Where did the moniker bikodds come from?
I am a big Peter Gabriel fan. I saw him for the first time at Poplar Creek near Chicago in 1986. He ended the show with the song, "Biko".
The drums started the song. He gave an explanation about the atrocities of apartheid in South Africa and how Steven Biko died as a prisoner of the regime that was trying to stop his rhetoric. I didn't know anything about this, but it got me thinking about social justice issues. He challenged us to keep his memory alive. To stand up for atrocities in the world. To rebel against the status quo when the status quo is going down the wrong path.
The song ended with just the drummer and the entire crowd singing the chant long after the other musicians left the stage. I was forever inspired at this moment.
The song was written in 1980 as the final song on his third solo album.
The movie, "Cry Freedom" came out in 1987 which told the story of Steven Biko and featured the Peter Gabriel song and Denzel Washington as the leading role. Here is a link to the video of the song.
https://youtu.be/luVpsM3YAgw
My initials are BK and some of my friends would call me biko as a nickname. Then I became a dentist - hence the "dds". When email became a thing, my email address became bikodds@gmail.com.
I still get chills when I hear this song.
"You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire,
Once the flames begin to catch, the wind will blow it higher" PG, 1980
Peter Gabriel used his status as a songwriter and performer to stand for a cause that was important to him, He used his platform to create positive change in the world - to light a match. I try to follow his lead and do the same.
I am a big Peter Gabriel fan. I saw him for the first time at Poplar Creek near Chicago in 1986. He ended the show with the song, "Biko".
The drums started the song. He gave an explanation about the atrocities of apartheid in South Africa and how Steven Biko died as a prisoner of the regime that was trying to stop his rhetoric. I didn't know anything about this, but it got me thinking about social justice issues. He challenged us to keep his memory alive. To stand up for atrocities in the world. To rebel against the status quo when the status quo is going down the wrong path.
The song ended with just the drummer and the entire crowd singing the chant long after the other musicians left the stage. I was forever inspired at this moment.
The song was written in 1980 as the final song on his third solo album.
The movie, "Cry Freedom" came out in 1987 which told the story of Steven Biko and featured the Peter Gabriel song and Denzel Washington as the leading role. Here is a link to the video of the song.
https://youtu.be/luVpsM3YAgw
My initials are BK and some of my friends would call me biko as a nickname. Then I became a dentist - hence the "dds". When email became a thing, my email address became bikodds@gmail.com.
I still get chills when I hear this song.
"You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire,
Once the flames begin to catch, the wind will blow it higher" PG, 1980
Peter Gabriel used his status as a songwriter and performer to stand for a cause that was important to him, He used his platform to create positive change in the world - to light a match. I try to follow his lead and do the same.
![]() |
"PG Plays Live" |