Archive News-2005
Hard Truth Soldiers: Volume One
21st December 2005
Founded by rap artist Paris, one of the most fearless political minds in
hip-hop; Guerrilla Funk Recordings presents Hard Truth Soldiers Volume One.
Started as a response to the current apolitical climate in commercial music,
the compilation series is a rallying cry for social justice. Each volume is
a collection of material that goes against the grain of commercial hip-pop
by touching on subjects from war and police brutality to black-on-black
crime and domestic violence. Volume One includes contributions from Public
Enemy, The Coup, Dead Prez, Paris, Immortal Technique, T-KASH, Kam, The
Conscious Daughters among others.
Climate change concert announced
21st December 2005
The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff is to host a charity concert as part of a
campaign to raise awareness over climate change. The
One Earth Concert will
take place on Saturday 28 January and feature a line up of ten bands. The
Super Furry Animals, The Darkness and The Strokes have already confirmed.
The event will be televised worldwide and is part of a global campaign by
organisation Climate Change Now (CCN). All profits from the concert will go
to the UK charity One Earth Trust.
Carol singers campaign to save hospital
20th December 2005
The fight to save a hospital's Accident & Emergency department has taken
a festive twist. Campaigners have written some some alternative Christmas
carols to reflect anger at proposals to downgrade casualty facilities at
Chase Farm Hospital in Middlesex, England. Among the new songs is a version
of Jingle Bells which highlights the problems elderly people will face if
they are forced to seek emergency treatment six miles away at Barnet General
Hospital: "Jingle bells, Jingle Bells, Chase Farm all the way/Oh, what risk
it is to ride to Barnet far away/Jingle bells, numbers swells, we need
A&E/Not in just one hospital/In two or even three."
WDA Staff in Christmas protest
song
20th December 2005
Staff at the Welsh Development Agency expressed unrest with an
irreverent
protest song revealed at their annual Christmas party. Under the Labour
Cabinet's plan, the WDA will be merged with the Assembly Government in
April. The song, based on Newport band Goldie Lookin' Chain's rap song, Guns
Don't Kill People, Rappers Do, is entitled Funds don't kill people, mergers
do: "Funds don't kill people, mergers do/Ask any politicians and they'll say
it ain't true."
Iranian President bans western
music
20th December 2005
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has
banned Western and "indecent"
music from state-run TV and radio stations. The ban follows a ruling in
October by the Supreme Cultural Revolutionary Council, which he heads, to
ban Western songs from the airwaves. Songs by artists such as Eric Clapton
and George Michael will be affected.
Hip Hop Matters
16th December 2005
In Hip Hop Matters: Politics, Popular Culture and the Struggle for the Soul
of a Movement, S. Craig Watkins explores the evolution of hip hop and the
backlash against it. Watkins traces the charged history of hip hop through
its artists, producers and politicians, as well as the subculture the music
unleashed. From rap's early days to its absorption into the mainstream, hip
hop's story is told through revealing profiles and a penetrating analysis of
the genre's shifting phenomenon.
Richard Ashcroft reveals political side in new album
6th December 2005
Richard Ashcroft's forthcoming album, Keys to the World, features some of
his most political material to date. The track Why Not Nothing criticises
what the former Verve frontman regards as the promotion of religious
conservatism for political ends in the U.S.
Bono and Keys duet on African
song
6th December 2005
U2's
Bono and U.S. singer Alicia Keys have teamed up to record a
song for a
charity providing medicine to children affected by HIV and Aids in Africa.
The pair have covered Peter Gabriel's hit Don't Give Up to raise money for
Keep a Child Alive. The song will be available for download through iTunes
today.
Anti women songs banned in CAR
6th December 2005
The Central African Republican has imposed a ban on
misogynistic songs.
Communication Minister Fidel Ngouandjika has threatened action against the
broadcasting of songs which portrays women as inferior to men. The ban is
intended to reinforce women's rights in the former French colony.
Song from Camp Casey
6th December 2005
Sons and Daughters by Jesse Dyen is an anthem for the Camp Casey peace
movement in Crawford, Texas. The camp was set up by Cindy Sheehan, the
mother of a US soldier killed in Iraq, to call for the US to withdraw its
troops from Iraq: "How 'bout your son/How 'bout your daughter/How come it's
always poor folk/Who get shuffled off to slaughter"
Political album from Sheryl Crow
30th November 2005
Wildflower is the new album by Sheryl Crow. It includes a handful of songs
which reflect upon the singer's disillusionment with Bush's re-election,
such as the anti-war track Where Has All the Love Gone and the questioning
Letter to God.
Papa Dish pens song about CIA
leak
30th November 2005
Lewis "Scooter" Libby resigned as chief of staff to Vice President Dick
Cheney recently after being charged with five counts, including perjury and
obstruction of justice, in an investigation into the unauthorised disclosure
of a CIA officer, Valerie Plame. Plame's husband, a former US ambassador,
Joseph Wilson, had been to Niger in 2002 to investigate reports that Iraq
had bought or had sought to buy uranium there, but found no evidence to
prove it. Critics of the Bush administration suggest the White House leaked
Valerie Plame's name in revenge for her husband's behaviour. Papa Dish
returns to form with a song entitled The Joe Wilson Rag.
Legendary DJ releases political album
29th November 2005
NYC-based DJ Robert Swift has released his third solo album, a revolutionary
turntablist album entitled War Games. The album was inspired by 9/11 but
also touches on other issues including police brutality, the war in Iraq and
terrorism. The 16-track album includes Mad Bombers, Terror Wrist, President
is Speaking, Piano for Condoleeza, Nation with a Mission and more.
Mestizo Music: Rebelíon en América Latina
28th November 2005
At the European Social Forum in Paris in 2003, delegates from Latin America,
who spoke of their resistance to the IMF and World Bank, inspired a group of
young people. These young activists asked a simple question - what was the
music of these movements? This CD is the answer. Mestizo means mixed race
but it also symbolises the music - a glorious fusion of ska, reggae, salsa,
hip-hop and rock. This is party music with a political message - a
celebration of resistance.
Los de Abajo release new album
28th November 2005
Mexican protest group Los de Abajo (which translates as "Those from Below")
have released a new album entitled Los de Abajo V The Lunatics. The
eight-person band, who formed in 1992, are open supporters of the Zapatista
movement in Mexico which fights for equality, peace and the legal
recognition of the country's indigenous people. Los de Abajo V The Lunatics
is their third official album and as with their previous two efforts, the
lyrics not only condemn their country's corrupt officials but also call on
honest politicians to tackle poverty and give free expression to everyone.
Is rap music the cause of French riots?
28th November 2005
The French Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin, has dismissed claims by
some of his party colleagues that
rap music fuelled suburban rioting in
France. About 200 MPs in
France have urged the justice ministry to prosecute
seven rap groups over allegedly provocative lyrics. The campaign to
prosecute rappers is led by MP Francois Grosdidier, a member of Mr de
Villepin's governing UMP party: "Sexism, racism and anti-Semitism are no
more acceptable in lyrics than in written or spoken words. This is one of
the factors that led to the violence in the suburbs."
The Concert for Bangladesh DVD released
25th November 2005
The Concert for Bangladesh was the first benefit concert of its kind in that
it brought together an extraordinary assemblage of major artists. The two
shows, a Grammy award-winning triple album boxset, and the feature film,
generated millions of dollars for a charitable cause and as importantly
raised global awareness of a hitherto unpublicized humanitarian
disaster. It is therefore acknowledged as the inspiration and forerunner of
the major global fundraising events of recent years. The 2-disc package
includes the original 99 minute film as well as 72 minutes of extras.
Thalidomide!! The Musical
25th November 2005
The story of Thalidomide - the drug that resulted in more than 400
disabled babies being born in the UK in the late 1950s and early 1960s - has
been made into a musical by one of those affected. Actor, writer and
musician Mat Fraser has written and stars in Thalidomide!! A Musical which
will tour venues around the country until 3rd December.
New album from Ray Korona
24th November 2005
Ray Korona has released a new album entitled The Safe Thing To Do. The
12-track album includes a range of topical songs and a new peace song
co-written with Pete Seeger. Tracks include Listen to the Earth, Trimming
the Fat Right Off the Budget, Social Security Rag, Long Live Our Community
Garden and more.
Wackiavelli release political CD
23rd November 2005
American political band
Wackiavelli have released their debut CD No Justice
No Peace. The 4 track CD offers satirical, irreverent, funny and poignantly
political lyrics wrapped in a blend of funky R&B, a tinge of reggae and
alternative rock. Songs included are No Justice, No Peace, Judgement Day and
Mislead the People, Mislead the Sheeple and Why Did You Lie?: "You say
you're moral, then show me how/You and your daddy 've killed two hundred
thou'/You say you're moral, well tell me why/Fictitious reasons sending
young ones to die".
Steve Suffet releases album
23rd November 2005
Now the Wheel Has Turned is the first full album from
Steve Suffet - an old
fashioned folk singer in the People's Music Tradition. Ten of the eighteen
tracks are his own compositions, each written in a traditional folk style.
Another five songs are traditional American folk songs which Steve has
adapted and arranged. Of the three remaining songs, one is Jesse Fuller,
another by Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and the final by Blind Lemon
Jefferson.
Syrian pop song derides UN investigator
22nd November 2005
Syrian pop star Ali Deek has released a politically charged song entitled I
Am Syrian and I invoke Syria. The song strikes a sour note against Detlev
Mehlis, the UN-appointed German judge whose probe has linked top Syrian
officials to the assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri:
"Your report, oh Mehlis, is not worth a (Syrian) pound - it's a political
move, you just want to put us out on the road, behind bars or kill us." Ali
Deek is only one of a group of Syrian pop stars who have released songs
recently with strong patriotic overtones - others include Kanana al-Qasir,
Linda Barakat, Hussam Madaniyya, Muhannad Mushlih, Husayn Duwayri and Ali
Dawli.
Glasgow Campaign to Welcome
Refugees concert announced
22nd November 2005
Scottish experimental noise outfit
Mogwai have announced a benefit concert
in aid of the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees. The concert will take
place in The
Arches (Glasgow) on 29 November.
Bring the Troops Home concert announced
17th November 2005
Rachid Taha Band, Brian Eno, Nitin Sawhney and Imogen Heap will perform at
Bring the Troops Home concert in London on November 27th 2005. The concert
is to raise money for the International Peace Conference in London in
December and Military Families Against the War campaign. According to Rachid
Taha, "performing at an anti-war concert is the logical continuation of what
I do as a musician and a human being. The war in Iraq has cost too many
lives - Iraqi, American and British."
Mick Star releases anti-Iraq war song
17th November 2005
Reclusive rock musician
Mick Star is rumoured to have angered the Bush White
House with the release of Jets, his anti-Iraq war hit song: "Jets into
Dover/Jets deliver death/Jets shuttling soldiers to mothers weeping
breast/Jets to Dover back and forth/Jets knock knocking at your door/Jets of
death/They fly for us." The song is available for free download from his
website.
Does Anybody Know I'm Here?
16th November 2005
Does Anybody Know I'm Here?: Vietnam Through The Eyes of Black America
1962-1972 is a compilation album of songs which explore aspects of the
Vietnam war. The 23-track album includes Marvin Gaye - Soldier's Plea, The
Temptations - War, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - I Should Be Proud and
more.
Song protesting concrete plant
15th November 2005
London-based singer-songwriter
Alisha Sufit has written a song protesting
plans to build a concrete batching plant in the heart of the Crouch End area
of the city. The song is entitled Set in Conrete: "You thought you'd slip it
by us/And that nobody would mind/But I challenge you to try us/'Cause we're
not the passive kind/You won't build your monstrous concrete plant/If we're
allowed our say in deciding what we really want/That you should GO AWAY!"
Cui Jian: The man who rocks China
15th November 2005
Cui Jian is Beijing's answer to Bob Dylan. His song
Nothing to My Name was
the anthem for a generation of protestors. He play Tiananmen Square in May
1989, just before Deng Xiaoping sent in the tanks. The Independent
investigates.
Partick Folk Festival 2005
3rd November 2005
After the success of last year's event, the
Partick Folk Festival is back
with an exhaustive programme of workshops, ceilidhs and concerts including a
performance by Roy Bailey MBE. With a worldwide following, Roy has been
described as the "greatest socialist folksinger of his generation" by Tony
Benn, who enjoys an occasional stage partnership with him. As well as
releasing a long list of albums and performing live, Roy has also pursued a
distinguished academic career having lectured here in the UK and overseas.
Bush is Bad: The Musical Cure for Blue State Blues
27th October 2005
Bush is Bad: The Musical Cure for Blue State Blues is a new musical revue by
Joshua Rosenblum. The musical "aims venomous, highly partisan musical barbs
at the President and his dissembling gang of conspirators" and includes the
songs How Can 59 Million People Be So Dumb, Good Conservative Values, Lying
Liars and John Bolton Has Feelings, Too.
New Zimbabwean political album released
26th October 2005
Zimbabwean political songwriter Hosiah Chipanga has released a hard-hitting
five-track album, Musikavanhu, which touches on the economic and moral
destruction of the country. The album includes the song Zvinoda Mutorwa
which suggests that without the assistance of outsiders, Zimbabwe is doomed:
"To get foreign currency, you need foreigners/No foreigner, no foreign
currency."
Ring tones - the new protest songs?
21st October 2005
Homemade
ring tones making pointed political statements are emerging in the
United States. One ring tone samples President Bush's speech in the flooded
southern city of New Orleans with Arlo Guthrie's City of New Orleans playing
on loop.
Political ringtones emerged in the Philippines earlier this year,
after opponents of President Gloria Macapagal Arroya gained access to a
wiretapped recording of a clandestine conversation between the head of state
and a top election official. Administration critics, who alleged that the
tape captured Arroyo discussing tampering with the 2004 election, mixed
parts of the recording with popular music and distributed it as a ring tone.
Such politically-tinged ring tones have the potential to become a modern-day
version of political bumper stickers or T-shirts.
Animation to fight global warming
19th October 2005
The perennial Halloween hit song Monster Mash is being brought back to life
with the help of the original recording artist and a new-web based appeal to
fight global warming. The Climate Mash song and Flash movie ask the public
to tell their elected representatives in Washington that they want action on
global warming.
Resist the Tower! Fight the
Power!
19th October 2005
An animated music video released by the
Consumers Union in the United States
criticises the recent trend of the media consolidation by the Federal
Communications Commission.
All star CD to help hurricane victims
18th October 2005
Artists, labels, songwriters and
publishers have joined forces on Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now, an
industry-wide double album to benefit victims of hurricanes Katrina and
Rita. Hurricane Relief will be released in mid-November and will feature
some of the world's most popular artists including Coldplay, Barbara
Streisand, Elton John, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer, Lenny Kravitz and
many others. The title track Come Together Now, originally penned by actress
Sharon Stone and others for the tsunami tragedy, brings together Natalie
Cole, The Game, John Legend, Wyclef Jean, Joss Stone, Celine Dion, Mya and
19 others.
Norah Jones and Wyclef Jean
record benefit song
18th October 2005
Norah Jones and Wyclef Jean have recorded a ballad to benefit relief efforts
following Hurricane Katrina. Any Other Day will be available as a digital
download from MSN Music. All proceeds will be donated to the American Red
Cross and AmeriCares for Gulf Coast Hurricane Relief. The song is written
from the perspective of victims seeking help and refuge and includes the
lyrics: "I see the airplane/I hear the engine on the boat/But you all can't
see me waving the flag/Somebody please wave the flag".
Police arrest rappers in Rio de
Janeiro
18th October 2005
Police in Brazil have charged 13 rappers with inciting violence and
glorifying crime in their music. Officers said the men were all involved in
Carioca funk, a form of hip-hop which is popular in the notorious "favelas"
of Rio Janeiro. The police action targets songs known as proibidoes, an
extreme form of Carioca funk that focuses on explicit sex and the violence
of the favelas, as portrayed in the film City of God.
Benefit album for the National
Association to Protect Children
18th October 2005
Fat Wreck Chords and Punk Voter presents Protect: A Benefit for the National
Association to Protect Children. This 26-track compilation album includes
tracks from NOFX, Anti Flag and Against Me! All profits from the CD will be
given to Protect.
Dolly Parton gets political on
new album
18th October 2005
Dolly Parton's new album Those Were the Days includes a collection of covers
from the 1960s and 1970s. Originally created during a time of strife and
unease, songs such as Blowin' in the Wind, Imagine and Where Have All the
Flowers Gone take on contemporary resonance in 2005. Parton is joined by
veteran artists who originally made some of the songs famous - Roger McGuinn
of the Byrds, Yusuf Islam aka Cat Stevens - as well as contemporary artists
such as Norah Jones.
Behind the Wire: Benefit album for Asylum Seekers
17th October 2005
Sydney-based singer-songwriter and choral director Miguel Heatwole has
released a benefit album for asylum seekers. Behind the Wire is a collection
of songs from the Australian folk community which "condemn the Howard
government's inhumane and insulting treatment of asylum seekers." The
15-track album includes songs from Alistair Hulett, Pat Drummond, Jane
Thompson, Bernard Carney, Phyl Lobl, Fay White, Peter Hicks and Geoff
Francis. According to Heatwole, "These songs are beautiful but the reality
that provoked them - the dull and pointless suffering of men, women and,
until recently, children in Australia's detention camps - is not. Although
under Australian and International law everyone has the right to seek
asylum, the comparatively few people who make the hazardous journey to our
country are locked up for doing so, often for years. This album is a gift to
them."
Hurricane Katrina song released
17th October 2005
Songwriter-producer Irvin Lee has written a song to express his outrage and
frustration over the devastation of, and response to, Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Song is performed by singer Allen Watty and speaks about
frustration over lack of aid and the delayed response by federal officials
to the disaster. The song includes the lyrics: "Then it hit me/Ain't nobody
coming to get me/Nobody feels my pain/Once again the color of my skin
reminds me things ain't changed!"
Fatboy Slim makes Marcos musical
17th October 2005
DJ Fatboy Slim and Talking Heads singer David Byrne are writing a musical
about former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos, to be shown next March at
Australia's Adelaide Festival. Here Lies Love will examine Mrs Marcos'
passion for music and night clubs. Mrs Marcos was found guilty of corruption
in the mid-1990s, but her conviction was overturned on appeal. The charges
were part of a wider case alleging that Mrs Marcos and her husband, former
President Ferdinand Marcos, plundered the nation's economy between 1968 and
1986. The pair were overthrown in a popular revolt in 1986 and fled to
Hawaii.
U2 slam gig political fundraisers
13th October 2005
Rock band
U2 have criticised US politicians including Hillary Clinton for
using their shows to raise funds. The band were angered after Democrat Ms
Clinton gave supporters a chance to be in her suite at the band's Washington
concert in return for a party donation. Republican senator Rick Santorum is
making a similar offer for U2's Philadelphia show. According to a band
spokesman, "U2 concerts are categorically not fundraisers for any
politician. They are rock concerts for U2 fans."
