CPS

Bloc Party pen track about London bombings
4th May 2006
London-based art-rockers Bloc Party have written a track about last year's London bombings. Hunting for Witches was written following the attacks on the city's transport network. Singer Kele Okereke said, "The 30 bus from Hackney, which is just round the corner from where I live, was blown up. The song was written when I was just observing the reactions of the mainstream press in the UK. I guess the point about the song for me is post-September 11, the media has really traded on fear and the use of fear in controlling people".

Pearl Jam release protest album
3rd May 2006
Pearl Jam have released a protest album openly condemning the war in Iraq. The self-titled album includes the explicit anti-war anthem World Wide Suicide with the lyrics "It's a shame to awake in a world of pain, what does it mean when a war has taken over?" and "Medals on wooden mantle, next to a handsome face/That the president took for granted, writing checks that others pay" and Army Reserve - a measured elegy to soldiers' families left behind at home - "It's becoming a lie she tells herself and everyone else/Father's risking his life for our freedoms". The Seattle rockers previously railed against George W. Bush in the song Bushleaguer from 2002 album Riot Act, and as part of 2004’s Vote for Change tour.

Countryside Alliance benefit concert announced
2nd May 2006
Bryan Ferry has joined Eric Clapton, Roger Waters and many others for a rural rock benefit concert Highclere Rocks on the 20th of May at Highclere Castle, near Newbury. Ferry’s availability completes the line-up which brings together the driving forces behind Roxy Music, Cream and Pink Floyd. The concert is in aid of the Countryside Alliance. Roger Waters is reportedly the first celebrity to leave Britain in protest at the ban on hunting.

Katrina benefit album to be released
2nd May 2006
Grammy-nominated producer Rodney Jerkins is putting the finishing touches on an as-yet-untitled Hurricane Katrina benefit album. The Universal disc is due on August 29 to mark the anniversary of the storm that devastated the Gulf Coast, and features appearances from Patti LaBelle, George Clinton, Ciara and Christina Milian, among others. The first single is a remake of the Sister Sledge hit We Are Family and features the original group members, reunited for the first time in 20 years, along with LaBelle, Clinton, Ciara, Milian, Chris Brown, Lyfe Jennings, Mary, Mary, Ray J and others. All proceeds from the single and album will benefit Katrina victims.

Alternative U.S. national anthem released
2nd May 2006
A new version of The Star-Spangled Banner sung by Latin pop stars has been released. Francis Scott Key's lyrics have been translated into Spanish and the result is Nuestro Himno. The song was produced by British producer Adam Kidron and includes Mexican pop star Gloria Trevi and reggaetón stars Ivy Queen and Tito El Bambino. When US President Bush was asked to comment on the song, he said, "I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English."

Danish cartoon controversy inspires song
2nd May 2006
Egypt singer Shaaban Abdel Rahim has released a song in response to the controversy surrounding the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad by a Danish newspaper. The song, We're Out of Patience, orders the Danish illustrators and publishers of the cartoons to go to hell, where "fire will be everywhere, burning your faces" whilst asserting that "Islam is a religion of love, not injustice and terrorism."

Zimbabwean musician receives death threats
2nd May 2006
Zimbabwean musician Hosea Chipanga withdrew from his performance at the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) event at Gwanzura stadium to mark International Workers Day following anonymous threats on his life. Last year the musician was quizzed by the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) for playing songs during a state-funded public gala suggesting President Robert Mugabe would only relinquish power through death. In the song Ndarota Mambo Afira Pachigaro (which translates I Dreamt the King had Died on the Throne), Chipanga sings of an ageing leader of an unnamed country, who vows to rule until he drops dead despite calls by his people to step down because of old age. The song was regarded as a thinly veiled reference to Mugabe.

Madonna attacks George Bush
2nd May 2006
Madonna attacked George Bush at a music festival in California this weekend. The singer played a six song set at the Coachella Music Festival in California. She used her set to attack the U.S. President changing the lyrics to I Love New York to "Just go to Texas and you can suck George Bush's dick".

Pet Shop Boys play shipyard gig
2nd May 2006
The Pet Shop Boys staged a free performance of their soundtrack to the classic Battleship Potemkin at the Swan Hunter shipyard in Tyneside. Sergei Eisenstein's influential silent film tells of a revolt by sailors during the Russian Revolution in 1905. The show was organised by the NewcastleGateshead Initiative. In a statement, the Pet Shop Boys said: "The Tyneside venue is striking and will bring additional resonance to the performance which I'm sure people will appreciate."

Springsteen angry at Katrina response
2nd May 2006
Bruce Springsteen has criticised politicians for "criminal ineptitude" in their response to Hurricane Katrina in the southern United States. The singer was performing at the Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, parts of which he had visited after they were devastated in the disaster. More than 1,300 people were killed across US states affected by Katrina; the population of New Orleans fell from nearly 500,000 to less than 200,000. Springsteen's set included the song, How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?, the lyrics of which referred to "bodies floating" in the street and levees which had "gone to hell".

Trinity International Hip Hop Festival
2nd May 2006
An international hip-hop festival which brought together rap artists from around the world has raised the question of why non-US rap is so political - whereas mainstream American rap appears frivolous. Many of the performers at the three-day Trinity International Hip-Hop Festival in Hartford, Connecticut, were critical of the way that US rap - which is by far the best-selling - appears concerned mostly with money, drugs and sex, and has little to do with its roots in the angry political expression of groups like Public Enemy or KRS One. The festival was designed to promote international understanding and community development through hip-hop and included artists form countries as diverse as Brazil, Kenya, and Iraq.

Make Some Noise for Darfur!
28th April 2006
On Saturday April 29, 2006, Amnesty International USA, along with the support of internationally recognized artists and performers, will host a concert to raise awareness and action for the people of Darfur. Make Some Noise for Darfur! aims to draw special attention to, and inspire action on, the continuing human rights crisis in Darfur, which has claimed 200,000 lives and forced more then two million people to flee their homes. Artists include Incubus and The Nightwatchman (Tom Morello).

Dylan to play Basque peace show
28th April 2006
Musician Bob Dylan is to give a free peace concert in a Basque region resort, according to organisers. He is lined up to play the show in San Sebastian on 11 July to mark last month's permanent ceasefire by the Basque separatist group Eta. However, it is reported that he has requested the event not be turned into a political occasion.

Michael Marra records song about Shirley McKie
27th April 2006
Scottish songwriter Michael Marra has recorded a song about the Shirley McKie fingerprint case. I Am Shirley McKie reflects on the case of the former policewoman who was cleared of lying on oath in 1999 after insisting that she had not left a fingerprint at a murder scene nine years ago. The former policewoman was later awarded £75,000 compensation by the Scottish Executive.

Ani DiFranco salutes New Orleans
26th April 2006
Last summer, prolific folk singer Ani DiFranco had just begun to record her latest album in her New Orleans apartment when Hurricane Katrina began closing in. Sent packing, DiFranco gathered up the initial recordings and evacuated to her other home, in Buffalo, New York, and watched with the rest of the country as city was devastated. Shaken by the storm and its terrible aftermath, DiFranco has put together Reprieve, an unflinchingly political album, due in August, that expresses her frustration, sadness and sense of displacement.

Anti racism concert in Trafalgar Square
26th April 2006
A host of bands are set to play a Love Music Hate Racism benefit gig in Trafalgar Square on April 29th. Acts include Belle and Sebastian, Boy Kill Boy, Jerry Dammers, Roll Deep and Lethal Bizzle. The gig takes place between 2pm and 7pm and will include a series of speakers. The concert is being held to discourage support for the British National Party ahead of the local council elections on May 4.

Black Eyed Peas Announce Benefit Concert in South Africa
25th April 2006
Hip-Hop trio The Black Eyed Peas are set to host The Peapod Benefit Concert on May 28 in South Africa's Johannesburg Stadium at Ellis Park. This is the first major event for the group's non-profit organization The Peapod Foundation, which is dedicated to providing opportunities and support for children who suffer worldwide. Local South African artists and dancers will also participate in the event, whose proceeds will be donated to local charities that have yet-to-be announced. According to the group, "Two years ago we played to commemorate 10 Years of Freedom in South Africa and I made a promise that we would return to give a free show for the people who may never have the chance to get down and celebrate with The Black Eyed Peas, in the true spirit of The Peapod".

