New Music from Lateef the Truthspeaker
Some incredible music for the movement just came out today. Lateef the Truthspeaker‘s new solo album ‘FIREWIRE‘ features 2 songs written in reaction to the current political and economic climate. The best is the summer-in-winter jam for the people, “We the People” which is guaranteed to keep the movement warm. Take a listen here:
And please help spread the word:
1.) Send it to your friends, networks and constituents to get them energized. http://bit.ly/sYkiBP
2.) Buy it and ask them to buy it (we’ve gotta keep these artists in their jobs too!) http://amzn.to/ufQqxm
SPOTLIGHT: Call To Action Music Videos
Current research shows that the numbers of Americans who are watching and sharing videos online via sites like YouTube and Vimeo has more than doubled over the last 5 years to a whopping 71 percent. Watching videos online now outranks social networking, online banking and other activities as the most frequent online activity.
As new features and capabilities are being added to video sharing sites including the ability to sell music, merch, tickets and more, it is clear the potential impact call to action music videos can have in raising awareness, generating funds or promoting action for a cause or issue an artist cares about–while at the same time promoting an artist’s music and brand.
Small Actions to Support Economic Justice
Throughout the country people are taking to the streets to demand changes to the economic system that will take care of Main Street before Wall Street. Many artists have reached out to us asking for advice for how to take small actions to support economic justice issues, so we have put together some recommendations on simple ways to get involved below.
From visiting or supporting the protests that are spreading throughout the country to moving your money from big banks to smaller community-based ones that support local economies, there are many things that musicians can do to support economic justice. To find out more about these protests and campaigns, please see the reference section below.
10th Anniversary of 9/11: How to Get Involved
As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches we are also reminded that October 7th–the anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan–will mark ten years of our nation continuously at war. The significance of these events provides us with a unique opportunity to honor those who have lost their lives, to remember the sense of community that arose in response to the attacks, and to lay out a vision toward more peaceful outcomes in the future. Outlined below are several ways to get involved in commemorating the anniversaries by promoting peace, creativity and community service or by generating funds to continue important work in this area. Please help spread the word by sharing the following recommendations with your fans and networks.
Net Neutrality Back in Court
ATC has been monitoring the status of the Net Neutrality debate and paying close attention to several policies in play in Washington that will determine whether access to the Internet will remain open and accessible for all. These rules will impact every aspect of our world today, including the lives and livelihoods of artists, musicians and entrepreneurs who rely on open internet policies to treat all websites equally — from the busiest online music store to the smallest blog allowing for a legitimate digital music marketplace where artists have access and fans can find the music they want.
UPDATE: ACTIONS & PROTESTS FOR WORKERS’ RIGHTS
Update Madison, WI: Protests are heating up in response to Gov. Walker’s recent actions altering the State’s law and allowing Republicans to strip union workers of their collective bargaining rights. Below are up to date actions Artists and their fans can take to help defend workers’ rights.
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DEFENDING WORKERS’ RIGHTS – HOW ARTISTS CAN SUPPORT:
Post/Tweet/Facebook/Email the below actions to band sites and social media…
Close to Madison? Rally on Sat, Mar 12 for workers’ rights. Go to “action centers” at capitol for more on what to do: http://bit.ly/fgbgvh
Support public service workers. Sign the petition: http://bit.ly/f1HoR0
HOW ARTISTS CAN SUPPORT WISCONSIN + BEYOND
ATC’s network has been inquiring about helpful and meaningful ways to support the current protests in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and elsewhere. Below are a few suggestions that came from recent conversations with artists, managers and on-the-ground organizers. Please contact us directly if you would like to discuss any of them further and/or would like some support for your own idea.
HOW ARTISTS CAN SUPPORT:
Send a Message of Support + Take Action
Artists and fans can send messages of support and solidarity via the AFL- CIO website. The site also has some additional actions for supporters to take. Click here for more: aflcio.org.
ATC AND TOPSPIN HELP MUSICIANS SUPPORT CHARITIES & NONPROFITS
A recent Topspin blog post highlights how ATC and Topspin having been working in partnership with several musicians to create successful and engaging social change campaigns. The post also notes some of the ways in which ATC can help to support artists in their efforts – helping to identify a beneficiary, collecting & delivering funds, managing compliance paperwork, evaluating the donation’s impact and more. Below is the original post showcasing some of the most successful case studies from the past year.