Big Big World: Glasgow's Festival
of World Music
13th October 2005
Big Big World: Glasgow's Festival of World Music includes an impressive
line-up of musicians from South and Central America, Africa, Asia, the
Middle East and Europe. The programme includes Vusi Mahlasela or 'The Voice'
as he is known at home in South Africa and Los De Abajo from Mexico City -
the band that speaks for the disenchanted youth of the world.
Gas pipeline protest song
12th October 2005
A song has been written to highlight the cause of five gas pipeline
protestors in the west of Ireland. The five men were jailed recently for
protesting against the construction of a gas pipeline in County Mayo. Shell
took out an injunction against the men when they refused to halt the protest
at the Corrib gas development site. The men spent 94 days in jail. The
Ballad of the Rossport Five reflects their battle against Shell: "Come all
ye who love liberty, and listen to my tale/Concerning honest Rossport men,
now languishing in jail/Because they stood up for their rights/And would not
bend the knee/To the mighty Shell - who can go to hell/If they won't go out
to sea!"
Devendra Banhart writes protest song
11th October 2005
San Franciscan songwriter
Devendra Banhart has included a political song on
his new album Cripple Crow. Heard Somebody Say reflects on the current state
of the world: "I heard somebody say/That the war ended today/But everybody
knows its goin' on/On mother lands and mother seas/Here's what we
believe/It's simple/We don't wanna kill."
Benefit concert for cancer
hospital
11th October 2005
A group of Manchester music legends have agreed to perform a concert to
raise $1m for the city's world famous cancer specialist Christie Hospital.
Former Smiths and New Order bassist, Andy Rourke, has enlisted the support
of New Order's Peter Hook, The Charlatans and Badly Drawn. Mani, formerly of
The Stone Roses, has also signed up while other bands, including Doves, hope
to perform. The concert, on 28 January 2006, will be held at the MEN Arena.
Dying mother releases Bragg song
11th October 2005
A single mother dying from cancer is to release a song she wrote about her
daughter, with music specifically composed and performed by Billy Bragg.
Maxine Edgington was told in November 2004 that she had six months to live.
She wrote the song,
We Laughed, to remind her 16-year old daughter Jessica
of their life together. Billy Bragg put the lyrics to music as part of a
workshop at the hospice where Maxine is being cared for. Billy performed the
song to mark World Hospice and Palliative Care Day in London.
Madonna upsets Israeli rabbis
with new song
11th October 2005
Madonna has upset a group of rabbis after penning a song for her new album,
Confessions on a Dance Floor, dedicated to a Kabbalist rabbi. The song,
Isaac, is about a 16th Century Jewish mystic called Yitzhak Luria. However,
the rabbis who guard his tomb in Israel have said it is forbidden to use his
name for profit.
Tribute concert to the protest song
10th October 2005
The former director of the Melbourne International Arts Festival, Robyn
Archer, has teamed up with composer Paul Grabowsky for
!protest!, a tribute
concert to the protest song. The concert reveals their fiery, rebellious
spirits as they pay tribute to the protest song and some of its most vocal
protagonists: Bob Dylan, Bertolt Brecht and Hanns Eisler. Archer and
Grabowsky have written a couple of their own songs to reflect the current
political climate, including Dirt and the Death of Dialectic which attacks
political muck-rakers and These Are the Days about the fear of suicide
bombers replacing the threat of "the big bomb".
Burt Bacharach releases protest
album
6th October 2005
Burt Bacharach has released a new album of protest songs entitled At This
Time. The album includes contributions from Dr. Dre, Rufus Wainwright and
Elvis Costello, who performs Who Are These People: "Who are these people
that keep telling us lies?/And how did these people get control of our
lives?/And who'll stop the violence 'cause it's out of control/Make 'em
stop."
Ruefrex release greatest hits
album
6th October 2005
Punk band Ruefrex, once the voice of working-class Ulster loyalists, have
reformed after twenty years and released a greatest hits album. Capital
Letters - The Best of Ruefrex includes the tracks The Wold Colonial Boy
which denounced Irish-Americans for sending guns and money to the IRA and
The Fightin' 36th which commemorated the mass sacrifice of the original 1912
Ulster Volunteer Force at the Battle of the Somme.
Upstream/Downstream: A Benefit
for the victims of Hurricane Katrina
21st September 2005
Twenty St. Louis roots-rock and twang-pop artists have put together a
benefit album for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Upstream/Downstream will
help raise money for the American Red Cross and the St. Patrick Center in
St. Louis.
CD aims to raise interest in
politics
16th September 2005
Musician Charles Bailey has begun work on a new CD aimed at engaging young
people in politics. The album, which features contributions from Faithless
rapper Maxi Jazz and BBC presenter Emma B, is part of the Power Inquiry, a
project aimed at reigniting young people's interest in politics and
democracy. Bailey has previously released albums setting political speeches
of Tony Benn and Margaret Thatcher to music.
Rebel Music Americas released
15th September 2005
From Tierra del Fuego to the Rio Grande the Americas are in turmoil, and in
the midst of the social and political movements rocking the region are some
amazing rebel musicians. Four of them take centre stage in the film
Rebel
Music Americas. Theirs is the music of the other America, the America of the
South - popular, dynamic, rebellious, and often... "anti-American". It's the
rhythms and voices of displaced communities in Columbia, of "los piqueteros"
blocking access to a refinery in Buenos Aires, of indigenous Mexicans hunted
down at the US border, of peasants staging vast land occupations in Brazil.
Pat Lally launches campaign with
song
15th September 2005
Former Lord Provost of Glasgow, Pat Lally, has announced his candidacy for
the Glasgow Cathcart by-election triggered by the resignation of Labour peer
Lord Watson. Lally launched his campaign with a song We're on the Road with
Lally's Army: "We're on the road wi' Lally's army/ We're going to change the
Scottish scene/Holyrood we'll shake it up/When we lift the Cathcart cup/'Cos
Mr Glasgow's is the greatest team/When we win the by-election/We're really
gonna show the Scots a better class...of politics than they have ever
known/We're representing Cathcart and we're gonna do or die/They others
cannae dae it/They willnae even try/We're on the road wi' Lally's Army/We're
going tae change the Scottish scene/Margo, Jean and John'll back us up/When
we lift the Cathcart cup/'Cos Lally's is the people's only team." The song
was based on Andy Cameron's 1978 Scotland football anthem Ally's Army.
U2 song inspires African Well
Fund Campaign
15th September 2005
Non-profit organisation, African Well Fund, formed by a group of U2 fans in
2002, has launched a new fundraising campaign timed to coincide with the
third leg of U2's Vertigo tour. The Where You Live campaign takes as its
inspiration lyrics from U2's song Crumbs from Your Table: "Where you
live/Should not decide/Whether you live/Or whether you die." The African
Well Fund's goal is to develop awareness of the shortage of clean water
available in Africa, and to raise funds to build wells and other
necessary water projects.
Pentagon host 911 concert
15th September 2005
The US Pentagon hosted a county music concert at the National Mall in
Washington, organised and billed by the Department of Defense, to mark the
fourth anniversary of September 11. The concert included a performance from
country singer Clint Black, who famously released the song Iraq and Roll
following the events of 9/11. Black launched into a new song with the
refrain: "The code of the west is black and white, the good guys and the
bad/You always know who's wrong or right, by the color of their hats."
West's remark sparks protest song
15th September 2005
Kayne West's criticism of George Bush during a nationally televised benefit
concert has contributed to a national debate about the Hurricane Katrina
relief effort. It has also sparked a protest song by Houston rap group
the
Legendary K.O. The song entitled George Bush Don't Care About Black People
samples West's televised sound bite whilst offering a chilling commentary on
the ugly aftermath of Katrina: "Five days in this...attic/I can't use a cell
phone I keep getting static/Dying cause they lying instead of telling us the
truth/Screwed 'cause they say they're coming back for us, too/But that was
three days ago and I don't see no rescue"
New York to host Katrina concerts
15th September 2005
New York is to host two major benefit concerts to raise money in the wake of
Hurricane Katrina. Simon and Garfunkel and Elvis Costello have been added to
a show at Madison Square Garden, which will also feature Sir Elton John and
Fats Domino. Another gig featuring Joss Stone and Tom Waits has been booked
for the Radio City Music Hall. The shows have been dubbed From the Big Apple
to the Big Easy and will raise money for relief and rebuilding.
Farm Aid concert 2005
9th September 2005
Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews are amongst the
artists performing at Farm Aid 2005 on September 18th in Illinois. Farm Aid
started as an idea at the Live Aid Concert when Bob Dylan said on stage,
"Wouldn't it be great if we did something for our own farmers right here in
America?" Nelson, Young and Mellencamps agreed that family farmers were in
dire need of assistance and decided to plan a benefit concert. The concert
was held on September 22, 1985 and raised over $7 million.
Dar Williams releases political
album
8th September 2005
My Better Self is the upcoming sixth studio release from American
singer-songwriter, Dar Williams. The 13-track album blends alternative
country, blues and rock with a strong socio-political message and includes a
guest duet with Ani DiFranco. The song Empire offers an incisive, critical
statement about the country's social climate: "We like strong, happy
people/Who don't think there's something wrong with pride/Work makes them
free/And we spread that freedom far and wide."
David Banner gets behind Kanye
West's comments
7th September 2005
Rapper Kanye West pushed the world's attention to a new dimension of the
tragedy surrounding Hurricane Katrina, sparking a flurry of debate and an
army of support. West deviated from his script during NBC's hurricane
benefit telethon with the words, "George Bush doesn't care about black
people." Fellow rapper David Banner has come out in support of Kanye's
remarks saying, "This is what rappers have been screaming all the time. The
problem is America concentrates more on our cuss words. They don't hear the
pain in the music all the time. You just finally had somebody who has the
power Kanye has, who said it at the right time." P Diddy also contributed to
the growing debate following his donation of $1 million to the Red Cross
with Jay Z: "We can't wait around for the government to help. We're not
waiting, we're taking action. We can find money to bomb people overseas, but
not to help our brothers and sisters?"
The Tragically Hip
song pulled from playlists
7th September 2005
The Tragically Hip's hit song New Orleans is Sinking has become a casualty
of Hurricane Katrina as radio stations drop the song from their playlists.
Radio stations throughout Canada, home of the Tragically Hip, have decided
to pull the song from their playlists - at least until Hurricane Katrina
abates and the Louisiana city gets back on its feet.
Kayne West Katrina audio mix
7th September 2005
Hip-hop historian, journalist, deejay and community activist has posted an audio mix online inspired by the devastation created by Hurricane Katrina.
The track includes samples of Kayne West's televised critique of President
Bush's response to the tragedy.
Live 8 DVD released
7th September 2005
Live 8 is set to be released on a four-disc DVD. Live footage of the
historical concert, which took place simultaneously at nine worldwide venues
on July 2, will be brought together for the first time featuring sets from
U2, Muse, Scissor Sisters, Robbie Williams, Madonna, Elton John, Coldplay,
REM, Pink Floyd, Dido, Paul McCartney and Keane.
Prince records song to benefit Katrina relief efforts
7th September 2005
The Minneapolis rock legend
Prince has released a new single via his website
entitled S.S.T. which was inspired by Hurricane Katrina and will benefit
relief efforts. The song includes barbed lyrics such as "giving guns to the
poorest of our nation's sons" and "the one depleting our oil supply". The
songs concludes with Prince asking, "Did you have your arms open for each
and everybody? Or did you let them die in the rain, endless war, poverty or
hurricane?"
Michael Jackson writes song for
Hurricane relief
7th September 2005
Pop star Michael Jackson has written a song for the victims of Hurricane
Katrina which he hopes to record with other top artists and release as a
charity single. The song is tentatively titled From the Bottom of My Heart;
Jackson plans to record it within two weeks after enlisting other top
performers. Jackson raised more than $60m for African famine relief in 1985
with a campaign built around his anthem, co-written by Lionel Ritchie, We
Are the World.
British rappers dis Common in
new song
7th September 2005
Three multi-cultural emcees from the UK didn't take lightly to rapper
Common's words during a recent interview to promote his new album Be. Common
criticized blacks with dreadlocks for dating white women, stating that those
men would be "going against what the dreadlocks' purpose was." Rising Son,
Yungun and Doc Brown have released a song entitled Dear Common (The Corner
Dub) in which they respond to his extreme views. The song refers to Common
as a "racist bitch" and asserts, "I predict the future is mixed/Marking the
end of all this racism shit" and "Black and white used to drink from
different taps/And you should know 'cause your album had a picture of
that/So when you say that you're showing how a hypocrite acts/Now I ain't
dissing this cat, I'm only spitting the facts."
David Rovics pens song for New
Orleans
6th September 2005
American progressive folksinger
David Rovics responds to the humanitarian crisis
following Hurricane Katrina with a new song, New Orleans: "And the people
died/And then they died some more/They drowned inside their attics/An army
of the poor/An army of the destitute/Who couldn't get away/And the world
will remember/These sad and awful days/When people shouted from their
houses/Dying on their roofs/When people came to find them/They were turned
back by the troops/They died there with no water/They died there in the
heat/They were shot down by soldiers/For trying to find some food to eat."
ReAct Now: Music and Relief
6th September 2005
MTV have announced a three hour special for Saturday night ReAct Now: Music
and Relief. It is set to feature performances by the Rolling Stones, Paul
McCartney, Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Alan Jackson, Green Day, Alicia Keys
and Kayne West. The special will seek to raise funds for The American Red
Cross, The Salvation Army, America's Second Harvest and similar
organisations as they continue relief efforts in the devastating wake of
Hurricane Katrina.
Shelter from the Storm: A Concert
for the Gulf Coast
6th September 2005
An all-star charity concert to raise money for the survivors of Hurricane
Katrina is being organised in the US. Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for
the Gulf Coast will be held on 9 September to appeal for donations. The
as-yet-unnamed stars will pay tribute to victims and rescuers who worked in
the stricken area. The event is being put together by producer Joel Gallen,
who was behind a similar event aired in the days after the 11 September
attacks on the US.
Save Our Hood concert announced
5th September 2005
Rap mogul and New Orleans native Master P has announced that he is
organising a Save Our Hood concert and album to raise funds for those
affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
Country Reaches Out: An Opry
Benefit for the American Red Cross
5th September 2005
Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, Alison Krauss and a growing list of country
singers will perform a Grand Ole Opry benefit concert for Gulf Coast
hurricane relief on September 27 in Nashville. The event entitled, Country
Reaches Out: An Opry Benefit for the American Red Cross" will be broadcast
live from the Grand Ole Opry House on cable TV network Great American
Country.
Thai songwriter sings about bird
flu
5th September 2005
Thai singer-songwriter Ad Carabao has tackled the subject of bird flu in his
song Vaccine for Life from his latest CD Big Mouth 5: Bird Flu. The lyrics
include: "Shot, shot shot. Give the roosters a shot! Shot, shot, shot.
Protest Thai people!" The object of Carabao's ire is a push by the
government in Thailand to quell the spread of deadly avian influenza by
banning cockfights and exterminating some of the prized birds. He has
previously broached issues such as the exploitation of low-wage workers and
gay rights.
Standing Tall Against Poverty
benefit concerts
5th September 2005
Global Call to Action Against Poverty (G-CAP) in collaboration with People's
Summit Against Poverty presented two benefit concerts to create awareness
about widespread poverty in India and Africa. The concerts were set to
coincide with the UN World Summit in New York (September 14-16) and aimed to
send a strong message to world leaders to take the decisions needed to
eradicate poverty. Salif Keita, Seun Anikulapo Kuti, Eric Wainaina and
others performed at the concert in Accra whilst Indian music composer A R
Rahman headlined the concert in Dehli which included his anthem on
eradicating poverty, Cry For Me, Brother.
Chuck D pens song about Katrina disaster
5th September 2005
Public Enemy have a long and successful career of infusing rap with social
commentary and political urgency. Frontman Chuck D has written a song about
the humanitarian disaster following Hurricane Katrina entitled Hell No We
Ain't All Right: "Now all these press conferences/Breakin' news alerts/This
just in/While your government looks/For a war to win/Flames from the blame
game, names?/Where do I begin?/Walls closin' in/Get some help to my kin/Who
cares?"
Rock Against Racism film launch
5th September 2005
Hard-Fi are set to headline the launch of Alan Miles' Rock Against Racism
documentary Who Shot the Sheriff? in London on September 15. The film tracks
the rise of racism and the National Front in Britain during the 1970's and
features interviews and unseen archive footage of artists from the Rock
Against Racism movement of the 1970s and the Love Music Hate Racism movement
of today. Bands featured include The Clash, The Libertines, The Specials, Ms Dyanite, Sham 69, Hard-Fi, Steel Purse and X-Ray Spex and more.
Political slant of Elbow album
5th September 2005
Leaders of the Free World is title of the new album by Manchester group
Elbow. The band decided on the album's title in the run-up to the G8 Summit
at Gleneagles although they assert that the album is not political. It does,
however, include one overtly political track which includes the lyrics, "The
leaders of the free world are just little boys throwing stones and it's easy
to ignore until it's knocking on the door of your homes." According to
singer Guy Garvey, "it's no shock to me whatsoever that the attacks have
taken place in London. I don't understand why no one is holding Blair's
government in anyway responsible for the illegal war in Iraq."
Malawi reggae artist releases
political album
5th September 2005
Malawi roots reggae star Lucius Banda has released a new album entitled
Kalata Yachitatu. Banda is best known for his blatant attacks on politicians
and the album includes the song Enemy which he claims is "a political song
that advises politicians, more especially the government and MPs that if
they do not deliver the promises that they made, these same people will
become their enemies."
Rap star attacks Bush at benefit
concert
5th September 2005
Hip-hop star Kanye West criticised President Bush's response to Hurricane
Katrina during a televised benefit concert in New York on Friday. The show,
which raised funds for relief efforts, featured Leonardo DiCaprio, Richard
Gere, Glenn Close, Harry Connick Jr and Wynton Marsalis. West told the
audience: "George Bush doesn't care about black people." The comments went
out live on the US east coast, but were cut from a taped version seen on the
west coast.
Hurricane Relief concerts
announced
1st September 2005
A number of hurricane relief concerts have been announced following the
recent devastation of New Orleans and the American Gulf Coast. MTV and
sister networks VH1 and CMT plan to broadcast a live hurricane-relief
special on September 10 with R&B singer Alicia Keys and rock stars John
Mellencamp and the Dave Matthews Band joining Green Day. A Concert for
Hurricane Relief starring Harry Connick Jr and country singer Tim McGraw -
who are both from Louisiana, one of the worst hit areas - is to be broadcast
by U.S. network NBC.
This World Is Not My Home
1st September 2005
Bay area punk band Abi Yoyos have released a 4-track 7" single entitled The
World Is Not My Home. It includes the songs Usufruct which condemns
government greed, Xenophobia which questions condemnation of people based on
their skin colour, Bohemian Grove and Fuck the U.N which was written prior
to the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
We Can't Make it Here
adopted as campaign song
1st September 2005
Vermont Independent candidate for the U.S. Senate, Bernie Sanders has
adopted James
McMurty's song We Can't Make It Here as his 2006 campaign
song. According to Sanders: "Whether you're a veteran, a worker who has lost
a job due to outsourcing, or a young mother trying to get by, this song
tells it like it is. How refreshing to have an artist connect with the
realities facing working folks." The song offers a stark commentary on the
current state of the U.S.: "Will work for food/Will die for oil/Will kill
for power and to us the spoils/The billionaires get to pay less tax/The
working poor get to fall through the cracks."
