Bob Seger & the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section

Bob Seger has recorded many songs in the 1970s & 1980s with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (MSRS), a group of session musicians in the small town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The core members of the MSRS are Barry Beckett (keyboards), Pete Carr (lead guitar), Jimmy Johnson (rhythm guitar), David Hood (bass) and Roger Hawkins (drums & percussion). I’m writing about their work with Bob Seger covering many of the songs they recorded with him from 1975’s “Beautiful Loser” album to 1980’s “Against the Wind” album. They also did some recording with Bob in the few years before and after this. Bob during this period alternated recording with the MSRS and his own band the Silver Bullet Band (SBB). A few SBB members played with the MSRS as we’ll soon see.

We’re starting with the “Beautiful Loser” album in 1975. The MSRS on this album had a second keyboardist, Spooner Oldham. The title track is a warm melodic ballad. Barry Beckett’s piano has a strong presence. He gives a good piano solo and also plays synth parts. The electric piano rocker “Black Night” is a case where the MSRS is augmented by an SBB member, being lead guitar by Drew Abbott. The electric piano would be played by Barry or Spooner. Drew also played guitar with the MSRS on the rock & roll song “Katmandu”. Barry gives great rock & roll piano including glissandos near the end.

We’re now going to the 1976 “Night Moves” album. The rocker “Sunspot Baby” opens with piano and is joined by guitar. Barry’s piano and Pete’s guitar go well together in this song. Pete has two amazing guitar solos. Roger rocks well with his powerful drumming. Rock ballad “Mainstreet” has incredible guitar by Pete Carr throughout it. Barry is on both piano and organ. David’s bass guitar gives deep notes that enrich the song. The ballad “Ship of Fools” is led by Pete’s acoustic guitar and Barry’s piano. Silver Bullet Band guitarist Drew Abbott plays guitar licks on it.

Sunspot Baby (1976)

Mainstreet (1976)

The following album is 1978’s “Stranger in Town”. The iconic “Old Time Rock & Roll” is written by George Jackson, Thomas Earl Jones III and Bob Seger in an uncredited capacity for re-writing the lyrics. Bob recorded his vocals over the original demo and added his saxophonist Alto Reed on it. The piano is played by Randy McCormick who was also involved with the MSRS and opens the song with its legendary intro. The guitars are played by different guitarists, Ken Bell and Forrest McDonald (lead).

A few members of the Eagles played guitar solos with the MSRS. Till it Shines featured the guitar solo by Glenn Frey. Don Felder played the guitar solo on the Frankie Miller cover “Ain’t Got No Money”. Barry gives great rock & roll piano notes near the end of that song. The popular ballad “We’ve Got Tonight”’s main instrument is Barry’s piano. Roger drums effectively where he alternates between playing softly and fully charged. David’s bass playing suits the song well. The Famous Final Scene is also a ballad with Barry on piano & organ and featuring orchestra. It’s more rock sounding than the previous song with Pete’s guitars throughout. All the instruments play strongly, matching well with Bob’s singing.

Ain’t Got No Money (1978)

The Famous Final Scene (1978)

On 1980’s “Against the Wind” album, the band is augmented by Randy McCormick of “Old Time Rock & Roll” on organ. The rocker “Long Twin Silver Line” is driven by Pete’s guitars. It opens with the guitars and is followed by Barry’s piano coming in via a glissando. Barry plays rock & roll piano notes which are louder in parts of the song such as the chorus. Pete plays a rocking guitar solo with subtle country influences. Randy’s organ has a stronger presence on the next two songs. They are both ballads with a soft rock feel. The guitars feature a good mix of acoustic and electric. I wonder if Jimmy is playing the acoustic guitar parts. Fire Lake features Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles on wonderful backing vocals. Barry’s piano and Randy’s organ go well together. Shinin’ Brightly is a positive, optimistic song. Throughout “Shinin’ Brightly”, Randy’s organ does great musical explorations. Barry does a bit of rock piano near the end.

Fire Lake (1980)

These songs are very well produced by Bob Seger and the MSRS. The MSRS are a great band who wonderfully support Bob Seger’s brand of American rock music. They are able to perform intense rockers, slow ballads and everything in between.The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section are an important part of the legacy of Bob Seger’s music. If you enjoyed this article, you might be interested in my previous article “Bill Payne’s Keyboards for Bob Seger”.

