David Bowie and Tina Turner musicians feature in anthem for change
A love anthem in protest at “creeping anti-immigration rhetoric” is set to be recorded by a group of Tufnell Park pals.
The song, called Why Is This Happening, is part of the grassroots With Love 2015 campaign, designed to fight what the group see as increasing xenophobia and scare-mongering from all parties in the build to May’s general election.
Featuring the vocal tones of Pola Pospieszalska and written by Alan Boyd, the man behind the Day of the Triffids theme tune, the track is also is blessed by session musicians Ray Russell on guitar and Mo Foster on bass, who between them have played with David Bowie, Tina Turner and Phil Collins.
Clare Devane, from With Love, said: “We wanted to do something about this creeping anti-immigration agenda, where all the main parties are pandering to the right.
“It’s insidious. Politicians on all sides are guilty, as well as the press.
“The rise of UKIP has been phenomenal, and immigration will be a massive issue at the next election.
“We want to be an inclusive and tolerant society, but that’s being chipped away and really wanted to do something about it.”
Despite being Tufnell Park natives, the group has an international flavour with a Polish singer and Czech filmmaker Lucie Wenigerova kicking the whole thing off.
Now they have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise the cash to record the song properly, shoot and video and pay for the press exposure needed to get into the charts.
Mrs Devane said: “Originally we wanted it to be an angry punk song, but it ended up being a love song – an anthem for change.
“We need £15,000 in the next three weeks to make it happen, at the moment we’ve got about £2,000.
“When we record it we’re going to take it to hustings, and play it to Nigel Farage [UKIP leader] to see what he thinks of it.”
Those making donations will be rewarded with a trip to the studio to hear the track being recorded, or even the chance to appear in the music video.
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