Slayer record anti-war song
25th April 2006
Thrash metal band Slayer are due to release an album in July. The as-yet-untitled album includes a song about the effects of war on American soldiers. Eyes Of The Insane was inspired by an article thrash metal front man Tom Araya had read in an issue of Texas Monthly magazine: "The entire magazine was devoted to soldiers of this new Iraq conflict that's going on. The effect that the war has had on some of these kids who're coming home and having a tough time dealing with what they've seen — I mean, some of these kids are traumatized and mentally destroyed by what they've seen. The magazine also ran an entire list of the soldiers from Texas who've died. It was several pages with pictures of these kids. It blew my mind."

Details of Neil Young anti-war album released
24th April 2006
The release of the full tracklisting of Neil Young's forthcoming album, Living With War, confirms rumours that it is a concept album about the policies of George W. Bush at home and abroad. The album was reportedly written in nine days following a conversation with Steve Bing, a film producer friend who funds radical causes in America. The political tone is set by the opening track, After the Garden, which kicks off with the lyrics: "Won't need no shadow man running the government". Other tracks include Shock and Awe which refers directly the bombing of Baghdad with the lyrics: "Back in the days of shock and awe, thousands of children scarred for life/Millions of tears for a soldier's wife, both sides are losing now" and Let's Impeach the President which includes the lyrics: "Let's impeach the president for lying, misleading our country into war/Abusing all the power that we gave him and shipping all our money out the door". Other tracks include Flags of Freedom, The Restless Consumer, Lookin' for a Leader and Roger and Out.

Anti Mugabe album released
24th April 2006
A Canadian-based Zimbabwean musician has unleashed a stinging protest album against President Robert Mugabe. Happy 82nd Birthday RG Mugabe: Diaspora Classics 1 by the Zimbabwean female musician Viomak openly criticises Mugabe for his style of governance and policies. The album includes hard-hitting songs such as Uchaenda Rini Mugabe, Hatina Rugare MuZimbabwe, Zimbabwe Mudumbu ReZanu PF and Ndofamba neDiaspora. The latter song chronicles the ordeal of Zimbabweans living in the diaspora, most of who find themselves doing menial jobs having left their more rewarding professional occupations back home.

Berlusconi acknowledges defeat with a song
24th April 2006
Italy's outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi acknowledged defeat with a song composed for the occasion after a bitterly fought election and a failed recount battle. Berlusconi and his songwriting partner Mariano Apicella - who accompanied him on guitar - composed the song, The Evening of the Electoral Defeat: "Let us go, leave everything behind, leave the newspapers, the TV the (political) parties, leave those who don't want me anymore".

Bell X1 support Control Arms Campaign
24th April 2006
Irish indie stars Bell X1 are set to take Oxfam on tour with them, in order to highlight the charity's Control Arms campaign. The band have donated the song Still Selling Shoes to Oxfam's Generation Why? website. According to the band, "Western governments must be called to task for granting arms and export licences in cases where doing so fuels tyranny and oppression, such as in Israel and Indonesia".

Popular Music Censorship in Africa
20th April 2006
In Africa, tension between freedom of expression and censorship in many contexts remains as contentious, if not more so, than during the period of colonial rule which permeated the twentieth century. This volume brings together the latest research on censorship in Africa, focusing on the attempts to censor musicians and the strategies of resistance devised by musicians in their struggles to be heard. Edited by Michael Drewett, Rhodes University, South Africa and Martin Cloonan, University of Glasgow, UK.

Spiral Massive sample Bush
19th April 2006
The Spiral Massive is an electronic band based out of Los Angeles. Their new electro-political song, Cut It Up, contains over 250 vocal samples of U.S. President George W. Bush, which were meticulously rearranged to create a unique listening experience. According to The Spiral Massive, "One of the ideas behind the song was to use the editing and language manipulation techniques that both the media and politicians use, but subversively… as an antidote for their misinformation and spin." Cut It Up takes this concept to the extreme, and uses the polished talking points of a "corporate criminal" to not only undermine his disingenuous messages, but also to explore and discover an underlying truth lurking behind the lies.

Floyd star switches venue following Palestinian pressure
19th April 2006
Former Pink Floyd star Roger Waters has switched the venue for a solo concert in Israel following pressure from dozens of Palestinian artists. The bassist was to perform in Tel Aviv in June but will now play the mixed Arab-Jewish town of Neveh Shalom. He was asked to change his plans in an open letter from musicians who claimed Israel was "oppressing" Palestinians. Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall is used as a protest song by opponents of Israel's barrier in the West Bank. However, the lyrics have been adapted to read: "We don't need no occupation. We don't need no racist wall."

East of Havana
19th April 2006
South By Southwest Film Festival presents East of Havana, directed by Jauretsi Saizabitoria and Emilia Menocal. The film is an unflinching close-up on the lives and friendship of three young rappers compelled to address their generation's future from the confines of a Cuban ghetto. Soandry, Magyori, and Mikki possess the undeniable talent and charisma of pop icons; but within Cuba's fearless and rebellious underground movement, they are also the defacto leaders, creating music whose cross-pollination of early American rap and Latin influences brings self-expression to its sharpest, riskiest, and most triumphant point.

We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
19th April 2006
We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions features Bruce Springsteen's personal interpretations of thirteen traditional songs, all of them associated with the legendary guiding light of American folk music, Pete Seeger, for whom the album is named. Speaking of the origins of the new music, Springsteen said, "So much of my writing, particularly when I write acoustically, comes straight out of the folk tradition. Making this album was creatively liberating because I have a love of all those different roots sounds... they can conjure up a world with just a few notes and a few words."

The World Is Ours
19th April 2006
The World Is Ours is a new compilation album dealing with issues that affect poor people and people of colour everywhere. The album features all original tracks produced by K-Salaam and Beatnick, with songs by Mos Def, Sizzla, Papoose, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Da Backwudz, Capleton, Black Ice, Anthony B, Bobbito Garcia, Luciano, and many more. According to Dead Prez, "The World belongs to the people, but it is controlled by the strongest army. Through organization we can fully exercise our power as a people and as individuals."

Justice Through Music
18th April 2006
Justice Through Music Project is a non-profit organisation that uses famous musicians and bands to organize, educate and activate young people about the importance of civil rights and voting. They have launched a new campaign called Harmony Vids! - a protest music videos campaign and contest to motivate artists, bands, filmmakers, and others to create a whole series of new protest videos.

Czech ravers protest against violence
18th April 2006
Between 2,000-3,000 ravers have participated in a demonstration against police brutality and violence in Strasbourg, France. The demonstration was in response to the breaking up of the CzechTek festival by around 1,000 riot police using tear gas and water cannons in 2005. Around 30 dancers and 50 police officers were injured; protests outside the Czech interior ministry followed. The Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek, defended the action, stating that the techno fans were "not dancing children but dangerous people".

Thai protest songs
18th April 2006
Anti-government demonstrations in Thailand have inspired the resurrection of songs-for-life type protest songs popular during the 1970s. Acting Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has provided the inspiration for many songs including Saeng Thammada's Yik Thaksin and Blue Issara's Ou Mun Awk Pai and March Pantamitr Mai Klua Dad by Nga Caravan.

Pick a Bigger Weapon
18th April 2006
Pick a Bigger Weapon is the new album by Oakland conscious rap crew, The Coup. The album calls Bush to task, especially on Head (of State), in which politically-minded emcee and producer Boots Riley pictures Bush and Hussein as political bedfellows: "War ain't about one land against the next / it's po' people dyin' so the rich cash checks."

Libya concert marks US bomb raids
18th April 2006
Libya has marked the 20th anniversary of the US bombing raids on Tripoli and Benghazi with a high-profile concert. US soul singer Lionel Ritchie and Spanish tenor Jose Carreras performed in front of the bombed house of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in the capital. About 40 people died in the attacks on 15 April 1986, including Col Gaddafi's adopted daughter, Hanna. President Ronald Reagan ordered the strikes, accusing Libya of involvement in bombing a nightclub in Berlin.

Neil Young urges Bush impeachment on protest album
18th April 2006
Veteran singer Neil Young has recorded an anti-war protest album on which he reportedly lashes out at George W Bush. The ten-track album entitled Living with War includes the song Impeach the President whilst the title track includes the lyrics: "On the flat-screen we kill and we're killed again. And when the night falls, I pray for peace."

Manchester stages modern Passion play
14th April 2006
The Manchester Passion will has re-told the last days of Jesus' life using music from iconic Manchester bands live from the streets of the city. Aimed to be a contemporary retelling of the Messiah's betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection, it includes, Jesus singing Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division at the Last Supper. Judas Iscariot will also give a rendition of Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now by The Smiths as he betrays the Messiah to the Romans. The hour-long programme culminated with disciple St Peter singing I Am The Resurrection by The Stone Roses before Jesus and Pontius Pilate perform a duet of Oasis hit Wonderwall.