Ten Great Mercury Records Songs

Mercury Records is a popular American record label which is now part of the Universal Music Group (UMG). I am familiar with Mercury Records as it’s Elton John’s record label. Elton deals with Mercury Records in the UK. His albums get released in most countries on Mercury Records, except mainly the US which releases it on another UMG label. These songs were made for Mercury Records or had been released by them in a particular region or for a reissue.

Takin’ Care of Business - Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1973)

This fun rock song is written and sung by guitarist Randy Bachman. It opens with a guitar part and the piano soon joins it. I love the rock & roll piano part which matches well with the guitars. There are three guitar solos. The combination of piano and guitar including on the guitar solos remind me of the similar song “Sunspot Baby” by Bob Seger. The backing vocals in the chorus give off a celebratory feel.

Heat Treatment - Graham Parker & The Rumour (1976)

It opens with a few piano notes which are joined by all the instruments. There are great horns throughout the song. I like Bob Andrews’ jolly piano. The guitar has a good supporting role adding colour to the song. There is a relaxing saxophone solo. Graham sings with passion. I like his vocalisation of “yeah” near the end in a stretched out way. This is a rock song influenced by soul.

The Things We Do for Love - 10cc (1976)

This song is written by Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart. Eric sings this song in a warm, relaxed way. He plays the keyboards and the lead guitar. The piano has an upbeat feel. Organ is featured in parts of the song and has a good presence. There is a gentle guitar solo. The three band members play all the instruments through the magic of overdubbing. This is an example of good pop rock.

Take It Easy - Delbert McClinton (1978)

This is an americana ballad which has elements of country and blues. There are horns in the song and also a saxophone featured including a solo. The song is led by melodic piano playing. There are female backing vocals. Delbert brings the feel you get from late 70s ballads.

Run for Home - Lindisfarne (1978)

This song is produced by Gus Dudgeon who was Elton John’s producer during his peak. It has a relaxing soft rock feel. There is a gentle melodic piano. The band sings together nicely during the chorus. An orchestra is featured. At the halfway mark, I like what the piano does. Lindisfarne gives us an example of the soft rock & pop rock songs of the time in England.

Le bon temps du rock and roll - Johnny Hallyday (1979)

This is a French language cover of Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock & Roll” by France’s Johnny Hallyday. He also covered Bob Seger’s “Feel Like a Number” and “Brave Strangers” from the same album. It opens with a piano intro different to the original but gets the same feel. Johnny sings strongly. The first guitar solo is more intense than Bob’s version. There is no saxophone solo, but there’s a second guitar solo featuring great rock & roll piano backing including glissandos. Johnny kept the part from the original with singing and drums only. Johnny was able to maintain the musical style of the Bob Seger original and put his own spin on it. It’s unique hearing this song in French.

Long Distance - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes (1980)

It opens with drums and the instruments come in. This song is piano driven. There are horns. Southside Johnny sings with emotion on this mid-tempo rocker. The guitar solo features good interjections by the horns. This song is Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes’ brand of heartland rock which includes soul influences.

Private Investigations - Dire Straits (1982)

This progressive rock song is written by Dire Straits’ singer and lead guitarist Mark Knopfler. It opens with a synth part. We get guitar and piano notes which come in and out. Following this, piano and classical guitar comes in. Mark says the words in a singspeak way. There is a classical guitar solo with few other instruments including vibraphone. We get synth and piano coming back. Keyboardist Alan Clark gives good rock piano notes at the end.

I’m Still Standing - Elton John (1983)

This is when Elton John reunited with his original band of Davey Johnstone (guitar), Nigel Olsson (drums) and Dee Murray (bass) to make the “Too Low for Zero” album. Elton’s band provides great backing vocals. Elton plays both piano & synths and sings loudly in celebration. Dee Murray’s bass guitar is more noticeable including some slap bass parts. I like Davey’s guitar solo. This pop rock song has positive energy.

Always - Bon Jovi (1994)

This is an epic power ballad. It opens with a drum part, brings in all the instruments rocking and then goes intimate mainly with Jon Bovi Jovi’s singing and David Bryan’s piano. All the instruments come in strongly during the chorus. The second verse is softer than the chorus, but the band has more to do than the first. An orchestra has a presence in this song. There is a light relaxing guitar solo by Richie Sambora. Jon gives great rock singing. David’s piano playing holds the song together. He provides great rock piano playing.

