Calle 13 releases anti-violence anthem & video with support from UNICEF

By Hilary Gridley

“There’s little education, there are many bullets; When you read less, you fire more.” “Hay poca educación, hay muchos cartuchos; cuando se lee poco, se dispara mucho.”

 

These lines, from Calle 13’s new song “La Bala” (“The Bullet”), paint a grim portrait of violent crime in Latin America and the Caribbean. But the Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican band also provides a solution-driven message of hope through education, a message made even clearer with the release of their new UNICEF-endorsed music video for “La Bala.”

The video follows an invisible bullet and the immediate and long-term disorder it cultivates around the world. The filmmakers never reveal where the bullet ends up, but it doesn’t matter; the invisible ammunition still tears through lives and devastates families wherever it goes. And while the brothers behind Calle 13 wanted to draw attention to crime rates in the Caribbean and Latin America, René Pérez Joglar (aka Residente) and Eduardo Cabra Martínez (aka Visitante) recognize the global importance of their message.

“La Bala has stopped being a song within our musical production to become an instrument against violence and the use of firearms around the world,” said Visitante. “This is a battle for peace, and throughout history, music has been a fundamental element that sways the emotions of those who can identify with the message. We trust the music, once again, will help to achieve such an important goal for all humanity”.

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DJ 3LAU harnesses the power of dance music to help kids in need

By Laura Ferreiro

3LAU – the rising-star DJ who has done bumpin’ remixes of everyone from Maroon 5’s Adam Levine to Skrillex – is using dance music to make a huge difference in the world. He recently donated proceeds from sales of his music to build a school for kids in need in Guatemala, and now he hopes to even build more.

Working with Pencils of Promise, 3LAU announced that he’ll donate $1 from each ticket from his “3LAU Your Mind Tour” to the international non-profit to build more schools in underprivileged areas. His tour will hit cities across the U.S. including New York, Chicago Las Vegas and Los Angeles from now until the end of the year.

3LAU, whose real name is Justin Blau and is currently a junior in college, wants to “harness the power of dance music” to help children in need get an education.

“Education is a right that all human begins should have, yet there are 75 million children just like us without access to it,” 3LAU says. “I’m ready to help that change. Let’s harness the power of the dance music movement to give something real – to give back.”

Pencils of Promise works to ensure that children in developing countries have access to a good education by building schools in communities in need in countries including Guatemala, Laos and Nicaragua.

Check out the video below to get inspired:

Click here  for tickets to 3LAU’s tour supporting Pencils of Promise.

Music community takes action in the wake of Hurricane Sandy

By Robert Gleim

In the wake of Hurrican Sandy, several benefits concerts are popping up along the east coast. Among the most high-profile is NBC’s benefit show featuring Jersey boys Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi as well as Long Island’s Billy Joel.

All proceeds from the concert telecast will go to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Christina Aguilera, Sting, Mary J Blige and Jon Stewart will also take part in the event, making it a truly star-studded affair. It’s scheduled to air Friday at 8 p.m. on several networks including NBC, MSNBC, USA Network, Bravo, E! Style Network and more.

What’s more, HeadCount.org has announced that all proceeds from upcoming shows on its voter Participation Tour will benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy. An all-star show slated for November 5 at New York’s Highline Ballroom will feature Questlove, Bella Flec, Anders Osborne, and more. In addition to raising funds for Sandy relief efforts, Headcount staff and volunteers will be on hand encouraging people to get out and vote in the Nov. 6 election.

Sandy damage at New Amsterdam Records

Meanwhile, New Amsterdam Records announced that their Brooklyn headquarters has been devastated by Sandy. The non-profit label, which has a unique model that distributes 80% of album revenues directly to artists, is asking for assistance rebuilding its new office that they recently spent months renovating. For more info or to donate, check out New Amsterdam’s Facebook page.

