Tag: politics

MAR 7, 2012 - The Canadian rock trio Rush, whose songs were being used by talk show host Rush Limbaugh as "bumpers" for his show, has received a letter from Rush's management demanding that Limbaugh immediately stop using any of the band's music in his show. The letter points out how using their music in a political show is a copyright infringement, and more importantly the band does not want people to assume that the band endorses or supports the hateful rhetoric Limbaugh engages in.  (photo credit: Enrico Frangi/Wiki)

Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart have dabbled in activism over the years. They helped raise money during Canada's SARS outbreak in 2003, and donated money to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights. Geddy Lee, being a huge baseball fan, donated baseballs signed by legendary black baseball players to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The guitarist, Alex Lifeson, developed a line of amplifiers stating that a donation would be made to UNICEF for every amp sold. Also, they are very involved with Grapes for Humanity Canada, where they help tragedy victims around the world, and "helping these victims become self-sufficient citizens of the world".

Here is the letter that was sent to Rush Limbaugh:

The Rush Limbaugh Show
1270 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Ladies & Gentlemen:

I am the attorney for Rush, their management company, S.R.O. Management Inc., their music publishing company, Core Music Publishing and their record company, The Anthem Entertainment Group Inc.

According to media reports, Rush Limbaugh, Premiere Radio Networks and The Rush Limbaugh Show have been using Rush’s recorded music as part of what is essentially a political broadcast.

The use of Rush’s music in this way is an infringement of Rush’s copyrights and trademarks. The public performance of Rush’s music is not licensed for political purposes and any such use is in breach of public performance licenses and constitutes copyright infringement. There are civil and criminal remedies for copyright infringement, including statutory damages and fines.

In addition, the use of Rush’s music in this manner implies an endorsement of the views expressed and products advertised on the show, and is in breach of not only copyright and trademark rights, but also, of section 51 of the New York Civil Rights Law (excerpt attached). Accordingly, we hereby demand that you immediately stop all use of Rush’s music and confirm that you will do so.

Yours very truly,
Robert A. Farmer
Director of Legal Affairs
S.R.O. Management Inc., Core Music Publishing
The Anthem Entertainment Group Inc.

(Full and original text here)

Here is Rush at the SARS benefit concert in 2003:

(Photo credit: pussy-riot.livejournal.com)

FEB 27, 2012 - Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist punk musical activist band who stages illegal concerts and protests, often from rooftops, protesting issues such as women's rights in Russia and most recently the policies and re-election campaign of Prime Minister Putin. Wearing skimpy outfits even in cold weather and stylish balaclavas, they release Internet videos of their illegal concerts in public places. Recently they managed to stage a concert in strictly guarded Red Square, and were arrested. After being held for 5 hours, they were fined 500 rubles (about $17 US) and released. On their website they say, “We Believe That the Soviet Union's Aggressive Imperial Politics are Similar in many Ways to Putin's course. The way the State treats its Citizens hasn't changed much since the times of the USSR; there is still paternalist supervision and police control over people.” They add, “Some of us are anarchists, leftist Have some Liberal Positions. We would like horizontal political activity, self-organization and the capability to be aware of oneself as an equal participant in civil politics, to understand one's rights and fight for them to develop. Russian Society lacks tolerance and lenience.”

If you have Google Chrome, you can use the translator to check out their site here, where you can see pics of them staging one of their public protest concerts at Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral which ruffled a lot of feathers. Check out one of their videos 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 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)

CORRECTION: Willie Nelson is NOT part of the lawsuit filed against Monsanto. We apologize for any confusion.

FEB 13, 2012 - 300,000 activists who support small family farms and a healthy and fair food system, sued food giant Monsanto in Federal Court in Manhattan on January 31, 2012. Musician activist Willie Nelson and his Occupy The Food System which consists of many small groups such as Food Democracy Now are not part of the suit but have voiced their support and rallied in support outside the federal courthouses for the farmers who are filing the suit. The suit seeks to protect the harassment and threatening manner agribusiness giant Monsanto has exhibited, with threatening to go after any small farms that contain any trace of what they claim to be their property, genetically modified seeds. All the activists are also fighting against Monsanto's spraying of "Roundup herbicides", which harm the soil, water and the farms around them. Willie states that the corporate takeover of small farms by large corporations has "led to the loss of millions of family farmers, destruction of our soil, pollution of our water and health epidemics of epic obesity and diabetes". Read more about the lawsuit on NationofChange.org here, and check out Occupy The Food System Facebook Page here.

Also, an ad aired on the Grammy's last night of Willie Nelson performing the haunting Coldplay classic, "The Scientists" (watch below) to help The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, an organization that is "Dedicated to creating a sustainable, healthful and equitable future". You can purchase the song on iTunes here, where proceeds will benefit the foundation and help them in their work to protect small family farms. Check out their website here.