Voices From The Frontline
11th April 2006
A dozen American soldiers are featured on a new album entitled Voices From The Frontline. Sgt. Kisha Pollard and other amateur rappers serving in Iraq contributed their war-driven rhymes to the album due to be released on April 25. Some hope for music careers after finishing their military service, whilst others were simply seeking an outlet for their thoughts on fear, family and fighting abroad. According to Army Sgt. Christopher Tomlinson says on the CD's introduction: "This ain't for a paycheck. This ain't for us to be known. This is for somebody to understand a soldier's life."

Billy Bragg records Leadbelly song with a modern twist
11th April 2006
In 1938, Leadbelly recorded Bourgeois Blues to protest the racism he encountered in Washington, D.C. Seven decades later, England's premiere folk-punk-poet-bard Billy Bragg  has been performing his own version of the song with a modern twist. He recorded the song - Bush War Blues - during a radio interview in Ann Arbor, Michigan, during his recent Hope Not Hate tour in the USA. It is available for free download from his website.

System of a Down launch political campaign
10th April 2006
System of a Down are set to launch a three-day campaign in Washington DC for the recognition of the Armenian genocide. Singer Serj Tankian and drummer John Dolmayan will kick off the campaign on April 24. Their aims are to urge Speaker Of The House Dennis Hastert and other Congressional leaders to acknowledge the historical event in which Turkey allegedly slaughtered 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923.

Hitler musical hit in Israel
10th April 2006
Performed by a cast of 80 Israeli actors in Hebrew, Mel Brooks' Broadway farce The Producers is taking Israel by storm. Every night at the Cameri Theatre, musical-goers pack out the 920-seat venue to see dancing Fuehrers and brown-shirts decked out in swastikas. In an irony that Mr Brooks would probably appreciate, the musical - whose plot revolves around two producers' plan to stage a Nazi musical which will crash at the box office - is set to extend its original run by another 100 shows.

All systems red for Calexico
5th April 2006
Tucson alt-country outfit Calexico have released their fifth studio album, Garden Ruin. The album addresses contemporary America in Letter to Bowie Knife which reflects upon religious fundamentalism, whilst Cruel touches on environmental corruption and All Systems Red confronts political extremism: "When you think it couldn't get much worse/The numbers rise on the death toll/And the chimes of freedom flash and fade/Only heard from far, far away". According to Calexico's drummer, John Convertino, "I think we are trying to do what we can in the music and lyrics to help people relate to the frustration that's been ever present since Bush became President".

Political soul music rediscovered
5th April 2006
US soul legend Charlie Whitehead reflected the radicalism and growing sense of despair among working class black Americans during the 1970s. In songs such as I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing, which is widely used in Coca-Cola adverts, Charlie asks himself what he'd sing about if the whole world could hear his voice: "I'd sing about a war completely unjust, and a nation the world would no longer trust. I'd sing about the riots you seen on TV, and about how after 500 years people are still not free. I'll sing about a beautiful land once we all face the truth." Whilst on the song, Who Do They Think They Are?, he asks, "Who do they think they are, to ask me to help them build a nation, built on segregation. Who do they think they are to ask me to live among the filthy waste, and tell me that it's my place" and in Predicament #3, Charlie lambasts racist police who think that, "Black ain't just a colour. It's also a crime". Songs to Sing, The Charlie Whitehead Anthology 1970 - 1976 is available on Kent Soul now.

The Clash spark terror alert
5th April 2006
The Clash and Led Zeppelin's music sparked a terror alert on an aeroplane. Harraj Mann from Hartlepool was pulled off a London-bound flight at Durham Tees airport. He was questioned under the Terrorism Act after it's believed his choice of music made a taxi driver suspicious. Mann was able to play his own music through the cab driver's stereo on the way to the flight, but it seems the taxi driver did not approve. The songs included the Clash's London Calling which includes the lyrics "War is declared and battle come down" and Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song with the lyrics "The hammer of gods will rive our ship to new lands, to fight the horde" alarmed the cab driver who alerted the police.

Benefit album for U.S. troops
5th April 2006
Freedom Soldier is a special benefit project that was composed by Aaron Denny as a tribute to both his father and to the American soldier. A portion of the proceeds is being donated towards care packages for our troops overseas. All the music on the album was written, produced, and performed solely by Aaron and is a portrayal of an American soldier and his experiences during war.

New trend of religious ring-tones
5th April 2006
Religious ring-tones - and ring-back tones - are growing in popularity throughout the world among people of faith. Whether it is gospel music, or a Contemporary Christian, chart-topping hit, or the dulcet tones of a muezzin calling out five prayer times a day, mobile carriers, like Cellular One, Alltell, T-Mobile and Cingular are offering these kinds of sounds as religious-based ring-tones. The secular market is also being targeted; according to Andy Nulman, president and chief marketing officer of Airborne Entertainment, a ring-tone developer, based in Montreal, "We have a whole series of socially responsible ring tones - with anti-poverty and anti-animal cruelty themes. The ring-tone is the new bumper sticker, or the new protest sign, raising your message above the crowd, letting them know what you think".

Polyphonic Spree tackle Iraq
5th April 2006
The Polyphonic Spree are due to release their third album, The Fragile Army, which will be sharply focused on the Iraq War. The twenty-plus-member band have become known for their wildly celebratory material since their 2003 debut, The Beginning Stages of the Polyphonic Spree. Front man and primary songwriter Tim DeLaughter has said that, this time around, expect the ensemble to deal with the political issues of the day - something the Spree haven't done since the Iraq-inspired, Soldier Girl. The title track is an ode-to-Bush. According to DeLaughter, "It's disgruntled with how things have been going and how split up it seems we are as Americans. There is a sense, for me, of trying to create some sort of unity with people".

African AIDS benefit single released
4th April 2006
A new benefit single to raise awareness of the continuing AIDS pandemic in Africa has been produced in Canada. Winnipeg producer Darcy Ataman hopes A Song for Africa will raise funds for African AIDS relief. Rapper Choclair, Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar and singers jacksoul and Luke McMaster are among the Canadian artists participating in the project. A Song for Africa is scheduled for release in early summer, with funds earmarked for CARE Canada, the anti-poverty humanitarian organization. An accompanying music video is also set to premiere during the World AIDS Conference, which runs from Aug. 13 to 18 in Toronto.

Bono blasts Italian Prime Minister
3rd April 2006
U2 frontman Bono has slammed the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for using his picture in an electioneering magazine. The glossy brochure produced by Berlusconi's Forza Italia party has been sent to millions of Italian households prior to next week's elections. It lists the leaders achievement's and plays on the work Bono has done in campaigning for Africa. The caption under the Bono photograph reads: "The Irish star is grateful to the prime minister for the actions promoted by the Italian government towards poor countries".

Pearl Jam warn of Worldwide Suicide
3rd April 2006
Pearl Jam have released the anti-war anthem, World Wide Suicide. The song's anti-establishment stance won't come as a shock to anyone familiar with the band's campaign-year efforts in 2004, when it mounted the overtly political Vote for Change tour designed to promote regime change at home. Lead singer Eddie Vedder also hinted at his political leanings when he impaled a rubber mask of Bush on a microphone stand in 2003. "Medals on a wooden mantle, next to a handsome face/That the president took for granted, writing checks that others pay".

Wartime Prayers from Paul Simon
3rd April 2006
Paul Simon has released Surprise, his much-anticipated collaboration with producer Brian Eno. The album, his first in six years, includes the song Wartime Prayers which addresses the effect of the Iraq war: "All that is changed now/Gone like a memory from the day before the fires/People hungry for the voice of God/Hear lunatics and liars/Wartime prayers in every language spoken/For every family scattered and broken."

For Blood and Empire
3rd April 2006
Pittsburgh-based political punk band Anti-Flag have released their seventh album, For Blood And Empire. The 13-tracks album includes State Funeral, War Sucks Lets Party, WTO Kills Farmers, One Trillion Dollars which looks at the United States' gun-buying habit and I'll Tell You, But I'm Dead - about the war in Iraq, written through the eyes of a dead Iraqi.