HeadCount Participation Tour dates:
Friday November 2             Baltimore Sound Stage      Baltimore, MD
Saturday November 3         The Blockley                      Philadelphia, PA
Sunday November 4           The Howard Theatre           Washington, DC
Monday November 5          Highline Ballroom               New York, NY

Carrie Brownstein, Lena Dunham and more unite for “You Don’t Own Me” PSA, encouraging women to vote

By Hilary Gridley

Women’s rights have come a long way since the early ‘60s, yet women around the country still have to fight many of the same battles as their mothers and grandmothers. Men and women alike see the upcoming election as a pivotal moment for issues like birth control and equal pay, and one group of female artists has taken to YouTube to sound their rallying cry.

Singers Sia, Karen Elson, Becky Stark, Katy Goodman, drummer Tennessee Thomas, Sarah Sophie Flicker of The Citizens Band, and “Portlandia” actress and musician Carrie Brownstein joined more than 50 other artists, celebrities and friends to lip-sync Lesley Gore’s 1964 hit “You Don’t Own Me” for the AdYourVoice2012 PSA. The video encourages women to rise up and win the election for Barack Obama, pointing to Mitt Romney’s lack of support for Planned Parenthood, equal pay for women, and reproductive rights as reasons voting in this election is more important than ever.

Lesley Gore provides the introduction and call to action in the video. “I recorded You Don’t Own Me in 1964,” she notes. “It’s hard for me to believe, but we’re still fighting for the same things we were then. Yes ladies, we’ve got to come together to get out there and vote and protect our bodies. They’re ours. Please vote!”

The video, which also features writer/actor/director Lena Dunham and television host Alexa Chung, points out that while 60% of voters in 2008 were women, women make up only 16% of Congress.

As Tennessee Thomas told Music For Good, “I worry that in the future girls won’t have the same rights I’ve enjoyed my entire life. This is no time to stand by. We have the power to organize, so let’s do this! This election needs to be a mandate, we need to send the message that we will not go backwards. We need to re-elect Obama by a landslide. Women can win this election.”

Check out the “You Don’t Own Me” video below:

Pearl Jam guitarist speaks out for affordable health care

Pearl Jam's Mike McCready

By Robert Gleim

Proving that access to affordable health care is something that affects everyone, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready is urging voters to support the Affordable Care Act. McCready was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease — which affects the gastro-intestinal tract and causes a wide variety of symptoms — when he was 21. As a result, he has been denied health care coverage twice since then, even though he was a member of an incredibly successful rock band.

“The people who don’t have those kind of resources, they are stuck, they have no choices,” he says. “But now, we can’t be denied insurance because of something we can’t change—our illnesses. We have choices, we can be insured, and we can focus on having a life.”

The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is designed to decrease the number of uninsured Americans and prevent health insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and from setting premiums based on people’s health status.

McCready started this petition on SignOn.org where people can pledge their votes to back candidates who support the Affordable Care Act. He points out that “life is a pre-existing condition,” and affordable health care should not be denied to those who need it most. He also created the video below, urging people to vote to support it and explaining what’s at stake.

SignOn.org is the non-profit, online campaign platform from MoveOn.org that lets anyone start and run their own online campaigns.

Star-studded Petty Fest to benefit ailing musicians

Tom Petty

By Hilary Gridley

“American Girl.” “Mary Jane’s Last Dance.” “Free Fallin’.” Tom Petty’s instantly recognizable hits have soundtracked unforgettable nights with friends around the world for rock stars and rock fans alike. On October 24, New Yorkers will have the chance to catch the favorite artists paying tribute to Petty’s legacy while supporting a good cause, and folks in Los Angeles will have the chance to catch the show Nov. 14 and 15.

In New York, artists including Devendra Banhart, Justin Townes, Nicole Atkins, Delta Spirit, Karen Elson, Adam Green, Father John Misty, Ryan Miller of Guster, Andrew W.K., and Caveman will hit Webster Hall to put their own spin on their favorite Petty tunes at Petty Fest NY.

Then on the west coast, the first-ever Petty Fest LA will be held at The El Rey Theater for two nights in mid-November featuring Pat Carney of The Black Keys, Nick Valensi of The Strokes, Nicole Atkins, Bijou Phillips, Har Mar Super Star, Jenny O, members of Eagles Of Death Metal and many more.

