new anti-war CD
News Release, Peace Not War | 12.06.2003 19:24
300 bands say the peace movement must keep moving
9 June 2003
Bush and Blair’s spin doctors are claiming the war is over, but 300 bands are making it loud and clear that the peace movement has only just begun.
ALABAMA 3: “It’s all the same racist warmongery-posturing bollocks. The peace movement has to carry on until there is no more war.”
A reworked version of the peace movement fundraiser CD “Peace Not War”, was compiled with 11 new tracks for American release, and is released today through Mordam Records. The cult-classic double-album will be backed up by a new website with 300 anti-war songs by both signed and bedroom-studio musicians from around the world, anti-war images and a peace group search engine. No-one knows if Syria, North Korea or Iran will be bombed next, but musicians are convinced the peace movement has to prepare to stop the next war, and are writing songs to express their feelings.
ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION: “The aggression is not finished with the occupation of Iraq, so the peace movement must be ready to intervene when the warmongers pick their next taget.”
The Peace Not War CD has grown from a burned-CD production in an East London living room to a double-album with American, Australian and UK bands as diverse as Ani DiFranco, Public Enemy, Sleater-Kinney, Massive Attack, Pete Seeger, Ms Dynamite, and a reformed Crass, distributed in 18 countries and raising over $30,000 for UK peace groups so far. A simple idea became an international production through the support given by so many musicians, managers and record companies, who each waived their royalties. The War On Terror marks the rebirth of protest music, far more prolific than the recordings of the Vietnam era.
BILLY BRAGG: “Protest music was prematurely declared to be unfashionable: hearing these songs might help people who feel ambiguous about it make a conscious decision to oppose the war.” CRASS: “There is no time for people to become complacent and withdraw - this is just the beginning.”
The Peace Not War CD is as grass roots as it gets: produced and funded by Australian musicians Kelly and Mudge, with help from a handful of friends but without any support from an organization. Their independence has meant that the broad spectrum of peace groups could be fairly funded and radical lyrical content could not be censored, although their lack of resources has been challenging. With no no record label and no promotional budget, the word had to be spread by peace groups, and by DJs and stores who simply liked the music and the cause.
JOHN PILGER: “The Peace Not War CD is vital to the grass roots opposition to war, conquest and occupation. Censorship of anti-war music by the BBC, MTV and other media is all the more reason for doing it yourself.”
The DIY fundraising system has spread internationally such that sales in each country will fund its local peace groups: American, Australian and UK peace groups are already selling the CDs themselves at demonstrations, as well as getting the proceeds from record store sales. Peace groups in the US can buy the CD for $5 (much less than what stores pay) and sell it for $15 to raise funds - peace groups have out-sold music stores in the UK so far, demonstrating the power of grass roots organizing. People who want to support a chosen peace group can buy them a box of CDs from Mordam Records (916-641-8900 X207) and have the value of their donation tripled.
Kelly and Mudge were amazed by the depth of feeling amongst musicians:
“We’ve been overwhelmed by over 300 submissions by CD and MP3 so far, so we’re considering producing a series of other Peace Not War compilations: hiphop, acoustic, electric, dance, classical, French ... and maybe an online radio station. Some of the most interesting, funky and emotive tracks were done in bedroom studios. We want to hear everyone’s songs about stopping war and making peace, and we’ll put them all on the website, as well as considering them for another CD (although we won’t publish songs which condone violence from any side of a conflict).”
“When millions of people in hundreds of cities can co-operate for demonstrations like February 15th, there’s nothing stopping them taking the next step and seriously working out how to prevent Bush and Blair from starting another war.”
MS DYNAMITE: “brave man would start a revolution.”
PA systems around the world are booming with the message to keep moving, the DJs are upping the tempo, and the peace movement now has a soundtrack full of energy, information and inspiration for everyone who is struggling for peace.
ANI DIFRANCO: “it’s time to get our government to pull its big dick out of the sand of someone else’s desert & put it back in its pants.”
More information:
Peace Not War, PO Box 44212, London E3 4WB, UK, email:
info@peace-not-war.org, web: www.peace-not-war.org
Page last updated: 9 June 2003, 18:35
http://electroniciraq.net/news/879.shtml
9 June 2003
Bush and Blair’s spin doctors are claiming the war is over, but 300 bands are making it loud and clear that the peace movement has only just begun.
