can say hollow words such as ‘uplifted’. It reminds me of ‘playing for change’ which sounded great, but left a bitter taste when bono appeared on a song meant to showcase grassroots impoverished talent to win karma capital. A favourite pastime of his. He also sounded like a pretentious dick.
In this case there obviously is a big difference, as some of the other posters have pointed out, with o&a reportedly really doing more than their bit to get the homeless out of poverty. Much more than just a bit admirable.
Mustard here is a great singer, he probably wouldnt get a record contract but he is fantastic.
That doesnt mean that the rest of you who watched this and then felt better about themselves for taking time to listen to a poor man and being ‘moved’ as they heard what they wouldnt normally expect from the bottom and preach of ‘ real passion’, ‘humanity’ and ‘footprints’ are let off though.
You suck balls, you shallow cunts.
Amazing! Shockingly awesome.
Wonderful. It’s nice to see a homeless man being able to show off his talent to the world, especially since he really DOES have a good talent, and really DOES show it well.
Greenchills, you call us ’shallow cunts’, but honestly, you just insulted a bunch of people on the internet for feeling good about watching a homeless man singing with passion. You’re no better than your opinion of them.
To Lulu,
Absolutely not, but then I never pretended to be. I do apologise and repent a bit though, perhaps I was hasty and too rude.
I just think that this man is a great singer and should be judged solely on that. If I heard this guy anywhere I would sit up, his home-ownership status should not, and for me does not, have any bearing on that.
So again I went a tad far with my last critique but I stand by the more general feeling that people tend to like things more if they do not expect the object of thier enamour to be inherently worthy of it. Think of Susan Boyle and the hype around her after everyone laughed when they initially saw her and youll get an idea of what I mean, she wasnt actually all that good, but this was offset by her unconventional physical appearance in the eyes of the nation. I feel a similar thing is happening here is all.
Wow, I really thought he sang the song well. I like the way his voice sounds even though it’s probably a little harsher than it should be from his current situation. Just brilliant!
Thumbs up for this man.
I thought this performance was moving. Mustard’s expressive style isn’t only affecting because he’s homeless, but knowing that he has had some hard knocks gave the whole thing more depth. And then the comments kind of ruined it for me.
I’m with James H. I know a lot of people with Rosie’s attitude, and I think it’s an easy way out. I would rather risk being “sentimental” (even at the potential cost of exploiting someone’s circumstances for the benefit of my own feelings) than delude myself that minding my own business awards people in difficult situations more dignity. Also, HELLO: The guy is a performer, and performers need audiences. He volunteered that he was a musician after he was already promised the new clothes, etc.
Empathy is a hard enough state to achieve without the burden of guilt that any connection we feel is selfish. A performance like this reminds us that people in tough straits are humans of value–and it is only from that place that we can reach out. If I were homeless, I sure as hell would take a new set of clothes and a showcase for my music over being ignored.
The song already makes me emotional, but the context of it being sung here is quite powerful. He sings better then most of the ridiculous pop crap we support now.
i liked his voice and he seemed pretty convincing. ill give 7 / 10
To Shea,
You would rather exploit someone so you could feel good than not exploit someone at all?
Thats a pretty shitty argument.
Thats like saying ‘I would quite like some sex today to make me feel good, oh heres a passed out person. Not having sex with her wouldnt give her any more dignity, I’ll go right ahead.’
SO… anybody out there who happens to be in Mustard’s locale offered to whip up a CD and help him sell it online yet?
I for one was very impressed, loved his style, and could listen to him on a regular basis.
Mustard’s rendition is better. Loved it.
His growl sends shivers down my spine, but in a good way. I love that Mustard’s cover is so raw.
If you want his cover you could always use windows media encoder and record it that way to a sound file.
It would be nice to buy his record if he gets it done though.
He is a great subject for the game “Hipster or Homeless?”
It sounds like radiohead stole this song from him. I propose a make mustard famous movement.
It’s staged