(Original post by Topspin can be found here: http://www.topspinmedia.com/case-studies-2/musicians-for-charity/)
WHO SAYS THERE AREN’T ANY CURRENT (AND GOOD) PROTEST SONGS?!!
Over the last five years, there have been many articles lamenting a false conclusion that there are no good protest songs these days. In fact when asked, most writers and even many music fans think that the art of the protest song died in the sixties. In an effort to both highlight some of the great and creative examples that came to mind when pondering the question, and to attempt to curtail those naysayers continuing to report that they are none, here is ATC’s list of the best protest songs of THIS YEAR. Please email us with any we may have missed: info @ atctower.net
URGENT ACTION: GETTING OUT THE VOTE FOR NOV 2
Recent polls and studies report that young voters do not plan to vote in the upcoming midterm election: just 27% of 18 – 29 year olds say that they will vote on Nov 2. This is unfortunate news after their record turnout in the historic 2008 Presidential Election, not to mention that the outcomes from this election will influence the direction of this country for years to come. Here is what is at stake: 435 House seats, 37 of 100 Senate seats, 37 states will elect governors, and countless ballot initiatives will be voted on.
MIDTERM ELECTIONS & GET OUT THE VOTE
On November 2nd, one third of the U.S. Senate and all of the House of Representatives will be up for re-election, as will state legislatures that determine congressional re-districting once every ten years.
The 2008 presidential election had the highest voter turnout in history for Americans age 25 and under. These voters provided the decisive margin in multiple congressional races and presidential primaries. This happened in part because musicians got involved and encouraged their fan bases to register and get out and vote.
URGENT ACTIONS: BP OIL SPILL + NASHVILLE FLOODS
ATC has compiled quick facts and actions for musicians and their fans on how best to direct donations and support to two recent events: the BP oil spill disaster in Louisiana and the recent floods in Nashville.
BP OIL SPILL DISASTER
- British Petroleum’s (BP) Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and caught fire on Tuesday, April 20th, killing eleven workers. When the oil rig sank, the pipe that connected the rig to the well broke and fell 5,000 feet to the ocean’s floor with oil escaping from either end of the pipe and at two other points.
BP OIL DRILLING DISASTER IN LOUISIANA: UPDATE FROM OUR PARTNERS IN NOLA
Aaron Viles, Campaign Director of Gulf Restoration Network, writes about the BP oil disaster, the environmental impact and how to take action.
[http://www.healthygulf.org/blog/|BP's Oil Drilling Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico] Written by Aaron Viles, Friday, 30 April 2010 06:33
MUSICIANS + IMMIGRATION: BY THE TIME I GET TO ARIZONA
On Friday, April 23, Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona signed SB 1070, a bill concerned citizens are calling anti-immigrant and unconstitutional.
Here are some actions ATC has compiled for musicians and their fans:
1. May 1st is a national day of action for immigration reform.
Find a local event to attend or participate in: http://bit.ly/9SkCGQ
2. Post links to May Day events and other actions on band websites + social media.
On websites, bands can include the iconic Shepard Fairey Immigration Reform images which are available for download at: www.cimarrones.org.
For social media, copy and paste the messages below, or write your own.
TIBET EARTHQUAKE RELIEF – RECOMMENDED ORGS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
At approximately 7:40am, Wednesday, April 14th a 6.9 magnitude earthquake followed by several powerful aftershocks struck in eastern Tibet.
Media are reporting nearly 600 people killed and more than 10,000 injured. Tibetans with contacts in the area have heard the death toll may be as high as 4,000.
The following is a list of organizations that our colleagues at Students for a Free Tibet recommend. ATC staff knows many of these organizations well and have worked with a few of them in the past when producing the Tibetan Freedom Concerts. We will continue to monitor the situation and update accordingly.
CHINA DENIES BOB DYLAN PERMISSION TO PERFORM
China has denied Dylan permission to perform in Beijing and Shanghai. As a result, Dylan has canceled his Asian tour stops including Hong Kong and South Korea.
Ever since Björk made a call for Tibet independence at a Shanghai concert in 2008, Chinese officials have scrutinized performers coming through China.
The Guardian reported:
China’s ministry of culture, which vets planned concerts by overseas artists, appeared wary of Dylan’s past as an icon of the counterculture movement, said Jeffrey Wu, of the Taiwan-based promoters Brokers Brothers Herald.
LILITH FAIR: VETTING BENEFICIARY ORGANIZATIONS FOR TICKET SURCHARGE
Lilith Fair will be donating a $1 from every ticket to a local charity in each city the festival stops in.
