Latest news with #SweetRelief
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Penn on Brightening Up a New ‘Sweet Relief' Charity Album With Songs From the Great Depression: ‘It's a Mirror Image of Where We Are Now'
It doesn't have to be a Great Depression — yet — for musicians who lack health care to get downtrodden about their prospects. To that end, the Sweet Relief charity has put together a new compilation album, 'Sweet Relief — We Can Help,' which features choice covers from artists like Lucinda Williams, Richard Thompson and Blake Mills. But only one singer is heard from twice in the collection, and it's someone whose name hasn't appeared on a lot of records lately: Michael Penn. Penn's two contributions to this philanthropic effort are classic prewar anthems that spoke to how many members of the middle class were falling into economic ruin in the chaos in the late '20s and early '30s — 'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?' and 'Hallelujah! I'm a Bum,' the latter of which also includes a duet part from Aimee Mann. More from Variety Aimee Mann on Being 'Freaked Out' at Reuniting Til Tuesday After 35 Years for a Single Gig at L.A.'s Cruel World Festival (EXCLUSIVE) 'Busk-Aid-L.A.' Benefit Will See SoCal Music Favorites Hitting Echo Park Sidewalks to Raise Funds for Fire Victims Paris Jackson, Tinashe, Aimee Mann Help Raise Awareness for Linda Perry's EqualizeHer at Troubadour Event His two tracks will add to the collective that will throw more than a few dimes the way of the struggling musicians that Sweet Relief supports. He's been a supporter for a while. 'In fact, my first tour' — soon after his breakout single, 1989's 'No Myth,' was all over the radio — 'I had Victoria Williams on the road with me, and it was just a blast. It was around that time that she was first dealing with her MS diagnosis and thinking about forming Sweet Relief.' These two songs were actually first recorded more than a decade ago, with the intention of being included in a previous Sweet Relief compilation. It was determined that they didn't fit the mood then, conceptually. But now, with not just musicians but the wider world worried about recession (or worse?), these Depression anthems felt practically ripe on the vine. While 'Sweet Relief — We Can Help' came out in an exclusive vinyl double-LP edition for Record Store Day in April, the official digital release of the album waited until this weekend. (Scroll down for a full track list.) Penn's contributions really drive the wayback machine hard, but 'both these songs are so applicable now because they both come out of historical situations that are analogous to where we're headed,' says Penn. 'If I was going to do any song at all, I knew 'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime' was the one I wanted to do, because Yip Harburg is one of my favorite lyricists of all time.' (Harburg also co-wrote 'Over the Rainbow' and the other 'Wizard of Oz' songs as well as 'Brother.') 'And then with 'Hallelujah! I'm a Bum,' I was a little worried that people would not get the sarcasm of it — because it really is a mirror image of where we are now. It was written around the time when the oligarchs and the quote-unquote 'titans of industry' building the railroads were in control in the late 1800s. And it's the same as fucking Elon Musk! I mean, the guys who ran the tracks across the nation were the same kinds of crazy oligarchs that we have now.' With 'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime,' he was particularly taken with a quote he found of Yip Harburg's, from later in the famed lyricist's life, when he was recalling his Great Depression anthem. Penn pulls it up on his computer and recites it: 'I grew up when America had a dream, and its people, a hope. Whether we were struggling against the shackles of slavery or the shackles of scarcity, the hope was there. In 1930, the dream collapsed. The system fell apart. The people were not angry. They were not in revolt. This was a good country on its way to greatness. It had given our immigrant parents more freedom, more education, more opportunity than they had ever known. What happened? We were baffled, bewildered… The man in this song is not a self-pitying breast-beater, begging for a handout, but a man proud of what his hands had contributed to the wealth of the country. And he was now, for the first time, questioning the emptiness of those hands.' Penn was taken by the timeliness of those words: 'I mean, it's just so perfect in that way.' With 'Hallelujah! I'm a Bum,' as he says, getting across the irony was paramount. 'Bill Hein reminded me that the exclamation point was an important part of the title.' Of the historical sarcasm, he notes, 'Listen, sometimes it's the only thing we can count on.' Is Penn a student of socioeconomic songs from the 1920s and '30s? He laughs at that question. 'No, I'm not. I'm certainly not a student of the ins and outs of union songs from the 1930s.' And 'Hallelujah' definitely counted as that — enough so for it to be interpolated as an instrumental in-joke in the score of a Charlie Chaplin sound picture. 'It became the official anthem of the International Workers of the World at some point,' Penn notes, 'and a snippet of it shows up in 'Modern Times,' when Chaplin is mistaken for a union protestor,when he picks up a flag off the back of the truck.' But, he says, 'It's just stuff I have sort of always thought about. My last record, God help me, was 20 years ago, but it was a record set in sort of the post-World War II world. It was relationship songs in the context of a post-World War II America where they were starting to figure out how to dismantle the New Deal. And in fact, when I put that record out, I had this very elaborate website where you could watch these old Encyclopedia Britannica documentary films from the '50s about fascism. Because it was clear that that was the model that was (coming). 'Remember that phrase where somebody was saying that 'you people live in a reality-based community'? That was the clue of: This is where they're going. They think that they can completely change reality for us — that they can fill us with propaganda and change the way we perceive our environments, and it was obvious that that's where shit was heading. So those kinds of topics were always sort of top of mind for me, for sure.' Bringing Mann in to play the part of a woman who is turning a beggar away from her door makes for a fu turn. 