ALABAMA 3: “It’s all the same racist warmongery-posturing bollocks. The peace movement has to carry on until there is no more war.”
A reworked version of the peace movement fundraiser CD “Peace Not War”, was compiled with 11 new tracks for American release, and is released today through Mordam Records. The cult-classic double-album will be backed up by a new website with 300 anti-war songs by both signed and bedroom-studio musicians from around the world, anti-war images and a peace group search engine. No-one knows if Syria, North Korea or Iran will be bombed next, but musicians are convinced the peace movement has to prepare to stop the next war, and are writing songs to express their feelings.
ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION: “The aggression is not finished with the occupation of Iraq, so the peace movement must be ready to intervene when the warmongers pick their next taget.”
The Peace Not War CD has grown from a burned-CD production in an East London living room to a double-album with American, Australian and UK bands as diverse as Ani DiFranco, Public Enemy, Sleater-Kinney, Massive Attack, Pete Seeger, Ms Dynamite, and a reformed Crass, distributed in 18 countries and raising over $30,000 for UK peace groups so far. A simple idea became an international production through the support given by so many musicians, managers and record companies, who each waived their royalties. The War On Terror marks the rebirth of protest music, far more prolific than the recordings of the Vietnam era.
BILLY BRAGG: “Protest music was prematurely declared to be unfashionable: hearing these songs might help people who feel ambiguous about it make a conscious decision to oppose the war.” CRASS: “There is no time for people to become complacent and withdraw - this is just the beginning.”
The Peace Not War CD is as grass roots as it gets: produced and funded by Australian musicians Kelly and Mudge, with help from a handful of friends but without any support from an organization. Their independence has meant that the broad spectrum of peace groups could be fairly funded and radical lyrical content could not be censored, although their lack of resources has been challenging. With no no record label and no promotional budget, the word had to be spread by peace groups, and by DJs and stores who simply liked the music and the cause.
JOHN PILGER: “The Peace Not War CD is vital to the grass roots opposition to war, conquest and occupation. Censorship of anti-war music by the BBC, MTV and other media is all the more reason for doing it yourself.”
The DIY fundraising system has spread internationally such that sales in each country will fund its local peace groups: American, Australian and UK peace groups are already selling the CDs themselves at demonstrations, as well as getting the proceeds from record store sales. Peace groups in the US can buy the CD for $5 (much less than what stores pay) and sell it for $15 to raise funds - peace groups have out-sold music stores in the UK so far, demonstrating the power of grass roots organizing. People who want to support a chosen peace group can buy them a box of CDs from Mordam Records (916-641-8900 X207) and have the value of their donation tripled.
Kelly and Mudge were amazed by the depth of feeling amongst musicians:
“We’ve been overwhelmed by over 300 submissions by CD and MP3 so far, so we’re considering producing a series of other Peace Not War compilations: hiphop, acoustic, electric, dance, classical, French ... and maybe an online radio station. Some of the most interesting, funky and emotive tracks were done in bedroom studios. We want to hear everyone’s songs about stopping war and making peace, and we’ll put them all on the website, as well as considering them for another CD (although we won’t publish songs which condone violence from any side of a conflict).”
“When millions of people in hundreds of cities can co-operate for demonstrations like February 15th, there’s nothing stopping them taking the next step and seriously working out how to prevent Bush and Blair from starting another war.”
MS DYNAMITE: “brave man would start a revolution.”
PA systems around the world are booming with the message to keep moving, the DJs are upping the tempo, and the peace movement now has a soundtrack full of energy, information and inspiration for everyone who is struggling for peace.
ANI DIFRANCO: “it’s time to get our government to pull its big dick out of the sand of someone else’s desert & put it back in its pants.”
More information:
Peace Not War, PO Box 44212, London E3 4WB, UK, email:
info@peace-not-war.org, web: www.peace-not-war.org Page last updated: 9 June 2003, 18:35
http://electroniciraq.net/news/879.shtml
News Release, Peace Not War
