| When the going gets tough, Hold Your Ground
"The idea comes from going to folk fest this summer," says Gerald Wheatley, who has just finished putting together a compilation of socially conscious music by Calgary artists.
Wheatley is involved with the Activist Network, an events listings service (www.activist.ca) that is in need of funding. He is also busy with the Bow Chinook Barter Community (www.bcbc.ab.ca), but lately, he's on the lookout for music that inspires social consciousness, such as the music found on Hold Your Ground.
When the idea for the compilation came to him last summer, he discovered that interested and capable musicians were as easy to find as the Ship & Anchor Pub. Musicians leapt at the opportunity to be on a compilation that provided a venue for free speech while simultaneously raising funds and awareness for the Activist Network.
"These guys are all punk rockers, they've all got that," says Wheatley of the CD lineup that includes National Dust, James Keelaghan, Great Uncle Bull and Tariq, among others. "When I look back, a lot of the music that I listened to had the pose, but it didn't have the content. This music all has the content. Activism is something we talk about a lot and there's lots of different ways – my mom is a Raging Granny – so there's lots of ways to be active. Punk rock is one venue for that."
Wheatley says that Hold Your Ground is much more effective than a pamphlet as a way to promote awareness of environmental and political issues since the music is more engaging than a piece of paper.
"It's so much more fun. I realize that the work I'm involved with – the Activist Network, the car sharing co-operatives and the barter community – they all bring people together. They're all about getting to know your neighbours, sharing things to get what you need, and to find more satisfaction in life."
"These songs, particularly, are great vehicles for connecting people."
Hold Your Ground is available at Hot Wax, Megatunes, Sunnyside Market, HMV and by calling the Bow Chinook Barter Community office at 270-8002. Further information about the CD is available at http://cd.activist.ca/. |