The music featured comes from Europe and North America. The countries the artists are from are the UK (Graham Parker & The Rumour, 10cc, Lindisfarne, Dire Straits, Elton John), the US (Delbert McClinton, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Bon Jovi), Canada (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) and France (Johnny Hallyday). These songs reflect the legacy of Mercury Records. If you enjoyed reading this, you may be interested in my article “Ten Great Capitol Records Songs”.

What I Wish to See Happen in Sri Lanka

As Sri Lanka is about to have a presidential election, I decided to write about what I wish to see happen in Sri Lanka going forward. It includes what I want to see discontinue and remain of the current happenings. Out of the three main presidential candidates, the one I’m most concerned about coming to power is Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He leads the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance. My issues with the JVP are their communist ideology and the two insurrections they were responsible for. I don’t think they have a viable plan.

I’m pleased with the interim President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s work on Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, but am displeased with his handling of human rights and the politics he’s playing. He is contesting the presidency as an independent candidate. I think Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) candidate Sajith Premadasa has sensible views on human rights, but I do not like his embrace of populism & the politics he’s doing and have concerns about his economic policies. I am not endorsing any political party or individual. I had written an article a few months ago about the current situation called “Displeased with All Sides”.

Abolish the Executive Presidency

I am of the view that the executive presidency should be abolished. The amount of power corrupts the person holding office. Recent cases of presidential abuse of power include President Ranil Wickremesinghe delaying the local government elections last year. The Supreme Court last month declared this to be a violation of voters’ essential rights. It was distressing to hear the President say following this that he wasn’t sorry for postponing the election.

In February this year, the President appointed the controversial Deshabandu Tennakoon as Inspector General of Police (IGP). This appointment was made a few months after the Supreme Court ordered Deshabandu Tennakoon to pay compensation for violating a citizen's fundamental rights and appeared to be unconstitutional. In July, the Supreme Court gave an interim order preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from functioning as the IGP. It’s disappointing to see a lack of commitment from Ranil Wickremesinghe to abolish the executive presidency. Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake have committed to abolish the executive presidency.

Sensible Government

I wish to see a sensible government elected with sound policies. This would be a transparent government that follows proper processes and good governance. They would rectify the bad human rights situation currently going on, bring good human rights policies and repeal the controversial Online Safety Act. This government would not be corrupt and be without scandals. System change which people have been calling for would be implemented. Unity is needed in Sri Lanka with it being important for the government unifying the country including winning the trust of the minorities.

No More SLPP

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is the party of the Rajapaksas which caused Sri Lanka to be in the mess that it’s in. There are members aligned with the Rajapaksas who have been part of the interim government and the SLPP independent group known as the Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) who are with the SJB. With the presidential election, some changes have been made. The SLPP decided to field their own candidate Namal Rajapaksa, yet most SLPP MPs chose to support Ranil Wickremesinghe. Two SLPP members who were in the interim government decided to contest this presidential election. I consider the SLPP to be a toxic party so I don’t wish to see any faction of them having a presence in the government.

Action Against Bribery and Corruption

Bribery and Corruption are major problems occurring in Sri Lanka. Action needs to be taken against politicians who’ve been engaging in these practices, especially those responsible for Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. We also need to work on bribery and corruption prevention. Sri Lanka is reported to have stolen assets stashed abroad, with serious allegations against the Rajapaksa political family. It’s essential to recover stolen assets utilising the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR) of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) & the World Bank Group.

Reducing the Crime Rate

Sri Lanka unfortunately has a high crime rate. Criminal activity seems to have been growing over the last five years. It’s distressing to hear of shootings going on causing loss of life. This gun violence needs to stop. The government needs to take action to reduce the crime rate as this is a serious national security concern. It’s important to incorporate teaching against crime in the school curriculum. It’s imperative to establish the rule of law in Sri Lanka.