Song dedicated to fallen soldiers
in Iraq
1st September 2005
U.S. Country star Trace Adkins has released a song entitled Arlington
honouring the fallen soldiers in Iraq and other wars. The song was named
after Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place for
thousands of war heroes. Adkins asserts that the song was not intended to
offer a political message: "It wasn't just about this war; it's a tribute to
people who have made that ultimate sacrifice all the way to the
Revolutionary War. It's a tribute to people that gave their lives for this
country, whether it's this war or another war."
Pop and politics: We Shall
Overcome
30th August 2005
The History Channel presents
Pop and Politics: We Shall Overcome, a new
series which asks whether musicians have changed the world. The first
episode will look at the birth of agitpop from songs of the American Union
movement to Civil Rights, the Native American cause and Free Tibet. Future
episodes will look at the role of music in the Vietnam War; the role of
music in political campaigns against Amazonian deforestation, nuclear power
and landmines and the politics of black music from Paul Robeson to Ms
Dynamite.
Tribute song to bomb victim
recorded
30th August 2005
A song about a victim of the recent London bombings and his friend who
survived the attacks has been recorded. Phil Beer and Patrick Barnes
were on their way to work when a suicide bomber blew up the 8.56am
Piccadilly line on July 7. Phil Beer was killed in the attack. Profits from
the sale of the song,
Eight fifty-six, will be donated to the Peace Hospice
in Watford, London, and an AIDS charity: "Eight fifty-six, near your
destination, friends standing laughing/A forceful blow, losing control,
confusion surrounds you as you hit the ground".
Comedy charity record for UNICEF
released
30th August 2005
A host of musicians have contributed to a comedy charity record entitled
Do
They Know It's Halloween. Arcade Fire, Beck, Sum 41, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sonic
Youth, Peaches, Devendra Banhart and many more have come together to form
the North American Halloween Prevention Initiative to record the satirical
charity song for UNICEF. Described as "an epic journey into the pulsating
heart of fear. It is a rallying cry to stamp out this most scary of
holidays." Organisers have said the song was inspired by the frustration
other benefit songs' misguided, somewhat patronizing attitude, and
Western-centric worldview.
Bruce Springsteen Symposium
announced
30th August 2005
Glory Days: A Bruce Springsteen Symposium is to take place at Monmouth
University, New Jersey, to discuss the significance and impact Springsteen
has had and continues to have on popular music and American culture.
Intended for educators, journalists, historians and all others with an
interest in Springsteen's place in popular culture, the event will include
various live acts and keynote addresses by rock critics and figures from the
music industry, as well as dynamic paper presentations and panel
discussions.
Operation Ceasefire concert
announced
29th August 2005
Operation Ceasefire is a new coalition of concerned musicians, who have
organised an anti-war concert which forms part of four days of protests in
Washington DC in support of a full withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
International recording stars such as Thievery Corporation, Ted Leo and the
Pharmacists, Le Tigre, Bouncing Souls, Steve Earle, The Coup, The Bellrays,
Head-Roc, Jello Biafra and Wayne Kramer of the MC5 and many others are
taking part in a free concert at the Washington Monument on 24th September.
Bob Marley's son releases
political single
29th August 2005
27-year old Damian Marley is the youngest of Bob Marley's seven sons. He has
released a politically charged dancehall anthem, Welcome to Jamrock. The
song, which is the title track of his new album, offers an unflinching
portrayal of the poverty and violence of Jamaica's underbelly and opens with
a snatched radio report: "In another daylight gun battle two youths were
shot dead by unknown assailants in Kingston".
John Butler Trio release new
album
29th August 2005
Australian band John Butler Trio have released a new album entitled Sunrise
Over Sea. The album includes the environmentally conscious tracks, Damned to
Hell, Treat Yo Mama and There'll Come a Time and a song reflecting on
Australia's treatment of its own Aboriginal culture, Company Sin. Although
his lyrics have frequently been labelled political, Butler insists: "I try
not to pigeonhole myself as a protest singer, so to speak, because to me the
environment and social issues are just integral to life."
Mike Love Not War
29th August 2005
Founding member of the Beach Boys, Mike Love, is due to release a solo album
entitled Mike Love Not War. The CD's title is a play on the song that will
be the album's first single, Make Love Not War which the 64-year old
performer says reflects feelings he first had during the Vietnam War and has
been experiencing again since the Iraq conflict began. Love is quick to
point out that the solo effort reflects his personal more than political
views.
Song for Children of Fallen
Soldiers
29th August 2005
Brad Cotter, the 2004 winner of USA Network's singing contest Nashville Star
will donate a portion of the proceeds from his new single,
An American
Dream, to the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund. The song was written
by Alfred E. Sweeney, an army veteran, who remembers how hard it was to be
away from family and friends. The song was inspired by the heartfelt
appreciation he has for American men and women in uniform: "There is a
dream/A dream that we all share/Where those who fight for justice will lay
down their arms/Where armies that fight for glory fight no more/When each
nation will raise its flag of peace/And the heartache of our fallen heroes
fades away".
Pearl Jam to play fundraising
concert
26th August 2005
US rock band Pearl Jam are to play an August 29th show in Missoula, Montana,
to raise money for a U.S. Senate bid by Democrat Jon Tester. Tester,
currently Montana State president, is challenging Republican Senator Conrad
Burns, who is seeking a fourth term. Pearl Jam took part in last year's Vote
For Change tour aimed at ousting George W. Bush from office.
Get Up, Stand Up: The Story of
Pop Music and Protest
26th August 2005
Get Up, Stand Up: The Story of Pop Music and Protest is a new documentary
from American broadcaster PBS. The film delves into the role music has
played in a century's worth of political protest in America. The film weaves
historical footage and commentary from musicians and music critics and
chronicles the way music has been used throughout this century to convey
social dissatisfaction, from labour unrest to terrorist attacks.
Protest jazz album released
26th August 2005
Jazz musician Jhon Kahsen (formerly known as Johnny Case) has released
Love's Bitter Rage - a protest album which sharply criticises U.S.
involvement in the Middle East and Latin America. Kahsen was inspired to
release the album after hearing a speech by a Guatemalan woman calling for
the closure of the School of Americas (now known as the Western Hemisphere
Institute for Security Co-operation), the Georgia-based organisation which
uses American military personnel to train Latin American troops in
paramilitary combat. The album's title track underlines Kahsen's political
sensibilities: "I vow to tell the world the ugly truth I know/ I vow to make
the blinded people see/ It's a great hypocrisy that they say/'Live and be
free'/ They come to rob and murder too for vile greed...You'll see, the
disappeared will someday be avenged/I know for USA the time is near."
Rap music and the far right in
Germany
23rd August 2005
A new wave of rap music is sweeping Germany: sexist, violent, often racist -
and adored by neo-Nazis. Germany's most notorious rap star, Bushido, is
popular for his hard-edged, racist and nationalist lyrics which often openly
flirt with fascism: "Salutiert, steht stramm. Ich bin der Leader wie A"
(Salute, stand to attention, I am the leader like A). The A stands for Adolf.
A rap collective called Mor were heavily criticised recently for rapping
lyrics where "Wack MCs" were sent to the "gas showers" and "children to the
concentration camps." Berlin rapper Fler, caused controversy with his latest
hit Neue Deutsche Welle (New German Wave) which features the ultra
nationalistic lyrics: "That is black, red, gold, hard and proud, you might
not see it in me, but believe me, my mom is German."
Concert for Refugees in Glasgow
23rd August 2005
The Scottish Refugee Council, Glasgow City Council and
Tapselteerie Music
present a concert to celebrate diverse culture and friendship featuring Dick Gaughan, Adam McNaughtan, Ahmed Almum and Gefari (Sudanese), Newroz
(Kurdish), Jim King, Ian Davison and Steven Clark. The event is free and in
Partick Burgh Hall on 1st September at 7pm.
New political hip hop album
released
23rd August 2005
Oakland hip hop group Flipsyde have released their debut album, We the
People. The album is dedicated to political awareness, social activism and
harsh living on the streets of America. MC Piper's rhymes offer an stinging
indictment of the US and its international policy. According to MC Piper the
album represents, "We the People...of the world; a new declaration of
independence without political boundaries. Our music promotes unity, peace
and the empowerment of people."
Satirical song provokes offence
in Kosovo
22nd August 2005
A satirical song written by
D.J. Bob Rivers from the radio station KZOK
in Seattle and set to the melody of the Beach Boys hit Kokoma ridiculed what
he considered the nonchalant way the US assumed the role of the world's
policemen when it led an air war over Kosovo. The song was written in 1999,
and in 2002 a group of Norwegian soldiers on peacekeeping duty in Kosovo
came across the song and decided to make a rock video of it. The video
depicts four soldier miming to the music - dancing on watchtowers and
armoured trucks, wearing bullet proof vests over their bare chests. The
video incited an uproar when it was broadcast on Serbian television on
account of the song's provocative lyrics: "Protecting human rights, air
strikes and firefights/We'll be dropping our bombs, wherever Serbian bad
guys hide." Mr Rivers claimed the original intent of the song had been
missed: "It was meant to be very light-hearted, and was aimed at our own
government."
Angela Merkel
in hot water over campaign theme song
22nd August 2005
Christian Democratic Union candidate, Angela Merkel, has adopted the
appropriately titled track, Angie, from the Stones' album Goats Head Soup
for her campaign theme song. Merkel, who is campaigning to oust Chancellor
Gerhard Schröder, has gotten into hot water over her song selection. The
Rolling Stones have expressed surprise and disappointment at the use of the
1973 hit: "We didn't grant permission. We are surprised that permission was
not requested. If it had been, we would have said no."
Save the Post Office song
released
22nd August 2005
The campaign against the closure of rural post offices throughout the UK has
been given a musical soundtrack with the song Save the Post Office by
JonnyB: "In one single moment a community can die/If you take away facilities
what it needs to stay alive/Looking at these closures, I think that you can
stop it/World wide respect and and world record profits".
M
Power to the People and the Beats
22nd August 2005
New York-based Public Enemy established itself as the world's foremost rap
group in the late 80s. The group has always courted controversy on account
of its militant stance and the uncompromising content of many of its songs.
Power to the People and the Beats: Public Enemy's Greatest Hits is an
18-track singles compilation which includes Prophets of Rage, Don't Believe
the Hype, Fight the Power, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos and Welcome to
the Terrordome.
Baez serenades war protesters
22nd August 2005
Iraq war protesters camping out near President Bush's ranch got some support
from a prominent figure in the anti-Vietnam war movement: folk singer Joan
Baez. 500 people were reported to have gathered to hear her perform on a
one-acre lot offered by a landowner opposed to the war, close to the camp
started by grieving mother Cindy Sheehan.
George Bush raps with John Lennon
22nd August 2005
Sydney musician and political activist,
Tom Compagnoni, has released a song
entitled Imagine This which features the cut and spliced voice of George W.
Bush seemingly repeating segments of Lennon's 1971 hit Imagine. Over modern
dance beats and the original Lennon piano, Bush can be heard saying:
"Imagine there's no countries, it is not hard to do, nothing to kill or die
for, and no religion too, and that's a good thing". Compagnoni is a leading
light of the musical form of "mashing" where incongruous material is paired
digitally, without permission, to make a new track.
Ms Dynamite releases new album
22nd August 2005
R&B star Ms Dynamite has released a new album, Judgement Day. It includes
songs about poverty, gun crime, low aspiration, war and domestic violence:
"How could you beat your woman till you see tears/Got your children living
in fear/How you gonna wash the blood from your hands?"
Kayne West tackles politics on
new album
19th August 2005
Rapper and producer Kayne West has released his second album entitled Late
Registration. West is unique in being the only US mainstream rapper willing
to tackle politics. He addresses the links between the jewellery trade and
Sierra Leone's civil war on the song Diamonds; inadequate US health care on
the track Roses and the blunting of black militancy by drug use on the song
Crack Music: "Are you hearin' what Gil Scott Heron was hearin', when our
heroes and heroines got hooked on heroin?"
olitics of Dancing 2 released
19th August 2005
Artist, producer and legendary DJ Paul van Dyk will release the double mix
CD The Politics on Dancing in September. The CD marks van Dyk's first mix
compilation in four years, since 2001's The Politics of Dancing, which
established his belief that dancing is a political act and dance music can
be very well be political. Van Dyke has used dance music to voice his
political opinions, such as his vocal opposition to the war in Iraq, to
encourage active participation in democracy, such as his Rock the Vote Tour
in 2004, and to help fight poverty by supporting social care networks for
the disadvantaged from India's Mumbai province (Akanksha) to New York
(Ground Zero Kids) to his native Berlin in partnership with the German Red
Cross (Rueckenwind). The album includes the single The Other Side which was
written in response to the tsunami which hit Southeast Asia in December of
last year.
Mass Transit: The Movement of
People Thru Sound
19th August 2005
The National Hip-Hop Political Convention is planning a benefit concert to
address the genocide occurring in Sudan. The concert, Mass Transit: The
Movement of People Thru Sound will be held on August 29th at the University
of Nevada. dead prez, Immortal Technique and Goapele are amongst those
confirmed to perform.
Ms Dynamite joins MTV gun debate
19th August 2005
Singer Ms Dynamite is to participate in an MTV event exploring the
relationship between hip hop and gun culture. The R&B star will join
politicians and viewers on 13th September for a studio discussion about the
rise in gun crime. The event forms part of an evening of programmes that
includes Rap Under Fire - a news special featuring interviews with Dizzee
Rascal, 50 Cent and others. The evening has been coordinated in conjunction
with Mothers Against Guns and the Don't Trigger campaign.
Sweatshop Union set to release
new album
18th August 2005
United We Fall is the soon to be released third album from Vancouver's
Sweatshop Union. The album offers classic Sweatshop Union material combining
the energy of raw hip-hop, with conscious lyrics and the driving force of
highly musical beats. United We Fall offers pointed criticism on the Iraq
war and the current state of commercial hip-hop.
A Union Man: The Life and Work of
Julius Margolin
17th August 2005
Julius Margolin, at 89, is a living legend in the New York City labor
movement. He's been active since the 1930's in the CIO, National Maritime
Union and Local 52 of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage
Employees, which he has represented in the Central Labor Council for 32
years. A tireless fighter for justice, equality, and against war, Julius has
been making music and CDs since 1999 with George Mann while still hitting
picket lines and organizing workers in New York City and around the United
States. A Union Man is the story of his life through his eyes as well as
those he's met and worked with. This one-hour film, featuring guest
appearances by Utah Phillips, Faith Petric and former NMU Vice President Joe
Stack as well as concert performances, is a touching and educational
portrait of a rank-and-file activist still in the struggle for justice and
workers' rights.
Liam Gallagher plans political
career
17th August 2005
Oasis singer Liam Gallagher is planning a political career with the
Labour Party once his music career is over. According to a newspaper report
in the Daily Star, the singer wants to pump cash into the community and
start up local youth centres for young people. Brother and bandmate, Noel
Gallagher recently paid an emotional musical tribute to late British
politician Robin Cook, who died on 6th August, aged 59. He dedicated the
final song at Spain's Benicassim Festival, saying "Cook was a principled
politician who resigned because he was against the Iraq war. The band
respect him for that."
Barbara Streisand releases political song
17th August 2005
Barbara Streisand has released Stranger in a Strange Land from her
forthcoming collaborative album with Bee Gees singer Barry Gibb, Guilty
Pleasures. The lyrics include: "You may be someone else's
sweetheart/Fighting someone else's war/And if you suffer for the
millions/Then it's what you're fighting for." The video includes footage of
American troops shipping off to war.
Hard Times Are In Fashion
17th August 2005
American Midwestern collective
Koufax have released their third album, Hard
Times are in Fashion. The album is rich in political undertones and comments
on the war in Iraq, the disenfranchised attitude of American youth towards
the government and the shame of hailing from America - palpably expressed on
the album's final track, Colour Us Canadian.
Rodney Crowell appeals to the
disaffected
17th August 2005
The Outsider is the new album from country singer
Rodney Crowell. It has
been described as the most politically outspoken effort of his career and
tackles greed, ignorance and corporate bloat. The Outsider includes the
tracks The Obscenity Prayer (Give it to Me): "Give to me my Aspen
winter/Sorry 'bout the World Trade Center/I can't help the ones in need/I've
got my own mouth to feed" and Don't Get Me Started: "We ran into trouble
scamming for oil/Now the whole middle east is coming to a boil/It's the
Muslims and Kurds and the Bedouin herds/The Palestinians and Arabs and the
Jews in the news."
Something's In the Air But It's
Not On the Airwaves
17th August 2005
American performance poet Chris Chandler has released Something's In the Air
But It's Not On the Airwaves. This political spoken word piece reflects on
the media's lack of coverage on the peace and global justice movement. The
piece includes excerpts of the music that was widely known during the 60's
war protest era.
David Rovics pens song for Cindy Sheehan
17th August 2005
Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a US soldier killed in Iraq, has become a
symbol for the anti-war movement. She is currently holding a roadside
protest outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas in a campaign for
the US to withdraw its troops from Iraq. American progressive folksinger
David Rovics has written a song about her campaign for peace: "The
president, he told her/He died for a noble cause/But Cindy's
wondering/Exactly what that was/Since they never found the weapons/And now
that Casey's gone/It seems that oil is the game/And Casey was the
pawn/Cindy's got some questions/And so does everyone/Because she is every
mother/And he was every mother's son."
United Against Malaria concert
17th August 2005
A star studded concert to commemorate the United Nations 60th birthday
is taking place on 8th October 2005. Inspired by Africa Live: Roll Back
Malaria held in Dakar earlier this year,
United Against Malaria is the first
concert in Europe dedicated to raising awareness about malaria. The concert
will bring together top musical celebrities from the five UN regions around
the globe and will highlight the importance of tackling malaria in order to
achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Scottish Parliament launches Festival of Politics
17th August 2005
The Centre for Political Song is taking part in the forthcoming
Festival of
Politics in the Scottish Parliament. The Centre will be joined by folk
singer Alistair Hulett in a workshop titled Them And US which will explore
Scotland's radical song tradition and its continuing relevance. The workshop
will touch on contemporary Scottish political songs such as those opposing
the war in Iraq: "George and Tony, dae ye know we're gonnae/Stop the War,
Stop the War, Stop the War, War, War!/Tell George's crony, wee
Berlusconi/That we're gonnae Stop the War!"
Riot Folk: Making Folk a Threat
Again!