Vetting the charities can be challenging and Lilith Fair is facing some scrutiny for a few of their choices.
The Chicago Reader reports:
”After becoming a fan of the fest on its official Facebook page, people can vote for which organization in their town they want Lilith’s bucks to benefit. The pulldown menu includes about ten choices for most cities, most of them women’s shelters or health centers for the underserved, with a synopsis of the services each offers.
MUSICIANS RESPOND TO HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL
Paste magazine published a series of musician responses to the recent Health Care Reform Bill. Some artists we have worked with are quoted in the article.
From PasteMagazine.com
Nellie McKay: “Well, it’s something. We need a public option. We don’t need mandatory payments to some of the worst corporations on Earth. The President’s support of abortion restrictions is deceptively benign; Obama, why is it always poor women who pay the price? Reform represents a hard-won step in the right direction. But to quote Dave Chappelle, ‘Where would a black man be without his paranoia?’ We are right to be paranoid when something like health care is in the hands of people who are only motivated by profit.”
HAITI UPDATE: TWO MONTHS LATER & HOW YOU CAN HELP
An informative editorial in today’s New York Times outlines the current status of the relief efforts and the major players.
It highlights the very small dent that has been made in the on-going relief efforts and what is still required.
The NY Times Editorial states:
”There are four main strands to the campaign to make sure 1.2 million homeless people are sheltered and safe as the weather turns fierce. All are inadequate…
DAMIAN KULASH’S OP-ED FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES
Check out this great op-ed by OK Go’s Damian Kulash re: frustrations with their label (EMI) and their policy to not allow OK Go’s fans, video viewers, bloggers etc. to embed their music videos.
Kulash writes:
In these tight times, it’s no surprise that EMI is trying to wring revenue out of everything we make, including our videos. But it needs to recognize the basic mechanics of the Internet. Curbing the viral spread of videos isn’t benefiting the company’s bottom line, or the music it’s there to support. The sooner record companies realize this, the better — though I fear it may already be too late.
WhoseTube?
By DAMIAN KULASH Jr., Published: February 19, 2010, The New York Times.
WHITE HOUSE HONORS MUSIC FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
Calling the civil rights movement, “a movement sustained by music,” President Obama, along with legislators and musicians, honored both the music and the movement on Tuesday night.
The evening is part of a series of music events hosted by Michelle Obama at the White House. The program was the Black History Month event titled, “In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement” and will be broadcast this Thursday night on PBS.
ARTIST & MANAGER MEMO: HOW CITIZENS UNITED SUPREME COURT RULING AFFECTS YOU
The recent Supreme Court ruling (a.k.a. “Citizens United”) greatly changed election law and regulations and, because most bands are incorporated, these changes greatly impact musicians.
To help us better understand the Supreme Court ruling and how it affects artists and bands we asked our Federal Election lawyer to write the following MEMO. It outlines various scenarios specific to musicians as well as the areas of federal election law that have NOT CHANGED.
Read the full Memo below or download a PDF of it here:
Memo for Artists and Managers: Citizens United and Supreme Court Ruling.pdf (190.74 Kb)
THE LATEST ON THE LIVE NATION/TICKET MASTER MERGER
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the restrictions placed on the proposed Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger. Thanks to our friends at Future of Music Coalition (FMC) we were able to better understand the restrictions.
This is how FMC breaks it down on their blog:
”Although it’s too early to predict final outcomes, it’s possible these conditions will have an impact on the entire live music ecosystem, from ticket sellers to venues to artists to concertgoers….
Now on to today’s developments. Here’s a breakdown of the DOJ-issued conditions placed upon the Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger.
HAITI EARTHQUAKE DISASTER RELIEF>> WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
Immediate Support: Established disaster recovery organizations and national governments have been mobilized. These organizations are also raising funds for relief efforts:
Oxfam: www.oxfam.org
Click here to donate.
Doctors Without Borders: www.doctorswithoutborders.org
Click here to donate.
Wyclef Jean’s Yele Foundation: www.yele.org
Click here to donate.
Long-term Support: Crucial recovery and rebuilding efforts are always under funded in comparison to immediate relief efforts. ATC will continue to research and resource the music community with organizations and projects working on long-term recovery efforts that have a long-standing, grassroots presence in Haiti. Here are three that have distributed staff in the country now and are well positioned to aid in the long-term recovery effort.