Economic Recovery

I am of the view that Sri Lanka’s economic recovery is one present initiative going in the right direction. It’s good that the IMF program was secured. Both the SJB and NPP have said they would renegotiate the IMF agreement if they come to power. My view on the issue is this. If the IMF is willing to renegotiate and the new government comes up with sensible modifications which are able to ease the burden on the people and better reach the targets, then I am for it. My concern is of the government playing politics with Sri Lanka’s recovery where their attempts at renegotiation results in the IMF agreement being withdrawn or it’s approved with changes which makes the situation worse. I think the SJB is more sensible than the NPP when it comes to the IMF agreement.

In April this year, the ADB forecasted Sri Lanka to reach 1.9% and 2.5% growth in 2024 and 2025 after two years of negative growth. I hope to see economic growth exceeding those numbers. A few years ago, the State Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit (SOERU) was set up at the Ministry of Finance. Many State-Owned-Enterprises (SOEs) are a drain on the economy with their losses so this is an important move. Unfortunately, the restructuring unit has been facing delays and hasn’t restructured a single SOE so far. I hope that the SOERU would be strengthened enabling it to successfully restructure SOEs.

I’m writing this just before the presidential election has occurred. When you read this, the results of the election may have come out. I know that some of these topics I’ve written about are unrealistic. I see indications to some of them in different parties, but I don’t see one party having all of them. Our messed-up politics is causing so much damage and needs to transform into something new.

Ten Great Heartland Rock Songs

I decided to write an article compiling a collection of songs in heartland rock, a type of rock music that originated in America. I am familiar with heartland rock as Bob Seger, who I’m a fan of works in that genre. Most of the artists in this list are American, but I do also include three British artists. I featured some heartland rock songs in my previous article “Ten Great Rock Songs Opening Albums”. We’re going to go to the mid 70s.

The Fuse - Jackson Browne (1976)

This song opens with Craig Doerge’s piano which has a uniquely heartland rock sound. David Lindley’s guitar plays a good supporting role. David’s playing has a slight country influence, while maintaining a clear rock feel. Country is in fact an influence of heartland rock. Craig does powerful heartland piano rocking including during instrumental passages. I like how Jackson sings aggressively in this track. This song rocks in a dark way.

Talk to Me - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes (1978)

This song was written by Bruce Springsteen. There are nice horns throughout. A soul influence is present including in Southside Johnny’s singing. The piano has a jolly feel in contrast to the previous song, yet it maintains its heartland rock style. There is a nice saxophone solo.

Lover - Michael Stanley Band (1980)

This song by the Michael Stanley Band is sung & written by Michael. Michael mentions the “cold Ohio night” (his state) which is apt for this genre. Lover is one of the songs I’ve been listening to the most this year. There is a great saxophone presence in this song by Bruce Springsteen’s saxophonist Clarence Clemons. I love how Michael sings “Oooh Lover” in the chorus. This is contrasted well with Clarence’s saxophone notes. The bridge is great as it takes the melody in a different direction.

Hungry Heart - Bruce Springsteen (1980)

This is the first hit song featured on this list. Pianist Roy Bittan of Bruce’s E Street Band is also on the next three songs. This song is very melodic and led wonderfully by Roy’s piano. There is a nice organ solo by Danny Federici where Bruce lightly sings along with it. Bruce's vocals are unique as he’s singing neither softly nor aggressively. He sings the same sounds that he sang during the organ solo plus others at the end of the song.

Skateaway - Dire Straits (1980)

Dire Straits are English and aren’t a heartland rock band, but producer Jimmy Iovine and keyboardist Roy Bittan bring a heartland rock sound to the proceedings. They fuse American styles into an English sounding song. This song is written and sung by Mark Knopfler who’s Dire Straits’ lead singer & guitarist. Roy’s piano works wonderfully. He also plays organ. Mark speaks in parts of the song. He alternates between speaking and singing. Roy’s piano is a good match to Mark’s guitar which does nice playing in the end section.

Roll Me Away - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (1982)

Jimmy Iovine also produced this song. Roy’s piano drives the song and he has two powerful solos. Drummer Russ Kunkel provides a great beat. Waddy Wachtel’s guitar supports the song well. Craig Frost of The Silver Bullet Band adds colour to this tune with his organ. Bob is singing about a motorcycle trip in his state of Michigan. He sings powerfully as a rock singer.