12th August 2005
Riot Folk are a collective of radical musicians acting as an anti-profit
record label/performance troupe. The collective includes Anna Roland, Evan
Greer, Mark Gunnery, Brenna Sahatjian, Tom Frampton, Ryan Harvey, Kate
Boverman and Ethan Miller. Riot Folk assert "we are driven by a strong
activist mentality that sees our art and words as part of a greater movement
for social, political, and economic change. Music is a weapon and we intend
to wield it to the best of our abilities."
David Rovics releases 15 new
songs online
12th August 2005
Progressive folksinger David Rovics has released 15 new songs entitled
Waiting for the Fall available for free download from his website. The songs
are mostly about oil (Hummer), the oil wars (Paul Wolfowitz; Boardrooom;
When Johnny Came Marching Home; Four Black Slates; How Far Is It From Here
to Nuremberg; Waiting For the Fall) and the coming end of the age of oil
(Before the Oil Wells Ran Dry; Age of Oil and Crashing Down).
Protest song to save pub from
closure
12th August 2005
Cambridge pub, The Flying Pig, was recently under threat of closure from the
landowners who wished to demolish the building and replace it with an eight
storey office block. Flying Pig regulars launched a campaign to save their
favourite watering hole with nearly 3,000 signing a petition and local
musicians penning a protest song. Local folk singer George Breakfast was
joined by other Cambridge musicians and pub regulars to form the Flying Porkestra. The group recorded a protest song entitled Long May the Pig which
can be downloaded free from the website.
New War Child album to be
released
11th August 2005
Bands including Gorillaz, Razorlight and Radiohead are hoping to set a
record for the fastest recording of a download album, for charity
War Child.
Help: A Day in the Life will mark the 10th anniversary of the 1995 War Child
Help album with each group being asked to record an original piece of music
in one day. The tracks will be made available to download from
warchildmusic.com on
9th September and on CD a few weeks later. Profits will go towards helping
children affected by global conflict. The 1995 War Child Help album raised
more than £1.25m to aid children caught up in the Bosnian conflict.
Left Field @ the Fringe
2nd August 2005
Left Field Scotland return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with an evening
of music, comedy and comment with a political edge. The event will include
appearances from MSPs Colin Fox, Robin Harper, Pauline McNeill and Trade
Unionists, including Bill Speirs, who will be offering a tribute to their
musical heroes. The evening will also include a short set from Rab Noakes
and his guest Fraser Speirs. The event takes place 19th August, Outhouse,
Broughton Street Lane.
Benefit concert for West Memphis
Three
29th July 2005
Eleven benefit concerts took place around the United States to raise money
to help appeals for the so-called
West Memphis Three. Artists including Everclear's Art Alexakis, Jonathon Richman, Heart's Nancy Wilson and Red
House Painters' Mark Kozelek performed at concerts in San Francisco and
Portland, Oregon, as part of West Memphis Three Worldwide Awareness Day.
Musicians rallied to the defence of Jess Misskelley, Jason Baldwin and
Damien Echols who they claim were wrongly convicted of the murders of three
Arkansas children in 1993.
Emmanuel Jal set to release new
album
28th July 2005
Rap star
Emmanuel Jal is a former child soldier who was recruited to fight
in Sudan's civil war; by the age of eight he had learnt to fire an AK47 and
by thirteen he was fighting on the front line. He recently topped the charts
in his adopted home of Kenya with his song Gwaa: "I can't wait for that day
when I'll see no more fears, no more tears, no cry/No tribalism, no racism
in my motherland when my people go back home to their motherland Sudan." He
is set to release a new album entitled Ceasefire. It is a collaboration with
Abdel Gadir Salim, a Muslim musician from the Sudanese capital Khartoum.
Ry Cooder reflects on destruction
of Chavez Ravine
25th July 2005
Ry Cooder's new album Chavez Ravine tells the story of the destruction of
the Mexican area of Los Angeles known as Chavez Ravine and the subsequent
building of the Dodgers baseball stadium on the cleared land. The cycle of
interconnected songs is designed to tell of take of greed, political
manipulation and the maltreatment of the oppressed.
New
album reflects plight of Palestinians
20th July 2005
Palestinian singer-songwriter
Rim Banna has released a new album entitled
The Mirrors Of My Soul which she has dedicated to Palestinian and Arab political prisoners in Israeli prisons. The album reflects the struggle of
the Palestinian people; the track Sarah is about the death of a 16 month old
baby in the conflict in Nablus. Banna gained global recognition as part of
the Lullabies from the Axis of Evil project.
Song about London bombing
20th July 2005
Telegraph pop critic
Neil McCormick has written a song in reaction to the
London bombings on 7th July. People I Don't Know Are Trying to Kill Me,
released under McCormick's pseudonym The Ghost Who Walks, is addressed to
the terrorists responsible for the attacks: "And when I'm turned to dust,
will Allah or Jesus claim me?/And will the God of love welcome up above
those who would maim me?/Can't you hear the crying in the streets? Broken
glass beneath your feet? Children and mothers weep to shame thee/I live in a
world where people I don't know are trying to kill me." The single will be
available as a download single on Endeavour/Universal next Monday.
Protest songs of the Gaza pullout
19th July 2005
18 year old Israeli Amotz Eyal is the brainchild behind a new CD protesting
the Gaza withdrawal plan. The album entitled Sung With Love was produced
with the help of his father and a few friends and is aimed to communicate
the settlers' plight to the rest of the country. The album includes an
updated version of a song about Yamit, the Sinai settlement dismantled in
1982 as part of the peace agreement with Egypt. Sung by Hila Harari, it
speaks of how it feels to be evacuated from your home: "For others it's just
a line on a map. For me, it's my home."
Chicks on Speed get political
19th July 2005
Press the Space Bar is the third album from the German-American-Australian
disco punk trio, Chicks on Speed. It includes the track Class War, a four
minute obdurate cacophony which sets out to highlight the disparities
between U.S. foreign and domestic policy through a set of riot sloganeering.
Mapfumo calls for armed struggle
19th July 2005
Zimbabwean singer songwriter
Thomas Mapfumo has released a new album
entitled Rise Up. The album includes the track Kuvarira Mukati in which he
calls on Zimbabweans to rise up and not suffer in silence. Mapfumo is
releasing this album exclusively as a digital download.
Tsunami Relief Project releases
CD
19th July 2005
Released in 2005 by
Atta Girl Records, the Tsunami Relief Project: A Musical
Compilation to Benefit Tsunami Survivors features musicians and songwriters
from coast to coast in the U.S. donating and contributing all profits and
royalties to aid in the Tsunami Relief efforts through the international
agency, CARE.
UB40 return with new album
19th July 2005
British reggae stars UB40 have released their 23rd album, Who Are You
Fighting For? The album includes the political tracks Plenty More, which
warns against endorsing American bloodletting: "Five megatons of
oblivion/Sent with love from the Pentagon" whilst War Poem mourns for the
innocent seeking "refuge from the terror". The title track asks:
"Propaganda, spin and lie/Who are you fighting for?/You do the shooting,
they do the looting/You do the dying, they do the lying."
The Stones attack Bush in new
record
19th July 2005
The Rolling Stones will deliver a musical attack on George W. Bush with
their new album. The track in question is Neo-Con which questions the
political ambitions of Bush's war ethics: "You call yourself a Christian, I
call you a hypocrite/You call yourself a patriot, well I think you're full
of shit. How come you're so wrong, my sweet neo con?"
MPs' boy band take on pop charts
14th July 2005
Four MPs have launched an assault on the pop charts with the release of
their own downloadable single. The cross-party band, called
MP4, features
Labour's Kevin Brennan on guitar and his party colleague Ian Cawsey on bass
and vocals. On keyboards is the SNP's Pete Wishart, who used to be in the
band Runrig, and Conservative Greg Knight plays drums. Their record,
featuring a cover of Can't Buy Me Love, is available on the internet, with
profits going to charity. The release, called House Music, was launched at
Westminster on Monday night.
London festival to remember
dead
13th July 2005
A free music festival is to take place on Saturday 16th July in London to
remember those who died in the city's terrorist attacks. The event, London
United, will take place at Burgess Park, and aims to show the city's
"defiance of those who try to change the character of the city through
terror". The concert will include Madness star Suggs, Billy Bragg, Jarvis
Cocker and St Etienne. The concert is being organised by Mayor of London Ken
Livingstone.
Political hip hop from Canada
13th July 2005
Trinidad-born, Toronto-bred conscious rapper Kevin Brereton aka K-OS has
released a new album, Joyful Rebellion.
K-OS' socially aware raps and
heartfelt melodies captured the imagination of music fans and critics on his
debut Exit. Referring to the album's title, he claimed "the real rebellion
is choosing to think for yourself. That's what Bob Marley did. And in him
evolving and being this kid from Jamaica who took the music so far, he
helped a whole people evolve because he was representing them in a way."
Cowboy Junkies release anti-war
album
13th July 2005
Canada's Cowboy Junkies have released an anti-war themed album entitled
Early 21st Century Blues. The album includes covers of material by the likes
of Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, George Harrison and Richie
Havens and two new original tracks from the band.
James McMurtry releases new album
13th July 2005
Singer-songwriter James McMurtry has released a new album entitled Childish
Things. The album's centrepiece is We Can't Make It Here, McMurtry's
commentary on the current state of the USA. McMurtry made the song available
as a free download on his website during the 2004 presidential election.
Childish Things marks the first time the track will be available on disc
without FCC-sensitive words censored.
Song to Support School Campaign
13th July 2005
Primary school children in south London are to record a version of a number
one hit in support of a campaign to build a secondary school in Brixton.
Songwriter Jerry Dammers, founder of The Specials, will help the children
rewrite the lyrics of the 1980s anthem Free Nelson Mandela. The song will be
used as a special plea to Lambeth Council to support the building of the
Mandela School. There are currently no secondary schools in Brixton; the
Mandela School would be the first academy in the UK sponsored by local
parents.
Not In Our Name
11th July 2005
Charlie Haden and Liberation Music Orchestra have released their fourth
studio album, Not In Our Name. The album stands as "a musical manifesto for
the disaffection many people in America and all over the world feel about
the manner in which the present administration is conducting its affairs
both at home and in the global arena."
Son Volt release new album
11th July 2005
Jay Farrar, founder of alternative country pioneers Uncle Tupelo, has
returned with Son Volt and the first new album in seven years. Okemah and
the Melody of Riot nods to the Oklahoma town of Okemah, the birthplace of
one of America's most-widely travelled and beloved minstrels: Woody Guthrie.
On Bandages & Scars, the opening track on the album, Farrar sings: "Been
doing a lot of thinking/Thinking about hell/Words of Woody Guthrie ringing
in my head". The song is the first shot in a hard driving and unapologetic
lyrical narrative that spans the personal and political.
New album from Welfare Poets
11th July 2005
The socio-political collective,
the Welfare Poets, have compiled a 14-track
album entitled Rhymes for Treason. Following the release of their successful
first album, Project Blues, in 2000, Rhymes for Treason promises once again
to deliver transformative, thought-provoking lyrics with Afro-Caribbean
beat, hip-hop, funk and jazz. Haiti, Vieques, Iraq, the current state of
hip-hop and the role of the media in today's society are only a few of the
issues tat have been given a voice in the new album.
Starsailor get political on new
album
4th July 2005
British rockers Starsailor are due to release a new album later this year;
the follow up to 2004's Silence is Easy has a political edge. The 12 track
album touches on war victims in the Middle East, the true account of a
Jewish boy who died mysteriously after crossing paths with a neo-Nazi
organisation and the sectarian conflict in singer James Walsh's adopted home
of Belfast.
School pupils record Make Poverty
History song
1st July 2005
As part of the Make Poverty History campaign, the pupils and teachers of St
Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome, England have recorded a song,
Let's
Make Poverty History: "One hundred million children without a fair share/Now
we know it's a burden to bear/Our generation wants to ensure/Action is taken
to aid the poor/Fair share! Fair Share! Put the balance right/Let's try to
rectify poverty's plight."
Somalian rapper releases debut
album
1st July 2005
Somalian rapper K'naan (the traveller) has released his debut album The
Dusty Foot Philosopher. The 18 track album reflects on the gun culture in
his home country. K'naan fled Somalia in 1991 amid civil war and he now
lives in Toronto. The first single from the album is Soobax (pronounced soo-bah)
in which K'naan talks to the gunmen and warlords back home pleading with
them to stop "the troubles they have caused." According to the rapper, "the
song is very much a protest song against the conditions that produce
refugees. I wanted to pay tribute to the faces of struggling people."
Palestinian rappers oppose
occupation
29th June 2005
Mohammed Farrah (Dynamic Rapper), Moutaz Hwehy (Mezo) and Mahmud Abdallah
(Bond) are PR or Palestinian Rappers. They use their music to fight Israeli
occupation and dramatize the Palestinian's plight in songs such as Our
Screams and Freedom: "I'm the son of Salam. I was born a long time ago but
I'm still asking who I am. I exist. To be or not to be?"
Environmentally conscious
song released
29th June 2005
United Nations, Together We Can is an environmentally-conscious gospel song
written by four-time Grammy winner Edwin Harkins. It was written
specifically for the United Nation's World Environment Day. According to
Harkins, "For the sake of our children, we must heal the planet. We should
take responsibility to maintain the natural resources we were given. I
contributed this song to help raise awareness of the need for change before
it is too late."
Afghan musicians unite against
censorship
29th June 2005
130 Afghans have established a new musician's organization, the Afghanistan
Music Foundation, with the objective of creating unification among musicians
in the country and to fight against music censorship and oppression of
musicians.
Dylan signs deal with Starbucks
29th June 2005
Bob Dylan was facing accusations of selling out after it emerged that the
singer had agreed an exclusive deal to sell some of his rarest tracks at
Starbucks, the coffee shop chain targeted by anti-globalisation protesters
as a symbol of American cultural dominance. Bob Dylan: Live at the Gaslight
1962 features the much sough-after material recorded at the Gaslight Cafe in
Manhattan's Greenwich Village. Tracks include rare versions of A Hard Rain's
A-Gonna Fall and Don't Think Twice It's Alright, as well as folk standards
Barbara Allen and The Cuckoo.
Anti Glazer CD to be released
27th June 2005
New Order's Peter Hook and Salford band Hanky Park are to launch a musical
protest against Malcolm Glazer's takeover of Manchester United. The
anti-Glazer single, Come On will include the chant: "We'll never die/We'll
never die/We'll keep the red flag flying high." The U.S. billionaire
recently won control of Manchester United, the world's richest football
club.
Lebanese singers pen satirical
track
23rd June 2005
Ghadi Rahbani has written a satirical song entitled You've Humiliated the
Country lampooning politicians in Lebanon. He originally composed the song
for the 2000 elections but was unable to release it on time. He insists the
song is just as relevant for this year's elections, despite Syria's
withdrawal of troops in April: "Sovereignty, national unity - my country is
now awash with slogans. What sham elections? You've made a mockery of them".
Satirical
song on election campaign in Germany
20th June 2005
German comedian Elmar Brandt's new release mocks both Gerhardt Schroeder and
Angela Merkel, his rival in the upcoming election. Puppets of the chancellor
and the Christian Democratic Union leader star in the song's video.
Schroeder mocks Merkel's pudding bowl hairstyle and her breath which he says
smells of East German gherkins. Brandt reached No.1 three years ago with The
Tax Song in which Chancellor Schroeder advised the public they would have to
pay tax for breathing and walking.
Posies release political album
17th June 2005
Seattle underground rock band The Posies return with their first studio
album in six years, Every Kind of Light. The album includes the tracks
Sweethearts of Rodeo Drive, a diatribe against rampant, excessive
consumerism and Could He Treat You Better which songwriter Ken Stringfellow
describes as "An old-fashioned he-done-you-wrong song. Except the 'he' is
our Dear Leader, George W., and the abused woman is our nation, or the
nation I think we once lived in. I worry that they resemble each other less
each day."
More Live 8 gigs announced
16th June 2005
Bob Geldof is set to announce three more Live 8 concerts, including one
to be held in Africa. Live 8 Africa will take place in Johannesburg, while
concerts will also be staged in Tokyo and Toronto. The venues will add to a
growing list of shows that includes London, Philadelphia, Paris, Rome,
Berlin and Cornwall on 2 July. The concerts aim to highlight world poverty
and will take place days before the G8 summit of world leaders at
Gleneagles.
Live 8 expands with Africa
Calling
16th June 2005
Live 8 organisers responded to criticism about the lack of African acts
taking part with the announcement yesterday of an African-only event on July
2nd at the Eden Project in Cornwall. Africa Calling will feature an array of
African acts including the Senegalese artist Youssou N'Dour, the Somalian
singer Maryam Mursal, vocalist Angelique Kidjo from Benin, Thomas Mapfumo
with Blacks Unlimited from Zimbabwe and Senegalese hip-hop group Daara J.
Geldof, who organised the follow-up to Live Aid to coincide with the G8
Summit in Gleneagles, has been criticised for focusing too heavily on
middle-aged, white musicians at the expense of African and black British
Acts.
Make Poverty History Concert
announced
16th June 2005
Top Scottish bands and DJs are to take part in a fundraising concert to
raise money for world poverty ahead of the G8 summit. Edinburgh club Cabaret
Voltaire is to host the fundraiser, called Make Poverty History, the day
after more than 200,000 people are set to protest in the Capital. Bands
Idlewild, Teenage Fanclub and Mogwai are to feature in the event on July
3rd.
Mexican rock band release album with political agenda
16th June 2005
Mexican rock band Jaguares have released their first studio album in four
years, Cronicas de un Laberinto. The album's title, according to the band's
lead vocalist Saul Hernandez, is an analogy for the present state of Mexico,
and on a larger scale, all of humanity: "We are lost. Whether it be
economics, politics, or society, this idea of political change in Mexico is
not working well. The economic situation still primarily only benefits the
wealthy." The album includes the song Esta Muy Claro (It's All So Clear)
which decries the government's treatment of indigenous people.
Damien Rice releases song for
Aung San Suu Kyi
16th June 2005
Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan are to release the single Unplayed Piana on
June 20 in support of the Free Aung San Suu Kyi 60th Birthday Campaign, a
global initiative to free the Burmess Nobel Peace Prize recipient on her
60th birthday. Unplayed Piano was written for Suu Kyi by Rice and Hannigan
following a visit by Rice to Burma in July 2004. All artists' royalties from
the sales of this record will go to supporting the US Campaign for Burma and
Burma Campaign UK.
R.E.M to broadcast song into Burma
16th June 2005
U.S. rock band R.E.M are to broadcast a song dedicated to Burma's detained
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi into the military-ruled country via
satellite television to mark her 60th birthday. The group will perform the
unspecified song for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate at its June 19 concert
in Dublin, Ireland, and air it inside Burma through an Olso-based dissident
television station.
Traditions of Resistance:
Grassroots Music for a Better World
15th June 2005
G8 Alternatives presents Traditions of Resistance: Grassroots Music for a
Better World - a post demo concert of radical songwriters and acoustic
musicians on July 2nd in the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh. The line-up includes Phamie Gow, David Rovics, Clova, Leon Rosselson, Maggie Holland, Robb
Johnson, Attila the Stockbroker and Alistair Hulett. All proceeds from the
event will be donated to G8 Alternatives.