'There was like a little dialogue portion of that lyric, and it just felt perfect for Aimee to come in and do that.' Not that we should expect to hear a lot more duets with Mann. Reminded that the two of them previously turned up singing together on an original holiday song called 'Christmastime' and a soundtrack cover of the Beatles' 'Two of Us,' he can't remember if there are any more beyond that. Q: Yeah. Um, now I'm thinking, is that.I I, as far as duets go, and I know it's, it's maybe not [00:08:00] quite a full on duet, but, uh, I, I was, you, you've done a couple before this, uh, Christmas time and two of us, so I don't know if this this is the third time that you've had that collaboration or whether there have been more. 'Oh, God, my brain is addled — I don't remember. I think we haven't done it too much. We kind of keep it somewhat separated, but certainly those two.' Penn does take what's happening economically in the world personally, as he well knows musicians as much as anybody have seen their whole paradigm change. It's partly why he hasn't made an album of original music since the aforementioned 20-year-old release… although that may change, very soon. Penn is thinking 'not only of Trump and what's happening with basically the dismantling of the New Deal, which is what's been on the books for these guys for decades, but also just the shift in our world to a digital world. Because to whatever extent there was a middle class in music, it has been eviscerated by what's going on. It's not based on record sales or any of those things, and so it's even tougher for musicians out there, because you can't make a thing that people would like to buy, even in small quantities. So that's tough. It's all based on touring now, and for somebody like me who never wanted to tour, I was left few options.' No temptation to get back out on the road at all, if that's where the money is? 'N,. For me, I mean, I never enjoyed touring. I was like the original shoegazer. I'm like an anti-performer,' he laughs. 'So if I had my druthers, I would be sitting in a room making records throughout my life, but that wasn't in the cards anymore. So that's why I shifted to (film) composing, because it's like at least I can be doing what I love, which is recording music. So I wish I could make records, but…' There's a shift in his thinking now, though. 'You know, I'm doing it now' — working toward a new album — 'just because I don't give a shit anymore' whether it brings in income or not. And to that end, 'I told my agent that I didn't want to do anything this year. I did the Pee-Wee Herman documentary which just came out; I finished that at the end of last year. And I'm taking the year to write a record because I just figure I need to do it for me… for my own therapeutic use. I feel like I don't want to produce myself again, because it's just too many hats to wear, but I'll figure that out later. First, I just want to generate a bunch of songs. I'm about halfway through writing a record.' So for those who have clamored to get fresh songs as well as scoring out of Penn… hallelujah! (Exclamation point intact, unironically.) He says it's never bothered him when fans would come up and ask when there would be another Michael Penn album. 'Oh, no, no. I'm very happy that a few people still remember me, so that's nice. Listen, man, I mean, if I'm out in the world and somebody recognizes me or says something to me, it's a delight.' The full 'Sweet Relief — We Can Help' track list: Michael Penn & Aimee Mann – Hallelujah! I'm a BumLaura Viers – Please Let Me Get What I WantPeter Case – Help MeAngela McCluskey & Paul Cantelon – I Think It's Gonna Rain TodayWatkins Family Hour – The Object Of My AffectionPeter Holsapple – I Can HelpRichard Thompson – Humpy Back ManBen Harper & Peter Case – HelpWillie Watson – Always Lift Him UpLucinda Williams – Somebody Loan Me A DimeDennis Witcher – That's How I Got to MemphisSixpence None The Richer – The Needle and the Damage DoneHaroula Rose – A Heart Needs A HomeVictoria Williams – Sunny Side of the StreetChris Pierce – Paper MoonMichael Penn – Brother Can You Spare A DimeJonah Tolchin – Sixteen TonsBlake Mills – While My Heart Keeps Beating Time Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
CBS News
05-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Steve Perry auctions some of his Journey collection for Altadena wildfire victims
Musician Steve Perry is auctioning off some pieces in his collection of Journey memorabilia to help raise funds for Altadena wildfire victims. Bids are rolling in for Perry's handwritten lyrics to "Don't Stop Believin'," his own gold and platinum records, albums from his collection, a couple of cassettes, CDs, bass guitars, vintage tour merchandise, and more – all signed by Perry. The new archival memorabilia platform, Darkives Collectibles, is launching the Steve Perry Archives, with over 50 "never-before-available" pieces, now available. The site says that all the musical pieces are graded and authenticated. A rare signed "JRNEYFAN" New York license plate that was thrown on stage during a New Jersey show has reached $1,175 with 17 bids, as of Thursday morning. "These pieces have been carefully stored for many years, and now I feel it's the right time to pass them on from my hands to yours, to be enjoyed, remembered, and treasured in your own personal collections," Perry wrote on the auction website. "And most importantly, all the proceeds from this archive sale will go to support victims of the Los Angeles fires with the help of Sweet Relief Musicians Fund." The fund's mission is to provide financial assistance to all types of "career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing physical or mental health issues, disability, or age-related problems." Steve Perry was the lead singer of Journey from 1977 to 1987 and again from 1995 to 1998. He wrote and co-wrote several of the band's greatest hits, including "Don't Stop Believin," "Any Way You Want It," "Open Arms," and "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)." The Steve Perry Archive Collection auction is set to end at noon on June 13.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New York Dolls' David Johansen Diagnosed With Stage 4 Cancer, Crowdfunding Treatment