Have You Ever Seen the Rain? - Bonnie Tyler (1983)

Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler covers a song by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The original only has a few piano notes in parts of the song. Bonnie’s version wonderfully changes the lead instrument from acoustic guitar to piano. Roy plays his signature heartland rock piano sound. Bonnie sings so intensely. She reinterprets a light country rock song into a heartland rocker that rocks way more than the original including its awesome electric guitar parts. There is an aggressive guitar solo.

The Valley Road - Bruce Hornsby & The Range (1988)

Bruce plays powerful improvisational piano playing. He brings a possible jazz influence into heartland rock. It’s creative how he brings his brand of piano playing into a mainstream rock hit. There is a guitar solo and two piano solos. Bruce sings soulfully. I like how he sings “walk on” expressively. This song has a fun feel of the late 80s time period.

England and America - Elton John (2016)

This song written by Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin is paying tribute to England and America. England is Elton’s primary residence where he’s from and America is his second home where he lives part of the time. This song sounds different to the usual Elton John style. Elton displays his creativity in writing a heartland rock melody. He nails that genre’s piano sound. It’s rare to hear Elton rock out like this now. I love the 80s rock sound this song has. Elton’s band backs him well. I’d like to see Elton make a whole album in the heartland rock style.

More Yesterdays Than Tomorrows - Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers (2018)

The song opens with a piano riff which is repeated throughout the song. It soon becomes a powerful rocker driven by guitar and organ. During the guitar solo, the piano riff supports the solo well. There is a brief moment where most of the instruments stop and it’s led by the organ, similar to a section in the previous song with the piano. Joe sounds similar to Southside Johnny who I featured earlier. Joe’s singing about the importance of connecting with people.

This was my selection of ten heartland rock songs. I like the fact that heartland rock has a strong keyboard presence. These songs all feature piano and I can hear organ on six of them. It seems that one component of heartland rock is a mix of piano, organ and guitar. I love the melodies of all these tracks.

Ten Great Rock Songs Opening Albums

I decided to write an article about ten great rock songs that open albums. I wrote about a few of the songs with different text before in previous articles. In the headings, I mention the song and the artist followed by a colon with the album name. Let’s begin.

Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

This is an epic progressive rock opener from Elton John’s most popular studio album. It opens with atmospheric effects and bells followed by David Hentschel’s synth playing. Elton’s piano then comes with the other instruments being subtle. Soon it goes into a full band sound with Davey Johnstone providing a guitar solo. David Hentschel’s synth parts add to the song. Funeral for a Friend is the instrumental part of the song and “Love Lies Bleeding” is the second half featuring Bernie Taupin lyrics sung by Elton. In “Love Lies Bleeding”, bassist Dee Murray’s part is noticeable. This song showcases Elton John’s strength as a rock artist as it rocks so hard.

Nothing but the Truth by Procol Harum: Exotic Birds and Fruit (1974)

Both this song and the previous one overlap as they are both by English artists from the same time period and Procol Harum are a progressive rock band. Lead singer and piano player Gary Brooker leads the song with his piano playing. His opening piano riff rocks great and comes back a few more times. The arrangement is expansive with a subtle orchestra included. This is a powerful catchy rock song with its incredible chorus.

Once or Twice by Chicago: Chicago X (1976)

This song goes in a different direction to the previous ones as this is jazz rock. It’s written and sung by original Chicago guitarist Terry Kath. The signature Chicago horns are a big part of the song including a saxophone solo. I like Robert Lamm’s rock and roll piano. It’s creative to feature that kind of piano playing in a jazz rock song. Terry provides a tough vocal which is suitably powerful.

Running on Empty by Jackson Browne: Running on Empty (1977)

This is the title track from Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” album of original songs recorded entirely on the road, with some of it recorded live such as this one. The song is led by the guitar and features the piano well. Pianist Craig Doerge’s notes are an important part of this song. David Lindley provides two incredible slide guitar solos. Jackson crafted a memorable melodic piece of heartland rock reflecting the US at that time.

Say You’ll Be Mine by Christopher Cross: Christopher Cross (1979)

This is from Christopher Cross’s self-titled debut album. Christopher sings with passion in his voice. Jay Graydon provides a guitar solo that’s both relaxing and rocking. I detect a possible jazz influence in Jay’s solo. Michael Omartian’s piano notes work well in the song. Nicolette Larson gives good backing vocals singing well with Christopher. This is an enjoyable form of yacht rock.