In addition to the announced lineups, both Petty Fest NYC and Petty Fest LA will host an exciting group of surprise guests. In past years, these have included comedians Kristen Wiig and Michael Cera.

One hundred percent of ticket sales proceeds will benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which provides financial assistance to musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. The organization also runs The Musician’s Cancer Fund. As they explain, “We all have received so much out of music, it’s time to give a little back!”

Petty Fest grew out of the Best Fest series, which started with Dylan Fest to commemorate Bob Dylan’s 60th Birthday and also includes Stones Fest. The New York Times described The Fest as “one the most jubilant events of the year,” and Rolling Stone touted it as “an experience that is equal parts concert and celebration.”

Petty Fest and its charitable initiative are made possible by Jameson® Irish Whiskey.
Tickets are selling fast! Reserve a spot for Petty Fest NYC here or LA here before it’s too late.

You can donate to Sweet Relief Musicians General Fund here or specifically support the Musician’s Cancer Fund here.

Coldplay, Beyonce, Mumford & Sons and more team up with African musicians on charity comp

By Allison Rivers

What do Coldplay, Beyonce, Mumford & Sons, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleet Foxes, REM and Bruno Mars have in common?  All of these musicians and more are collaborating with African musicians including Toumani Diabaté, Bassekou Kouyate, Ali Farka Touré Band and Rokia Traoré on the charity compilation, “Rhythms Del Mundo: Africa.”

Sales proceeds from this awesome album will benefit Artists Project Earth (APE), a UK-based organization that focuses on educating people about climate change, raising funds to combat it, and encouraging people to pursue earth-friendly lifestyles. They have helped fund hundreds of projects around the globe in areas like technology, education, music and the arts, and business solutions.

APE was founded in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsumami, and their dedication to disaster relief has not waned since. They have offered aid after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, and much more.

“Rhythms Del Mundo: Africa” follows on the heels of other renowned compilations including “Rhythms Del Mundo: Cuba,” “Rhythms Del Mundo: Rio + 20,” and “Rhythms Del Mundo: Classics,” all of which are the primary ways APE gets its funding. In the words of APE founder Kenny Young, “We are known as the ‘Fairy God-Funders’ of the climate change movement – please help us to continue spreading our magic!”

Click here to learn more about the APE Projects around the world. To buy “Rhythms Del Mundo: Africa,” click here and check out the sampler below:

Janelle Monae, Amanda Palmer and Death Cab for Cutie auction off protest signs to help kids in war-torn regions

By Laura Ferreiro

Dum Dum Girls

Does a hand-written sign by Dan Deacon that says “Your apathy is their reward” or “Privacy is a precious cherry” scrawled by Zola Jesus sound like a cool way to adorn your walls or impress your significant other? Then check out Under the Radar magazine’s protest auction.

Janelle Monae, Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Amanda Palmer, Tom Morello, Silversun Pickups, of Montreal, Dum Dum Girls, Menomena, Reggie Watts, Matthew Dear and Laetitia Sadier are among the slew of musicians who contributed hand-written, autographed protest signs for the auction, which benefits a great cause.

Matthew Dear

All proceeds from the auction will go to War Child, a renowned NGO that provides urgently needed humanitarian assistance to war-affected children around the world. War Child helps generate awareness, support, and advocacy for children’s rights everywhere.

Other protest messages include “The beginning is near” and “Free digital content for all.” (Can you guess who wrote which message?)

The auction kicks off today at 2 p.m. EST and ends on October 23. All of the signs were originally created for Under the Radar’s Protest Issue, which features interviews with bands about subjects including marriage equality, the Occupy movement, the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, and more.

Check out the auction on eBay here.

Foo Fighters, Neil Young concert yields $1.3 billion in pledges and raises profile of world’s poor

Foo Fighters

By Laura Ferreiro

Neil Young

The Global Citizen Festival, which took place last month in New York City with headliners including Foo Fighters, Neil Young, The Black Keys and K’Naan, raised awareness of global poverty issues around the world and yielded approximately $1.3 billion in pledges toward ending extreme poverty.

Free tickets to the Central Park concert were given out to 60,000 fans in a lottery. In order to qualify for the giveaway, people had to take action and spread the word about the charities and causes represented by the event.

As a result of the one-day concert, the following commitments totaling an estimated $1.3 billion were made to benefit the extreme poor, according to festival organizers Global Poverty Project:

  • The Half the Sky Movement committed to raise $167.5 Million for women’s empowerment through a coalition of 15 NGO partners
  • The U.S. Fund for UNICEF will raise $500 million by 2015 to fight for the survival and development of children
  • charity: water committed to raise $100 million by 2015 for clean drinking water, 100% of which will directly fund water project costs in the field.
  • Pencils of Promise will generate a movement of 500,000 actions toward education for all
  • World Vision committed to raise $14.5 million for advocacy to reduce child and maternal mortality rates
  • World Food Program USA committed $15 million towards reducing childhood malnutrition in Central America
  • Global Partnership for Education will raise $500 million to help 5 million children in crisis and conflict areas get in school and learn
  • Malaria No More will raise up to $1.5 million to expand life-saving health education programs in central Africa
  • The Earth Institute committed $6.2 million for food security throughout the Horn of Africa
  • Earth Day Network committed $10 million to plant 10 million trees over five years around the world.

The festival wasn’t only about raising money, which it obviously did quite successfully. It also aimed to engage young people in social movements to help eradicate global poverty through action and promotion, and to encourage them to hold NGOs and governments accountable for making positive changes. The ultimate goal is to end extreme poverty around the world within young people’s lifetimes.

 

The Avett Brothers discuss partnering with Cheerwine for the Legendary Giveback concert

The Avett Brothers

By Laura Ferreiro

The Avett Brothers have often found solace in playing music, getting through hard times by picking up a guitar or banjo. Now the North Carolina natives are giving solace to others by teaming up with family-owned soft drink company Cheerwine to give back to their community and fans through the Legendary Giveback concert.

Taking place October 19 in Charlottesville, VA at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion, the concert will also live stream for fans who pledge to give back in their communities by volunteering their time to any charity or community organization through the Cheerwine Giveback . By doing so, they’ll earn a code that gives them online access to the concert through Livestream. What’s more, proceeds from concert ticket sales will go to three local non-profits.

“Any opportunity we get to do something charitable we have to consider very seriously,” Seth Avett tells Music for Good. “Cheerwine’s Legendary Give Back is the biggest opportunity we’ve had to do an event that can be so beneficial to so many different areas. Also we love the brand — we’ve been drinking Cheerwine our whole lives,” he adds.

According to Tom Barbitta, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Cheerwine, the partnership with The Avett Brothers made perfect sense. “The values of the band and brand are very aligned on this,” he says. “When we were talking about a year and a half ago, it was never about selling more stuff, it was about what we can do for the community.”

Proceeds from the show will go to organizations that address the needs of families: Operation Homefront, devoted to helping military service members and their families; Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network; and University of Virginia Children’s Hospital, which offers children healthcare and breakthrough research for childhood disease.

“One of my favorite parts of the whole thing is there’s this opportunity to pledge hours to something that matters to you,” says Avett.

“There’s a lot of things in our lives that get cloudy on what’s good or bad, but making it clear on something good — the idea of being able to contribute to whatever charity you choose – I think our fans are pretty receptive to that,” he says.

The Avett Brothers took time out of their busy touring schedule to dedicate this day to giving back. They’re currently supporting their recent album, “The Carpenter,” which was produced by Rick Rubin and showcases their trademark harmony-laden, country-folk melodies.

Barbitta adds: “We’re a small brand but we have a big heart and it’s been around for 90 years. It’s all about putting a smile on people’s lips. We’re trying to help some people out who need a little help right now.”

Visit Facebook.com/Cheerwine for updates and learn more about the charities at Cheerwine.com/giveback.