Belle and Sebastian perform G8
Alternatives gig
15th June 2005
Belle and Sebastian have announced an exclusive fundraising show for G8
Alternatives gig at The Arches in Glasgow on Wednesday 15th June. G8
Alternatives is a broad umbrella organisation put together to coordinate,
organise and facilitate many of the events surrounding the protest and
debate at the G8 Summit at Gleneagles in July.
Amadou & Mariam release new album
14th June 2005
Malian duo Amadou & Mariam have released a new album, produced by Manu Chao,
entitled Dimanche à Bamako. They rail against "economic panic" and
"trafficking in Africa and America" and call for "solidarity between Ivorian
Malians, Mauritanians, Senegalese, Guineans, Ghanaians, French Malians and
the people of Burkina Faso". The duo's lyrics take on an even more explicit
tone on Politic Amagni, where they insist: "We don't want demagogy. We don't
want corruption. We don't want extortion!".
46664 Arctic Concert
14th June 2005
South Africa's first black president and hero of the anti-apartheid
struggle Nelson Mandela was joined by Peter Gabriel and Annie Lennox at an
AIDS charity concert in Norway. The concert is the northern city of Tromsoe
dubbed 46664 Arctic highlighted Mandela's message that "Aids is a global
issue" The first
46664 concert was named after Mandela's prison number. It was
held in Cape Town in November 2003 and was followed by a second musical
charity event in the Eastern Cape town of Fancourt.
Girlfight: The Truth Behind Women
in Hip Hop
10th June 2005
Produced by Raqiyah Mays, a well know writer, Hot 97 DJ and Executive
Editor of hip hop magazine The Ave, Girlfight: The Truth Behind Women in Hip
Hop is a new feature length documentary focussing on the experience of women
in hip hop. Girlfight was inspired by the fights hip hop women face against
the business and one another and chronicles the dramatic and sometimes
violent struggle females encounter trying to gain respect and acceptance in
a male dominated business.
Feeder cover REM song for charity
10th June 2005
Welsh rock band Feeder have recorded a cover version of REM's classic song
Everybody Hurts to raise money for the charity War Child. The single, which
will be available to download from early July, aims to raise money for the
charity's work in some of the world's most troubled regions. It is the
second time Feeder have worked with War Child, after they previously
recorded a version of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's The Power of Love.
Rapper promotes gay marriage in
new album
10th June 2005
Minnesota-based gay hip hop artist Tori Fixx's latest CD, Marry Me, delivers
a manifesto for equal marriage rights. According to Tori, "Marry Me is an
album of the moment, capturing the mood of a country in turmoil over
people's private lives. It's at once an obvious stand for gay marriage, as
well as a greater statement of personal freedom - much needed in these times
of post-election unrest and uncertainty."
Reezunable
Konshence release debut album
10th June 2005
Rekon - short for Reezunable Konshence - are rappers Kemizt and Young Bugz,
two 15 year old rappers from the North Babylon/Wyandanch area of Strong
Island, NY. Their debut album Lyrical Peace EP (pronounced Lyrical PCP -
equating Rekon's rhyme's with the hallucinogenic drug aka angel dust) begins
with a monologue attacking racial stereotypes in the media.
Damon Albarn slams Live 8
10th June 2005
Damon Albarn has slammed Live 8 and says he will not perform at the event
because of its negative portrayal of Africa. The Blur and Gorillaz star also
criticised the lack of black artists lined up for the shows in Europe and
North America in July. In an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme,
Albarn said: "This country is incredibly diverse. More than ever, black
culture is an integral part of society, so why is the bill so damn
Anglo-Saxon? If you are holding a party on behalf of people, then surely you
don't shut the door on them. In a way Live 8 does that: it doesn't make you
feel closer to Africa, it treats it like it's a failing, ill, sick, tired
place." The Blur frontman has been a fierce opponent of the conflict in Iraq
and Tony Blair's government in particular, taking a prominent position in
anti-war marches in recent years.
Pat Methany Group release new
album
10th June 2005
The Pat Methany Group have released their twelfth studio album, The Way Is
Up. The 68 minute instrumental album consists of only one track. According
to Methany, "At the time we started writing, we saw this as a kind of
protest record. It could be seen as our protest against a world where fear
had become a cultural and political weapon, a protest against a world where
a lack of nuance
and detail is considered a good thing, a protest against a culture that
values that which can be consumed in the smallest bites over the kinds of
efforts and achievements that can only come with a lifetime of work and
study."
Carlos Arredondo: 30 years
10th June 2005
Chilean singer songwriter, Carlos Arredondo, presents a collection of his
own songs, based on traditional South American music. Carlos, a 'concionista',
has been performing all over Scotland, in Britain and abroad since 1974; his
music and song-writing style have been inspired by folklorist Violeta Parra
and Victor Jara and the 'new song' movement of the Americas of the 60s and
70s. Carlos Arredondo: 30 years is at the Queen Charlotte Rooms, Leith on 11
June and is part of the Leith Festival 2005.
Rock star aids charity's last act
9th June 2005
Queen guitarist Brian May has presented £1m to blood services on behalf
of a charity set up by two Welsh fathers. Malcolm Thomas, from Bridgend, and
John Humphries, from Newport, set up the British Bone Marrow Donor Appeal (BBMDA)
in 1987 to help their children, but it is now winding up. May, who is a
patron of the appeal, became involved when leukaemia sufferer Denise Morse
requested that Who Wants to Live Forever was played at her funeral in
Staffordshire in 1989. His re-recording of the song released in the same
year raised £150,000 for the charity.
Geldof accused of Live 8 oversight
9th June 2005
Bob Geldof has been criticised for the lack of African talent in the
line-up for the Live 8 concerts. There is only one African performer -
Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour - in the entire international roster.
Geldof has also been attacked for inviting Pope Benedict XVI who opposes the
use of condoms to stem the spread of AIDS in Africa. Six Live 8 concerts are
planned to send a message to the G8 summit of world leaders in Scotland.
Hip hop track about trial
of U.S. congressman
9th June 2005
Wes Eishenhauer aka A-Def from hip hop act Soulcrate Music has written a
song expressing his frustration over the trial of former South Dakota
governor and congressman Bill Janklow. Unjust Justice reflects on the
conviction of Janklow for the traffic accident that killed a Minnesota
motorcyclist Randy Scott. Janklow was sentenced to 100 days in jail and
three years probation on charges of second-degree manslaughter, speeding,
running a stop sign and reckless driving. Some believe that Janklow's
sentence was too light: "If I'd of killed him their guns would've been
cocked up/He sat three months, I'd of sat 10 years locked up."
U.S. soldiers serving in
Iraq release rap album
8th June 2005
Live From Iraq is a rap album written, produced and recorded by six American
soldiers stationed in Iraq calling themselves 4th25. "This album is the
blood of soldiers. All we have seen and done. The life of a soldier at war.
The reality of a country at war...this is what nobody wanted you to
hear...THE TRUTH." The 15 track album includes The Deployment, Lace Your
Boots and Testament of a Soldier.
Singer apologies for Jodi Jones track
7th June 2005
Brandon Flowers, lead singer of acclaimed US rock band The Killers, has
apologised to the family of
murdered teenager Jodi Jones after describing
her death in lurid details in an interview promoting a new song from the
band. Flowers wrote Where Is She? after watching a Scottish news report
about the case while on tour in Glasgow last year. Jodi Jones was 14 when
she was murdered by her boyfriend Luke Mitchell - then 14 - in 2003. He was
sentenced to serve a minimum of 20 years in prison for the crime but is set
to appeal the conviction. Where Is She? is written from the perspective of
Jodi's mother Judy, addressing Luke Mitchell and his mother Corinne: "A
police car was outside your house today/I haven't seen you in a couple of
days/They knocked on your door, and then they went away/Your mother looked
scared, but she didn't cry, she didn't cry...where is my baby girl?"
Scottish Live 8 gig announced
7th June 2005
Band Aid founder Midge Ure has announced details of a Scottish Live 8 gig to
take place at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on July 6 to coincide with
the G8 conference in Gleneagles from July 6-8. Performers confirmed include
Travis, Franz Ferdinand, Garbage, Wet Wet Wet and Texas with hopes to
attract big names in the music industry such as Bono, Bryan Adams,
Razorlight, The Killers, Simple Minds, Feeder, Teenage Fanclub and Maroon 5.
The pop apostle versus the
politician
7th June 2005
With the recent announcement of Live 8, with concerts taking place around
the world to highlight the ongoing problem of global poverty and debt which
coincides with the G8 summit in Gleneagles, the Herald investigates why
people tend to trust pop stars more than politicians.
According to Joe Levy, deputy managing
editor of Rolling Stone magazine in New York, "With pop stars, at least you
know who's paying them and what their sins are. There's less false morality
and they are less beholden to special interest groups."
Tony Benn to join political
debate at Glastonbury Festival
7th June 2005
Veteran political campaigner Tony Benn will appear at the
Left Field Stage
at this year's Glastonbury Festival. Tony Benn will be joined by Mark Steel
and Billy Bragg and debates will include US Imperialism and the Cuban
Blockade and Uniting against Fascism. Geoff Martin, director of the Left
Field said: "Tony Benn will help generate some real momentum behind the G8
protests the week after the festival."
Dub artist releases track on Abu Ghraib
6th June 2005
Montreal musician Deadbeat, aka Scott Monteith, has released a
techno-infused abstract electronic dub track tackling the thorny issue of
Abu Ghraib. The Iraqi prison, near Baghdad, has been the subject of
controversy following allegations of abuse by the US military in April 2004.
The track begins with a distorted sample of Rush Limbaugh whitewashing the
damning photos of American servicemen torturing and humiliating Iraqi
detainees. It is taken from Deadbeat's EP Preliminary Findings.
Coldplay include protest song on new album
6th June 2005
Coldplay's new album X&Y includes the song Twisted Logic, an intense, angry
track encouraging people to make the right decisions about how they live
their lives and treat the planet: "Created, then drilled and invaded/If
somebody made it/Someone will mess it up/And you are not wrong to/Ask who
does this belong to/It belongs to all of us."
Political pressure forces Nine Inch Nails to pull out of MTV Music
Awards
6th June 2005
Corporate concern over a backdrop posted used by rock band Nine Inch Nails
led to the group's decision to cancel its appearance at the MTV Music Awards
shows. At issue is a poster of President George Bush, which the band
use as a backdrop to the song, The Hand that Feeds, a single on their new
album With Teeth. MTV executives expressed concern that the song and poster
combined to create an overt political message, saying in a statement, "While
we respect
Nine Inch Nails' point of view, we were uncomfortable with their
performance being build around a partisan political statement. In a
statement on the band's website, NIN front man Trent Reznor said,
"Apparently, the image of our president is as offensive to MTV as it is to
me."
Live 8 concerts announced
6th June 2005
Bob Geldof has unveiled plans for a repeat of 1985's Live Aid concert,
entitled Live 8, to highlight the ongoing problem of global poverty and
debt. The free event will be held in London's Hyde Park on 2nd July with
concerts in Philadelphia, Paris, Rome and Berlin. Madonna, Sir Paul
McCartney, Coldplay, Sir Elton John and Robbie Williams are among stars
playing in London. The aim of the concerts is to raise awareness of Make
Poverty History, a campaign to get the richest nations to cancel debt and
increase aid to developing countries and to promote fair trade and coincides
with the G8 summit which is to take place from 6th - 8th July at Gleneagles
in Scotland.
We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen
26th May 2005
We Jam Econo is a feature length documentary which chronicles the ground
breaking, early 80's punk rock band
The Minutemen. It weaves in footage from
over fifty newly shot interviews with archival interviews and live
performances to capture the dynamic energy and do-it-yourself sprit of these
punk rock pioneers. Fuelled by proletarian angst, California's The Minutemen
changed the course of music history.
Mos Def and Talib Kweli fight for exiled political activist
26th May 2005
Conscious underground rap stars Mos Def and Talib Kweli gathered at the City
Hall with R&B singer/musician Martin Luther and City Councilman Charles
Barron to raise awareness about exiled political activist Assata Shakur.
They demanded the federal government drop the $1 million bounty on Shakur's
head and remove her from the domestic terrorist watch list. A former member
of the Black Panther Party, Shakur was involved in a 1973 shootout on the
New Jersey turnpike, where one state trooper and one Black Panther were
killed. Shakur, born JoAnne Chesimard, and her companion, Sundiata Acoli,
were convicted of both murders. Shakur escaped from a maximum-security
prison in 1979, resurfacing in Cuba where she received political asylum in
1986 and has remained there ever since.
Billy Elliot - a socialist musical
25th May 2005
The stage version of the hit British film Billy Elliot has opened in London.
Billy Elliot tells the story of young Billy, who shows an aptitude for dance
despite resistance from his tough working class father, and is set against
the harsh backdrop of the miners strike of 1984/5. The musical includes a
selection of songs based on popular working class traditions, such as hymns,
folk songs and socialist anthems.
Journal of African Affairs researches political music
24th May 2005
The current issue of the
Journal of African Affairs includes articles
reflecting on the link between politics and popular culture in Kenya and
Cameroon. The journal includes Popular music, popular politics: Unbwogable
and the idioms of freedom in Kenyan popular music by Joyce Nyairo and James
Ogude and Entertaining repression: Music and politics in postcolonial
Cameroon by Francis B. Nyamnjoh and Jude Fokwang.
Eureka Songs: Freedom, struggle, protest and peace
24th May 2005
Eureka Songs: Freedom, struggle, protest and peace is a collection of songs
celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Eureka Stockade. Edited by Arthur
Pike, the collection ranges from Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly's From Little
Things Big Things Grow, Pete Seeger's If I Had a Hammer, Eric Bogle's The
Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Alex Hood's Beneath the Southern Cross, The
Red Flag, and Botany Bay to Waltzing Matilda, Wearing of the Green,
Solidarity Forever, Kevin Barry, Pie in the Sky, John Schumann's I Was Only
Nineteen, Archie Roach's They Took the Children Away and Helen Palmer's
Ballad of Eureka.
Leavin' Lefty Lucy (Tree Huggin' Girlfriend)
24th May 2005
Dr B.L.T. Thiessen has written and recorded a new song,
Leavin' Lefty Lucy(Tree Huggin' Girlfriend)
. He describes the song as "song-soap-opera that
tells the story of a young Republican who is duped into falling for a girl
who deceives him into thinking she is also a Republican. When he discovers
he has been betrayed, he comes to the realization that he must leave her in
the dust."
Black Sun Over Genoa - Join the Choir
24th May 2005
Black Sun Over Genoa tells the human story behind the anti-G8 demonstrations
in Genoa in 2001. Based on documentary accounts this powerful play portrays
the hope, the passion, the dedications of the protesters in the face of
overwhelming opposition, and reveals the tragedy of a young man who made the
ultimate sacrifice for his belief in a better world. The play coincides with
the G8 Summit 2005 taking place in Gleneagles this summer. Theatre Workshop
is calling on all community members, with or without previous experience, to
join the choir.
New anti-Iraq war song released
24th May 2005
Australian singer-songwriter Michael Hardwick has released an anti-Iraq war
song entitled
Iraq Attack. The song was originally written in 1991 as a
stream of consciousness: "Now we've had about 10,000 years to learn how not
to fight/No matter how smart you think we might be, we still haven't got
that right./And if perhaps we'd given 'em trees instead of guns and
bombs/There's be a green field for us to all play on."
Concert for G8 Alternatives in Edinburgh
23rd May 2005
A Concert for
G8 Alternatives has been announced in Edinburgh's Queens Hall
on July 2nd. The gig will include performances from Leon Rosselson, Robb
Johnson, Rory McLeod, David Rovics, Attila the Stockbroker and more. The gig
will coincide with the Make Poverty History demonstration which promises to
be the largest demonstration in the history of Scotland. A diverse group of
Churches, NGOs, Trade Unions, environmentalists and ordinary citizens will
march to end poverty in the UK and around the world.
G8 Alternatives Gig announced
23rd May 2005
Karine Polwart, Alistair Hulett, Clova, the Lyndsay Dolan Band and Ian
Davison are amongst those performing at the G8 Alternatives Benefit gig in
Glasgow. The event, designed to raise money to help pay the cost of the
Alternatives Summit on 3rd July, takes place in the Arches on 30th May.
New EP from Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra
23rd May 2005
Government Magic is the new EP from the New York based collective,
Antibalas
Afrobeat Orchestra. The five-track EP includes Go Je Je; Government Magic;
Out with the New, In With the True; Che Che Cole (Makossa) and Dub Je Je.
Song to save Social Security
23rd May 2005
Ray Korona writes political folk music, labour songs, environmental songs
and love songs. His new song is entitled The Social Security Rag: "Social
Security always took a chunk of my weekly pay/For benefits it doled out and
funds it stored away/I knew when I got too old to work, I'd still survive
okay/Now you say my money's gone - go buy some stocks and pray."
The Levellers release new album
23rd May 2005
Pioneers of political folk punk,
The Levellers, have released a new album
entitled Truth and Lies. The album includes the anti-war track Knot Around
the World and Who's the Daddy? - a political wake-up call to the sleeping
masses: "Guess who's the daddy /Who's really in control /Who's got your
number /Who owns your soul." Lead singer Mark Chadwick acknowledges that
mixing music and politics is fraught with difficulties: "It's understandable
why a lot of bands shy away from being political. People think you're
po-faced and serious and you don't know how to have a laugh. We're a rock
'n' roll band first and foremost but we make political statements when we
feel required to do so."
Peggy Seeger's 70th birthday celebrations
20th May 2005
To celebrate her 70th birthday,
Peggy Seeger performs at the South
Bank accompanied by some special guests and family members including Pete
Seeger, Mike Seeger, Eliza Carthy, Billy Bragg and Mike Harding. Peggy is
the half-sister of Pete Seeger and her life partner was the English
songwriter Ewan MacColl, who wrote The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face for
her and about her. Peggy remains best known for her feminist song Gonna Be
An Engineer and The Ballad of Springhill. The event takes place on Sunday
29th May in Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Burns an' a' that!: A Celebration of Life and Contemporary Scottish
Culture
19th May 2005
Scotland's Annual
Burns Festival is being staged this year from Friday 20th
May until Monday 30th May. Highlights of the fourth festival include the
Orchestra of Scottish Opera being joined on stage by New York legend Lou
Reed. Another highlight will no doubt be The Radical Tradition - an evening
of explosive poetry and song with singer/songwriter and poet Pete Doherty
(ex-Libertines and Babyshambles) in a recital of his own work plus music.
Hip-Hop Colony: The African Hip-Hop Explosion
19th May 2005
Emerge Media Films presents Hip-Hop Colony: The African Hip-Hop Explosion.
This documentary film by director/producer Michael Wanguhu takes you on a
journey into the heart of East Africa. Taking an intimate look at hip-hop in
the former British colony and celebrating Kenya's entrance into the hip-hop
arena. It also serves as an eye opener for the world to see what's happening
in Kenya.