Patriarch highlights Palestinian plight
3rd April 2006
Arab-American hip-hop artist Patriarch has released his debut album, Son of a Refugee. The album is guided by pointed social and political commentary and a strong sense of Palestinian and Arab identity including the song Why Do They Hate Me, a thoughtful and fierce condemnation of the living conditions of Palestinians under occupation: "They got us locked in cages/It's a matter of racist/My people's is faceless/It seems they don't want us to breathe/I blame power and greed/For letting us bleed, and then they want us to plead/While the media misleads between terrorism and livelihood/An uprising misunderstood".

The Right Brothers insist Bush Was Right
3rd April 2006
The Right Brothers, a conservative music duo from Nashville, have released a new song entitled Bush Was Right: "Freedom in Afghanistan, say goodbye Taliban/Free elections in Iraq, Saddam Hussein locked up/Osama's staying underground, Al Qaida now is finding out/
America won't turn and run once the fighting has begun/Libya turns over nukes, Lebanese want freedom, too/Syria is forced to leave, don't you know that all this means/Bush was right!"

Audioslave include political track on new album
3rd April 2006
Audioslave, the supergroup formed by ex-members of Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden, are due to release their third studio album. The album, which remains as yet untitled, includes the song Wide Awake which is described as "a scathing condemnation of the Bush administration's failures in the wake of Hurricane Katrina".

Hair: The Musical returns with hints of Iraq war
3rd April 2006
Hair: The Musical has opened in Toronto for the first time in more than 30 years with its producers hoping its anti-war "Age of Aquarius" message will be as relevant now as it was during the Vietnam war. Citing the current political climate as the impetus for reviving the 1968 "tribal love-rock musical," James Rado, Hair's co-author, said he believed its message was today was stronger than ever.

The Cure play cancer relief concert
3rd April 2006
Goth-pop band The Cure performed at a concert in aid of teenage cancer sufferers. Lead singer Robert Smith and the rest of the band appeared at London's Royal Albert Hall in support of the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) on Saturday. It is the sixth year the shows, co-produced by The Who's Roger Daltrey, have been held to raise funds for the TCT charity.

M1 releases solo debut
31st March 2006
M-1, one half of the uncensored, socially conscious and politically-charged rap duo Dead Prez, intends to make his mark with his debut solo album, Confidential. Citing revolutionary influences such as Mao Zedong, Malcolm X and Muhammed Ali, M-1 (aka Mutulu Olugabala) does not deviate from the lyrically revolutionary hip-hop for which he and stic.man are renowned. Tracks include Land, Bread & Housing, Comrade's Call, Don't Put Down Your Flag and more.

Boomerang Politick
31st March 2006
Los Angelese's hip hop group Boomerang Politick bring "an imminent and vital revolution to a genre all but unrecognizable to the Beat-Street poets who originally paved the way for their conception. They denounce the unabashed hypocrisy of Bourgeois Elitism, the politics of war economies, neo-colonization, globalization, white supremacy and privilege, in a violent rebuttal, expressed in such a way entirely unique to their music, to their interpretation of Hip Hop".

Chumbawamba to perform with Russian anarchists
31st March 2006
Anarcho British music collective Chumbawamba are to perform a concert with Russian rock band, Mongol Shuudan on April 1st. Formed in 1989 and influenced by the anarchist literature of Kropotkin, Bakunin and Trotsky, the group has continued to perform following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Their back catalogue includes songs such as Kommissar, Chekist, Freedom or Death and Shabash.

A Singsong and a Scrap
31st March 2006
A Singsong and a Scrap is the new album from the Leeds-based anarchist musical collective, Chumbawamba. The album includes the song When Alexander Met Emma which refers to the relationship between Alexander Berkman, a Russian writer and leading member of the anarchist movement in USA, and Lithuanian born anarchist Emma Goldman; By and By about the Swedish born American songwriter and Organizer for the IWW, Joe Hill, whose radical words put him in jail, and ultimately before the firing squad, in 1915; You Can (Mass Trespass, 1932) about Britain's first mass trespass in 1932 when several hundred walkers set off from Hayfield in the Peak District and defiantly sauntered across private land and a rewriting of Bella Ciao, the traditional song of the Italian partisans, penned after the 2001 G8 Summit in Genoa in which a young protester, Carlo Giuliani, was shot dead by police.

Ani DiFranco releases live album
31st March 2006
Righteous Babe Records has released Carnegie Hall 4.6.02, a live recording of Ani DiFranco's sold out show at the Carnegie Hall seven months after the events of 9/11. For the first time, Ani recites the epic poem Self Evident to an audience of New Yorkers still breathing the dust of their broken skyline. This recording captures a moment in history where art holds space for humanity. Ani recalls, "I will always remember this performance of 'Self Evident' as being one of the most intense moments I have ever experienced on stage."

Halliburton Boardroom Massacre
31st March 2006
Halliburton Boardroom Massacre is the latest release from American protest singer David Rovics. The CD includes the songs New Orleans, Song for Cindy Sheehan, How Far Is It From Here To Nuremberg, Waiting for the Fall, When Johnny Came Marching Home and the title track, Halliburton Boardroom Massacre. The CD be accompanied by a DVD of live performances and interviews. The September release date of the CD is going to kick off a US tour.

The Lonesome Death of Rachel Corrie
30th March 2006
Rachel Corrie was a 23 year old peace activist who was killed on March 16, 2003 when she was crushed by a bulldozer on the Gaza Strip. She has been immortalised in song by Billy Bragg in The Lonesome Death of Rachel Corrie. According to Bragg, "Rachel Corrie went to Gaza to draw attention to the plight of the Palestinians, whose voice is seldom heard in her country, the US. That she herself should be silenced - first by an Israeli bulldozer, next by a New York theatre cancelling a play created from her words - is a testimony to the power of her message".

Dead Prez announce European tour
30th March 2006
Radical underground rap stars dead prez have announced a UK tour. Kalabash World, Third Eye Media and Brazen Entertainment present Bigger Than Hip Hop, a tour which is set to reach London, Athens, Bristol, Leeds and Liverpool. dead prez will be supported by UK artists Sway, Knightshift, Black Twang & TY.

Beijing bans 'Rolling Stone' after only three weeks on sale
30th March 2006
The Chinese edition of Rolling Stone magazine ground to a halt after China's media watchdogs stopped publication of the recently launched Mandarin version, blaming a legal technicality. The ban came three weeks after the first copies hit the newsstands to widespread acclaim. The Shanghai bureau of the Government Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP), which keeps a close eye on new magazines for signs of dissent, said Rolling Stone had not fulfilled all the procedures to publish. However, without being explicit, the watchdog hinted there was more to the decision to stop publication than a technicality. A spokesman for GAPP conceded, "It's not simply a matter of procedure because, even if they handed in the right application, whether we would approve it remains a question".

Radio protest against new broadcasting law
30th March 2006
Fifteen public radio stations across Mexico staged an unusual protest against a proposed broadcast law: each station repeated a single song all day long, interspersed with advertisements against the measure. The proposed bill will allow frequency holders to digitalize their entire analogue frequency. Critics say the bill favours corporate media outlets, puts public stations at a disadvantage and makes little provision for the entry of new broadcasters. According to IMER, a public radio chain, "If this law is approved, public radio stations could disappear. Mexico needs a new law, one that upholds plurality, inclusiveness and equality, not one that favours private interests over public ones."

Song mocks embattled Thai leader
29th March 2006
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is the subject of a new protest song. The song entitled Square-Faced Man is due to feature in protests leading up to elections on Sunday. The lyrics reflect upon Thaksin's alleged corruption, abuse of power and mishandling of the country's affairs including the much-criticized tax-free sale of his family's telecommunications company to a Singapore state investment firm and populist policies such as providing medical care to all citizens for just 30 baht per doctor's visit: "Thirty baht will treat everyone, for diabetes, for bird flu, but all they give you is paracetamol".

Morrissey goes to war with Canada
29th March 2006
Morrissey is refusing to take his world tour to Canada in protest against the country's annual seal hunt. It has been reported that up to 325,000 young harp seal pups could be killed in the coming weeks despite international appeals for it to stop. According to a statement on the singer's website, "I fully realise that the absence of any Morrissey concerts in Canada is unlikely to bring the Canadian economy to its knees, but it is our small protest against the horrific slaughter".

Computer seized after student posts anti-Bush song
27th March 2006
North Carolina college freshman Tim Willis has lost his computer because of a song parody about President George W. Bush. Secret Service agents seized Willis' computer after he posted lyrics on the MySpace.com Web site. The Mars Hill College student changed the lyrics of the song Bullet by the punk band The Misfits to refer to an assassination of President Bush.

