Musicians Respond to Tragedy

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Sledgehammer

The Fly
Joined
Aug 25, 2000
Messages
292
Location
Athens GR
In the wake of this week's terrorist attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh, members of the music community have expressed their sorrow, sympathy and anger with their fans via their official Web sites. Here are some of their words:


David Bowie:

Like all of you, nothing has prepared me for the horrors of the last twenty-four hours. Like you, I never thought I would see anything like this in my lifetime. Our world will never be the same. The streets are empty downtown except for the few who live there, trancelike, going about their day to day lives, walking their dogs, going to work, or just walking. At some ghostly unseen signal everyone turns his or her heads, crane their necks, looking to the patch of sky where, twenty-four hours ago, the mountainous peaks of those two towers stood. The sunrise was seen earlier today. No obstruction.

The likelihood of survivors is paltry. Two friends of mine offered to give blood yesterday only to be told that it was not necessary, as there weren't going to be enough survivors to warrant it. A doctor, on his way to one of the makeshift morgues, suggested the victims would number many thousands. The emergency services are listening for the ring of cell phones or cries from the acres of rubble. When buildings of this size collapse, the cinder blocks sometimes form small pockets of space in the crush. It is possible some may survive this way.

The area of New York below fourteenth street has been declared a no-go section this morning. Lonely old sidewalk crazies, a permanent fixture of this city, who yesterday were crying aloud "where are all these people running to?'" are today asking, "where are all the people?"

Small mercies for me. My family and friends are safe. At this moment in time I have no personal knowledge that acquaintances or friends may have been killed. My heart goes out to those of you who do have family or friends missing. I hope beyond hope they are found.

Life here will continue. New Yorkers are a resilient and fast thinking people. In this way they really do resemble my own Londoners. They came together quickly in massive community support and silent determination. There has been no over-panicking. Over the next few days that calm may surely turn to anger. But today, there is just numbness, a horrible silence.

Tori Amos:

Those of you who are strong, need to be there for those who have lost someone today. We have to be here for each other right now.

Moby:

Everyone in New York is trying to cope, but none of us really know how. We pretend it's not real, but it is, and you can't avoid it for too long. None of us know who has died. We all know people who worked in those buildings or who lived nearby. So we wait. And cry. And drink. And get numb. And get angry. And get sad.

The toughest city in the world, but we have no idea how to deal with this. I'm not asking for extra sympathy for people who live in or near Manhattan, but just be understanding and patient with us. Please.

This Friday at 7pm there will be a candle-light vigil as an expression of compassion and solidarity for the victims of this tragedy. Please just light a candle and step outside for a few minutes at 7 pm this Friday. Please pass this message on to as many people as you can.

Weezer:

Like you, we've all been following the story of these horrifying acts of terrorism, and we are all just as stunned and shocked as you. Normal life stuff, including the very act of being in a touring rock band, seems incredibly strange. Everyone feels terrible for the victims of this, and a sense of frustrating anger over an inability to do anything about it.

R.E.M.:

What to say?

It's hard to know what to post on a day like this, definitely the saddest one any of us have ever experienced. On so many levels, our world is changed forever, and it was pretty shaky anyway. The office has been getting calls inquiring as to the guys and staff and we are all fine . . . other than the grief and sadness overwhelming everyone right now. Needless to say our thoughts, prayers and hearts go out to the many people horribly affected by the mindless violence yesterday.

Pantera:

There are no words worthy to express the sorrow we feel for those who lost loved ones in yesterday's terrible tragedy.
We have made the decision to cancel our participation in the upcoming "Tattoo the Planet" tour of Europe that was scheduled to begin tomorrow, Thursday, September 13.
We apologize to our international friends and fans that we planned on jamming and partying with, but there is absolutely nothing in the world worth compromising their safety or ours.

Aerosmith:

Our hearts and prayers go out to the injured and the families of those who perished. This country is all about freedom and we're proud to be an American band.

The Wallflowers:

In times like these, we are reminded of what is important in life. Our thoughts and support go out to those injured and to the families and friends of those lost in today's tragedies.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the injured and the families of those who perished. This country is all about freedom and we're proud to be an American band.

