Read other news stories

09th October 2007

NME - The Love Music Hate Racism Issue

In shops: Wednesday 17th October 2007

Love Music Hate Racism join up with NME and NUT in response to BNP recruiting outside schools in the UK with exclusive double album.

Anti-racist campaign Love Music Hate Racism next week launch their biggest initiative to date -an exciting 29-track double CD.

The project was initiated following reports from Channel 4, among others, of record levels of racism in UK schools and reports of the fascist British National Party (BNP) attempting to recruit school students to their campaign of hate by handing out free racist music CDs at school gates.

The CDs feature a unique and diverse group of artists, many of whom have contributed rare, exclusive, specially written tracks and exclusive remixes. Please see below quotes from most of the artist involved, the full tracklisting is:

Disk One
1. The Enemy -- Fear Killed The Youth Of Our Nation (rare b.side)
2. Lethal Bizzle -- Babylon's Burning The Ghetto (new single)
3. Roll Deep -- Racist People (specially recorded)
4. Helsinki -- Ampersand (specially recorded)
5. The View -- Fireworks & Flowers (unreleased song)
6. Hard Fi -- We Need Love (exclusive remix)
7. MIA -- Hussel (from the album 'Kala')
8. Bloc Party vs. Diplo -- Where Is Home? (exclusive remix)
9. Carbon / Silicon -- The Network's Going Down (exclusive recording)
10. Natty -- If I… (exclusive recording)
11. Babyshamblkes -- Stone Me - What A Life! (B.side of 'Delivery')
12. Get Cape. Wear Cap. Fly -- If I Could Build You A Tower (specially recorded)
13. The Charlatans -- Blank Heart, Blank Mind (specially written and recorded)
14. Dirty Pretty Things -- 9Lives (specially written and recorded)
15. Albert Hammond Jr. -- Cartoon Music For Superheroes (From the album 'Yours To Keep')

Disk Two
1. Blood Red Shoes -- Can't Find The Door 9 (exclusive version)
2. Manu Chao -- Tristeza Maleza (exclusive live version)
3. Mecca 2 Medina -- Who The Cap Fits
4. Akala -- Electro Livin'
5. Nine Black Alps -- Burn Faster
6. Biffy Clyro -- Love Has A Diameter
7. New Young Pony Club -- Ice Cream
8. Billy Bragg -- The Big Lie (exclusive track)
9. Maximo Park -- Nosebleed (exclusive live version)
10. Statik -- Summer Nights
11. Fionn Reagan -- Campaign Button (hidden track from 'The End Of History')
12. Noisettes -- Shame (specially recorded)
13. Johnny Flynn -- Cold Bread (exclusive version)
14. Skream -- Chest Boxing

Disc One of the CD will be cover-mounted on a special issue of the NME in shops Wednesday 17th October. Disc Two (as well as Disc One) will be available shortly afterwards as a free download from www.nme.com/lovemusichateracism.

To enable people to download the music and create their own CDs, as well as to spread the LMHR message even further and wider, LMHR and NME have produced 500,000 empty CD sleeves. These sleeves will be distributed into schools, colleges, youth clubs, universities and workplaces across the country via the NUT. The CD will also act as a flyer for the campaign, with links to the NME/LMHR microsite. The site will contain exclusive video interviews and quotes, live footage of LMHR gigs, anti-racist resources and teaching materials and guides on how people can get involved and put on their own LMHR events

LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM CD1

The Enemy -- Fear Killed The Youth Of Our Nation
"I went to school in Birmingham and there's so many different people from so many ethnic backgrounds and there's no scariness, there's no reason to think anyone's different. The problem is the BNP, instead of the problem eradicating itself, instead of there being information at schools and education to increase intelligence surrounding racism, the BNP is working in the wrong direction and no matter how small the push is it's still a push in the wrong direction. We are heading in the right direction because if you look at what can be shown on the TV these days as opposed to what could be shown as little as thirty years ago but there is a small group of people infiltrating the minds of more people that are pushing in the wrong direction and that is scary, it's going back on progress."

Lethal Bizzle -- Babylon's Burning The Ghetto (Radio Edit)
"It is important to let people know about the prejudices going on in our society today so we can try and change things. A lot of prejudice comes from lack of awareness… LMHR brings these issues to our attention… there's a lot of racism happening everyday in our society and if we can bring attention to this then we can move closer to stopping the threat of racist attacks."

Roll Deep -- Racist People
"As a group made up of mixed races and cultures we cannot accept in this day and age, racial prejudice in any way, shape or form. We feel strongly that the UK should and will be a place for people of all colours, races, shapes and sizes to live side by side in harmony."

Helsinki -- Ampersand
"The work Love Music Hate Racism is doing is incredible, it restores my faith in humanity's ability to feel solidarity and indignation at injustice, and actually act on it. It's easy to pretend things aren't happening when you can't see them, and especially when they're not happening to us directly. LMHR continues to bring to our attention the reality of what's going on with the BNP, and how they prey on some of Britain's most troubled areas. We should listen to LMHR and feel a duty to use what we have to react to help send a unified message to the BNP - Britain is a multicultural society and that's how we like it. "

The View -- Fireworks & Flowers
"Kyle There's no reason or place for racism. Everyone should know how wrong it is and causes like LMHR should be supported for the good they are doing taking the massage directly to the young and using music, something they understand, to spread the word that racism should be stamped out."