American Sociological Association lists best protest songs
27th March 2006
The American Sociological Association have issued a list of the essential protest songs of the past five decades in the latest issue of the journal Contexts. The list includes We Shall Overcome, The Times They Are A-Changin', Which Side Are You On?, Fight the Power, Respect by Otis Redding and performed by Aretha Franklin, Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud), Phil Ochs' I Ain't Marching Anymore, Strange Fruit by Abel Meeropol and performed by Billie Holiday and Lift Every Voice and Sing by James Weldon Johnson.

Dixie Chicks tackle Bush backlash
27th March 2006
Country music stars the Dixie Chicks have hit back at people who made death threats after they criticised President George Bush. The trio caused an outcry in 2003 after singer Natalie Maines said the band were "ashamed" the US President was from their home state of Texas. Not Ready to Make Nice is taken from the band's new album, Taking the Long Way.

MI5 spied on Ewan MacColl
24th March 2006
Folk singer, militant rambler and agit-prop playwright, Ewan MacColl, was spied on by the security service MI5 during the 1930s and 40s because of his communist sympathies. Files released by the National Archives reveal that MI5 and the police monitored his theatre work, BBC performances and general political activity.

Free the P compilation album released
24th March 2006
Free the P is a compilation of spoken word and hip-hop, dedicated to the youth of Palestine, inspired by the global struggle for peace and justice. The mixtape was put together by rap group the Philistines and includes artists from New York to the Gaza Strip putting down track after track of hard-hitting lyricism. Son of Nun, Immortal Technique, DAM, Iron Sheik and The N.O.M.A.D.S are amongst the many artists who contributed to the project.

Dilated Peoples release new album
23rd March 2006
20/20 is the fourth album from underground hip-hop superstars, Dilated Peoples. The L.A. trio of Rakaa, Evidence and DJ Babu attack President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Blair in the song Back Again: "Some are scared/Some just wish they cared" and offer an explicitly political tirade in Firepower (The Tables Have to Turn).

Artists rock against Iraq War in NYC
22nd March 2006
Michael Stipe, Rufus Wainwright, Moby and surprise guest James Iha performed at the Bring 'Em Home concert, marking the third anniversary of the United States-led invasion of Iraq. Steve Earle began the show with Rich Man's War and F the CC, both drawn from his highly political 2004 album, The Revolution Starts... Now. Moby, Laura Dawn and guitarist Darin Murphy covered Buffalo Springfield's anti-war anthem For What It's Worth, Devendra Banhart contributed Heard Somebody Say whilst Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst unleashed the scathing When the President Talks to God.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
21st March 2006
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. On 21st March 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 black people at a peaceful protest against the apartheid pass laws in South Africa. Proclaiming the day as an international commemoration, the UN General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination. Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance is hosting a day of activities today in the Merchant City. Two anti-racist concerts and associated activities will be held.

Flaming Lips get political on new release
21st March 2006
The Flaming Lips' new album, At War With the Mystics, is the band's most political to date. It includes the song The W.A.N.D. which means for "the will always negates defeat" which is a protest song and a salute to a Vietnamese homeless man lead singer Wayne Coyne saw fighting off imaginary demons with a magic stick. The album is an intelligent and searing indictment of George W. Bush, his administration, suicide bombers, superficiality and undeserved stardom.

Kwaito star pens film soundtrack
16th March 2006
Bonginkosi "Zola" Dlamini is the star of South Africa's kwaito scene -  a lively hybrid of hip-hop, house and traditional African rhythms. He has tackled issues such as prostitution, statutory rape and the need for father figures in his latest album Ibutho. Zola has provided the soundtrack forTsotsi by South African director Gavin Hood. The film, set amidst the sprawling Johannesburg township of Soweto, is a gritty and moving portrait of an angry young man living in a state of extreme urban deprivation.

North Korean death camps inspire musical
16th March 2006
Yoduk Story is a musical set in one of North Korea's most infamous political labour camps. Its director, Jung Sung-san, defected from North Korea in the 1990s and wrote the musical to make artistic sense of his father's death there - and to alert South Koreans to the fate of their "invisible cousins" over the border. The score mixes western musical-type numbers with pastiches of North Korea's stylised propaganda routines.

Hope Not Hate Tour
15th March 2006
Billy Bragg is to embark on the Hope Not Hate tour, a special series of concerts in support of three of the UK's leading anti-Fascist organizations - Unite, Love Music Hate Racism and Searchlight - in the lead-up to the local council elections in May. The tour is sponsored by four of the UK's major trade unions - Amicus, the GMB, the RMT and UNISON. According to Billy, "In my home town, Barking, we've organised and begun to turn the tide on the BNP. It couldn't have been done without the support of the unions."

Pink releases protest song
15th March 2006
US pop star Pink has recorded a protest song called Dear Mr. President with songwriter/producer Billy Mann. Taking a young girl's perspective, she sings: "Dear Mr. President/What do you feel when you see all the homeless in the street?/Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?/What do you feel when you look in the mirror?/Are you proud?". Moreover the first single from Pink's forthcoming album I'm Not Dead  is an assault on Hollywood's obsession with thin, blond and beautiful. In the accompanying video, Pink mocks the likes of Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan and criticises the cult of bulimia. The International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals issued a statement saying the song "highlights the culture's relentless and unrealistic pursuit of thinness and unattainable drive for physical beauty."

NOFX release six track EP
15th March 2006
Never Trust a Hippy is the latest six track EP from political punks NOFX. Providing a glimpse of their upcoming full length Wolves In Wolves' Clothing, the EP includes the song I'm Gong to Hell for This One which suggests that Jesus will resurrect to collect BMI royalties, has fixed many sporting events, indulges in designer drugs, and wants to beat up Mel Gibson.

Israeli-Arab peace song for Eurovision
15th March 2006
An Israeli-Arab trio are set to perform a song of peace for the Eurovision Song Contest. Lubna Salame, a Christian Arab from the western Galilee, and Jewish musicians Shlomo Gronich and Michal Adler are to perform Mother Earth. The song, performed in Arabic, Hebrew and English, is intended to inspire Israelis of all backgrounds to work for peace. Salame and Gronich first recorded together at the start of the second intifada in the hope of stemming violence and encouraging dialogue between Israeli Jews and Arabs. The pair joined forces repeatedly in the intervening years and, in 2005, created Adamai - an ensemble of Arab and Jewish musicians organised through Peace Child Israel.

The Big Ask concert announced
15th March 2006
Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood have been confirmed as the headline act at an exclusive concert in support of Friends of the Earth's Big Ask campaign. The concert aims to raise awareness of the climate change campaign which was launched last year, and called on the Government to bring in a regulation to lower carbon dioxide emissions by 3% every year in order to tackle the issue as urgently as possible. Other Big Ask Live events will be taking place around the country, involving big name British music acts.

Palestinian Songs from the Motherland and the Diaspora
15th March 2006
The Palestinian singer, musician and broadcaster Reem Kelani has released her debut album, Sprinting Gazelle: Palestinian Songs from the Motherland and the Diaspora. The album includes folk songs from women in her maternal home of Nazareth, in the refugee camps of Palestine and Lebanon and elsewhere in the Diaspora.

Serbia-Montenegro in pop song row
15th March 2006
Tensions between Serbia and Montenegro have spilled over into the Eurovision song contest, which has a history of intense national rivalry. An argument is raging over which band should represent the federation of Serbia and Montenegro in the contest. A Montenegrin boy band called No Name won a televised competition in Belgrade to choose the best song - but they were booed by the audience, who cried foul. The Montenegrin judges on the panel were accused of tactical voting. After the vote on Saturday night the band took to the stage to sing their winning song again, but in the face of the mainly Serb audience's hostility, they soon gave up without having sung a note. The Serb runners-up, Flamingoes, then appeared to the clear delight of the audience.

Palestinians urge Roger Waters to boycott Israel
15th March 2006
Roger Waters, a founder member of the rock group Pink Floyd, is under pressure to cancel a planned concert in Tel Aviv in June as a protest against Israeli policy towards the Palestinians. A group of Palestinian political activists, cultural organisations and their supporters have backed a letter to Mr Waters, who has expressed strong opposition to the 450-mile separation barrier being built by Israel. They urge him to remove the city from his summer tour this year. A number of British musicians have performed in Israel in recent years including, most recently, Phil Collins who held a concert in Tel Aviv last November without much controversy.

