Music has the power to inspire and reach people who haven't heard about Occupy yet - and that's what Occupation Records intends to do. Also lots of artists want to find a way to help and thank those already involved and we can help them with that.
What’s happening?
We are creating a new record label that plans to help musicians and artists around the world to get involved, build, support and fund the Occupy movement in London, around the UK and Ireland, and globally. All profits from Occupation Records releases will go to Occupy London, occupations across the UK and Ireland, and the global movement. FAQs - see here.
Latest news:
- One day, one song, one message: Occupy London and Occupation Records’ School of Rockupy with Kate Nash & Sam Duckworth
- Digital Spy - Occupation Records shuns Apple, Amazon over 'labour violations'
- Jamie Reid of Sex Pistols' fame interviewed in The Independent about working with Occupation Records
- Check out this great article in The Guardian and see a video they did.
Occupation Records was created when a number of occupiers at Occupy London came together with the aim of facilitating the music industry supporting the Occupy movement. We decided to form the 45 Revolutions Per Minute Collective with members of the autonomous collective bringing together a combination of experience within the music industry, PR, web design, and direct action.
Since then, lots of things have happened.
At Occupy London, we've already begun at St Paul's and the Bank of Ideas with performances by Thom Yorke and Massive Attack, Billy Bragg, Ani DiFranco, Tom Morello and others.
We’ve just announced details of our first album, Folk the Banks, will be released digitally mid March, followed by a worldwide physical release. Folk the Banks album will feature a stellar line up of artists including: Ani Di Franco, Tom Morello, Tao Seeger, Billy Bragg and Sam Duckworth of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. Folk the Banks. Full details will be announced shortly! It is looking amazing.
Artwork for the album has been created especially for the Folk the Banks album by acclaimed punk rock British artist Jamie Reid, famed for the Sex Pistol's single God Save the Queen artwork.
What we hope to do with donations?
We’ve had some great support from artists and the industry but there is a lot more that we can do, and through creating a record label that can build and grow we can help the Occupy movement in London, the UK and Ireland and around the world.
Your financial support will help fund start up costs for Occupation Records as we prepare for the release of the Folk the Banks album mid April - and the other four albums currently being lined up! The initial funding asked for includes office set up costs, marketing, licensing, manufacturing and worldwide distribution costs.
Musicians and others have offered a range of rewards to those donating, including a signed prints of the album artwork by Jamie Reid and copies of the Folk the Banks album in digital, CD and vinyl formats.
How can you help?
Get involved. If you can support us financially that would be amazing. If you can’t then let others know!
Questions?
General enquiries - ; press - ; funding -
Hey folks,
Wanted to send you a special update about Folk the Banks - and to let you know that in the next few weeks we'll be sending out your rewards. Thanks so much for helping to make this happen!
Occupation Records x
Jubilee celebrations as Occupy movement to release 'Folk the Banks' album on 4 June
The upcoming Diamond Jubilee weekend is set to be a very special weekend as Occupation Records, a record label for the Occupy movement, releases its first album, Folk the Banks, with album artwork by Jamie Reid - famed for the iconic artwork of the Sex Pistols’ 'God Save the Queen' released during Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977. The album features original and exclusive tracks from Ani DiFranco, Billy Bragg, Chris T-T, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Peggy Seeger, Ryan Harvey and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger.
An embeddable Folk the Banks 'sneak peek' has just gone live at http://soundcloud.com/occupationrecords/sets/folk-the-banks-sneak-peek/. [1]
Jamie Reid said: "It was an honour to be asked to do this artwork for the Occupy movement. I have been involved with doing 'protest' visuals since the early 70's, and I hoped with this image to incorporate ideas from this source, putting them into a modern context within the birth of a whole new form of protest and resistance, against the increasing corruption and corporate greed of current policies and economics. Learn from the past. Live in the present. Look to the future."
With all profits from the record label donated to the Occupy movement, other artists on the Folk the Banks album include The Nightwatchman: Tom Morello, Martha Wainright, Anais Mitchell, Show of Hands, King Blues, Leon Rosselson, The Young-uns, Oysterband, Chumbawumba, Jim Moray and Eddie Morton.
Tom Morello said: "The wealthiest CEO's reward themselves with million dollar bonuses while millions are out of work. What can we do about it? We can protest against it, fight back against it, and sing songs that do both."
Folk the Banks will be available digitally from Bank Holiday Monday 4 June, including via the Occupation Records website (http://occupationrecords.com) on a pay what you want basis. From Wednesday 6 June, it will be in record stores across the UK on CD and on vinyl.
The Occupy and Indignados movements to strike back
The news comes as people around the world are preparing to take to the streets on 12 May and 15 May, to mark one year since the Indignados reclaimed their squares in Spain and Greece, and almost seven months since the Occupy movement went global. Strikes, actions and occupations are again set to take centre stage around the world as people act locally and globally against social and economic injustice and fight for a sustainable economy that puts people and the environment before corporate profits.
Adam Jung, Artist and Industry Relations for Occupation Records, commented: "This May will see unprecedented co-ordination between the global movements, the resurgence of Occupy, and the beginning of a retreat by the one per cent. Folk the Banks is the first of many albums which Occupation Records will use to spread the message of the movement, enabling musicians and artists around the world to get involved, support and fund the Occupy movement.
"We'd like to say a big thank you to all those that have helped the album come together and look forward to announcing details of how to apply for funding post release of Folk the Banks. We are particularly excited to be able to put the rewards in the post - such as the Alan Moore signed V for Vendetta masks - to all those that donated to our crowdfunding initiative which raised almost £10K."