Hard-Fi -- We Need Love (Wrong Tom Mix)
"At one point there was quite a strong BMP presence not far from where we live, and graffiti around town. It's hard to believe its actually happening in your neighbourhood. I think people sometimes try to just brush aside racism and hope it will go away, but you need to get your voice get heard - who can shout the loudest?"

Bloc Party vs Diplo -- Where is Home?
"Our band's members come from different backgrounds; I'm African, the drummer's Malaysian. We're a multiracial band. We want to say that evil people will succeed unless good people get out and vote and be vigilant."

Carbon/Silicon The Network's Going Down
"We played at the first Rock against Racism gig in Victoria Park in 1978. The fascists are still around, but so are we. Maybe younger people aren't aware of what the BNP really stand for. They should be."

Natty -- If I...
"Considering there aren't any black MPs in the cabinet and hardly any black faces in the media spotlight talking sense, I feel like its my duty to support LMHR, to not only talk to black youth about our identity but to reach white youths who might just see the stereotypes on the TV and show through the music that skin colour doesn't mean sh*t."

Babyshambles -- Stone Me
Pete D: "I don't think you have to be a particularly developed human being intellectually or spiritually to despise racism. It may be easy to be complacent, but we need to encourage people to fight racism whether with words or actions. Count me in - I'll fight!"

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. -- Build You A Tower
"You don't have to be a politician to fight racism. I am a fan of music and have witnessed the growth of islamophobia and racism within the UK, through the media and through the works of the fascist BNP. If, like me and all the bands that support LMHR, you want to see a time where we can live - black, white, Asian,male, female, gay, straight - together, without prejudice. Help us to stamp racism out of this country and the world".

The Charlatans -- Blank Heart Blank Mind
"We heard about the CD racists were handing out at schools and wrote this song. We feel that doing this is a great counter attack to the BNP and hope that the message of LMHR will reach as many people as possible.."

Dirty Pretty Things -- 9 Lives
"For evil to triumph, all that is necessary is that good people do nothing. Apathy is a killer and it's easy to be complacent. We're dedicated to this in the same way we're dedicated to melody and bringing people together through music."

Albert Hammond, Jr. -- Cartoon Music For Superheroes
" I never thought I'd be asked this in 2007. Please no moiré generations. Lets make this world, this action a thing of the past. Insecure, ignorant, hateful people should not use their energy for racism, but rather educate themselves about the world. You kids out there, no more, end it."

LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM CD2

Blood Red Shoes -- Can't Find The Door
"The BNP's use of music to encourage young people into their ranks fucking freaks us out. It sounds like the Hitler Youth. Fuck you, BNP."

Manu Chao -- Tristeza Maleza
"We don't want fascism - we want only friendship! Support Love Music Hate Racism!"

Mecca 2 Medina -- Who The Cap Fits "Ignorance and misunderstandings in society give the BNP a platform, but we have to big up and nuff respect to LMHR for taking a proactive role in fighting against this evil by peaceful means. Music is the best communicator for the youths of today, for real!"

Akala -- Elektro Livin'
"It's important for anyone who has any kind of influence and a voice that is heared to speak up about certain issues - and to help with the fight against racism and fascism. That's why LMHR has my full support."

Billy Bragg -- The Big Lie
"The politics of the BNP are based on lies - that one race is inferior to another, that people of different ethnicities cannot live together, that the Holocaust never happened, the list goes on and on. Our music, which thrives on diversity and brings people together, is a powerful weapon against the racists who wish to poison our society with hatred and fear."

Maximo Park -- Nose Bleed
"In an era of very pompous gestures from rock stars it seemed like a very simple thing to do: put a song on a CD and put it out under the banner of hating racism, going against prejudice. We're just doing what we can. If kids can understand a bit more about the situation at an earlier age, you're going to the source of the problem. The slogan tells you all you need to know about the situation."

Statik -- Summer Nights
"I support LMHR for fighting against racism no matter who or what stands in their way.. Contributing a tune for the cause is a minor. If if helps shut down them wasteman organisations then its all bless innit."

Fionn Regan -- Bunker Or Basement
"Racism is a threatening force that has woven its way into the fabric of society. Love Music Hate Racism illuminates - the perpetrators, the consequences. Getting involved shines a light and so effects change; the more visible we make the problem, the more difficult it becomes to ignore."

Noisettes -- Shame
"Racism is still very much a big issue in these current times, the love of music is one thing that a lot of people have in common with each other irrespective of the colour of one's skin."

Skream -- Chest Boxing
"Hate racism, love music. Music has no boundaries, it brings people together - that's why it's so powerful."

For further information please contact:
LEE BILLINGHAM (Love Music Hate Racism); Tel: 020 7233 8571 xt5101/5102; mob: 07838 156052; info@lovemusichateracism.com / TONY LINKIN (Coalition) - 020 8987 0123 tony@coalitiongroup.co.uk

Source: Love Music, Hate Racism