MetaChat - Remember the spate of charity records

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02 March 2006

Remember the spate of charity records back in the 80's?→[More:] Most of them had their hearts in the right place even if they were pretty pedestrian musically. Only one benefit record had any musical or political balls, and it pointed toward the future in more ways than one. Put together by Miami Steve Van Zandt and featuring Run-DMC, Grandmaster Flash, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Ruben Blades, Ray Baretto, Lou Reed, Eddie Kendricks, Ringo Starr, Patti LaBelle, Bono, Miles Davis, Joey Ramone, and countless others, it's a criminally overlooked pop moment:

Artists United Against Aparthied - Sun City

post by: jonmc at: 15:37 | 16 comments

Memories of Boyzone wrapped in tinfoil. Although that was the 90's.

At least in the 80's Zammo got off the smack and finally met Nancy Reagan.

posted by seanyboy 02 March | 15:40

Wow, thanks, sugar!

posted by Specklet 02 March | 15:40

Stellar, jonmc! I occasionally break into the chorus for no known reason. Glad to finally hear it again.

posted by jrossi4r 02 March | 15:41

I'm listening to it now, and I just have to say.

The eighties drum beat - arghhh it burns, it burns.

posted by seanyboy 02 March | 15:42

I remember buying this single back in high school, and I ordered an anti-apartheid t-shirt from a catalog and wore it at school. most of my fellow students were mystified. hopefully, they've learned a few things over the years.

It's also surprising some of the people who had the balls to stand up and be counted on this record; Daryl Hall? Pat Benatar? Good on both of 'em.

posted by jonmc 02 March | 15:44

I have a soft spot in my head for Pat Benatar. Often gloriously over the top, but I love her anyway.

posted by King of Prontopia 02 March | 15:46

Hearing Lou Reed saying "Look around the world BAY-BUH" always puts a smile on my face.

Weren't there a couple different mixes of that song? I recall there being a Miles Davis horn riff at the beginning & some rapping toward the middle on the version I had.

posted by bmarkey 02 March | 15:53

Pat had her moments to be sure, "Heartbreaker," and 'Shadows Of The Night," still rock my world. Hell, Daryl Hall had his moments, too; "Rich Girl," is a nice slice of blue-eyed soul and "Dreamtime" off his solo record is a nice Beatles lift.

And Miami Steve (aka Little Steven) dosen't nearly as much credit as he deserves, either as a musician or activist. His song "I Am A Patriot," (which I'm scouring SoulSeek for as I type) is one of the best statements of political purpose, ever, IMHO.

posted by jonmc 02 March | 15:54

I-I-I-I-I-I ... AIN'T GONNA PLAY SUN CITAY!

posted by WolfDaddy 02 March | 15:55

Not to mention Little Steven's effort to keep a bit of rock history alive, he has fought for years to keep CBGB open.

posted by King of Prontopia 02 March | 15:58

I'm coming up empty on Soulseek. Anybody got 'I Am A Patriot?'

Steve's syndicated radio show illustrates that even with all his strong convictions, he still likes to just get down to rock and roll that ain't nothin' but a party, too. Good man all around, Steve.

posted by jonmc 02 March | 16:02

You know, I really dug "Out of the Darkness" with the Disciples of Soul.

posted by Hugh Janus 02 March | 16:16

"Forever," and "Under The Gun," were good, too, and he did production for Gary "U.S" Bonds and Southside Johnny, too.

posted by jonmc 02 March | 16:20

The eighties drum beat - arghhh it burns, it burns.

Yeah, it's amazing in retrospect how heavy-handed and obvious it is. Bam, chick, bam-chick. OK, we get it.

Nice find, jon.

posted by Miko 02 March | 16:21

Discussion of this musical microclimate always makes me think of Tony Carey, too.

"Fine, Fine Day" is one of the greatest rock songs ever. I've prolly spouted on about it here before.

The whole album's killer.

posted by Hugh Janus 02 March | 16:28

"Fine, Fine Day" is one of the greatest rock songs ever.

Finally someone agrees! for a guy who used to be in Rainbow, Tony carey did the Springsteen/Eastern seabord rock thing awful convincingly.

For the uninitiated:

Fine, Fine Day - Tony Carey

posted by jonmc 02 March | 16:36

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