Article: Russell Brand on Revolution, Fighting Inequality, Addiction, Militarized Policing & Noam Chomsky

AMY GOODMAN: -- he edited a issue of the New Statesman. He spoke at Occupy Democracy -- that's what an Occupy movement here in Britain is called, in London. Tell us about that music.

RUSSELL BRAND: Oh, well, what happened was, is that a thing started in our country where people were like saying -- in my book, they said I'm loquacious and verbose, because I use long words. I love long words. In fact, I love all sorts of different words. I like specificity of language. I like hip-hop. I like Shakespeare. I like things where people use language well. So people, I think, to try and exclude me from the debate, posh people went, "Well, when you hear someone with that accent talking and using long words, one can imagine 'Parklife' being shouted" -- in a reference to a 1994 Britpop anthem called "Parklife." So I thought, ah, all right, I'll do this song. So, me and these lads, The Rubberbandits, these Irish lads, the hip-hop group, did a version of "Parklife" where we refocused on the issues, issues such as austerity, decline of public services and the ineffectiveness of our current leaders and system.

AMY GOODMAN: Well, your book is getting a lot of positive reviews. The New York Times Book Review --

RUSSELL BRAND: And at times being savaged!

AMY GOODMAN: New York Times Book Review said "a relentless ride" -- well, no, this was actually about My Booky Wook, your previous book.

RUSSELL BRAND: Yeah, this one, people can't wade into it hard enough.

AMY GOODMAN: "A relentless ride...The bloke can write." And Dwight Garner of The New York Times said, "I laughed out loud at least a dozen times."

RUSSELL BRAND: "Before I opened it."

AMY GOODMAN: That was --

RUSSELL BRAND: That's a Groucho Marx joke.

AMY GOODMAN: But I want to go to your moment in American media -- you've had many, but this one was your appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe last year, with co-host Mika Brzezinski introducing you by saying, quote, "He's a really big deal, I'm told. I'm not very pop-cultured, I'm sorry," and another co-host -- well, that was Katty Kay, your countrywoman here from Britain -- she does BBC in the United States -- Katty Kay continually referring to you as Willy or Willy Brandt, right, the former German chancellor. About six minutes into the interview, the bottom of the screen reads, quote, "Russell Brand Takes Over, Dominating the MJ Set." This is a clip.