Anti-Flag Lobbies for Uranium Studies
15th March 2006
Political punkers Anti-Flag have teamed up with U.S. Representative Jim McDermott, a Democrat from Washington state, to urge congressional leaders to fund a study on the use of depleted uranium as munitions. The band released a new song, Depleted Uranium Is a War Crime, through the After Downing Street coalition's Web site. According to the band, the song is a critique on the military's use of the deadly chemical "without studying its long-lasting and detrimental effects to humanity." The cut will appear on the group's forthcoming For Blood and Empire LP, which is due March 21.

Jesus Dub: Theology, Music and Social Change
8th March 2006
Robert Beckford explores the dialogue between two central institutions in African Caribbean life: the church and the dancehall. He highlights how Dub - one of the central features of dancehall culture - can be mobilized as a framework for re-evaluating theology, taking apart doctrine and reconstructing it under the influence of a guiding theme. Engaging with the social and cultural heritage that informs Christian African Caribbean culture, including the influence of slavery, Revival Christianity and working class Jamaican life, Black theology and music ranging from post-war Sound System to American Hip Hop, Jesus Dub is a detailed exploration of how throughout history, music and faith have been transformed in response to racialised oppression.

Michael Stipe releases charity EP
7th March 2006
In the Sun Foundation is the home of a very special project launched by R.E.M frontman, Michael Stipe, in response to the ongoing hardship experienced by thousands of residents of the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Stipe has released a charity EP featuring six versions of the song, In the Sun, by singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur. The EP includes a duet with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and remixes from singer Justin Timberlake and will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas). All proceeds will go to Mercy Corps, an international humanitarian agency, via the In the Sun Foundation.

Pearl Jam release new album
7th March 2006
Pearl Jam has announced plans to release its eighth official studio album. The self-titled disc contains 13 tracks, many of which were written by the grunge rock stalwarts out of anger and frustration at the re-election of President George W. Bush and the ongoing Iraq war. According to lead singer Vedder, "It's understandable why someone would like their entertainment to provide an escape from modern-day worries and the reality of war. We feel this record creates a healthy opportunity to process some of these emotions rather than deny them." Pearl Jam made headlines in 2002 with the anti-Bush screed, Bushleaguer. During concerts that year, Vedder impaled a Bush mask on a microphone stand, drawing criticism from some quarters that the musicians went too far.

System of a Down announce benefit concert
7th March 2006
System of a Down will be hosting and headlining their 4th Annual Souls Benefit Concert to help raise awareness and pay tribute to the Armenian Genocide. This is the fourth Souls benefit concert that the band has organized and headlined, and as before, the four band members - Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan - have earmarked the proceeds from the event to benefit organizations that work to eradicate genocides across the globe. According to Tankian, "It's important for people to be aware of the Armenian Genocide and that those actions continue to be covered up by the Turkish government, the U.S. State Department, Turkey's allies in the defense and oil industries, and by our present U.S. Administration. Had the Armenian Genocide been acknowledged as a Crime Against Humanity as it was, Hitler might not have thought he could get away with the Jewish Holocaust. History does and will repeat itself, unless we stop that cycle."

Labor use Middle Eastern music in political campaign
7th March 2006
Israel's Labor Party willuse Middle Eastern music in its radio campaign for the 2006 elections for the first time in the party's history. The song, composed and performed by Michah Biton, reflects some of the Labor Party's campaign promises in the realms of security, education and fighting poverty: "In my land we earn a respectful living / in my land there are no starving children / in my land we fight terror / in my land we make peace / so the time has come to raise our heads and choose right / my truth is in Labor / my future is in education and love / my dream is for peace and hope / Amir Peretz for prime minister."

Environmentally friendly album released
7th March 2006
Sub Pop recording artist Kelley Stoltz's latest album, Below the Branches, is the first to incorporate the Green-e label on its product packaging. The logo explains to consumers that the album was recorded using 100-percent renewable energy. While Stoltz hopes the album will have a positive impact on listeners, he is proud to know that the energy used in its creation had no impact on the environment. "I've never been one to write a political song, but I can let people who buy my album know that I care a lot about the environment and possibly influence them to think about what they can do by labelling my album with the Green-e logo."

Spanish foreign minister criticises satirical song
7th March 2006
Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos has criticised a satirical song performed recently in Ceuta. The words to the song call Turks "animals," in reference to the murder of a Catholic priest in Turkey, and call Muslims "bastards" ("cabrones") in reference to the rioting over the cartoons of Mohammed. Moratinos told his Turkish counterpart, Abdula Gul, that the song does not reflect "the Spaniards' feeling of friendship" toward the Turkish people. The principal opposition party in the Ceuta assembly, UDCE, has announced it will press charges against the song and against Ceuta president Juan Jesus Vivas for the "incitement to discrimination" provided by the song's insulting lyrics.

E.Rich and Rev1 lambaste Katrina relief effort
3rd March 2006
The release of a video showing U.S. President George W Bush being warned on the eve of Hurricane Katrina that the storm could breach New Orleans' flood defences has reignited claims that more could have been done to evacuate the city. E.Rich and Rev1 reflect the anger surrounding the failure of the U.S. Federal government to do more in their song Citizen's Arrest: "Here at home, we're left to fend for ourselves while/Our defence is preoccupied with foreign oil/You can't deny it you didn't bat an eyelid or lift a finger/To keep this disaster from getting bigger."

Pet Shop Boys protest against ID cards
2nd March 2006
British pop duo, The Pet Shop Boys, have written a protest song against the British government's controversial plan for introducing ID cards. The move has so angered Neil Tennant and his musical partner Chris Lowe that they have devoted a song - Integral - to the issue on their new album Fundamental: "If you've done nothing wrong you've got nothing to fear/ If you've something to hide you shouldn't even be here/ You've had your chance now we've got the mandate/ If you've changed your mind I'm afraid it's too late/ We're concerned you're a threat/You're not integral to the project." They were also inspired to write about the relationship between US President George W Bush and Mr Blair with a song called I'm With Stupid.

A Bush no le ve a gustar
1st March 2006
A Bush no le ve a gustar (Bush Will Not Like It) is a compilation album featuring popular artists including Manu Chau, Ojos de Brujo and others who criticize the neo-liberal free-trade policies of the U.S. government. The album was released by La Tribu FM and Doble F at La Cumbre de los Pueblos, a simultaneous popular summit held in protest of the Summit of the Americas.

Living Things release eagerly awaited single
1st March 2006
Living Things are three brothers from St. Louis, MO, whose music is a homogeny of glam rock and punk with strong military undertones. Their eagerly awaited single Bom Bom Bom, which is both politically bleak and infectiously catchy, is the first track to be taken from their album, Ahead of the Lions. Drawing on political frustrations, personal struggle and a wealth of experiences, such as band member Lillian being shot at twice after a show in Dallas, Texas, the brothers have produced a raw, antagonistic record reflecting the mood of post 9/11 Bush-era America.

Rev1 launches new website
28th February 2006
After a full 365 days of journey and evolution, Rev1 returns to the net. In the tradition of emcees and teachers before him, such as Chuck D, KRS-ONE, dpz, X-Clan, The Last Poets and others, Rev1 brings a strong social and political message to the stage in addition to raw beats, rhymes, and life. Taking on the criminal justice system, the music industry, the mainstream media, neo-conservatives, and of course, wack emcees, Rev1 (nee Che, after the revolutionary) infuses his shows with hard hitting, intelligent lyrics and the improvisational crowd rocking that separates real hip hop emcees from phony rappers. Rev1 is a founding member of the upstate hip hop collective Cypher:Dissident.

Met let off by George Michael
28th February 2006
Metropolitan police officers breathed a sigh of relief last night after George Michael said he would resist the temptation to lampoon them after his recent arrest. Michael was found slumped over the wheel of his car in central London in the early hours of Sunday and arrested on suspicion of possessing class C drugs. After being arrested for lewd conduct in a public toilet in Los Angeles eight years ago, he penned the song Outside. In the video for the single, he dressed up as an LAPD officer to poke fun at his arrest. In a statement yesterday, the singer said: "I promise I won't make a record out of this one - even though it is tempting."

Musician records CD for British National Party
28th February 2006
A Doncaster folk singer has become the voice of British National Party leader Nick Griffin on the far right group's new CD. Lee Haggan, a former BNP local election candidate, has recorded nine songs for the BNP - most of them written by Griffin himself. This 11 track CD, entitled Time To Make A Stand, is the first release on the BNP's new record label, Great White Records. This 11 track album includes, for example, British Revolution, The Menace, A Vision Not A Dream, Towns Will Be Our Own and Our Homeland which is described as a call for action and unity to the growing patriotic ranks: "Come all you lads and lasses/Come and join our fight/To win back our lost freedoms/And put old wrongs to right."

