Posted on 06/29/2010 11:07:00 AM PDT by a fool in paradise
Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha is stepping up his campaign to compel the state of Arizona to repeal its controversial immigration law. In addition to adding Ry Cooder, Nine Inch Nails, and comedian Chris Rock to the growing list of artists who are refusing to perform there as part of The Sound Strike boycott effort, de la Rocha tells Billboard.com that plans are in the works for a series of protest concerts in July.
"In the coming weeks we are going to be organizing a series of concerts that are respectful of the nature of the boycott in its attempts to isolate the Arizona government but not isolate the people, and especially the organizations that are fighting this on the ground," de la Rocha said in a telephone interview. "Many of us have begun to plan concerts that include bands that have signed on the Sound Strike, and make tickets available so that people within Arizona can come and see these concerts as they roll out. These are things that are being set into motion right now - a series of concerts or maybe even one giant concert in late July."
De la Rocha says that "there's a strong chance" Rage Against the Machine will play one or more of the concerts.
The law passed by the Arizona state legislature, SB1070, requires local authorities to determine a person's immigration status if he or she is suspected of being undocumented. The law is set to be enacted on July 29.
Maroon 5, Gogol Bordello, My Morning Jacket, Ben Harper and Pitbull are among the dozens of artists who today (June 28) announced their support for the Sound Strike effort and have pledged to boycott Arizona, refusing to perform in the state until the law is repealed. Steve Earle, Billy Bragg, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Anti-Flag, Throwing Muses, State Radio, Aztlan Underground and DJ Spooky also announced support for the effort in a posting on thesoundstrike.net today.
In addition to the dozens of artists announced today, the first in a series of video PSAs were released, featuring de la Rocha, Conor Oberst and Ozomatli. Additional PSAs will be posted to the site every Monday in the weeks leading up to the law's scheduled enactment.
The Sound Strike was launched in late May by de la Rocha to mobilize fellow musicians to participate in the boycott effort, to educate the musicians' fans about the law, and to gather signatures on a petition calling for its repeal. Cypress Hill, Juanes, Conor Oberst, Los Tigres del Norte, Rage Against the Machine, Cafe Tacvba, Kanye West, Calle 13 as well as Oscar winning filmmaker and activist Michael Moore were among the artists who signed on to the campaign at its launch.
"Its been a collaborative effort that started with a letter I sent out, which was passed on to all the guys in Rage Against the Machine, and to various friends I've made while playing in Mexico," de la Rocha said. It spread organically that way. And I've definitely been pooling through everyone I know to continue to push before this law is enacted in just over a month. We're still getting letter in and we have a lot more artists joining on that we'll be announcing in the next few weeks."
While many artists and musicians are supporting the boycott, some in the Arizona music community have questioned the approach, insisting that fans and promoters alike are being unjustly punished. In an open letter to the participating artists, Arizona-based concert promoter Charlie Levy of Stateside Presents urged them to reconsider. "By not performing in Arizona, artists are harming the very people and places that foster free speech and the open exchange of ideas that serve to counter the closed-mindedness recently displayed by the new law," he wrote. "The people who will feel the negative effects of the boycott the deepest are local concert venues, including non-profit art house theatres, independent promoters, motivated fans, and the hundreds of people employed in the local music business. If the boycott continues, it is all but guaranteed that some of these venues will be forced to close their doors."
But de la Rocha disagrees, and promises musicians will return to Arizona in force if their effort is successful.
"Governor Jan Brewer and the Arizona legislature have created an environment in Arizona where performing is no longer a neutral act," he said. "They have created an environment where they can convert the normal commercial interaction between artists and their fans into the means to apply this racist law. The relationship between musicians and artists and fans can best be served by standing for human rights and when we prevent this law from coming into action and continue to fight it even if it is enacted, when its removed from the books we're going to have an unbelievable concert - it will be the celebration to end all celebrations."
All you gotta do is pass a law! ;-)
NIN and RATM headlined in 08 too. Cypress Hill is there this year, but not a headliner.
Seems like the bigger artists are starting to join in. Definitely the indie crowd is getting in to it. Still not seeing Lady Gaga or the other big summer arena shows get in on it. I imagine Tom Petty will still show.
The Dumb leading the Blind.
Every time he opens his sewer, I send more money to Brewer’s campaign.
All the same, Tom Morello is nasty on the guitar.
And then he expressed outrage when one of the investors' father's bailed them out but forced the partnership to be surrendered to those settling the debt.
Always fun to party on other peoples money.
He also downplayed the bad things that happened at the original Woodstock (anticapitalist agitators burning down the food vendor's rented booths, the Black Panthers and Yippies extorting tens of thousands of dollars out of Woodstock Ventures, no mention of same agitator groups trying to forcibly violently steal the film crew's rented equipement...)
Nope, he brought up the 3-days of love and peace as a sharp contrast to the "kids" at the 1999 event who likewise burned down the vendor booths after being gouged for 3 days (at least at the original there was some free food and people could bring their own privisions into the show). And yet these fools think they are "free and real".
Also, in Lang's book he mentions the National Guard helping out. Not much "thanking" them for being NICE in spite of anti-American "revolutionaries" like Abbie Hoffman being participants in the festival. There was mention of a politician who helped get the National Guard called in, but would that require approval from the president (the area was declared a disaster area before the first band took the stage). Just wondering if Nixon played a part in keeping Woodstock from turning into even more of a disaster.
More like the blind leading the deaf.
Wow, a bunch of bands I’ve never heard of.
Bet that they have Arizona quaking in their boots.
Being overrun by a bunch of drug cartel illegal aliens bringing with them all the misery of death, criminal activity, and disease
or
not having a bunch of stupid, no talent, sucky, self proclaimed elitist bands glorifying drug use and irresponsible sexual activity play in way over priced concerts where they can lecture concert goers on how much better they are then everyone else.
Gee, tough choice.
OMG, not Los Faggots!
and yet another ivy league educated, leftist America-hater....
funny thing about cock-a-roach and morello- they want to free mumia and cry about laws they have no idea about yet they never gripe about the actual criminals...
That’s okay, “Jim Thompson” still isn’t boycotting Arizona.
Satan must make performers trade in their brains for musical abilities. Considering how crappy so many of them are, they got ripped off badly.
RATM are total frauds. They have made MILLIONS off Che’s ugly mug on their t-shirts. They call for socialist policy, yet laugh all the way to the bank with every ticket,CD, and other merchandise sold by them.
Enacting that law in Ariz. was a stroke of genius, it’s really bringing the commies out in the open. I fully expect Hillary to admit she’s a communist too. Saul Alinsky would vouch for her, I’m sure.
I’ve got two words for these mentally retarded, civilization rejects:
“Dixie Chicks”
Want to alienate half or more of your POTENTIAL buyers? Not a real smart move. Go ask Natalie what her income today is compared to before she opened her fat mouth and made a political comment.
And remember- boycotts work both ways. Believe me boys, you won’t like the reverse way.
Wow. I’ve only heard of 5 of those bands listed.
Are we supposed to know who this person is?
Let’s give them some more band names:
Wolf Jelly
Barack’s Oil Spill Problem
Bidengaffe
Unamerican Idiots
Smelly Reds Smell
Will Arizona survive without Anti-Flag?
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