Folk the Banks will NOT be available via Amazon or Apple's iTunes
Due to labour and human rights violations as standard practice, Folk the Banks will not be available via Amazon or Apple's iTunes. [3] Under pressure globally, Apple recently announced it was working with the Fair Labor Association, which extracted commitments from both Apple and its supplier, Foxconn, for improved working conditions, wages and oversight. [4] While this news is promising, Occupation Records will continue to examine its position with regard to Apple until their words are turned into action. It is noteworthy that Amazon has to date made no public attempt to address concerns.
Upcoming release party, further albums and the School of Rockupy
Stay tuned for news about the upcoming release party for Folk the Banks, merchandise and further releases from Occupation Records, including tracks from occupiers around the world. Also upcoming is the next School of Rockupy collaboration with Occupy London, bringing together young people with a known music artist to record a song in a day with a message. [2]
Folk the Banks album - full track listing
1. Billy Bragg - Which Side Are You On? [Original]
2. Anais Mitchell - 1984
3. Ryan Harvey - See It Through [Original]
4. Show of Hands - Arrogance, Ignorance, and Greed
5. King Blues - We Are Fucking Angry
6. Chris T-T - A-Z (Piano Version) [Exclusive]
7. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. - Gamblers Lament [Original]
8. Ani DiFranco - Coming Up [Exclusive]
9. Peggy Seeger - Doggone, Occupation Is On [Original]
10. Leon Rosselson - Money Matters
11. The Young-uns - Hard Times
12. Martha Wainright - No Woman, No Cry
13. Oysterband - The Early Days of a Better Nation
14. Chumbawumba - The Old School Tie
15. Jim Moray - The Rufford Park Poachers
16. Eddie Morton - Union Jack
17. Tao Rodriguez-Seeger - Well May The World Go [Original]
18. The Nightwatchman: Tom Morello - World Wide Rebel Songs
Notes
[1] Folk the Banks album 'sneak peak' available at http://soundcloud.com/occupationrecords/sets/folk-the-banks-sneak-peek/
[2] Occupation Records is a benefit record label raising funds for, and spreading the messages of the Occupy and related movements through the release of benefit albums, alongside merchandise and live events. The label is an attempt to bring the ethos of Occupy into the music industry in a very practical way. It is run under the ethos of Occupy. All the profits from the album are distributed to the global Occupy movement and related and allied movements. Decisions are made by consensus, all members are represented by a union, finances transparent and open, with distribution and manufacture being ethical and transparent. The label has also initiated community engagement projects such as most recently “School of Rockupy” were young people are joined with music artists to write, produce, record and distribute a track in one day getting their message out utilising the processes of Occupy. The next School of Rockupy will be taking place in June 2012 - details of the first edition with Kate Nash can be found at http://schoolofrockupy.wordpress.com/. Members of the collective behind the label are also actively involved in Occupy London.
[3] Occupation Records says no to Apple’s iTunes and Amazon; challenges music industry
http://occupationrecords.com/news/?p=1.
[4] Fair Labor Association Secures Commitment to Limit Workers' Hours, Protect Pay at Apple's largest Supplier
http://www.fairlabor.org/blog/entry/fair-labor-association-secures-commi...
A big Thank You to everyone whose donated!
This is our first update and we've been busy with lots of exciting work to update you on!
Media response has been amazing with coverage in The Guardian, The Independant, Music Week, and a full page in the NME (to the right.) This coverage is allowing us to reach out to audiences who may not have heard of Occupy before and exposing them to our message. Links to coverage is listed below:
The Guardian: Occupation Records test City limits with protest benefit album
The Independant: "Never mind the Sex Pistols - punk artist backs Occupy"
We have also had to push back the release date for Folk the Banks to March 19th. This was done due to our decision not to use iTunes or Amazon based on their human and labour rights violations. This decision is already making waves in the music industry with coverage in Digital Spy and The Guardian qouting Ronan McNern from Occupation Records in their coverage of Apple response to public pressure:
Digital Spy: "Occupation Records shuns Apple, Amazon over "labour violations"
The Guardian: Apple supplier audit begins with Foxconn plant
This is the original piece in the Huffington Post by Occupation Records' Adam Jung, who handles Artist and Industry Relations:
Huffington Post: iOccupy: Occupation Records Challenge to the Music Industry
The pressure on Apple and Amazon is growing and Occupation records, as a part of bringing the ethos of Occupy into the music industry is adding to the discussion. This is unprecendented for a small new label and shows the power Occupy is building.
We're hard at work securing the licenses for the album, meeting with artists and supporters, securing tracks from both established, well-known artists and undiscovered artists from within the Occupy movement for the next album and preparing for an amazing day tomorrow at Occupation Records' "School of Rockupy" for children 12-18 years old. We'll update you on that over the weekend!
To help get you as excited for the Folk the Banks album we're including a video created by one of the lesser known artists on the album. Ryan Harvey is an organizer with Occupy Baltimore, has played Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Oakland, and has just begun a tour of the Occupy sites around the states. He's played with Tom Morello, Billy Bragg, and Steve Earle. Enjoy! - Ryan Harvey, "See It Through," Folk the Banks!
We've reached nearly 20% of our goal - AMAZING - but we still have a way to go. Please spread the Sponsume site far and wide: to family, to friends, on your facebook, through twitter, and any other creative ways you can think to spread the word! Thank you again for being a part of this great project!
