This year the Arcade Fire are doing something quite different to celebrate the holidays…
They want you to donate their money – yup that’s right THEIR money, up to $300,000.00 that is. That’s a pretty sweet chunk of change. There is a slight catch, if you can even call it a catch, but their matching your donation to Kanpe. Kanpe is a wonderful organization that is helping Haiti rebuild after their disastrous earthquake last year.
The Arcade Fire have pledged again this year give them a sizable donation, matching what we all kick in. In exchange for helping an awesome cause at the holidays the band will also send you a postcard as a thank you:
Hi Guys, This is Win from Arcade Fire. If you are having a hard time deciding what to get your friends and family for gifts this year, give them our money! For any donation you make to Kanpe this holiday season, the band will match it. We will also send a nifty little post card, signed by Regine and I, to put under the tree, or wherever you put your gifts (it’s not our business). For any silicone valley jerks who might try to bankrupt us, lets put the upper limit at 300,000$… Have a great Holidays Luv, Win
Check out the full article on Pitchfork for more details and how to donate!
So they’ve re-done the massive hit “We are the world.” However, this new version has been met with much acclaim as well as criticism.
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25 years after the original, the new version has attracted millions upon millions of views online, and 121,000 comments and counting. The song premiered during the opening ceremony for the Vancouver Olympics.
Beyonce and Jay-Z were invited to take part in the new version of the song, but declined. Jay-Z told MTV that the original version was too sacred to him. “I think ‘We Are the World’ is like [Michael Jackson's] ‘Thriller’ to me. I don’t ever wanna see it touched.” He added, “Some things are just untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me, it’s gonna be untouchable.”
Jay-Z’s point of view is easily understandable, and I’m sure many of the critics of the new version feel something similar. Others have also pointed out that there aren’t enough high-profile or A-list singers involved. And that the original was distinct while blending the voices involved. You knew exactly what artist was singing when.
Lionel Richie responded to the idea that this classic song should never have been messed with by saying: “What’s a classic? To the next generation, it’s just an old song,” he told USA Today. “Why not bring in Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers and let them address the issues? We can pass the baton and empower the next generation to take up arms and have a legacy with this.”
I understand and yet wholly disagree with Lionel on this point. I realize that with time things are often developed and improved upon. However, this song is truly a classic, associated with a particular place in time and history. It transcends generations and is truly a part of America’s music history. Lionel has taken the seemingly capitalist standpoint, and it seems greedy and a bit tawdry for such a poignant song to be highlighted by the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and the auto tuning of Lil Wayne, and other rappers. Not to mention Lil Wayne is now in jail…
All in all, I think they should have left well enough alone, but that’s just my opinion. Check out both versions and let us know which you like better.
The current state of Haiti is horrible. Millions of people, terrible conditions, and much needed long-term help. As a result, MTV put together a telethon packed with celebrities and musicians in order to help raise money for relief efforts in Haiti. Several major broadcast networks and cable channels aired MTV Networks’ “Hope for Haiti“, an all-star telethon for Haitian earthquake relief, on Jan. 22.
The telethon was presented by different hosts in different cities – Wyclef Jean (Haiti native) in New York, George Clooney in Los Angeles, and Anderson Cooper directly from Haiti. All proceeds from the show go to Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti Foundation, as well as UNICEF, Oxfam America, Partners in Health, and the Red Cross.
Some people tend to get annoyed by the “Bono” type musicians trying to save this and save that, but I disagree with those people. Musicians and celebrities have gained stardom, and with that stardom the attention of millions of people. They are creating awareness about topics, places, and efforts that need our attention. They are actually doing some real good and attempting to help make this world a better place. What’s wrong with that? If more people sought out those opportunities or made helping others a part of their lives, this world would be a much better place – for everyone.
I applaud these celebrities and musicians who are taking part in this telethon, for finding a positive way they can contribute to the relief fund in Haiti.
Check out a video from the event, of Bono and Jay-Z’s Haiti Single “Stranded”…
To review on the “Hope For Haiti” telethon, which aired last week – it was a phenomenal success. The music choices were pretty cool – I got to see a good portion of the performances. I also found it quite impressive that the stars of the telethon were also on the phones. I was not expecting that. I thought that it was a great idea and an additional incentive to get people to call in and donate. Call and speak with Steven Spielberg, Stevie Wonder, or Taylor Swift – heck yeah, where’s the number! I applaud the stars for getting in the trenches a bit more, in addition to their performances. I started watching it with Madonna singing “Like A Prayer” (a personal favorite). In a few of the blogs that I subscribe to, they have had quite the discussion about whether her performance was lip synched or not.
The collaboration between Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bono, etc. – was jam packed with stars. Their performance is currently the most downloaded song from the event on iTunes. I also thoroughly enjoyed Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris’ rendition of “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. Beautiful song, beautiful performance, and so fitting.
Overall, the telethon was entertaining and it raised a lot of help for Haiti.
According to Rolling Stone, the event raised over $61 million dollars to help the destruction and devastation that has occurred throughout Haiti. Also, the organizers of the telethon will continue to collect donations for the next 6 months!
In addition, you can also download the entire live performance on iTunes, as well as purchase the album of all of the live performances from the telethon. Check out http://www.cmt.com/haiti for links to all available music and videos, and a variety of online stores to purchase from. Again, all of the proceeds, that’s 100%, go to relief efforts in Haiti. Hopefully over the next 6 months a lot more donations keep coming in.