Scottish Socialist Party release hip hop CD
27th February 2006
Leading rap and hip hop artists in the UK and internationally have come together to produce a compilation CD for the Scottish Socialist Party. Fight The Power: Defend Socialism features internationally renowned artists such as Benjamin Zephaniah and KRS-One, alongside the very best of Scottish and UK rap and hip hop talent. The idea was born following the Scottish Parliament protest of 4 SSP MSP's over the right to march at the Gleneagles, Scotland, venue of the G8 summit and the subsequent sanctions taken against the party by the Scottish Parliament. All the money raised will go towards the fighting fund established to make good the £30,000 fine imposed by the Scottish Parliament on the SSP MSP's .

Ben Harper album offers political commentary
27th February 2006
Both Sides Of The Gun is the sixth solo studio album from Ben Harper. From the title track onwards the album offers a powerful social and political conscience which pervades many of the songs. The track Black Rain reflected his anger over the devastation in New Orleans. The song was written and recorded spontaneously the day after Hurricane Katrina struck the city: "Don't speak to us like we work for you/Selling false hope like some new dope we're addicted to/I'm not a desperate man but these are desperate times at hand / This generation is beyond your command." According to Harper, "I feel a necessity to step up at this moment in time and a responsibility to use my voice. Justice is for those who can afford it in America. If you can't get justice through the political and social structure as it's currently organised, I'm damn sure going to get some justice in my music."

Springsteen to release covers album
27th February 2006
Bruce Springsteen is set to release his an album of cover songs, focusing on music from the repertoire of folk icon Pete Seeger. Tentatively titled The Seeger Sessions, the album will include both Seeger-penned tunes and American standards the folk patriarch helped popularize. Seeger, 86, is the author of folk classics such as If I Had a Hammer and Where Have All the Flowers Gone? The project reportedly began in 1998, when Springsteen recorded the protest anthem We Shall Overcome for the Seeger tribute album, Where Have All the Flowers Gone?.

Amnesty International award for U2
27th February 2006
Irish rock legends U2 were named Amnesty International Ambassadors of Conscience for 2005 at a ceremony in Chile. The iconic band, fronted by debt relief campaigner Bono, were given the honour by Chilean President-elect Michelle Bachelet in the National Stadium in Santiago de Chile. U2 chose the venue in a poignant reminder of those killed following a coup led by General Augusto Pinochet 1973 as the stadium was turned into a place of detention, torture and death. Irene Khan, Amnesty International's secretary general, said U2's efforts to highlight human rights' abuses had been unwavering.

Bring 'Em Home Now: anti-war concert announced
24th February 2006
REM frontman Michael Stipe, Bright Eyes and Rufus Wainwright are to take part in an anti-war concert in New York next month. The acts, along with Fischerspooner, Public Enemy's Chuck D, Devendra Banhart and Peaches, have all confirmed their appearance at Bring 'Em Home Now on March 20 at Hammerstein Ballroom. The event is tied to the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, and will feature a speech by activist Cindy Sheehan. Proceeds will benefit Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace. 

Public Enemy collaborate on new album
23rd February 2006
Public Enemy has enlisted the help of a fellow rapper on their new album. Intended as a special project, Rebirth Of A Nation, is a full-fledged collaboration between Paris and Public Enemy, with Paris taking on all production duties to deliver one of PE's most focused projects to date. From the War on Terror to racism to black-on-black crime and police brutality, every topic is covered. Rebirth Of A Nation is a sonic onslaught aimed at the wrongs of society as only Chuck D and Paris can - only this time out they are joined by fellow revolutionary allies dead prez, Kam, Immortal Technique, MC Ren and The Conscious Daughters - all with striking effectiveness.

Everybody's Welcome to the Hooley!
22nd February 2006
Everybody's Welcome to the Hooley!, an anti-racist anthem for St Patrick's Day by North London psycho ceilidh rockers Neck, is out on March 6. By buying or downloading this record you can help the fight to keep the flame of Rock Against Racism alive. All profits from the record go to RAR's successor Love Music Hate Racism. The record is dedicated to the memory of Stephen Lawrence and Anthony Walker.

Shabaan Abdul Rahim praises President in song
22nd February 2006
Egyptian folk singer Shabaan Abdul Rahim has released a new single showing his support for the reappointment of President Husni Mubarak for a new term in office. The song, The Word of Truth, highlights the achievement of Mubarak during his 24 year reign in power such as the construction of new cities, bringing satellites to Egypt and making running water freely available. The lyrics state: "Oh president, you do not need any words/The people are happy because they feel secure."

Bushmen in Ghanzi
22nd February 2006
Massive, a premier live reggae band from Gaborone, Botswana, have written a protest song as a direct message to the London-based NGO Survival International. Survival International has accused Botswana's government of ethnic cleansing. Botswana has strongly denied reports that some of the last bushmen living in the Kalahari desert have been forcibly removed from their ancestral land. The song, Bushmen in Ghanzi, urges Survival International to leave Botswana alone to deal with its own internal problems whilst the chorus claims every country in the world has their own "Bushmen".

Bono gives guitar to Brazil cause
21st February 2006
Bono will donate a guitar to Brazil's Zero Hunger campaign following U2's concerts this week in Sao Paulo. The guitar will be auctioned to raise money for Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's campaign for all Brazilians to have three meals a day. A guitar donated by Lenny Kravitz to Brazil's fight against poverty last year raised 322,000 reals (£87,239).

Bragg to play Mayday
17th February 2006
Billy Bragg is to perform at this year's May Day parade in Edinburgh. The annual march and rally in celebration of the International Workers Day will take place on Saturday 29 April. Bragg will perform in a free open-air concert in the city's Meadows after the traditional parade through the city centre.

Militant Entertainment
16th February 2006
Militant Entertainment is a new record label borne out of the Left Field stage at the Glastonbury Festival. The name Militant Entertainment was one of the slogans of the Rock Against Racism movement in the 70's and the label picks up on that theme of blending street-level campaigning with popular culture. The first release is Everybody's Welcome to the Hooley! An anti-racist anthem for St Pat's by North London psycho-ceilidh rockers, Neck - it's out on the 6th March. All proceeds go to Love Music Hate Racism.

Nelson releases gay cowboy song
16th February 2006
Country music star Willie Nelson has released a tune about gay cowboy romance for Valentine's Day. Nelson said the release, Cowboys Are Secretly, Frequently (Fond of Each Other), was timed to coincide with Oscar hopeful Brokeback Mountain: "Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other/ What did you think those saddles and boots was about?/There's many a cowboy who don't understand the way that he feels towards his brother/ Inside every cowboy there's a lady who'd love to slip out"

Song parodies U.S. Vice President shooting incident
16th February 2006
Who Shot The Lawyer? My Shot Gun is a new song by the prolific song parodist William Tong. Sung to the tune of I Fought The Law by the Bobby Fuller Four, the song mocks U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, who seriously wounded 78-year old lawyer Harry Whittington with his shotgun during a hunting trip in Texas, but refused to take blame for the incident: "I need some cover for what I'd done/ Who shot the lawyer? My shotgun/Who shot the lawyer? My shotgun."

Bush Wars: The Musical
9th February 2006
Bush Wars is a new musical comedy revue created by Nancy Holson, writer/director of the News in Revue. According to its creators, Bush Wars is told through 16 musical parodies and dozens of costume changes, Bush Wars sinks its talons into everything from Dick Cheney literally in bed with the oil companies to the Supreme Court's "right hand turn" and from "Republican training school" to George W. in a soft shoe number with his bosom buddy, Jesus! No one is spared during the ninety minutes of non-stop music and comedy. The musical takes a funny but insightful look at how America's current government has undermined The Geneva Convention, Science (Evolution and The Environment), Social Security, Personal Security, Religious Freedom, Personal Freedom, Pretzels, Government Secrets, The Courts, The Brain Dead and yes, Democracy itself!

Young Nepali bard sings of revolution
8th February 2006
14-year old Rubin Ghandarba spreads news through song, much like the bards of medieval Europe. The young Nepali sings of revolution in his Himalayan homeland, where a king is facing off against Maoist rebels and opposition protesters before a key election. The teenager performs on college campuses, in crowded markets and at the pro-democracy protests that have become near-daily occurrences here since King Gyanendra seized absolute power a year ago. His first foray into political songwriting came when he sang on a college campus about the 2001 palace massacre that brought Gyanendra to the throne.

