Tag: justice

Photo of Strings and Indian Ocean. Credit: Aman ki Asha and StringsOnline.net

FEB 21, 2012 - Strings, a Pakistani band that fuses great music and activism together, were recently part of a "Bands Across Borders" concert bringing together Pakistani and Indian musicians and fans in support of peace. The concert was part of an initiative called "Aman ki Asha" which means "Hope For Peace", where they are working for peace and understanding between the people of Pakistan and India. Strings was chosen particularly for their involvement in social issues. Read about the concert here, and check out the Aman ki Asha Initiative website here. Check out Strings in a video below.

FEB 20, 2012 - Numerous musical activists have sprung up in Myanmar in a "Saffron Uprising" by the youth calling for more freedom and democracy in Myanmar/Burma, and one group ACID who put out the first hip-hop album ever in Burma/Myanmar, had songs that contained lyrics about the hard life in Burma/Myanmar and got them into trouble with the government. Two of the members of the group were arrested in 2008, including Zayer Thaw (photo left by Daisuke Furuta) and was sentenced to five years imprisonment for “breaking State Law and Order Restoration Council Law No. 6/88, Organizing under the Unlawful Association Act.” He was finally released in May of 2011 and in an interview told MSNBC, “I have to be careful about saying things now, Big Brother is watching.” 

ACID is back together, and is part of a group of over 50 musicians coming out in support for Suu Kyi, who is running for a parliamentary seat. Many of the musicians gathered at her house last November, to plan an album to help her raise funds for her campaign. Then in December of 2011 Zayer was fortunate to meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as a part of a Burmese Civil Society group. 

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meeting with Zayer Thaw (to right of Clinton) and Burmese Civil Society members
(photo State Department public domain)

When asked in an interview by Free Muse about how it felt to be in prison he replied, "Once you get involved in politics in our country, you have a 90 percent probability of ending up behind bars. I took this into consideration before I decided to take part in politics, so I don't feel sorry for myself. In fact, I feel honored. They also asked him, “Why did you decide to get involved in politics?” and he told them, ”As an artist, I am always in touch with people and their feelings. Their hardships and sufferings always touch my heart. That's why I tried to give voice to their feelings.” Listen to a song from ACID and Zayer below, and you can get more informed and involved on this issue over at the US Campaign For Burma website here.

FEB 15, 2012 - The Zak Smith Band has sent us one of their new music videos containing footage of Occupy Wall Street at Zuccotti Park of his new song, "Brand New Party", which pays homage and supports the Occupy movement. Zak hails from New Jersey and in an email to us he says he is a "musician who has a passion for writing about political views and his love of people." Watch the video below, and check out Zak's website here.

FEB 13, 2012 - Bruce Springsteen, long known for his activism, opened up with a song at the Grammy Awards Show last night called, "We Take Care of Our Own", a new song from his upcoming album, "Wrecking Ball". He was met with a standing ovation and cheers, and chants of "Bruuuce!". The song has lines such as, "From the shotgun shack to the Superdome, We yelled help but the cavalry stayed home", and "Where's the promise, from sea to shining sea, We take care of our own". Many are taking this song to be a statement on the government's response to Katrina, jobs being outsourced, and the American dream being threatened by recent actions such as attacks on unions and teachers and government entitlement programs. There is another version of the video Bruce released, which contains images of working people, a group Bruce has long supported and fought for over the years. Watch Bruce singing "We Take Care of Our Own" when he opened up the Grammys last night, and then a black & white "studio version" below.
(Photo credit: Thomas Uhlemann/Wiki)

FEB 8, 2012 - Musician activist Boots Riley from the "radical" hip-hop group Coup, has been out in front with the Occupy Oakland movement. RS has a article out about him, here is an excerpt:

“Riley has been an activist since high school, when he spent a summer helping to organize migrant farm workers in central California. He says he was used to seeing twenty-five people show up at demonstrations, and in he past, he’s weighed his activism against what he might accomplish with his music, and generally chosen the music – so many more people could hear the message that way. "But with Occupy, I can’t use that same equation," Riley admits. "What we’re doing here gets a different message out, a stronger message out, to many more people than my music.””

Check out Boots Riley performing at Occupy Oakland below and read 
the full article on Rolling Stone here. (Photo credit: Bankrobber1/Wiki)