New York Dolls' David Johansen in May 2023 () David Johansen, the singer in influential 1970s proto-punk band New York Dolls and who also goes by the pseudonym Buster Poindexter, has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. His daughter, Leah Hennessey, launched a Sweet Relief fundraiser to help cover the costs of his treatment and care. In the post, she revealed that Johansen has actually been undergoing intensive cancer treatment for 'most of the past decade,' and that, in 2020, it progressed and he developed a brain tumor. 'He's never made his diagnosis public, as he and my mother Mara are generally very private people, but we feel compelled to share this now, due to the increasingly severe financial burden our family is facing,' Hennessey wrote on the fundraiser. 'To make matters worse, the day after Thanksgiving David fell down the stairs and broke his back in two places. After a week in the hospital and a successful surgery David has been bedridden and incapacitated. Due to the trauma, David's illness has progressed exponentially and my mother is caring for him around the clock.' All donations to the Sweet Relief fund in Johansen's name will go towards the costs of full time nursing, physical therapy, and funding for day-to-day vital living expenses for the musician. 'With professional specialized care, we are hopeful that David can regain some mobility and independence,' his daughter wrote. In a statement shared by Brooklyn Vegan, Johansen added: 'We've been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble the day after Thanksgiving really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation. This is the worst pain I've ever experienced in my entire life. I've never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency. Thank you.' *One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This* Glam-punk pioneers stage an unlikely and possibly unwelcome comeback. Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
USA Today
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Family of New York Dolls' David Johansen raising funds for stage 4 cancer care
Family of New York Dolls' David Johansen raising funds for stage 4 cancer care Punk legend David Johansen's family is raising funds to pay for his stage 4 cancer treatment. The actor and former New York Dolls frontman has been living with cancer for nearly a decade and a brain tumor for five years, according to a Sweet Relief fundraiser. In a statement to Rolling Stone on Monday, Johansen, 75, said a recent fall down the stairs, in which he broke his back in two different places, has made matters worse. "We've been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble the day after Thanksgiving really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation," he told the outlet. "This is the worst pain I've ever experienced in my entire life. I've never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency. Thank you." USA TODAY has reached out to Johansen's family for comment. According to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund page, the family is especially private, "but we feel compelled to share this now, due to the increasingly severe financial burden our family is facing," Johansen's daughter, Leah Hennessey, wrote. The "Oz" actor has been "bedridden and incapacitated" since the fall, she added, and requires around-the-clock care from his wife, Mara Hennessey. "To continue his treatment and give him the best chance of recovery, David and Mara will need full time assistance," Leah Hennessey continued. "As hilarious and wise as David continues to be, he is physically debilitated and his care exceeds what we are capable of providing without specialized professional help." Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi's 2022 documentary "Personality Crisis: One Night Only" tells the story of the New York Dolls lead singer and songwriter, who went on to take on the alter ego Buster Poindexter and form the David Johansen band and The Harry Smiths.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New York Dolls' David Johansen Diagnosed With Stage 4 Cancer, Crowdfunding Treatment
New York Dolls' David Johansen in May 2023 () David Johansen, the singer in influential 1970s proto-punk band New York Dolls and who also goes by the pseudonym Buster Poindexter, has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. His daughter, Leah Hennessey, launched a Sweet Relief fundraiser to help cover the costs of his treatment and care. In the post, she revealed that Johansen has actually been undergoing intensive cancer treatment for 'most of the past decade,' and that, in 2020, it progressed and he developed a brain tumor. 'He's never made his diagnosis public, as he and my mother Mara are generally very private people, but we feel compelled to share this now, due to the increasingly severe financial burden our family is facing,' Hennessey wrote on the fundraiser. 'To make matters worse, the day after Thanksgiving David fell down the stairs and broke his back in two places. After a week in the hospital and a successful surgery David has been bedridden and incapacitated. Due to the trauma, David's illness has progressed exponentially and my mother is caring for him around the clock.' All donations to the Sweet Relief fund in Johansen's name will go towards the costs of full time nursing, physical therapy, and funding for day-to-day vital living expenses for the musician. 'With professional specialized care, we are hopeful that David can regain some mobility and independence,' his daughter wrote. In a statement shared by Brooklyn Vegan, Johansen added: 'We've been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble the day after Thanksgiving really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation. This is the worst pain I've ever experienced in my entire life. I've never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency. Thank you.' *One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This* Glam-punk pioneers stage an unlikely and possibly unwelcome comeback. Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
