SINGING FOR A CAUSE
By Sharad Thaper
Diamondback Online
r-a-cause-1.1175658
Feb 26 2010
Many performers find their celebrity status and fame to be an effective
tool to bring attention to the injustices of the world, which often
go unnoticed otherwise. Whether it is George Clooney organizing a
telethon for Haiti earthquake victims or Bono raising awareness of
global poverty and the AIDS epidemic, star power is often being used
for a higher purpose.
State Radio, an alternative rock band from Boston, blurs the line
separating the artist from the activist by uniting community service
with their tour schedule. As guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Urmston
said, "I’m actually interested in certain issues, so it’s kind of
like a form of expression for me.
"I don’t really intend them to be political — it’s just what comes
out."
Originally a member of the successful group Dispatch, Urmston formed
State Radio, which will perform at the 9:30 Club tonight and tomorrow,
when Dispatch disbanded in 2002.
Combining reggae, pop and punk sounds, State Radio found success with
its first full-length album Us Against the Crown in 2006. Since then,
State Radio has continued to share its view of the world and encourage
social change.
State Radio released its latest album, Let it Go, last September.
Recorded in a Massachusetts barn, the album is filled with political
and social messages. While the opening track, "Mansin Humanity,"
takes up the subject of the Armenian genocide, the album’s title
track urges Zimbabwe’s president, Robert Mugabe, to end his tyranny.
"That song is about pleading with Mugabe to let go of his greed
and lust for power because he is killing people in the country,"
Urmston explained.
State Radio is not only a band with a message, but also a service
group.
>>From providing meals at a homeless shelter, to performing a benefit
concert for a school for the deaf, State Radio often engages in service
projects in the towns and cities it visits while touring. In 2008,
the band established the organization Calling All Crows to encourage
fans to participate in community service and promote human rights.
Activism is nothing foreign to Urmston and the other members of State
Radio. Urmston spent time volunteering in Zimbabwe in 1994. Drummer
Mike Najarian has volunteered as a mentor with Big Brothers Big
Sisters and bassist Chuck Fay has been an advocate for election reform.
"We wanted to get something organized," Urmston said. "We felt that we
could harness this energy from our fan base and do something amazing.
"After the fact, after we do have these songs that address issues,
we try to follow up in other ways, and that’s where Calling All Crows
comes into play. That’s where we meet different people in different
cities. It serves as a transition from our music to activism."
Explaining the significance of crows, Urmston added, "People of this
world are the crows, and it’s up to us to get together and do what
needs to be done.
"It’s related to the spiritual power of the crow — the crow’s
connection to its brethren."
Since its formation, Calling All Crows has embarked on numerous
projects, including raising $100,000 for Oxfam America’s Darfur
Project.
When asked for his opinion on national issues, Urmston responded,
"I would bring all of the troops back home and take our military
spending and put it into health care."
Still, Urmston believes the message behind the music is not the most
important aspect.
"I think that music is the most important thing," Urmston said.
"Getting our audiences wrapped up in the lyrics is not our main goal."
"We’re not really out there to make everyone believe what we believe.
We’re trying to encourage dialogue about certain issues that don’t
exist in the mainstream media."
State Radio will perform at the 9:30 Club tonight and tomorrow.
Tickets are $20 and doors open at 8 p.m.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress