While most of us gushed over Oscar gowns and groaned at Billy Crystal’s jokes, Elton John and several celebs attended an Academy Awards viewing party to raise money for the fight against AIDS.
The star-studded West Hollywood bash raised an impressive $5.25 million to combat AIDS, which the renowned singer has worked to fight against and raise awareness of for decades.
“To watch the Oscars here and then have Elton do his charity thing (is great),” Aerosmith frontman and American Idol judge Steven Tyler told USA Today. “I bought this table and I sold those two seats over there for 30 grand, so (I do) whatever I can do to bring a little attention to such a disease like AIDS. Thirty-three million people on this planet have HIV or AIDS-related (issues). I just decided to get this table, and it makes my heart feel good.”
Katy Perry, Smokey Robinson, Gwen Stefani, Kourtney Kardashian and Neil Patrick Harris were among the guests who noshed on a four-course meal and Godiva chocolates throughout the evening.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which works to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS through innovative HIV prevention programs, efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, and direct treatment and care services for people living with HIV/AIDS.
In an effort to raise awareness of violence against women and girls in Africa, The Parlotones will quite literally scale a mountain. The South African quartet are preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on March 5 as part of the Africa UNiTE campaign, an initiative that brings together more than 14 UN organizations mobilizing for this cause.
“It’s a serious social issue, and alarmingly, appears to be on the increase,” Parlotones guitarist Paul Hodgson tells Music for Good. “If young girls and women can realize it’s not something they have to tolerate or suffer in silence, we can take steps toward curing this problem. It’s obviously not something that can be solved overnight, or even in one generation, but small steps forward are better than nothing at all.”
The Parlotones are joining other celebrities and members of the media for the climb, and are expected to reach the peak of the mountain on March 8, which coincides with International Women’s Day. The objectives of the Africa UNiTE campaign are three-fold: first, to prevent violence against women and girls; second, to provide services to survivors of violence; and third, to promote justice and end impunity for those who have committed violence against women.
Oftentimes women and girls in Africa have to travel on foot for miles each day to collect food and water for their families. During these journeys they are frequently attacked and sexually assaulted. Also, girls living in refugee camps are often forced into early marriage because they have no means of supporting themselves, and are sexually assaulted and abused by their partners.
“The purpose of the climb is to raise awareness about the issues, and seek commitments for change from all African governments to be implemented by 2015,” Hodgson explains. “It’s a great initiative, a good cause, and as a bonus we get to do something we probably would never have got around to doing on our own.”
The Parlotones, who have also served as spokespeople for Live Earth and Earth Hour, have been preparing to hike Africa’s highest mountain by hitting the gym and doing mini-hikes in between tour dates. “We’ve been walking around our neighborhood with backpacks and hiking boots, and spent some time in the gym trying to exercise our legs and build stamina,” says Hodgson. “We’ve also been doing small things like taking the stairs instead of the elevators. We’ve only had about a month to prepare, and a week of that was spent on tour in America, so hopefully we’re ready! We’re all determined to make it to the top though, and they say your mental attitude is half the battle.”
Shortly after completing the hike, the band will head to Austin to perform at SXSW in support of their forthcoming album, “Journey Through the Shadows.”
For the very first time, Amnesty International is bringing its Secret Policeman’s Ball celebrating free speech to the U.S. next month. Coldplay and Mumford & Sons will headline the event, joining renowned comedians including Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Russell Brand. The event is set to take place March 4 at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.
The Secret Policeman’s Ball’s history dates back to the 1970s, and includes performances by members of the Monty Python crew, Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton. This year, Kristen Wiig, David Cross, Fred Armisen and Sarah Silverman will be among the comedians who will surely push the limits of free speech in the best possible way.
“Many of the performers have been supporters of Amnesty International’s work for a while and believe in free speech for everyone,” Sharon Singh of Amnesty International tells Music for Good. “By hosting the Ball in New York, we have been able to sign up internationally renowned comedians, and in doing so bringing the Ball to a new audience in the U.S. and around the world.”
Logo for the Secret Policeman's Ball
Brand also offers his take on why he values freedom of expression. “It’s good there is freedom of speech. This means I can say that I find Prince Charles sexually attractive and that the U.S. presidential elections are a meaningless spectacle to distract us from the mercantile skulduggery of the cabals that control our planet and no one can do anything about it.”
While most people don’t associate comedy with Amnesty International’s serious human rights work, Singh points out that it plays a vital role. “As a form of expression in the face of adversity, comedy has long been connected to Amnesty International and its work.”
A free live stream of the event will be available at EpixHD.com.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 3 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom and dignity are denied.
Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood has joined forces with R.E.M.’s Mike Mills and several fellow Athens-based musicians to call attention to a development plan they believe would jeopardize their city’s historic downtown district if it gets passed.
The group came together to form Patterson Hood and the Downtown 13, and recently released the single “After It’s Gone,” a mellow, twangy tune that paints a picture of what it would be like if downtown Athens became an overdeveloped “strip mall town.”
“I approached the song as a love song for Athens,” Hood tells Music for Good, explaining that members of Widespread Panic, Futurebirds, Drive-By Truckers and Hope For Agoldensummer all donated their time and talent to the track.
Rather than preaching, Hood and his cohorts want to educate people about the proposal that would create an 8.3 acre mixed-use development anchored by a 94,000 square-foot Walmart, which they believe would harm downtown Athens’ small businesses and its riverside greenbelt. “The development as it’s planned right now is vastly out of scale for where it’s going,” explains Hood. “It poses a severe risk to a lot of things that I and other people hold very near and dear to our hearts about this town.”
Downtown Athens' Jittery Joe's Coffee, frequented by local musicians including R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe
Hood emphasizes that the goal of his group, Protect Downtown Athens, is to inform people about what’s really going on and to get them involved. “There’s been so much hype and misinformation about the project,” he says. “To be fair there have been exaggerations by both sides that cause people to shut down. Our group has made it our goal to make sure anything that’s put on the site is vetted and backed up. I think it’s done a lot of good and cut through some of the noise. Hopefully it will enable people to rally and come together and at least know what they’re standing for.”
Athens has long been a hot-bed of music, birthing bands like R.E.M., the B-52s, of Montreal, Widespread Panic, and Hood’s own Drive-By Truckers. Hood says that Athens’ musical future is just as vibrant as its past. “I love Athens music history and I’m even more excited about Athens music future,” he says. “There are so many great young bands and artists here that are incredible. Futurebirds are poised to become a national band. Grass Giraffes, a punky three-piece, have really good songs. Claire that played banjo for us (on “After It’s Gone’) has a band Hope for Agoldensummer. They’re great and their harmonies are ridiculous. There’s a whole lot happening here.”
Hood fears that the proposed development could have a tremendously negative impact on Athens’ vibrant indie music scene. “It could lead to downturn of whole downtown scene,” he says. “It’s a fragile economy and it’s hard to keep a club open. If it gets to where getting downtown is a pain because of all the sprawl against it, it isn’t good for business. The fact that we have a downtown that’s a mostly local-owned entity is amazing—that’s part of what drew me here.”
Hood explains that he saw his hometown, Mussel Shoals, Alabama go into tremendous economic decline when a large mall opened up. He fears that something similar could happen to Athens. “Moving here in ‘94 was a life-changing for the better event in my life,” he says. “I’ve been giving so much by living here and I want to preserve that for my daughter and my son.”
Finally, Hood points out that although this is a local issue, it has the potential to have wide-ranging effects that could reverberate much further. “All politics start on a local level,” he says. “It’s hard to change the world but you can make a real difference in your town. And if enough people make a difference in their town, it does change the world.”
Video: Patterson Hood & The Downtown 13 “After It’s Gone”
Guns N’ Roses will stream a live concert from their website tonight (February 19), with proceeds going to Feeding America, a charity that provides food and support for low-income individuals and families.
Axl Rose and the boys are performing at House of Blues in Chicago, and the live stream will be available for $5 at Guns ‘N Roses’ website. The band are scheduled to take the stage at 11pm CT, with Electric Sun opening at 10pm CT.
Guns ‘N Roses have recently been performing lengthy shows at clubs across America, so fans should be in for a treat. They’re also scheduled to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14.
Feeding America distributes more than 3 billion pounds of food each year through its food banks, and estimates that it has helped more than 37 million Americans since it was founded more than 30 years ago.
It doesn’t get much bigger than Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey, and the unlikely duo will team up to launch Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation at the end of the month.
The event will take place at Harvard University on February 29 and will be featured on Oprah’s OWN Network. It will also include renowned author and spiritualist Deeprak Chopra, as well as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, and Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law School’s Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice.
The mission of the Foundation, which was founded by Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, is to explore the best ways to reach youth and “create a new culture of kindness, bravery, acceptance and empowerment,” according to a press release. Some details of the Foundation won’t be unveiled until the launch date, and a visit to its website reveals nothing more than a clock that’s counting down the days until the launch event and the words:
“This Way, Towards Bravery
Where Youth Are Empowered.
This Way, Towards Acceptance
Where Humanity is Embraced.
This Way, Towards Love
Where Individuality is Encouraged.”
Lady Gaga has long been an advocate for gay rights and has been very vocal in speaking out against homosexual discrimination. Interestingly, she recently took over Oprah’s spot as the Forbes most powerful woman in entertainment due to her 32 million Facebook fans, 10 million Twitter followers and the $90 million she earned touring last year.
BTWF is partnering with the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The California Endowment and The Berkman Center at Harvard and will have a broad focus, addressing issues including self-confidence, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development through research, education and advocacy.
To mark Amnesty International’s 50th anniversary, the esteemed human rights organization released “Chimes of Freedom” – a 75-song compilation featuring renowned artists covering Bob Dylan. Sting, Pete Townshend, Tom Morello, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger all donated songs, as well as some more surprising contributors such as Miley Cyrus, Adele and Ke$ha (a self-professed Dylan fanatic), with all proceeds going toward Amnesty International.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, Amnesty has launched a special campaign to “share the love,” which spotlights people in the world who aren’t able to share their love the same way straight couples do. The promotion on Amnesty’s Facebook page allows you to share songs from “Chimes of Freedom” with your loved ones at no charge. Songs include it-girl Adele’s cover of “Make You Feel My Love,” Miley Cyrus covering “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go,” Sting doing “Girl From The North County” and Sugarland’s take on “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here with You.”
“This project recognizes an unprecedented show of support for the cause of human rights and the influence of Bob Dylan,” executive producer Julie Yannatta says of “Chimes of Freedom.”
“When we reached out, hardly any artist said no,” Yannatta told Music for Good. “They all thought it was an amazing project to be involved in. There was no recording budget or A&R budget. Every artist donated their art, skill, time and craft. The stars just aligned and the artists decided which track to cover. The album reflects the diversity and complexity of the Dylan songbook and the impact of the songbook on each of these artists.”
Founded in 1961, Amnesty International is a global movement of people fighting injustice and promoting human rights. It was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its “campaign against torture” and the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights.
After the largest earthquake in Japan’s history hit in March 2011 – a 9.0 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku – Blonde Redhead frontwoman Kazu Makino knew that she wanted to do something to help her homeland recover. The New York-based singer found herself in shock trying to reach her family in Japan on the day of the earthquake. “Communication went down in all of Japan and I couldn’t find my parents for a whole day,” she recalls.
As it turns out, her family was fine and the earthquake and subsequent tsunami didn’t touch their home near Kyoto, but Kazu couldn’t sit idly by as hundreds of thousands of people were displaced from their homes and the nation struggled to recover. What’s more, the tsunami caused several nuclear accidents and radiation leaks that have had a devastating impact on the entire country.
“After the tsunami happened I wanted to do something because the shock I felt was quite significant,” Kazu tells Music for Good. “It didn’t feel right to watch and do nothing about it. I thought that (making a record) was what I could do to contribute. I wanted to take my time and do something substantial.”
The result is the benefit album, “We Are the Works in Progress,” which features songs by Interpol, Deerhunter, Nosaj Thing, Broadcast, Liars, Four Tet, Karin Andersson of Fever Ray and Blonde Redhead. The album comes out February 7 on Blonde Redhead’s own new label, Asa Wa Kuru.
Blonde Redhead photo: Pier Nicola D'Amico
“It was quite easy to get friends to contribute because everybody cares,” Kazu explains. “One of the climactic points in all of our careers when we go to Japan. It’s quite amazing to visit there as a band, the way the audience receives you and crew works with you is one-of-a-kind. All my friends who play music there are huge fans of Japan, so it wasn’t hard to get yes from all of them.”
All of the artists donated their tracks, and proceeds will go to the non-profits Japan Society and Architecture for Humanity and their efforts to rebuild in Japan.
“They were really into following our wishes to spend it in a way we were interested in—sustainable energy and things that connect to the future,” says Kazu of the two charities. “And they’re doing it in an ecological way, which is really great.”
The idea behind “We Are the Works in Progress” is that almost all of the tracks are just that—unfinished demos or songs that just didn’t quite make an album’s final cut. “Most of the songs are totally exclusive and quite phenomenal,” Kazu says. “It sounds really ambient and spontaneous.” Continue Reading →
The Gram Parsons Foundation, a charity that offers addiction and recovery services to artists and musicians, announced that it will throw a two-part launch party at South by Southwest next month.
The first event is a free day party on March 14, which will be held at Hotel San Jose in Austin. It features a performance by Brendan Benson (of Raconteurs fame) who will be joined by Eric Burdon, the singer of the Animals and War. Blitzen Trapper, Alberta Cross, Great Lake Swimmers, Jenny O and Poor Man (Christian and Casey from Fleet Foxes) are also on the bill for the event, which will be streamed live at VenueOne.
The second event is a VIP fundraiser that evening, where Parson’s daughter, Polly Parsons, is slated to speak and a surprise guest will perform.
The Gram Parsons Foundation supports musicians and artists worldwide with addiction and recovery services. It also focuses on delivering messages of prevention and awareness to school-aged children.
Parsons, the Foundation’s namesake, was a renowned singer and guitarist who died in 1973 at the age of 26 of an alcohol and morphine overdose. He was known for his influential work with the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, and his groundbreaking blending of country and rock genres.
The Gram Parsons Foundation initially formed in 2004, but has been lying dormant for several years. Impassioned letters from fans and supporters inspired the Foundation to relaunch and reinvigorate its efforts to fund these vital programs.
When Russell Brand interviewed Ringo Starr at the famed Troubadour in L.A. last week, it was a hilarious affair. The Beatle was promoting his new solo album, “Ringo 2012,” and ended up teasing Katy Perry’s ex about being sexually repressed (which anyone who’s familiar with the English comedian knows is the farthest thing from the truth). Between jokes and anecdotes about his adventures with the Beatles and his unique drumming technique, Ringo got deep about The Lotus Foundation, the charity he started with his wife, Barbara Bach.
Ringo said they started The Lotus Foundation as a way to assist with a wide range of worthy causes around the world, focusing primarily on family and child welfare, women’s issues, addiction recovery and education. He explained that The Lotus Foundation believes that the best way to fund these causes is to give for a three-year time period, “so they’re not struggling from day one.”
Ringo also touted WaterAid, one of his favorite charities, which improves access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. (Note: I was excited to hear Ringo mention WaterAid because I used to be WaterAid’s Communications Manager, and it’s a cause that’s near and dear to my heart.) “We like to support WaterAid because I believe everyone should have water,” he said.
Check out Ringo chatting with Russell Brand about WaterAid and The Lotus Foundation below.
While most of us gushed over Oscar gowns and groaned at Billy Crystal’s jokes, Elton John and several celebs attended an Academy Awards viewing party to raise money for the fight against AIDS.