Running Man by Al Stewart: 24 Carrots (1980)

It opens with backing vocal singing, piano notes and other instruments including guitar. Following this section, there is the main piano riff which is soon doubled by guitar. This song has a good mix of piano and guitar. There is a latin sounding acoustic guitar solo. I like the percussion beat. Al Stewart brings his signature brand of soft rock.

I’ll Never Need Anyone More by Michael Stanley Band: Heartland (1980)

This song by the Michael Stanley Band is written and sung by Michael. It’s guitar driven and features good piano backing. There is a strong guitar solo in the middle. I like the fact that this song has three keyboards which are piano, organ and synth. The synth effects near the end are nice. I like this heartland rock sound.

Rosanna by Toto: Toto IV (1982)

This song opens with Jeff Porcaro’s epic drumming. The singing alternates between guitarist Steve Lukather and lead singer Bobby Kimball in the verses. I like the sound of the band singing together in the choruses. Steve Porcaro provides a synth solo followed by Steve Lukather’s guitar solo which contrasts well. David Paich who wrote the song provides a great piano part which holds the song together. I assume the organ part near the end is by David. It’s nice to hear jamming by David Paich and Steve Lukather in the final section.

Allentown by Billy Joel: The Nylon Curtain (1982)

This song is about the American town of Allentown, Pennsylvania. It opens with a train noise. Billy’s piano leads the song well with it being the most prominent in the verses. There are cool percussion and sound effects repeated throughout. The percussion is by drummer Liberty DeVitto and Billy seems to be doing the sound effects. This song shows Billy's strength in writing and singing a melodic rock song. It’s good how Billy stretches certain words he sings. There is a prominent rocking guitar part near the end.

Even Now by Bob Seger: The Distance (1982)

This is one of Bob Seger’s lesser known hits. It has an epic intro. This song is very melodic with incredible piano by Roy Bittan. Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder plays the guitar. Bob’s saxophonist Alto Reed provides good support. Bob gives incredible singing showcasing his vocal range. I love how he sings both the lead vocals and the backing vocals in the chorus. Bob ends with singing “Even Now” stretched out followed by guitar & piano parts and Craig Frost’s organ notes which close the track. This is my favourite Bob Seger song.

This was my selection of rock songs I like that open albums. I tried to feature a balance of popular and lesser known songs. Interestingly, I recently listened to Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” albums from this article in 5.1 surround sound which sounded very good in that format.

Displeased with All Sides

I decided to express my views about Sri Lanka’s politics right now. I’m displeased with all sides. I feel that when Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power, the qualities of all the political parties deteriorated further from its already bad state. This is a serious problem that must be rectified. Sri Lanka needs to be saved from its destructive politics.

I’ll begin with President Ranil Wickremesinghe. I think he’s doing a good job with Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and engagement with the international community. After taking office in July 2022, he was able to end the queues and increase the amount of Sri Lanka’s reserves. The 5 year graph on the Trading Economics website shows reserves increasing from 1.82 billion US dollars in July 2022 to 5.37 billion US dollars in May 2024. In March 2023, Sri Lanka secured an IMF program with the third tranche approved last month. Ranil initiated reforming of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) that’s ongoing which is a welcome move due to the drain SOEs have on the country.

The reason why I’m not very enthusiastic about Ranil is because of his politics. I don’t like him teaming up with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the party of the Rajapaksas who consist of most of his government. These are individuals who were part of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government. It was not good to see Ranil and his government delaying the local government elections last year which still hasn’t been held. I don’t like Ranil’s handling of human rights issues, including the targeting of protestors. It was distressing to see the controversial Online Safety Bill passed earlier this year.

Ranil acted shamefully in an address to Parliament last November where he accused some members in the Constitutional Council (an independent body) of sabotage. He appointed Deshabandu Tennekoon as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) in February via the Constitutional Council. The current IGP had been ordered by the Supreme Court to pay compensation for violating a person’s fundamental rights a few months prior to his appointment. This appointment was strongly condemned by the Sri Lankan Collective Against Torture (SLCAT).

The Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated that this appointment was unconstitutional. Five votes are required to approve a President’s nomination. Sajith pointed out that there were four yes votes, two no votes and two abstentions. The Speaker of Parliament can only have a casting vote when there’s a tie and he voted for this appointment. It seems that the Speaker abused his power by equating the two abstentions as votes against the appointment.