(September 13, 2001)

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/newsarticle.asp?nid=14595&afl=mnew


Please if you read any other reactions from other artists, post them here.




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"I'm not afraid to die, I just don't want to be there when it happens", Woody Allen
 
From the rock group ASIA:

'We are all utterly horrified by the recent events in the US. We know that
many of our fans live in America, and our thoughts are with you all at this
time. No doubt some of you may know or are related to someone who may have
died in these awful tragedies. We send you our deepest sympathies and offer
a message of hope that your lives can somehow be rebuilt in the wake of
these bloody atrocities. God bless you all at this time of great sadness
and sorrow. Sincerely, Asia'
 
Very cool Sledge... thanks for posting.

anihappy.gif




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Religious Nuts, Political Fanatics In The Stew
Happily Not Like Me And You
That's where I lost you....



Sicy's Website
 
Originally posted by Johnny Swallow:
Asia?
*muffled snickering*
Johnny, i don't know about you. Making fun of your prez's fave band. Johnny, Johnny, ask Sledgehammer how good ASIA is. He'll tell ya. At least they don't listen to Miss Cloe or whoever the heck that medium is! ha!
 
Here's one from one of Bono's neighbours, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, courtesy of http://www.defleppard.com:

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

Today, I was supposed to sing. It was going to be a good day as I would have finished another lead vocal for the new album. I'm holed up in Dublin, Ireland, my adopted home, with Producer Pete Woodroffe & engineer Ronan McHugh.
We normally start vocals about 2.30 PM, after a spot of lunch. Not today though. News started to break of an explosion in New York, in the World Trade Centre. We all watched in horror as the reality of what had happened set in. When the second plane hit, we just looked at each other in total disbelief. It didn't seem real, almost Hollywood-like, as that is the only yardstick we had to compare it to. Emotions were bouncing around the room like some manic rubber ball, leaving us all speechless. My first reaction was to call everybody I knew in New York. I couldn't get through to anybody, which didn't suprise me knowing how strong the American/Irish connection is.

Our management office is just round the corner from where it happened, as is our record company's. I have many friends in New York, all unreachable. I still can't believe what's happened, 12 hours later. I have, through the beauty of email, managed to send messages to most of the people I know. Thankfully, I have recieved replies from most of them. I truly hope and pray that all the people you know who could have been affected by this terrible tragedy are safe & well also.

The good weather is nearly gone over here, so tonight we had a BBQ, it seemed like an "American" thing to do. I guess it was some kind of sub-conscious paying of respects. I didn't feel much like eating though, as I couldn't stop thinking about all those people on the planes, in the buildings, and on the ground. And what about all their relatives waiting for some kind of news of their loved ones?

Tomorrow, we can go back to work and finish the song. We're the lucky ones because tomorrow, I believe, as the true horror of what has happened kicks in, a lot of people won't find it so easy to do the same. Whatever your beliefs, say a prayer, light a candle and thank your higher power for the gift of life, because as we have seen so graphically today, it can be taken away in the blink of an eye.

At times like this, music seems so unimportant.

Luv 'n' PEACE,

JOE XXXXX
 
Originally posted by Klodomir:
Here's one from one of Bono's neighbours, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, courtesy of http://www.defleppard.com:

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

Tomorrow, we can go back to work and finish the song.

JOE XXXXX

Hey Joe, Don't worry about finishing that song because I'm sure it's going to suck anyway.

- dancing bearfoot

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pour some honey on me
 
Thank you. Those were very touching and eloquent comments by those stars, I admire them. I know Aerosmith has cancelled concerts out of respect and will reschedule. I like Joe Elliot's story, he is a caring person and I appreciate him sharing his feelings. In time, I hope you will finish your song, Joe. The world needs more good rock and roll and you can do it. I'm a fan.

I am very surprised Bono has not issued a long statement on this. He is political, he likes NYC and he is interested in world problems. I know U2 released a statement about helping the Red Cross, but I'm waiting for something like these stars have come forward with. Maybe they are searching for the right words. I will be listening when they do speak up. I know they are as stunned as we are by the horrific attacks. It's like a nightmare.

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Just as you find me
always I will be
a little bit too free
with myself
-Bono and Edge
 
Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello:

?Our deepest sympathy and condolences go out to all the people and their families affected by the attacks on Tuesday. The loss of innocent life is just terrible, and our thoughts go out to all of you who personally may have had friends or family killed or injured in the tragedy. The pain felt across the country demonstrates the lesson of Tuesday's events: that the taking of innocent life is devastating to a society and terribly wrong.

On Tuesday, the victims were American. But the horrible scenes that we've witnessed on TV this week are regular occurrences in other places around the globe. And too often, violence like this has been meted out by our own country and its client states. We should stand together against this type of violence in all its forms, whenever it happens, whether its done in the name of religious fanaticism, or in the names of our own domestic elite ...?



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"I'm not afraid to die, I just don't want to be there when it happens", Woody Allen
 
I just saw Jon Bon Jovi and Ritchie Sambora on VH-1. They said they were at home in NJ when they saw the smoke and drove to where they could see the skyline. Needless to say how they felt. They grew up in Sayreville, NJ, about 30 miles south of NYC. It had to be hard on them. They also discussed the tragedy with Melissa Etheridge and Johnny Reznick of Goo Goo Dolls and how the images disturbed them.
 
Sting was in Tuscany, Italy the night of the attack and was scheduled to do a webcast to a webcast around the world. When he heard about the tragedy, he decided to go on, but he made a speech and dedicated one song, Fragile, about Lennon's death, to the victims, then shut off the webcast out of respect and finished the concert for the fans present only.

Comments on comments: ASIA and DEF LEPPARD RULE!

I am disturbed by the RAGE guy's comment about how this time the victims were American, but other times these scenes had been played out in other countries by our gov't! That bothers me! I realize our military actions, no matter how good our original intentions, have at times led to the deaths of innocent cilivians by accident and incidental contact, but to associate that with the deliberate and intentional act of terrorism and murder of innocent which took place on Tuesday was very wrong and off base. There is no comparison. It's sickening.
Did I misinterpret his words?

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"Walk On, stay safe tonight"
 
Originally posted by U2Kitten:
Sting was in Tuscany, Italy the night of the attack and was scheduled to do a webcast to a webcast around the world. When he heard about the tragedy, he decided to go on, but he made a speech and dedicated one song, Fragile, about Lennon's death, to the victims, then shut off the webcast out of respect and finished the concert for the fans present only.


Just one thing, Fragile's not about Lennon's death. On the album it appeared on, Nothing Like the Sun, Sting said this in the liner notes about its inspiration: "In the current climate it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish "Democratic Freedom Fighters" from drug dealing apolitical gangsters or Peace Corps workers from Marxist revolutionaries. Ben Linder, an American engineer was killed in 1987 by the "Contras" as a result of this confusion."

It is one of his greatest songs because it is so widely applicable. It comes to mind for me whenever tragedies hit the world. I thought Sting made the right decision about going on with the concert--he said he didn't want to give credence to the terrorists' actions by stopping the show altogether--but apparently it was a fairly somber show and the band and audience were frequently in tears.

BTW, Asia and Def Leppard are both ok, hardly my favourites but I don't have a problem with either of them--they're certainly better than the various types of garbage that has ruled the airwaves for many many years now.

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I'm in the waiting room
I can't see for the smoke
I think of you and your holy book
When the rest of us choke


[This message has been edited by scatteroflight (edited 09-15-2001).]
 
It was Rebecca Rankin of VH-1 who said it was about Lennon. I shouldn't have believed her. I never liked the way she treated U2, always kind of fake and almost trying to shut them up. Here any of us would love to be interviewing them and she acts like that!
They showed Sting, he was very emotional. He said he felt for those who lost their lives and their loved ones, but he didn't want to give any meaning to the terrorists' actions. He dedicated the song to 'all those who lost their lives.'

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"Walk On, stay safe tonight"
 
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