It’s appropriate that a champion of the San Diego music scene should saddle up for a righteous campaign to raise consciousness and funds for those in need.
A track from “Consolation,” a new CD from Penetrators frontman (and Che Underground regular) Gary Heffern, will be featured in AIDS Begone, a CD and cyber party organized by the legendary Angie Bowie.
Here’s what Ms. Bowie told Che Underground: The Blog about Heff’s contribution, titled “I Am Your Destroyer”: “‘I Am Your Destroyer’ is a fascinating lyric with a Jekyll-and-Hyde quality. Knowing that destruction can be both constructive and renewing. That being a destroyer may also open up an avenue for new feelings, love and emotions that could not exist with old tradition and prejudice. It’s a great song!”
Where will it lead us from here? To Dec. 22, when “a party of friends from around the world will meet and greet in cyberspace. … AIDS BEGONE is a party to celebrate the AIDS BEGONE FUND DRIVE to accredited AIDS charities. … The songs and poems, photos and artwork contributed by friends and artists to help raise money and awareness in the fight against AIDS.”
Ms. Bowie told Che Underground the action will be available at the official AIDS Begone Web site, due to open Dec. 8.
“The project was spontaneous,” she said. “Giovanni Perini, a friend from Italy, suggested we do a musical track to memorialize the Dec. 1st World AIDS day. He sent me a sample he had written, and then it snowballed from there.”
Ms. Bowie told the blog that the party format is intended to educate and empower participants. “We know our children need to be educated. We know our prisons need to be reformed and become re-education centers for those wounded in society’s rough and tumble, we know everyone should have enough to eat and health care so they can live satisfying lives … And yet instead of employing the resources available through the UN and other international agencies, we do not participate as individuals enough to demonstrate the value of citizens of the Planet Earth.
“Unified, concerted cooperation can move mountains, divert lava floes and find cure for disease. Let’s harness our diversity, creativity and scientific clout to conquer this tiresome virus. If we can defeat fascism, we can kill a bloody virus and save the lives of millions of humans.”
The accompanying CD will represent a mix of languages and cultures, she said: “One of the pleasures of travel is the music of language. We shall program the CDs with the music as it arrives, and thus there will be a chronological history of involvement that we can be proud of on the day we accomplish our mission.
“I am committed. I am on the down slope of life running towards the winning post. I want to bequeath something useful for all my efforts and if this is a reason for which to be remembered, I will be content!”
In that spirit, Angie Bowie has encouraged the rest of the Che Underground to join the AIDS Begone cause: Drop her an e-mail to learn how you can contribute!
Meanwhile, pick up your very own copy of Gary Heffern’s “Consolation” via the Dadastic site. The disc features performances by Alejandro Escovedo, the legendary singer-songwriter (co-founder of the Nuns and brother of Zeros vocalist Javier Escovedo); Steve Berlin of Los Lobos; Peter Case; members of the Walkabouts; and more. Buy it today!
Hello folks The Blues Gansters have a track on the cd as well. I’m also trying to get Javier to submit something. The website should be up on Tuesday.
Hi Y-all…It’s Miss Kristi here. I’ve been away from the blog way too long now, but I am gearing to drop a story or two coming up in a week or two, I swear!
One of the reasons I have not been writing on the Che Blog recently is that there has been a lot going on for The Blues Gangsters that demands a lot of my time behind the scenes. When Gary Heffern contacted me about an opportunity for the gangsters to submit a song for Angie Bowie’s AIDS BEGONE! Cyber Party, I knew instantly that it was a challenge and an opportunity that we were ready for.
The hardest part of getting involved with AIDS BEGONE! was agreeing which song was best to submit. It is important to keep in mind the subject matter and intention behind the event. It is easy for a rock band to want to showcase their favorite guitar licks or anthems, but I wanted to make sure I delivered to Angie a
Blues Gangsters song that would travel across borders and languages…a song of the heart.
After some negotiations and stumbles, The Blues Gangsters made the right call in the end by submitting a soulful rock ballad “ We Are Washed Clean “(our final track from our debut CD ‘The Perils of Life’). You can hear this track by visiting our website @ http://www.bluesgangsters.com , and either follow our link to our MySpace site or to CDBaby.com .
It was just over 30 hours after submission that I received that glorious “you made it” e-mail from Angie Bowie! I haven’t talked to my band mates yet, but they must be as excited and as proud as I am. We are in for a great cause, chosen by a world-class artist/musician, and we will be on an AIDS BEGONE! CD; with other world-class musicians. This is a first for all of us-a big first!
I encourage as many Che Underground musicians who own recorded, original songs that are appropriate for Angie Bowie’s AIDS BEGONE! Cyber Party and CD to submit their entry ASAP.
A Big thanks to Gary for making this all possible-this and so much more!
Time is short! Good Luck! AIDS BEGONE!
Miss Kristi Maddocks, http://www.myspace.com/kristimaddocks
I’m spreading the word all over the world…sure this will be a major success
luv,
LaLumia
Here’s the CD cover:
and the beathogs are confirmed on this as well! and boyd rice also sent in a song to angie as well and the last email I got from her said that there will be more than 1 cd. We’ve been going back and forth on a lot of ideas on this…so, there’s a lot of news coming forth on this shortly…and you guys oughta check out who jimi lalumia s who posted above…I for one am honored by his presence here.
okay…i keep trying to go to bed…just got off the telephone with Angie Bowie and the AIDS BEGONE 1st CD will be available on Monday at their website..there are more cd’s to come (which will feature Blues Gangsters and Beathogs) here is the track list for the first one which also has a song from MANCALLEDCLAY:
1. TAMKIKREST – Tamiditin
2. BITE – Frankenstein
3. CHRIS ROBISON – Doctor! Doctor!
4. MUSSELMAN & LOWERY – Flag of Love
5. SHE WOLVES – Sycophant… See More
6. ANGIE BOWIE & CLIF TAYLOR – Danse Danse Danse
7. MANCALLEDCLAY – As One Door Closes
8. THE EZRA BEATS – Xmas Nightmare
9. WASTED ANGELS – God
10. GARY HEFFERN – (I Am Your) Destroyer
11. TRANSISTERS – Kaposis Koverstick
12. SUBTERRANEANS – Hazel Eyes (live)
13. THE DUEL – Find A Way
14. GIOVANNI PERINI – A New Hope
15. AL DeLONER – Frankie and Lou (Adam Sky remix)
16. CHARLES GARISH & THE EX-GAY MINISTERS – Dance to Silence
17. CHARLES “UPCHUCK” GERRA – (It’s) Five O’Clock
this deserves a correction….as one door closes was submitted as a song by the ERIS SISTERS.
credit got confused during the selection-process somehow…not sure if it can be fixed before pressing.
i’m hoping so since miss kristi’s handling of the vocal-chores are what gives the song it’s wings and she is easily half of who we are.
This is looking fantastic, Gary! I know you have put a lot of hear abd soul into it…we all feel the ripple effects!
Now it is up to The readers and minds of the che undergrounfd to put their money where their mouth is and show that they can put the needs of others before themselves for a moment or two this holiday season….
C’mon…You know you want to do it…
You know you can afford it…Put a twenty spot or two aside; and buy the TwoCD set for yourself or a favorite neice, nephew, sister or brother for this holiday! Give the music of AIDS BEGONE to anyone, and in doing so you can feel good--knowing tHat you are investing in the gift of life!
LET’S CURE AIDS IN OUR GENERATION! AIDS BEGONE!
Thanks Angie for your Brave & selfless work…You, too Gary!
Talk to Angie Bowie live for the next 11 hours just enter the chat room she’s there now:
http://www.aidsbegone.org
HEY, ANGIE!! Thanks for asking me to contribute! (track#3)