APR 23, 2012 – A group of New York area musician activists have formed "Occupy Guitarmy", and seek to gather 1000 guitarists, from beginner to shredder, in a massive May Day Music March on May 1, 2012 in Bryant Park. It is the brainchild of Occupy Wall Street Music Group, and they have put together the songs they want to play that day all on a website, chords and all, for everyone to practice and learn before the march. There will be 1000 guitarists all playing and singing "One Guitar", "We Shall Not Be Moved", "Worldwide Rebel Songs""El Pueblo Unido" and of course the classic "This Land is Your Land".
They have people there willing to help you learn guitar, and they also encourage others to form their Occupy Guitarmy in their hometown. Check out their website here.
Here is their Press Release:
"New York, NY (Occupy Wall Street)—Legions of guitarists, string players, singers, and DIY-shaker makers will converge on Bryant Park May 1, 2012 for Occupy Guitarmy, part of the Occupy Wall Street May Day actions for social and economic justice.
Occupy Guitarmy is a large gathering of New York-area guitarists and string players from complete beginner to master shredder, from bedroom artist to legend. All are equal in this guitarmy. We play and march to support Occupy, to raise our voices, to recognize each other was musicians, music workers, community. We ask all New York City-area guitarists and string players to join us on this day."
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"We will play and sing together the following social justice songs: “This Land Is Your Land,” Woody Guthrie, “El Pueblo Unido,” Sergio Ortega / Quilapayún, “One Guitar” Willie Nile, “World Wide Rebel Songs,” The Nightwatchman, and the spiritual “We Shall Not Be Moved.” These songs' chords, lyrics, MP3s and videos are available on the occupyguitarmy.tumblr.com site.
Our base camp is Bryant Park, next to the Gertrude Stein station. There the Occupy Guitarmy will begin with teachers helping other musicians master chords, song leaders teaching songs, and those who mastered it all invariably jamming. Our squadron leaders, including Tom Morello and Ben Harper, will gather the musicians into groups and help us stay organized as we sing, play, and march our way down to Union Square Park.
At Union Square, we will join an amplified stage (with all city permits) supported in a coalition by Occupy Wall Street, organized labor, and immigrant rights groups. We will then perform the song “World Wide Rebel Songs” along with social justice organizer and day-one Occupy supporter Tom Morello. The concert will include performances by Immortal Technique, Das Racist, Dan Deacon, and Bobby Sanabria.
The Occupy Guitarmy is part of May Day, a call for the 99% to take the streets and reclaim our communities. We’ll demand economic justice from the major institutions of government and industry who refuse to step forward and deliver a just society. No Work, No School, No Shopping, No Housework, No Compliance. May Day will be another important step forward in the growth of a resistance movement that has captured international headlines since the occupation of Liberty Square on September 17th, 2011 and contributed to a renewed national and global focus on social and economic injustice."
Occupy Guitarmy – Occupy Wall Street Music Group