Sajith Premadasa leads the main opposition party the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). They are a breakaway party of Ranil’s party the United National Party (UNP). I have not been pleased with the conduct of Sajith Premadasa and the SJB. It’s disappointing to see him embracing populism including plans for it if the SJB comes to power. When he met with the Norwegian Ambassador a few months ago, he spoke of SJB’s plans for a “populist government”. At this year’s SJB May Day rally, Sajith mentioned “populist” as one of the changes an SJB government would make to the IMF agreement.

Sajith has been teaming up with the independent group of the SLPP that eventually became the breakaway party the Freedom People’s Congress (FPC). I did not support Sajith backing Dullas Alahapperuma from that group in the 2022 Parliamentary vote for Sri Lanka’s new President. I provided my views on this in the article “Thoughts on Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Resignation & Aftermath”. Even though these individuals are no longer officially with the Rajapaksas, I’m not convinced they are against the Rajapaksas now. I wonder if they broke away from the Rajapaksas due to not getting the power they wanted. It’s worth noting that Dullas Alahapperuma attended the book launch of “Nine: The Hidden Story” by Wimal Weerawansa. At this event, Wimal made wild accusations against the US including being responsible for Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s exit from power.

One example of Sajith collaborating with FPC MPs is having Nalaka Godahewa as an economic advisor. Nalaka had previously been an economic advisor to Gotabaya Rajapaksa and a founding member of Viyathmaga. His tenure as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) a decade ago was controversial and faced corruption allegations.

The SJB is opposing everything the government is doing for the sake of opposing. My point isn’t to defend the government or to dismiss all criticisms of the SJB. The SJB is correct to speak out against the bad governance that’s going on. The problem I have is their constant opposition to economic recovery initiatives. When it came to the 21st Amendment to reduce presidential powers following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s exit, they voted for it. I would have liked to see them similarly vote and participate in some of the economic recovery efforts. They were previously with Ranil and can easily find common ground with him on this front. I think it was immature of them refraining from voting in Parliament for the IMF agreement in April last year. This is despite previously calling for IMF assistance.

I’ll now mention issues I have with both Ranil and Sajith. Dr. Nihal Jayawickrema mentioned in his article “The Constitutional Council – Is It Under Threat?” of Ranil stating that the Constitutional Council is an “executive body” and Sajith stating that it’s “part of the legislature”. They are both incorrect as the Constitutional Council is an independent office of seven parliamentarians and three civil society members who approve or reject the President’s nominations to head state institutions. I don’t like the fact that both Ranil and Sajith have a group of SLPP members with them. It seems to me like they’re trying to compete with who has more SLPP parliamentarians. I want to see a government formed with no SLPP members of any faction including under different names like the FPC.

A growing force is the National People’s Power (NPP). The main party in the NPP is the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake. I’m concerned that the NPP will come to power. While the JVP is a legitimate political party now, they were previously responsible for two insurrections. This brings risks of them governing in a brutal, violent and oppressive way. I don’t agree with their communist ideology which I feel could derail Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and make the situation even worse. Sri Lanka already has a bloated public sector and I could see the NPP expanding that.

I wish to see the SJB re-integrated with the UNP and the UNP being headed by neither Ranil nor Sajith. I think this fighting between the SJB and the UNP is not in Sri Lanka’s best interest and could enable the NPP to win at the coming elections. It’s my view that the UNP’s policies are more sensible than the SJB’s, but the UNP has many influential figures who reflect what’s wrong with Sri Lanka’s politics such as Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Palitha Range Bandara, Wajira Abeywardana, Ravi Karunanayake and Sagala Ratnayaka. A rejuvenated UNP should not have such persons in leadership. One person in the UNP who I think may be suitable to lead the party is Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene.

A re-integration of the two parties could bring the best qualities from them. The economic recovery and reforming of state owned enterprises that the UNP is currently involved in should continue. The SJB is rightly against the bad human rights policies of the government that the UNP is engaging in. Having the two parties together could bring back sensible human rights policies. I want the UNP to take a stand against the Rajapaksas like they used to.

Elections are coming up with a Presidential election later this year followed by a Parliamentary election that’s likely to be held next year. We need to elect a stable government with sound policies who will focus on delivering system change that the protests two years ago were calling for.