Whatever level of success they are at, indie rockers trying to make headway in the music industry tend to downplay their “day jobs” – or make them an afterthought to their artistic intentions. Multi-talented singer, songwriter and Americana rocker Gary Douglas – frontman for the NYC based Gary Douglas Band – breaks that mold brilliantly, fusing his rebel rock genius and passion for justice as a Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame attorney with his incisive, hard-hitting socially conscious new single “Deep In The Water (Redeux).”
While many artist activitst use songs to chronicle injustice and speak truth to power, Douglas has lived every bit of sweat and soul he pours into this powerhouse track. Produced by Anthony Resta (Duran Duran, Blondie, Elton John), the deeply thoughtful and poetic but also eminently hooky tune – whose original version was the title track to GDB’s 2018 album – is a heartbreaking chronicle of Douglas’ efforts on behalf of multiple plaintiffs battling chemical giant Dupont for injuries sustained by their illegal dumping of the dangerous chemical C8 into the Ohio River. Incredibly, Douglas won a series of record-shattering in the multi-district litigation, resulting in more than $700 million in punitive damages.
All this is pretty heady stuff for a 4 and a half minute single, but its shimmer and grit production and lively ongoing return to the chorus after the biting narrative of the verses makes it an engaging blues-fired rock delight in addition to the hardest hitting, take it to the man song you’ve heard in years. The rough edges around Douglas’ heartfelt vocals add extra emotional heft to the lines before the return to each chorus. First, he sings “Those tears are flowing…” Next, it’s “Those dreams are drowning…” and finally, he and his legion of justice fighters become “your worst nightmare agitators/And we’re rising up from deep in the water…”
It’s a powerful progression, all whetting our whistle for the upcoming feature film Dark Waters (starring Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway), which tells the true story of attorney Robert Billott, who investigated the Dupont cover up of illegal dumping. He brought on Douglas’ firm to defeat Dupont and their corruption. Douglas is referenced in Billott's book Exposure, which the film is based on. It’s a fascinating story for our time, made all the more compelling by Douglas’ dual real life role as a lawyer changing the world through both litigation and music.
Listen to "Deep in the Water (Redeux)": https://open.spotify.com/album/76ZW2caYwAYhu7aBywCkb0
Check out the video below: