David Rovics: New Songs for Palestine
LEAH LEVANE of Hastings and Rye Palestine Solidarity Campaign writes about the David Rovics current world tour which lands in Hastings on 22 February.
David Rovics is an American musician and activist who has been writing and performing songs to accompany campaigns for justice for many years on many issues. Known as ‘the Woody Guthrie of our times’, he also unearths little recognised aspects of working-class history. He has written about the Irish soldiers who deserted the US Army to form the St Patrick’s Battalion and fight with the Mexicans on the side of justice; about the Lincoln Brigade, made up of the US volunteers who fought on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War; and much more, ranging from climate justice to freedom for Julian Assange, to the power of the oil companies.
A particular personal favourite is condemning Coca Cola for destroying lives and the environment with his song The Drink of the Death Squads. He has also written, tongue in cheek, about what life would be like for activists when we have won our battles for freedom and justice.
Rovics makes most of his (modest) living through his performances, and while some of his work is not self-published and much of it is commercially distributed, he has made all of his recorded music available as free downloads, to promote his work and spread his political message. He encourages free distribution by all non-profit means and speaks out against websites or programs that charge money for downloading his songs. Rovics has also advocated the performing of his songs at protests and demonstrations and has made his sheet music and lyrics available for download. Perhaps we should do that in Hastings, for there is a plethora of topics to choose songs from.
A recurring theme has been the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people. Now, as millions of people around the world are taking to the streets calling for a ceasefire on Gaza, as the International Court of Justice at the Hague has decided that there is plausibly a case of genocide for Israel to answer, Rovics has written enough songs for a new album and a new world tour. We are very fortunate to have this opportunity to hear his newest songs (and hopefully a few old favourites).
In 2002, Andy Kershaw, then a BBC DJ and journalist, played Rovics’s song Jenin for the first time, a song Rovics wrote during the second Palestinian Intifada: it is a moving and powerful song about what may have led to someone deciding to become a suicide bomber.
As Rovics said: “This song was played many times on BBC Radio 3 by Andy Kershaw in the years after I recorded it. Playing this song, and some things Andy said in an interview with me on his popular weekly World Music show, resulted in Andy getting called to talk to the BBC Board of Governors for the first time in his 30-year career at BBC. Andy playing this and other songs of mine represents the vast majority of airplay I’ve ever gotten on a popular national radio broadcast in my entire career.”
So come along and hear David Rovics for yourself. Make up your own mind about his music and his songs and support the causes for which we are raising funds: Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP), and the community of Al Mawasi, with whom the local Palestine Solidarity Branch is closely linked.
Thursday February 22nd, 7.00 pm, East Hastings Sea Angling Association, The Stade, Hastings, East Sussex. TN34 3FJ. Tickets: £12.00 through Eventbrite: eventbrite.com/e/new-songs-for-palestine-a-gig-for-gaza-tickets-823579587717 ?aff=oddtdtcreator (or pay at door)
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