New album from Jim Lesses
18th May 2005
Australian singer-songwriter
Jim Lesses has released a new album entitled
American Dream. The album, which Jim describes as "an album for the times"
includes thirteen songs which deal with issues such as peace and social
justice; capital punishment; trade unionism and unemployment. The title
track reflects on the the disintegration of the American Dream: "Man walks
into a downtown store/Waving a gun, people fall to the floor/Fills up his
bag then he waits for the cops/Today is the day the rat race stops/Big Mac,
heart attack, any time at all/Sky high penthouse, see the body fall/Wall
Street broker, hanging on a beam/They're all checking out of the American
Dream."
Campaign song to tackle peer pressure and anti-social behaviour
18th May 2005
Pupils from an Edinburgh school are to join forces with a record firm to
raise awareness of alcohol, drugs and smoking. Youngsters from the Royal
High School will record a theme song for
Choices For Life, a campaign to
tackle peer pressure and anti-social behaviour.
Coldplay attack corporate evil
18th May 2005
Coldplay's Chris Martin has dismissed pressure to boost his record company's
profits, saying: "Shareholders are the great evil of this modern world." EMI
issued a profit warning in February partly because the release of the UK
band's latest album X&Y was delayed. Martin spoke about the "slavery that we
are all under to shareholders" ahead of the album's release in early June.
Geldof denies plans for Live Aid II
18th May 2005
Singer and campaigner
Bob Geldof has denied reports he plans to stage a
Live
Aid gig to coincide with the UK hosting in July of the G8 summit of world
leaders. The gigs would coincide with the 20th anniversary of the original
1985 Live Aid concert at Wembley.
Anti gun campaigners release CD
18th May 2005
Urban Concepts' anti-gun campaign,
Don't Trigger, are using music and youth
to unite the nation against gun crime. In collaboration with Mothers Against
Guns, a 3 track CD by unsigned artists is to be released in EP format in
major record stores. Profits from the sales will be distributed to community
initiatives and victims of gun crime. The EP includes the songs Why?, Listen
Up! and R.I.P.
Police threaten to ban protest music album in Zimbabwe
18th May 2005
Zimbabwean police have threatened to use harsh censorship laws to stop local
civic organisations from launching and distributing a protest music album
calling for a new and democratic constitution and castigating state
brutality against political opponents. The
National Constitutional Assembly,
a coalition of churches, labour, civic rights and opposition political
parties, who are behind the album were informed the organisation could only
release the six track album, entitled Singing For A New Constitution,
following approval by the State Censorship Board.
Robert Cray releases song about Iraq war
18th May 2005
Los Angeles-based bluesman
Robert Cray has released a song written from the
point of view of a U.S. soldier stationed in Iraq who has become
disillusioned with the mission and eventually dies in the war: "When you're
used up, where do you go Soldier/Mother dry your eyes, there's no need to
cry/I'm not a boy, it's what I signed up for/When you're used up, where do
you go Soldier/I can't take the heat, and I hardly sleep anymore/What'd we
come here for." The song, Twenty, is from Cray's new album of the same name.
Napalm Death release political album
17th May 2005
The Code is Red...Long Live the Code is the new album from veterans of
grindcore,
Napalm Death. The title track refers to the colour coded threat
levels issued by the US Department of Homeland Security which urged
Americans to prepare for a terrorist attack:" They'll take us up to fever
pitch and watch intolerance spread/And you'll be none the wiser with a
paranoid mindset." The album's central issue is the current state of
American politics - All Hail the Grey Dawn examines the growing chasm
between the social classes: "You're either a have-it-all or a have not/And
when you have it all there's a license to spin the line: 'All this could be
yours'" whilst Diplomatic Immunity focuses on the war in Iraq: "It was war
through lies on demand".
Cui Jian releases new album
17th May 2005
Veteran Chinese rocker
Cui Jian has released his fifth solo album, Show You
Colour. This is his first release since Power of the Powerless in 1999. The
album is divided into three main themes represented by three colours, red,
yellow and blue. Red symbolizes the heart, blue - intelligence and yellow -
love. The album merges pop, rock, techno and hip hop. According to Cui, "The
rock spirit in China is very political. In the West, rock is sex and drugs.
But in China, these things are still pretty far off. The other strength of
rock for us is that it is the voice of the people. Rock represents the angry
voice of the people."
Vietnam: The Music of Protest
3rd May 2005
The Vietnam war spurred a protest movement that spread among the student
movement in the 1960s. And songs were an important part of that protest.
The
BBC investigates.
Green candidate sings for votes
3rd May 2005
A
Green Party general election candidate in North Devon has recorded a cover
version of Peter Gabriel's song Don't Give Up. Ricky Knight received special
permission to record the song which is downloadable from the Green Party's
website.
British National Party Chairman pens song
3rd May 2005
British National Party Chairman, Nick Griffin, has written a song for a
party political broadcast. Corporal Fox is about a soldier who fought for
his country in the Falklands and the Gulf and is now an alcoholic and
homeless: "My God, I was angry to hear it/When 'home' from the army I
came/There were flats for Iraqis and Afghans/But never a one with my name/I
thought that the council would sort it/Til a desk clerk with spiky green
hair/Said "next please" and looked straight through me/Pretending I just
wasn't there."
BBC bans song until after election
3rd May 2005
The BBC has deemed the new double A-side single by
Misty's Big Adventure too
political for broadcast until after the election. The song entitled E-V-I-L
has been described by the band as a general tirade towards the majority of
politicians whilst the cover artwork features pictures of Tony Blair, George
Bush, Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy around the word "evil". "Scheming,
that is all that they do, just scheming/Most of us are happy just
believing/But I don't like the way they're leaning/Corporate holiday for
some team building/And I'm wondering where this is leading?/Nothing that
they say has any meaning/I know I wish they'd all stop breathing/Make them
take a beating and back down/It's a four letter word that means nothing at
all/E.V.I.L."
Conservative Party select campaign song
3rd May 2005
The
Conservative Party has launched an
election campaign advert highlighting
what they allege are smirking images of the Prime Minister. The advert
features images of the Prime Minister to the song Take That Look Off Your
Face, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which alludes to Party Leader Michael
Howard's claim that Mr Blair was "already secretly smirking" at the prospect
of victory.
Let My People Go!
27th April 2005
Let My People Go! A Jewish and African American Celebration of Freedom is an
album compiled by veteran African American folksinging couple
Kim and Reggie
Harris and Rabbi Jonathan Kligler. Let My People Go! presents a memorable
analogy in song and spoken word between the story of the Jewish exodus from
slavery in Egypt in the 13th century B.C.E. as retold at the annual Passover
Seder meal, and the African American struggle toward equality in America as
exemplified by the mid-Sixties Civil Rights movement, in which many Jewish
activists were involved.
Bruce Springsteen releases political album
27th April 2005
Devils and Dust is an anti-war themed solo album from Bruce Springsteen. The
titled track was written at the time of the Iraq invasion, narrated by a US
soldier: "Fear's a powerful thing/ That'll turn your heart black you can
trust/ It'll take your God filled soul/ Fill it with devils and dust."
Franz Ferdinand play for Green party
27th April 2005
Scottish rock band
Franz Ferdinand are to provide the music for a
Green
party election broadcast. The political broadcast, which features the song
This Fire, will show a "nightmare vision" of a polluted environment in the
future. The broadcast featuring Franz Ferdinand has been directed by Alex
Cox, who made the cult 1980s film, Repo Man. The Greens, contesting over 200
seats in the general election, are trying to win their first Westminster
seat.
Immigration song for British election
21st April 2005
Island in the Sun is a DJ-mix by DJ Moniker on one of the major issues of
the British election campaign - the clampdown on immigration. It features
samples from Tony Blair, Michael Howard and Winston Churchill: "This is my
island in the sun/Where my people have toiled since time begun/I may sail on
many a sea/Her shores will always be home to me."
Freedom is in Your Hand Workshop
20th April 2005
Anders Nyberg, Swedish composer, choral conductor and author of Freedom is
Coming: Songs of Protest and Praise from South Africa, will make his second
visit to Scotland in May to promote his new songs collection Freedom is in
Your Hand. The workshop entitled Freedom is in Your Hand takes place on
Tuesday 3rd May 19.00 - 21.30 at Renfield St Stephen's Church, Bath Street,
Glasgow.
Yiddish music from concentration camps and Jewish ghettos
20th April 2005
A new CD of Yiddish ghetto music has been released.
Shtil, di nakht iz
oysgehsternt (Quiet, the night is full of stars), by Dutch violinist
Adriaan
Stoet and pianist Tjako van Schie, contains music made during the Second
World War in the Jewish ghettos and concentration camps. The music, which
originated under the most appalling circumstances is recognizable,
penetrating and straight from the heart.
Music stars urge British youth to vote
20th April 2005
A galaxy of stars including Chris Martin, Will Young and Beverley Knight are
backing a British campaign urging young voters to take part in the upcoming
May 5th general election. The Sun newspaper has launched its Rock the Vote
campaign to help to dispel voter apathy amongst the young. The campaign is
based on a similar drive in the U.S.A. which used pop stars and fashion
icons such as Justin Timberlake, Leonardo DiCaprio and Snoop Dog, to
persuade young people to head to the polls. The campaign is also backed by
Justin Hawkins, Noel Gallagher, Sir Alex Ferguson and Dame Kelly Holmes.
Poll compares politicians and rock stars
20th April 2005
A recent poll conducted by music magazine NME asked music fans to compare
politicians and rock stars when deciding who should get their vote in the
forthcoming UK general election. Conservative party leader, Michael Howard,
was compared to The Darkness - "all style but no soul" whilst Labour had
more in common with Oasis - "Like Oasis, Labour used to be great but aren't
any more." Charles Kennedy and his Liberal Democrats were compared with
chart-topping trio Keane - "they've both got the super-nice factor but
aren't that good". Readers said they would vote for a Liberal Democrat
government with Coldplay's Chris Martin as Prime Minister. U2 frontman Bono,
Morrissey and Radiohead's Thom Yorke were other contenders for the top job.
Politicians reveal their music tastes
14th April 2005
As the general election campaign goes into full gear
the
Guardian
investigates leading politicians musical preferences: Charles Kennedy
reveals his passion for David Bowie, whilst Liam Fox admires the Scissor
Sisters, George Galloway prefers Bob Dylan and Geoff Hoon cites contemporary
artists Will Oldham and Ryan Adams.
Brian Eno lends support to Liberal Democrats
14th April 2005
Musician and producer Brian Eno has launched
www.libdemthistime.org in aid of
Liberal Democrats
election campaign. Eno is joined by Sir Peter Hall, Fran Healey from Travis, Anita Roddick and
Germaine Greer.
Quiz: Pop and politics
13th April 2005
Following the publication of George Bush's Ipod playlist,
BBC News online
offers a quiz on politicians' musical tastes.
Bush playlist puzzles pundits
13th April 2005
John Hiatt, Alejandro Escovedo, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings...they're all on
George Bush's
iPod. But what does it all mean? Guardian journalist Alexis
Petridis dissects his playlist.
Beautiful Day turns ugly for Labour
12th April 2005
The
Labour party is heading for a showdown with U2 as it declared the band's
Beautiful Day as its
"official" election anthem without the group's
permission. The group is adamant it sees official use of the song as
endorsement of the party. Although no official complaint has been made, it
is unhappy with the track being used as anything other than incidental
music. To play the song on purpose and repeatedly at events Labour first
needs written permission from U2's record company which would negotiate a
fee for its usage.
Protest song for deported family
11th April 2005
The deportation of a Nigerian family from County Monaghan, Ireland, has
inspired local school pupils to volunteer en-masse to record the song
(Something Inside) So Strong. The children are recording the song to be
released to radio stations across Ireland as part of their campaign to have
the Okolie family brought back from Nigeria.
Political song from the Yards
7th April 2005
The Yards self-titled debut album includes the anti Bush track, The Devil Is
Alive and Well in DC: "All you Texans stand in line/with your blue electric
sky/just a boy out for some fun/got my Stetson, got my gun." The song will
be available for download from 12th April.
Voices in the Wilderness CD released
6th April 2005
Voices in the Wilderness: Dissenting Soundscapes and Songs of G.W.'s America
was created out of the anxiety and disillusionment of Bush's re-election on
November 3rd 2004. This composition of twenty-six artists transcends music
genres and ideologies with the common purpose of dissent towards the Bush
regime. This collection of political protest music spans experimental, rock,
free-improv, electronic, folk, field recordings, and spoken word. It is
described as "a document of dissent, a plea for peace, and a push against
the complacency that can envelop us".
Feminism and Hip Hop Conference
6th April 2005
The University of Chicago's
Center for the Study of Race, Politics and
Culture is hosting a three-day conference entitled Feminism and Hip Hop.
Scholars and community activists will convene to take about the effect
hip-hop has had on feminism, sexuality, image and culture.
CD calling for new constitution in Zimbabwe released
6th April 2005
Zimbabwe's National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) has taken its
constitutional reform programme to the airwaves and is set to launch an
album lamenting the need for a new constitution. The six track album
entitled NCA In Music: Singing for a new constitution is a compilation of
songs calling on the establishment of a new constitution that will usher in
a "democratic and open society".
Lesbians on Ecstasy release debut album
6th April 2005
Bernie Bankrupt, Veronique Mystique, Jackie "The JackHammer" and Fruity
Frankie are
Lesbians on Ecstasy - "a live dance outfit from Montreal,
Lesbians on Ecstasy steal liberally from the lesbian back catalogue to
create booty shaking dance hits that maintain the politically infused edge
of many early lesbian songwriters." Their self-titled debut album is
available now.
French minister's plea becomes CD
5th April 2005
A speech made by former French foreign minister
Dominique de Villepin before
the outbreak of the Iraq war has been set to music and released on CD.
A
Better World by musician Arnaud Fleurent-Didier set Villepin's plea for a
peaceful resolution to a synthesised backing track.
Sinead O'Connor to release reggae album
1st April 2005
Irish singer Sinead O'Connor is in Jamaica recording a reggae album with
some of the country's leading musicians. The album, set for release this
summer, will include covers of some of reggae's most famous protest songs -
Bob Marley's War, Peter Tosh's Downpressor Man and Burning Spear's Marcus
Garvey.
Banner Theatre celebrates 30th anniversary
31st March 2005
Banner Theatre will be celebrating 30 years of creating hard-hitting
documentary theatre with, and for, community and trade union audiences in
Birmingham on 8-9 April. Banner has based its work on key issues of our
times, from fights to prevent closure and privatisation of major industries,
like coal, steel and public utilities, through to struggles against racism,
sexism and imperialism. To date, the company has created over 30 major
documentaries, numerous cassettes and CDs, plus hundreds of songs and street
theatre productions. To mark this major achievement the company has arranged
a series of activities including the launch of Singing the Changes - a
songbook/history featuring over 80 songs from Banner productions, plus
photographs and interviews; the launch of a new show, Wild Geese; the
release of a new CD featuring songs from Wild Geese and the recent
production Migrant Voices.
Anthrax reunite and remain defiantly political
31st March 2005
The original cast of legendary heavy metal outfit Anthrax are to reunite.
Joey Belladonna, Frankie Bello, Charlie Benante, Scott Ian and Danny Spitz
are also due to make an announcement regarding the Government 2004 Bioshield
Act which makes mandatory the use of certain vaccines for soldiers, some of
which have not been rigorously tested. Anthrax will be collaborating with
the
Slave To The Metal foundation (a portal for Heavy Metal fans and the
music industry to raise awareness and provide funds to those organizations
and individuals that fight against the misuse of heavy metals ie. depleted
uranium, mercury and lead) to help raise awareness of the issue.
Rock stars recruited to fight revolution
31st March 2005
According to the
Moscow Times, a secret meeting took place recently between
Vladislav Surkov, a deputy head of the Russian presidential administration,
and the elite of Russian rock. The meeting took place at a Moscow hotel and
included Sergei Shnurov, Zemfira, Boris Grebenshchikov, B2 and Splin. Surkov
called the meeting to ensure that a situation like Kiev, where many Ukranian
rock stars supported the opposition and performed in the centre of the
capital during the Orange Revolution, would not be repeated in Moscow.
Middle East peace song released
30th March 2005
Palestinian radio has broadcast a song in Hebrew for the first time, whilst
Israeli Army radio simultaneously played an Arabic version of the same
track. The song,
In My Heart, by Israeli David Broza and Palestinian Wisam
Murad was written in an attempt to narrow the divisions between their
respective communities.
Benefit album for landmine victims released
30th March 2005
Natalie Merchant, Widespread Panic, Juliana Hatfield and Jorma Kaukonen are
among the artists contributing songs to the benefit CD Too Many Years: A
Benefit for Clear Path International. Formed five years ago,
Clear Path
International is dedicated to aiding landmine and bomb victims in Vietnam,
Cambodia and Thailand. The album is being released to commemorate the
thirtieth anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
Academics to ponder The Smiths
30th March 2005
The Smiths are to be studied at an academic conference in their home town of
Manchester. The iconic 80s band, led by Morrissey, will be analysed by
scholars from around the world at Manchester Metropolitan University on
April 8 and 9. The symposium entitled
Why Pamper Life's Complexities, aims
to assess the band's social, cultural, political and musical impact. The
academics will reflect on the influence of Morrissey's lyrics on gender and
sexuality, race and nationality.
Hip-hop artists to endorse McDonalds
30th March 2005
McDonalds has announced that it is seeking to use Hip-Hop to promote their
Big Mac sandwich and have offered money to rappers who plug the Big Mac in a
hit record by summer. McDonald's Corp has hired entertainment marketing firm
Maven Strategies to help the fast food giant encourage hip-hop artists to
integrate the Big Mac sandwich into their upcoming songs.
Labour to use U2 song for election campaign
30th March 2005
Labour is to use the U2 song Beautiful Day for its
general election campaign
theme despite refusals from the rock group to endorse the party. The song
was also used by John Kerry, the unsuccessful Democratic challenger to George
W. Bush, in last November's American presidential election.
Egyptian folk singer pens song for President
23rd March 2005
Egyptian folk singer Shabaan Abdul Rahim has written a new song as a special
dedication to Egypt's President Husni Mubarak. Rahim wrote Binhibak Ya Raees
(We Love You President) as a way of celebrating his return to good health
after recent health problems.
Album celebrating Namibian independence released
22nd March 2005
The Ndilimani Cultural Troupe, a musical forefront of Namibia's ruling Swapo
party, will launch its new album Okakulumbwati (Hand grenade) to celebrate
15 years of independence. The album pays tribute to the longstanding ally of
the Namibian revolution, the Cuban nationalist forces that fought side by
side with the Plan combatants during the liberation struggle. The 10-track
album features a selection of revolutionary songs produced in exile and a
song honouring President-elect Hifikepunye Pohamba.
Anti-war song trilogy released
21st March 2005
To commemorate the second anniversary of the Iraq war,
PeaceSong have
released an anti-war song trilogy. The Further On Trilogy includes the songs
Not So Curious George, American Two Step and Shout! In 2003, PeaceSong
released The War Trilogy (Enemy Me, Baghdad Road and Sudden Sound) which
have been freely downloaded by thousands around the world.
