Music: Dead Pioneers – “Freedom Means Something”: Punk, Power, and Indigenous Resistance

Dead Pioneers emerged as a bold extension of vocalist and performance artist Gregg Deal’s creative vision — a project that fuses music with critical cultural commentary. Rooted in themes of identity, resistance, and reclamation, the band’s sound channels the raw intensity of punk and alternative rock into a visceral statement of Indigenous experience.

Completed by Josh Rivera and Abe Brennan on guitars, Lee Tesche (Algiers) on bass, and Shane Zweygardt on drums, Dead Pioneers operate at the intersection of art and activism. Their music confronts the lingering legacies of colonization, systemic marginalization, and cultural erasure, transforming pain and defiance into collective empowerment. Through Deal’s commanding presence and the band’s unrelenting energy, Dead Pioneers create space for survival, solidarity, and truth — proving that art and resistance are inseparable forces.

“Freedom Means Something” is an explosive anthem that challenges the sanitized idea of liberty often celebrated in mainstream culture. Built on urgent guitars, defiant rhythms, and Deal’s uncompromising vocals, the song demands listeners to examine who freedom truly serves and at what cost. It’s both a protest and a reclamation — a sonic confrontation that turns rage into resolve, reminding us that freedom without justice means nothing at all.

Band Page: https://www.instagram.com/dead.pioneers/?hl=en