ARTISTS CONDEMN FASCIST GATHERING
The following letter was published by The Guardian newspaper on 29 September 2008:
As anti fascist musicians and campaigners, we were horrified to read in The Guardian (25.9.08) that 800 fascists gathered in Somerset at the weekend for a rally and concert in memory of Screwdriver’s Ian Donaldson.
Donaldson described himself as a neo Nazi and Screwdriver, who raised funds for both the National Front and British National Party, were instrumental in setting up Blood And Honour, a network of bands promoting nazi ideology through music. It will come as no surprise to anybody familiar with Screwdriver that the footage of the weekend’s rally on the BBC website clearly shows Nazi flags and members of the audience seig heiling.
Unfortunately, despite the demise of Blood And Honour, the use of music by fascists to spread their ideas is not a thing of the past, with the British National Party’s Great White Record Label being used to produce music targeted at young people. ?¢‚Ǩ?ìIt’s a great way of getting our message to children?¢‚Ǩ¬ù BNP leader Nick Griffin was quoted as saying in a documentary about the label shown on TV last year, ?¢‚Ǩ?ìbecause they will listen to songs again and again and pick the words up straight away, whereas maybe one in 100 would bother to listen to a speech?¢‚Ǩ¬ù.
Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) and the artists who are involved in our campaign believe that racism and fascism have no place in music. LMHR has organised over 600 gigs. In April 2008 over 100,000 attended our carnival in London’s Victoria Park, in August over 10,000 came to the Freedom week festival in Hull and over 4,000 attended a Love Music Hate Racism show, headlined by Kaiser Chiefs, in Rotherham where two BNP councillors were elected in May. Our shows stand for unity and a celebration of our multiracial society. Rallies like the one that took place at the weekend stand for the ugly politics of racial violence and ultimately the politics of Hitler’s Holocaust and a desire for an all-white Britain. Events like this have no place in Britain - in our towns, our cities or our countryside.
Love Music Hate Racism
Jerry Dammers (Founder of The Specials and 2-Tone Records)
Roll Deep
Billy Bragg
Jon McLure, Reverend & The Makers
Drew McConnell, Babyshambles
Dirty Pretty Things
Sam Duckworth, Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly
Late Of The Pier
Akala