Stars unite for Mandela concert
21st March 2005
Will Smith, Annie Lennox and Queen have taken part in Nelson Mandela's
second Aids benefit concert in South Africa. Musicians Katie Melua, Paul
Rodgers and India Arie joined South African artists at the event, hosted by
actor and rapper Smith. The theme of the concert was Women and Aids, with
all proceeds going to the
Nelson Mandela Foundation to combat HIV.
Father of Chicano music dies
18th March 2005
Lalo Guerrero, who was known as the "father of Chicano music" has died. The
88-year old Guerrero, named a "National Folk Treasure" by the Smithsonian
Institution has influenced Latino artists such as Paul Rodriguez and Los
Lobos. Guerrero chronicled Hispanic-related social issues in Mama, Don't Let
Your Babies Grow Up to Be Busboys and No Chicanos on TV (which launched a
movement by the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts to hire more
Hispanic actors on TV) and wrote socially significant corridos such as El
Corrido de Robert Kennedy and EL Corrido de Cesar Chavez.
Cover of Queen-Bowie classic released for tsunami relief
18th March 2005
My Chemical Romance and The Used have recorded a cover of the 1981
Queen-David Bowie classic, Under Pressure. Proceeds from the single will
benefit Music For Relief, the charity Linkin Park helped to establish in the
wake of the tsunami in South Asia.
Words of Mass Destruction EP
17th March 2005
Matt Singer presents his unique brand of hip hop folk protest on his new
political EP, Words of Mass Destruction. It includes the tracks The Clones
and White Men/Grey Suits: "Ever since I was a boy/White men in grey suits
said kill kill kill under the breath/They sit behind a desk, protect their
own neck/Then they send someone else's kid off to his death."
Pop song protest over phone mast
16th March 2005
Mothers protesting against Vodafone's plans to erect mobile phone masts near
Muswell Hill (London) schools and nurseries have rewritten Pink Floyd's
Another Brick In The Wall to aid their cause. The new lyrics are: "We don't
need no radiation/We don't get no planning control/No microwaves above the
classroom/Vodafone leave our kids alone."
New album from Oakland's Zion I
11th March 2005
The Bay Area's socially conscious underground hip-hop outfit
Zion I have
released their third album, True & Livin'. The album features Talib Kweli,
Gift of Gab, Del The Funky Homosapien, Aesop Rock and social activist Fred
Hampton Jr.
Debut album from The Evens
11th March 2005
Fugazi frontman Ian Mackaye has collaborated with former Warmers
drummer/vocalist Amy Farina to form
The Evens. Their self-titled debut album
touches on themes such as contempt of petty authority and the dismay at the
disintegration of the local community and the police in the track, Great
Cop: "They'll beat you with the truth so you won't feel the lies."
New album from Blak Twang
11th March 2005
Tony Rotton aka Taipanic aka
Blak Twang has released his forth album, The
Rotton Club. G.C.S.E, the first single from the album, tackles sex education
- or the lack of - in schools. Another track, My World, includes samples
from Tony's appearance in early 2003 on UK national breakfast TV, where he
defended rap music from government ministers looking to establish a direct
link between rap lyrics and violence.
Algerian star slams censorship
11th March 2005
Algerian musician Rachid Taha has criticised what he believes is censorship
on Western radio. Taha, who lives in France, said Western radio station were
more restrictive in what they played that their counterparts in the Middle
East. In particular, he said they refused to air political songs. Taha's
music blends north African roots with rock, punk and electronica and his
latest album,
Tekitoi, includes a cover of The Clash's Rock The Kasbah.
Woody Guthrie's granddaughter releases album
10th March 2005
Sarah Lee Guthrie is the daughter of Arlo Guthrie and granddaughter of Woody
Guthrie. She has just become the third generation of the Guthrie family to
release an album, Exploration. The 12-track album, a collaboration with
Johnny Irion, includes 11 original songs and a previously unrecorded Pete
Seeger song, Dr King. The title track looks out at an unsettling world from
the sanctuary of a lasting relationship: "Fear is what they want/Don't let 'em
get your goat...No risk can be plain/And the time is running off the clock."
Take Back the Music Campaign
8th March 2005
21 year old law student Asha Jennings from Atlanta, Georgia is fronting a
protest group against the growing misogyny in black hip hop lyrics and
videos. The campaign began last April when Jennings organized a cancer
fund-raiser at Spelman College, where she was a senior at the time, and
invited hip-hop artist Nelly, whose sister has leukaemia. Prior to the
event, Jennings became aware of Nelly's song Tip Drill (Tip Drill is hip-hop
slang for a unattractive woman who has sex for money). She and other Spelman
co-eds threatened to protest to the event, and Nelly cancelled. The movement
grew into a national campaign called Take Back the Music, sponsored by, and
featured in the pages of,
Essence magazine.
Former Lebanese Prime Minister remembered in song
8th March 2005
Thousands of anti-Syrian protesters converged in a central Beirut square to
observe a minute's silence in remembrance of the country's assassinated
former prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri. Protesters thronged Martyrs Square,
which has been dubbed Freedom Square, in the past few weeks of rallies and
sit-ins, to keep pressure on Syria to quit Lebanon completely. Loudspeakers
blared a new pop song about Hariri's death entitled, The Story is Not Over.
Zimbabwe 2005 album released
8th March 2005
Eliot Manyika, Minister with Portfolio and Zanu PF national commissar, has
released an eight-track album entitled Zimbabwe 2005. The album includes
revolutionary tracks such as Sheyera Mabhuza Mana (Firing Rocket-propelled
Grenades) and Mbiri yeChigandaga
which encourage people to take up arms and fight the white population.
New single from System of a Down
8th March 2005
System of a Down are due to release a new double album, Mesmerize/Hypnotize.
The first single from the album is B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bombs) which
features the lyrics "Why don't presidents fight the war/Why do they always
send the poor?"
Mexican school songbook banned
2nd March 2005
Education officials in several states in Mexico have pulled thousands of
copies of 100 Corridos, the Soul of Mexican Song from schools after
discovering it included five popular ballads known as narcocorridos. Part of
a robust folk tradition along the U.S. Mexico border, the songs reflect the
exploits of local drug cartel capos and lieutenants and are widely broadcast
on radio and TV. Songs include Airplane from Colombia about clandestine drug
flights to northern Sonora state; The Gang with the Red Car about smugglers
driving a 100-kilo shipment of cocaine north to Chicago and The Lord of the
Skies which made a veiled reference to the late head of the so-called Juarez
cartel, Amado Carrillo. A spokesman for Mexican Society of Authors warned, "Corridos
reflect reality and you would have to ban them all. When you ban popular
expression, you are touching the soul of the people."
Butler and Anderson sing for refugees
1st March 2005
The Tears, the new band formed by Suede founders Bernard Butler and Brett
Anderson, have revealed the inspiration for Refugees, their forthcoming
debut single. The track, which is due out in the spring, was written by the
pair in response to immigration policies and public attitudes to refugees in
the UK. According to Anderson, "There's a lot of scaremongering right-wing
politicians that will tell you that your country is being destabilised by
refugees, just to win a few votes. It's a load of old bollocks. Immigration
is essential to living in a healthy, diverse, multicultural 21st century
society."
Ukraine enters revolution anthem into Eurovision Song Contest
1st March 2005
The tune that became the anthem of Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" has been
chosen to represent the country at this year's Eurovision Song Contest. The
hip-hop tune Razom Nas Bagato! (Together We Are Many) is a remake of the
famous revolutionary song Pueblo Unido Jamas Sera Vencido! (The People
United Will Never Be Defeated!). The cover version was written by Greenjolly
in the early days of the mass protests in Kiev that eventually brought
West-leaning President Viktor Yushchenko to power.
God Bless the World - While You Bless America
28th February 2005
Described as a new anthem for worldwide peace,
God Bless the World - While
You Bless America was written, produced and performed by Cleveland, Ohio
native Greg Jones: "I turn on the news and see troubles/What's all this
fighting for?/Why can't we try living together/And have a world where
everybody wins, nobody suffers/Each soul on earth should be cherished/No
more or less in God's eyes/My brothers, my sisters, I know if we try, we can
live together, under God's sky."
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
28th February 2005
On February 9th 1963, William Zantzinger, a rich young farmer, struck Hattie
Carroll, a black barmaid, with his cane, She died that night; he got six
months. Her story lives on in
Bob Dylan's protest song - but where
is Zantzinger now? And did The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll really
change anything? The Guardian investigates.
McFly release charity single for Comic Relief
28th February 2005
Brit winners McFly have been chosen as the band to release this year's Red
Nose Day single. The double a-side All About You/You've Got A Friend will be
released on March 7th. Tom Fletcher from the band wrote the single All About
You for Comic Relief; the second song is a cover of Carole King's classic
hit You've Got A Friend.
Red Nose Day '05 marks 20 years since Comic Relief
was first staged and the tenth Red Nose Day.
John Lennon song re-recorded for tsunami relief
25th February 2005
An
all-star
Grammy super choir have recorded John Lennon's Across the
Universe to raise money towards UNICEF's efforts to aid disaster victims in
south east Asia. The song features Stevie Wonder, Bono, Norah Jones,
Brian Wilson, Slash, Steven Tyler and more. The song is available for
download from itunes.
If Liberty Isn't Given It Should Be Taken
25th February 2005
Quebec City metalcore quintet GFK's latest album is entitled If Liberty
Isn't Given It Should Be Taken. The ten-track album includes Direct Actions
Is More Than Wearing a Che Guevara T-Shirt, Power Is Invisible Until You
Provoke It, The End of Our Contribution to Modern Slavery and Years of
Feminism Destroyed.
Protest: Songs of Struggle and Resistance From Around the World
24th February 2005
Ellipsis Arts presents Protest: Songs of Struggle and Resistance from Around
the World . This world music collection includes songs from Algeria,
Jamaica, Gabon, Ireland, Brittany, Chile, Lebanon, South Africa, Angola,
Israel, USA, Zimbabwe, Wales, Congo and the internationally beloved protest
singer, Pete Seeger. As Pierre Akendengue of Gabon sings in his song Eleke:
"Freedom is the essence of being human/Liberty is the fire that broods in
your heart/Music is a force of liberation!".
Rap During War Times
23rd February 2005
According to the
New York Times, if rock 'n' roll, the sounds of Jimi
Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and Creedence Clearwater Revival, was the music
of American service members in Vietnam, rap may become the defining pulse
for the war in Iraq. It has emerged as a rare realm where soldiers and
marines, hardly known for talking about their feelings, are voicing the full
range of their emotions and reactions to war. They rap about their
resentment of the military hierarchy. But they also rap about their pride,
their invincibility, their fallen brothers, their disdain for the enemy and
their determination to succeed.
Sinn Fein President quotes Woody Guthrie
23rd February 2005
At a recent press conference in Belfast, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams
quoted Woody Guthrie when he was questioned about the recent Northern Bank
robbery. Adams drew similarities between the raid of £26.5m and the
systematic overcharging of customers by financial institutions. Quoting
American folk hero Woody Guthrie's The Ballad of Pretty Boy Floyd, Adams
concurred, "Some will rob you with a six gun/And some with a fountain pen".
La Marseillaise to be taught in French schools
23rd February 2005
After a 10-year battle, French schoolchildren are to be made to learn the
words of their national anthem,
La Marseillaise. Originally entitled War
Song of the Army of the Rhine, it exhorts citizens of France to take up
arms: "Form in battalions, march, march! Let impure blood water our
furrows!" The new measure was passed by the French National Assembly as an
amendment to education reforms which have brought mass student
demonstrations across France.
When the President Talks to God
22nd February 2005
When the President Talks to God is a witheringly sarcastic protest song by
Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst written in response to the start of President
Bush's second term: "When the president talks to God/Are the conversations
brief or long?/Does he ask to rape our women's rights/And send poor farm
kids off to die?/Does God suggest an oil hike/When the president talks to
God?"
MPs fight over Will Young
22nd February 2005
According to The Sun newspaper, New Labour and the Conservative Party have
both shown an interest in having Pop Idol winner Will Young sing their
election campaign song. The next election is rumoured to be taking place in
early May.
African Soul Rebels Tour
22nd February 2005
Senegalese hip-hop crew, Daara J, French-Algerian rocker Rachid Taha and
Malian guitar poets Tinariwen are offering an explosive triple bill in their
African Soul Rebels tour. Faada Fredy, spoken person for Daara J (School of
Life) said, "With our rap we are not into bling-bling, gangsta culture or
misogynism. In that sense the African message is the opposite to the
American: the form is similar, the content is different because the reality
is different. We are more social and political because we are facing
problems like corruption and Aids, race and ethnic wars and hunger." Rachid
Taha, who describes his new album Tékitoi (which
translates to Who the Hell are you?) as him singing his nightmares, takes a
stand against racism, corruption and warmongers. Tinariwen, who came
together in a refugee camp in Libya in 1981 and whose story is intertwined
with the history of Mali's Tuareg rebellions, latest album Amassakoul has
been hailed as a new benchmark for African music.
Simmons and Beastie Boys set to boycott KFC
17th February 2005
Hip-hop heavyweights including the Beastie Boys and Def Jam impressario
Russell Simmons are threatening a campaign to urge fans to boycott KFC over
their "grossly inhumane" slaughter practices. Simmons has filmed a
commercial showing some of the very worst abuses chickens undergo before
they are served to customers. He has said he will release the ad and start a
boycott if the company does not reform its practices. Meanwhile, the Beastie
Boys have submitted a letter of complaint to the head of KFC, David Novak,
asking the company to follow animal charity PETA's recommendations to halt
the abuse and follow their Animal Care Standards.
Concert for Tsunami Benefit
17th February 2005
The Music For Relief organization has announced plans for a benefit concert
on February 18 including performances from No Doubt, Linkin with Jay-Z,
Blink 182, Ozzy Osbourne with the all star band Camp Freddy, Jurassic 5,
Story Of The Year, The Crystal Method and more. All proceeds from the event
will go to the ongoing rebuilding effort in South Asia and surrounding
countries.
Atomic Kitten release charity single
17th February 2005
Chart-topping pop band Atomic Kitten have reformed to release a charity
single, Cradle. All proceeds from the song are being donated to the
international aid and development charity World Vision's 24-hour famine
youth fundraiser - the UK's biggest youth fundraising event.
Denise Rich to produce charity single
17th February 2005
Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Wyclef Jean and Patti LaBelle are among the
artists scheduled to participate in a new benefit single for the victims of
the December 26th tsunami. Songwriter Denise Rich and actress Sharon Stone
are producing and co-writing the single, which will also feature Lionel
Richie, Mya, JoJo, GAvin DeGraw, Brian McKnight, Kelly Price, Lindsay Lohan,
Peter Gabriel and Paulina Rubio. Rich and Stone plan to establish a
foundation for tsunami victims.
Pupils record song to save school
14th February 2005
Pupils at a closure-threatened small school have recorded their own campaign
song. Ponthir VC Primary pupils, teachers and supporters have recorded a CD
of the song, Learning In a Small School Is Such Good Fun, with lyrics
written by head teacher Val Baker. The CD will be on sale at the school
soon, with all money raised being used to hire a specialist lawyer.
Bloc Party attack George Bush and the Iraq war
11th February 2005
Silent Alarm is the debut album from the London-based post-punk band
Bloc
Party. It includes the political tracks Helicopter and Price of Gasoline: "I
can tell you how this ends/We're going to win this with spades and
truncheons, guns and trowel/That is how the war will be won/Just swat the
fly."
Asian Dub Foundation release new album
11th February 2005
Asian Dub Foundation's fifth album, Tank, includes the tracks Who Runs The
Place?, Take Back the Power and Oil. ADF, who formed in September 1993
through a music technology workshop group for Asian youth, fuse the
traditional heartbeat of West Indian dub base with the raw energy of hard
ragga-jungle rhythms. They have recently been working on an opera about
Libyan leader Colonel Gadaffi.
New album from Sage Francis
11th February 2005
Underground rapper Sage Francis returns with a new album, A Healthy
Distrust, which includes the political tracks The Buzz Kill and Slow Down
Gandhi. The latter reflects on the manipulation of September 11th and the
recent U.S. elections in the US and is a direct attack on liberals who sit
back and whine: "It's the same who complain about the global war/But can't
overthrow the local joker they voted for."
Deal to ban homophobic reggae
10th February 2005
The
reggae industry is to refuse to release or stage concerts featuring
homophobic songs under a global deal struck with gay rights groups. A
damaging campaign against stars such as Beenie Man and Sizzla has been waged
over lyrics that allegedly call for gay people to be killed or assaulted.
The campaign, which has led to gigs being scrapped and a UK police
investigation, will now be dropped under the truce.
Underground rapper sparks controversy with violent lyrics
10th February 2005
Underground rapper
Dead Rabbit has sparked controversy with his track Casa
Rebel, from his debut album Sex Crimes, which is based on his own
experiences at Casa Roble High School in Sacramento, CA. The song highlights
three students at the school and their revenge fantasies against society.
The song, which mixes violent, Columbine-style imagery with pop culture
references has struck a chord with fans and a nerve with administrators. The
song has been banned at all schools in the San Juan Unified School District:
"You said ignore the bullies but it still hurts, my life went from bad to
worse/There's no American dream for the cursed/So I execute my classmates
with short, controlled bursts."
Linlithgow Folk Festival pays tribute to Matt McGinn
9th February 2005
Linlithgow Folk Festival will pay tribute to the memory of the late great
Matt McGinn, at an evening of songs, poems and stories. The Glasgow singer,
songwriter, poet and raconteur was Scotland's undisputed 'King of Folk' in
the 1960s and 70s. The humour, uncanny perceptiveness and rate talents of
Matt McGinn made him a household name in Scotland and in Folk circles
throughout the world - in 1962, he sang in a Carnegie Hall concert with Pete
Seeger and a young Bob Dylan. He died in 1977, at the age of only 49, but
left some 500 songs, many of which have become classics. The event will take place in Linlithgow Burgh Halls on Saturday March
5th.
Asian Dub Foundation benefit gig for SSP
8th February 2005
Asian Dub Foundation have announced a benefit gig for the Scottish Socialist
Party to raise funds for their Westminster election campaign. ADF are long
time supporters of the party. The gig is to take place on 3 April in the
Glasgow Academy.
UNICEF release charity album
8th February 2005
Franz Ferdinand, Interpol, Mercury Rev and Kaiser Chiefs are amongst the
bands who have donated tracks to a double album released to raise funds for
UNICEF's Tsunami Relief Fund. The 26 track double album is being released on
February 28 by clothing store Urban Outfitters and Filter music magazine and
all the profits from its sales will go to the UNICEF Tsunami Relief Fund.