Thai rap song mocks the Koran
8th February 2006
Song BMG Music Entertainment Thailand has recalled two Thai rap CDs from stores after Muslims complained the tracks insult their faith. The song, Maya, by rapper Joey Boy and songwriter Kamol Sukosol Clapp, also known as Suki, was released in 1998 on a Joey Boy CD entitled Bangkok Boy and appeared again on the 2005 compilation The Conclusive Collection. The CDs contain verses from the Koran and the Koran strictly forbids the use of its verses in songs.

Josh Ritter gets political on new album
8th February 2006
Singer/songwriter Josh Ritter will release his fourth full-length, The Animal Years, this spring. The album was inspired by his reaction to the political climate in America over the last two years. The album includes the track Girl in the War about the war in Iraq. According to Ritter, "These are a collection of songs about confusion and about where this country is going. It`s not as much a political record, but just a diary of things I observe, how divisive everyone is, no matter whose side you're on."

Anger as Zuma song taken off the air
8th February 2006
Supporters of South African ex-deputy president Jacob Zuma have threatened protests after the national broadcaster decided not to play a pro-Zuma song. The South African Broadcasting Corporation says the words of the song "Msholozi" could be read as incitement. Mr Zuma, a popular leader once seen as heir apparent to the presidency, was sacked as deputy president last year amid allegations of corruption. Msholozi, the title of the song by the group Ingane Zoma, is Mr Zuma's clan name, which in South Africa is used as a respectful way of addressing a leader.

Rolling Stones censored
8th February 2006
The Rolling Stones were censored during their halftime performance at the Super Bowl XL in Detroit . TV censors deemed two lyrics too sexually explicit to be broadcast and they were cut from the three-song show. Start Me Up and Rough Justice were subject to censorship, while (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction was left intact.

Yo Yo Mundi provide film soundtrack
8th February 2006
Italian post folk rockers Yo Yo Mundi have provided the soundtrack to Strike, the Russian cinema classic. Sciopero is the Italian word for strike and the chosen title of Yo Yo Mundi's live musical accompaniment to Sergei Eisenstein's debut film. Strike is set in Russia in 1912, in which a factory worker unrightfully accused of stealing, commits suicide inside the factory. His comrades soon find out the reasons behind his desperate action and they decide to organize a strike.

Sean Paul  mixes music and politics
31st January 2006
Dancehall reggae star Sean Paul touches on subjects such as gun control and marijuana in his new album, The Trinity. The song Never Going To Be The Same is dedicated to fellow Jamaican musician Daddigon, a victim of gun violence and in We Be Burnin' he advocates the legalisation of marijuana.

Michael Franti releases documentary film
31st January 2006
Armed with an acoustic guitar and a video camera, musician Michael Franti takes us on a musical journey through war and occupation in Iraq, Israel and Palestine. Along the way he shares his music with families, doctors, musicians, soldiers and everyday people who in turn reveal to him the often overlooked human cost of war. The resulting documentary entitled, I Know I Am Not Alone, will be released on DVD in June along with a CD of the same title.

Impeach Bush
30th January 2006
Palestinian-American rapper Iron Sheik has released a new anthem, Impeach Bush: "We got a dishonest President/Talks about God/But he commits so many sins/Thou Shall not lie, kill or even steal/He does them for a living/And he does it with zeal/He does it for real/He ain't playing pretend/Invaded Iraq and said it was for defence".

Fat Wreck Chords release benefit album
27th January 2006
Fat Wreck Chords presents Protect: A Benefit for the National Association to Protect Children. This 26 track compilation album includes tracks from NOFX, Anti Flag, Against Me! and more. Proceeds from the album will be donated to the National Association to Protect Children.

Wales to stage Holocaust concert
26th January 2006
The UK's annual commemoration of the Holocaust begins with aconcert at the Wales Millennium Centre. Opera singer Katherine Jenkins is among the performers at the event in Cardiff, while the Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks, is one the speakers. The concert falls on the eve of the sixth Holocaust Memorial Day which remembers the victims of the Nazi "Final Solution" and other genocides. It is the first time that Wales has led the UK's annual commemoration.

Atomic Platters: Cold War Music from the Golden Age of Homeland Security
23rd January 2006
Conelrad and the Bear Family present Atomic Platters: Cold War Music from the Golden Age of Homeland Security. This five CD and DVD boxset includes over 100 Cold War tracks featuring Slim Gaillard, Janet Greene, The Goldwaters, Bill Haley, Ann-Marget, Carl Perkins, Carl Mann and many more. The boxset also includes two full-length spoken word 'scare' albums from 1961 - If the Bomb Falls and The Complacent Americans! - which have been re-issued for the first time.

BNP launches own music label
23rd January 2006
The British National Party has launched its own music label, Great White Records, in order to fund, propagandise and recruit the far-right political movement. Its releases will feature a logo designed especially to attract young people, and any money raised by the venture will go directly to the BNP. Anti-racism campaigners said white power music was the "single number one recruiting tool drawing young bigots into the white supremacist movement".

Peace Not War concerts
20th January 2006
On 3rd February 2006, Peace Not War presents 'a night of cultural resistance to the New World Order and the state of permanent war that our governments are determinedly pushing through. Encouraging people to realise their own power and maintain the bravery required to speak down the oppressors of mankind, the producers of the International peace movement CDs will be joining forces with many of our friends from the demonstrations including the Samba band and the rolling sound system'.

Political album from Israel
20th January 2006
Israeli singer-songwriter Tal Sondak has released his debut album, Af Eliayich. The 13 track album includes the tracks Isha Muka (Battered Woman) which tackles domestic abuse and Yalda Shel Africa about about the hardships of Ethiopian immigration to Israel.

New album highlights plight of Zimbabweans
20th January 2006
The Abangqobi Bomhlaba group from Zimbabwe have released a new album entitled Limpopo Crossing - named after the Limpopo River which acts as the main route used by  Zimbabweans to escape their homeland. Their music reflects upon the prevailing economic hardships and misrule in Zimbabwe. The song Guqula talks about the change Zimbabweans need to make for the betterment of their country whilst Lindela speaks about the hardships faced by those who chose to run away from the Mugabe regime.

Thatcher: The Musical
16th January 2006
A musical based on the life of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has its UK premiere next month. The show features an all-female cast of 10 singing and dancing their way through the life and times of Britain's first female prime minister. The musical includes songs such as The Cabinet Shuffle, The Tony Blues and The Grocer's Daughter.

Music and Revolution: Cultural Change in Socialist Cuba
11th January 2006
Music and Revolution: Cultural Change in Socialist Cuba provides a dynamic introduction to the most prominent artists and musical styles that have emerged in Cuba since 1959 and to the policies that have shaped artistic life. Robin D. Moore gives readers a chronological overview of the first decades after the Cuban Revolution, documenting the many ways performance has changed and emphasizing the close links between political and cultural activity. Offering a wealth of fascinating details about music and the milieu that engendered it, the author traces the development of dance styles, nueva trova, folkloric drumming, religious traditions, and other forms. Music and Revolution uses music to explore how Cubans have responded to the priorities of the revolution and have created spaces for their individual concerns.

Circular Breathing: The Cultural Politics of Jazz in Britain
10th January 2006
In Circular Breathing: The Cultural Politics of Jazz in Britain, Professor George McKay, a leading authority on alternative cultures and music, looks at the surprisingly political past of jazz in Britain. He reveals the connections of the music, its players and its subcultures to social questions of anti-racism, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, feminism and the New Left. Alongside this he considers the damage of the twenty-year ban on live American music that ended in the mid-1950s, and uncovers the early history of British pop festivals at the Beaulieu Jazz Festival (1956-61).

New Orleans benefit album released
10th January 2006
Nonesuch Records has released a benefit album featuring artists from the New Orleans music community. Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast will document the depth, richness and profound musicality of that unique city. All the proceeds will benefit Habitat For Humanity to aid those affected by the recent Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Médecins Sans Frontierès benefit CD released
10th January 2006
Seventy-five artists have contributed songs, most of them previously unreleased, to Durto Jnana's Not Alone compilation. Damon and Naomi, Allen Ginsberg, Devendra Banhart, Jad Fair, Bonnie Prince Billy, Thurston Moore and Jim O'Rourke are among the eclectic contributors. All the proceeds from the five-disc package will be donated to Médecins Sans Frontierès to assist them in their work fighting the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

Earlier stories can be found in our news archive.

Updated: 20 July, 2007 | Site editor | Legal