NYU hosts Public Enemy Seminar
8th February 2005
New York University (NYU) is hosting a two-day seminar which will examine
the making of what music critics and hip hop aficionados widely regard as
one of hip hop's seminal albums, Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of
Millions to Hold Us Back. The 1988 Def Jam recording was a critical and
commercial success, spinning off the controversial singles, Don't Believe
the Hype and Bring the Noise. The album made stars of MCs Chuck D and Flava
Flav and ushered in an era of political rap.
French musicians protest download crackdown
7th February 2005
French musicians, intellectuals and politicians have united to criticise
what they call a "repressive" crackdown against those who download music
illegally over the Internet. The campaign is believed to the one of the
first of its kind in Europe to unite musicians and consumers in a backlash
against the music industry's tactic of filing lawsuits against illegal
downloaders. Hundreds of web surfers across Europe are facing legal action
for downloading music files with peer-to-peer, or P2P, sharing networks.
Manu Chao, Matthieu Chedid and Yann Tiersen are amongst those who have given
their support to the Free Up Music! campaign.
Bob Marley's 60th Birthday Tribute in Ethiopia
7th February 2005
Nearly a quarter of a century after his death from cancer in 1981, a tribute
concert took place in Ethiopia to mark what would have been Bob Marley's
60th birthday. The concert, dubbed Africa Unite, featured top Caribbean and
African performers, including Marley's wife, Rita, and their son, Ziggy and
Afro-jazz legend Angelique Kidio, Youssou N'Dour and Baaba Maal. Ethiopia,
the birthplace of Rastafarianism, was chosen by Marley's family to host the
official event; Marley won global stardom with his music and helped
popularise the Rastafarian religion, which venerates the late Ethiopian
Emperor Haile Selassie.
Blunkett: The Musical
1st February 2005
The saga of David Blunkett's tangled love life and resignation from the
Cabinet is to be turned into a musical. Producer Martin Witts said the
former home secretary's life had all the ingredients for a West End hit. He
described the show, which will feature jazz, rap, opera and R&B, as a
"tribute to a Sheffield hero". The show will also feature a sub-plot based
around Spectator editor Boris Johnson's alleged affair with columnist
Petronella Wyatt, and Mr Johnson's trip to Liverpool to apologise for the
offence caused by a piece in his magazine.
Cat Stevens to release tsunami single
28th January 2005
Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, has written a new song entitled
Indian Ocean in response to the tsunami disaster. The single was recorded
with Indian composer and producer AR Rahman, Travis drummer Neil Primrose
and A-Ha band member Magne Furuholmen. The song is due for release in
February to raise money for children orphaned by the disaster. Islam is also
to host a concert in Indonesia for victims of the tsunami. The concert in
Jakarta on 31st January will feature a host of local artists coming together
to raise money for the devastated province of Aceh. Radio host suspended over tsunami parody song
27th January 2005
The host of a New York morning radio show and the rest of her on-air crew
were suspended indefinitely for airing a tasteless song parody that mocked
victims of the catastrophic Southeast Asia tsunami. The song, a parody of
the charity single We Are the World, aired last Friday on Emmis station WQHT-FM,
known locally as Hot 97. The song's lyrics included: "So now you're
screwed/It's the tsunami/You'd better run, or kiss your ass away/Go find
your mommy, I just saw her float by/A tree went right through her head/And
now your children will be sold into child slavery". The station was
subsequently flooded with thousands of angry phone calls demanding the
firing of morning show host Tarsha Jones, aka Miss Jones. Music For Relief releases benefit song for tsunami
27th January 2005
Members of the rock, R&B and acting worlds have joined forces to record a
single that will benefit victims of the tsunami tragedy in Southeast Asia.
Brian McKnight, P.O.D's Sonny Sandoval, Mya, Nate Dogg and Papa Roach's
Jacoby Shaddix have contributed solos to the original track,
Forever in Our
Hearts, which will aid the musician-helmed charity Music for Relief.
Song inspired by Prince Harry faux pas
26th January 2005
Michigan musician, David Boyle, was inspired to record God Save the Queen
2005 (Prince Harry Mix) following recent controversy over Prince Harry's
decision to wear a Nazi costume to a fancy dress party. The incident was
broadcast around the world and the prince issued a statement in which he
apologised for causing offence. The song samples the Sex Pistols'
God Save
the Queen, Holidays in the Sun and Anarchy in the UK and includes the
lyrics: "Heil Harry?/You thought Belsen was a gas?/Time to visit Auschwitz
my lad?"
Conor Oberst gets political in new release
25th January 2005
Bright Eyes, fronted by 24-year-old Conor Oberst, have released two new
albums I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. I'm
Wide Awake includes Old Soul Song (For The New World Order) about the 2003
political protests in NYC: "And there were barricades that kept us off the
streets/But the crowd kept pushing forward till they swallowed the
police/they went wild..." and Road to Joy: "When you're asked to fight a war
that's over nothing/It's best to join the side that's gonna win."
USA For Africa to reissue We Are the World
25th January 2005
We Are the World, the pioneering U.S. all-star charity anthem that generated
millions of dollars for African famine relief 20 years ago, is being
reissued to raise money for AIDS and tsunami victims. The group USA For
Africa will reissue the Grammy-winning single recorded by more than 40
artists - including Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan,
Bette Midler, Willie Nelson, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder - on February
1 as part of a two-disc DVD set. Hundreds of radio stations around the globe
are planning to broadcast the song on Friday at noon Eastern time (5pm GMT)
to mark the 20th anniversary of the recording. Edinburgh hosts Tsunami benefit concert
24th January 2005
Edinburgh singer-songwriters David Ferrard, Tom Fairnie and Mark Barnett
have organized a benefit concert for the victims of the tsunami disaster in
Asia. They will be joined by New York country queen Kathy Stewart,
award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Sara Kamin, world music inspired
Mosca, the bluegrass phenomenon Pirates Aboard and the popular Soft Shoe
Skiffle Band. The event takes place on 24th January in the Pleasance Cabaret
Bar, Edinburgh. All proceeds are going to Oxfam Tsunami Crisis Appeal. Tsunami benefit concert in Glasgow announced
24th January 2005
A number of Scotland's top bands, including Franz Ferdinand, Texas and
Travis, are lined up for a benefit concert to raise money for victims of the
tsunami disaster. Organisers hope to raise more than £250,000 with all
ticket sales going directly to the earthquake appeal. The concert will take
place at Glasgow's SECC in February. Melbourne Tsunami concert announced
24th January 2005
Willie Nelson, Michael Franti, Gretchen Wilson and the newly reformed Daddy
Cool will perform at Melbourne Tsunami concert on Sunday 27th February. The
event will take place on the second day of the Melbourne International Music
Festival. Australian bands are to play at the concert for free with all
proceeds to be distributed to charities for tsunami relief. The Song of Hope - Tsunami Relief Song
21st January 2005
Australian based producers, Boogie Heights, have recorded a song entitled
The Song of Hope dedicated to the memory of victims and to help survivors of
the
Asian Tsunami. The song combines traditional Buddhist hymns and prayers
with contemporary electronica and a touch of classical. According the song's
producers, "Tsunami victims come from many countries, backgrounds and
religions, so we felt that the song must have a universal appeal." Tsunami Relief Cardiff
21st January 2005
Eric Clapton, Jools Holland and Lemar are among the stars who will play at
the
Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on January 22nd in a concert that has been
dubbed "Live Aid II". They will be joined by Welsh stars Manic Street
Preachers, Goldie Lookin' Chain, Feeder, Kathryn Jenkins, Charlotte Church
and Aled Jones. The event aims to raise £1 million for stricken families in
south-east Asia with all profits going to the DEC's Tsunami Appeal Fund.
Tsunami: Crisis in Asia
21st January 2005
Massive Attack, Portishead, Robert Plant and The Coral are amongst those to
perform at a fund-raising benefit in support of Oxfam's work to help people
affected by the Tsunami
crisis in Asia. The event will take place on
February 19th at Bristol's Carling Academy.
WAVEAID: Tsunami relief concert
21st January 2005
Some of Australia's most popular contemporary musicians will perform at
WAVEAID to generate funds for the millions of people affected by the recent
Tsunami disaster in Asia. Midnight Oil, Silverchair, Powderfinger, Kasey
Chambers, The Finn Brothers, Nick Cave, The Wrights, Pete Murray, The John
Butler Trio, The Waifs and Missy Higgins will be performing over eight hours
of music at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 29th.
Malaysian artists record tsunami song
21st January 2005
Around 100 Malaysian musicians have recorded a song entitled Suluhkan Sinar
(Shine a Torch). The project was spearheaded by popular rap group KRU
(brothers Edry, Yusry and Norman Halim) and artists involved include Misha
Omar, Erra Fazira, Ning Baizura and Dayang Nurfaizah. There are four
versions of the song and they can be purchased online from
www.musiccanteen.com
with all proceeds going to the Malaysia Tsunami Disaster Fund.Song mocking tsunami charity criticised
20th January 2005
ABC youth radio station Triple-J has been accused of bad taste over a
tsunami song that mocks Australia's response to the disaster. The song,
Tsuna-me, penned by Triple-J DJs Jason Whalley and Lindsay McDougall,
suggests Australians gave generously to tsunami appeals to make themselves
feel good. It also attacks the Federal Government's $1 billion aid package
because half the money is a loan and compares Australia's tsunami response
to its position on refugees: "Well we killed them in cricket, turned back
their refugees/But now the time is right to offer help/Linking arms
together, sing aloud in harmony/So we can feel good about ourselves."
Stephan Smith releases new album
19th
January 2005
Described as a "musical manifesto for the global justice movement", New
World Worder is the new album from singer songwriter
Stephan Smith. The
12-track album includes a bonus track - the anti war song The Bell featuring
Pete Seeger, Dean Ween and Mary Harris.
Bjork to release remixes of decade-old track for
UNICEF
18th January 2005
Singer Bjork is releasing multiple remixes of her 10 year old track Army of
Me to raise money for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The
Icelandic star has decided to revive the song, taken from the 1995's Post
album, after various mixes by fans and others artists have remained unused.
The Army of Me charity album is scheduled for release at the end of
February. All Saints reunite to record tsunami relief song
18th January 2005
Three members of girl band All Saints are set to reunite to record a track
for the Asian tsunami appeal. Shazney Lewis and sisters Natalie and Nicole
Appleton will team up with Faithless star Mazi Jazz and Jamie Cullum for the
charity song Give and Let Live, which will also feature Chaka Khan. Sri Lankan musician records song for tsunami
victims
18th January 2005
Sri Lankan singer-songwriter Nimal Mendis was so moved by the tsunami which
struck Sri Lanka on December 26 that he has composed a new song and is
donating all proceeds from the song to the President's Fund in Sri Lanka.
The song, which is to be translated in Sinhala and Tamil, is based on the
unprecedented sadness that Sri Lanka is currently experiencing: "Tsunami
Tsunami/Can I forget this day?/My hand has lost its grip/My child is washed
away/Tsunami Tsunami/From the bottom of the quake/Why have you done this?" Official charity song for the Disasters Emergency
Committee
18th January 2005
A host of UK stars are set to unite to record the official charity song for
the Disasters Emergency Committee, which is expected to raise more than £2
million for victims of the tsunami disaster. The song, Grief Never Grows
Old, was written by veteran radio presenter Mike Read and will include
contributions from Cliff Richard, Boy George, Chris Rea, Ronan Keating,
Jamie Cullum, opera star Russell Watson, the Bee Gees' Robin Gibb and Olivia
Newton John. 'We Are the Future' charity project postponed
18th January 2005
Music producer Jermaine Dupri has announced the postponement of the We Are
the Future charity project. Dupri had intended to record an updated version
of the legendary collaboration, We Are the World, to mark its 20th
anniversary. We Are the Future was to be recorded on February 13, the night
of the Grammy Awards, and was to include Usher, Kayne West, Jay-Z. The
project has been postponed following the recent tsunami disaster. Bollywood singers release charity single
18th January 2005
Some of
Bollywood's biggest singers are joining forces to record a single to
raise money for the victims of the tsunami disaster in India. Alka Yagnik,
Udit Narayan and Shaan are among those who are to record
Zindagi Pukaarti
Hai (Life Beckons) written by lyricist Javed Akhtar.
Sharon Osbourne to organise charity single for tsunami relief
18th January 2005
Sharon Osbourne and American Idol judge Simon Cowell have announced their
intention to produce a charity single to raise funds for the victims of the
Asian Tsunami. A recording of Eric Clapton's song Tears in Heaven will
reportedly feature Elton John, Rod Stewart, Gwen Stefani and Ozzy Osbourne.
The recording of the single will take place later this week. Feminism and hip-hop conference announced
17th January 2005
The Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture at the University of
Chicago will host a national conference on the topic of hip hop and
feminism. The conference will provide a forum for scholars, students,
artists, activists, community members, and members of the media interested
in analyzing the relevancy of feminist agendas to the hip hop generation.
The event will highlight the work of scholars, activists, and artists across
the country who are fighting for progressive representations of women in hip
hop culture as they reshape feminist discourse and politics. The conference
will take place in April 2005.
U.S. Jazz Musicians in India to promote AIDS
awareness
14th January 2005
Four leading American jazz musicians are in India for a weeklong programme
of concerts, classes and public appearances aimed at helping to focus
attention on the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. Their tour is
sponsored by Black Entertainment Television's Jazz Channel (BET-Jazz), MTV
India and the Department of State. Participating musicians include vocalist
Al Jarreau, guitarist Earl Klugh, pianist George Duke, and saxophonist Ravi
Coltrane.Jerry Springer - The Opera causes controversy
13th January 2005
Hit musical
Jerry Springer - The Opera, which has caused offence to many
Christians, is to embark on a UK tour. Its recent broadcast on BBC Two
prompted 47,000 complaints to the corporation ahead of the broadcast from
people who considered it be blasphemous and a motion has been tabled in the
House of Commons condemning the BBC for the "mocking portrayal of Jesus".
The musical includes scenes in which characters playing Jesus, Mary and
Joseph were guests on the Jerry Springer show.
Radio stations in Belarus to ration foreign music
12th January 2005
Radio stations in Belarus have been ordered to cut back on the amount of
foreign music they play. Under a new decree, only two of every ten tracks
played on FM radio can be foreign and rest must be performed by home-grown
artists. The ban which was intended to stimulate the domestic music scene
has left radio stations struggling to full their schedules. Many of
Belarus's most popular bands have been blacklisted for performing at a
concert last year to protest against President Lukashenko's ten year rule.
The Perceptionists to release debut album
12th January 2005
The Perceptionists are Mr. Lif, Akrobatik and DJ Kakts One. The Boston-based
socially conscious underground rap trio are due to release their debut
album, Black Dialogue, in March 2005. The 12-track album includes the songs
People 4 Prez, Memorial Day, Frame Rupture and What Have We Got to Lose.
Seagulls Ska highlight plight of Brighton & Hove
Albion FC
11th January 2005
Punk poet
Attila the Stockbroker is behind the recent cover version of the
classic 80s anthem Tom Hark. Seagulls Ska have released Tom Hark (We Want
Falmer!) to highlight the plight of Brighton & Hove Albion FC's continuing
fight for a new stadium. The team have been without a permanent home since
losing the Goldstone Ground eight years ago. Sample lyrics include: "Listen
Mr Prescott as we tell you know/We need our Falmer stadium, and we need it
now."
Inyon Emhlophe addresses political reality in
Zimbabwe
11th January 2005
Maskandi artist Inyon Emhlophe addresses Zimbabwean political reality in his
new album Wavotaphi (Where did you vote). The title track confronts voter
apathy in Zimbabwe by posing the question: "Sicel'ukubuza wena ndoda yase
Zimbabwe/Wafun'umsebenzi ungavotange kanto unjani?/Awuzwange yini ukuthi
umsebenzi utholwa ngumuntu ovotile? (We wish to ask you man from
Zimbabwe/You want a job when you didn't vote/Didn't you hear that it's only
those who vote who get jobs?)" Operation Wingspan to raise funds for Tsunami
disaster
10th January 2005
Operation Wingspan is a project uniting left and right-wing bands and
artists on the basis of a common purpose - to offer a united front of
support for tsunami victims. The goal is to create a compilation CD that
expresses compassion from both sides of the political spectrum. Bands and
solo artists are invited to submit original material (in CD format) to: Dr
B.L.T.Music, PO Box 82012, Bakersfield, California, 93380-2012
Save the Waves: a new song from Daniel Gannaway
7th January 2005
In support of the Save the Waves Coalition (an environmental coalition
dedicated to preserving the world's surf spots), New Zealand independent
singer/songwriter
Daniel Gannaway has a released a new song appropriately
entitled Save the Waves: "Another coastal gem/Somehow threatened/By
development/A truly unique wave/Might no longer break/If we sit around and
wait." Socially conscious release from Scott Ainslie
7th January 2005
Feral Cow is the new album from Scott Ainslie. The 11 track album includes
several topical songs including the title track about environmental
degradation and domestic abuse; It's My World Too paints a painful portrait
of a millworker who loses his job and much of his self-worth; Confession
tells the story of the torture and murder of Steve Biko; Rice Grows in
Vietnam is a hopeful ballad of healing in the aftermath of war and; Don't
Obey features some of the album's strongest lyrics: "When they speak to you
of glory/And colors bright and true/Using words like good and evil/And say
it all comes down to you/When they offer you a weapon/And send you out into
the fray/Don't Obey."
Blues song for tsunami victims
7th January 2005
Singer-songwriter Dr. Bluce L. Thiessen aka
Dr. B.L.T. has released a new
song entitled Have Mercy, Tsunami. All profits from the song will go to
tsunami relief efforts. The song will also be used to launch his
Right-Wingers for Social Action programme for conservative rock artists.
Coventry Bands to Record Charity song for Tsunami
Victims
6th January 2005
Musicians and bands from around Coventry and the West Midlands (UK) are to
record a single to raise money for victims of the Tsunamis that hit South
East Asia. The song,
Stand Together, written by Coventry based
singer-songwriter Rob Halligan, was originally penned after the September
11th attacks on New York in which his father died. Says Rob, "Stand Together
is a song about hope and about rising up out a bad situation - about pulling
together to make a difference."
Opposition protests in Kiev inspire rap song
5th January 2005
A popular new rap song inspired by the recent street protests in the
Ukrainian capital of Kiev, over what they regard as government-supported
electoral fraud, has been recorded by the western Ukrainian rap
group Grindzholy. The song, written by singer Roman Kalin and guitarist
Roman Kostyuk, is entitled Razom Nas Bahato (Together we are many):
"Together we are many/We cannot be defeated/Falsifications.
No!/Machinations. No!/Prison rules. No!/No to lies/Yushchenko, Yushchenko!/Is
our President/Yes! Yes! Yes!"
David Rovics records new songs
5th January 2005
North American protest singer,
David Rovics, has recorded a number of new
topical songs including a song about the political prisoner Jeffrey Luers, a
song about the recent election in the U.S.A and a song reflecting on the
victims of the recent tsunami in Asia: "What do you say to someone/Who's
just lost everything/Eventually things might be OK/As he's standing
there/With all that's left of life/Before the ocean rose and took it all
away".
Updated: 19 March, 2007
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