Rocker Kravitz Releases Peace Song with Iraqi Star
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Rocker Lenny Kravitz released a peace anthem with an Iraqi pop star on Tuesday, joining a growing list of recording artists to release protest songs directly to the Internet to bypass a cautious and sometimes hostile radio market.
R.E.M., the Beastie Boys, John Mellencamp and former Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha have all released anti-war songs via the Internet in recent weeks.
Kravitz issued his song, “We Want Peace,” which he recorded last week in Miami with popular Iraqi musical star Kadim Al Sahir, on the Web site of Rock the Vote, a national organization which encourages young people to become involved in politics.
Kravitz, who in 1991 put together an all-star ensemble to cover John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance,” said he had chosen to tie up with Rock the Vote “because of its strong stance with young people as defenders of free expression.”
With opinion polls showing a majority of Americans supporting the war against Iraq, radio companies have been cautious to play anti-war songs.
Earlier this month, country music superstars the Dixie Chicks were hit by a nearly 30 percent drop in airplay on country music stations after they criticized President Bush’s war plans in Iraq.
ANTI-WAR SONG NOT POPULAR IN TIME OF WAR
“Anti-war songs usually are not a very popular choice for program directors during a time of war. Program directors follow the lead set by their listeners. In this case, two-thirds of the American public say they back the war,” said Rich Meyer, president of Mediabase, a division of Premiere Radio Networks. “It could be a dangerous move for stations to step out and take a stand against.”
Premiere is a unit of Clear Channel, which syndicates 60 programs to more than 7,800 radio affiliates. One of its biggest personalities, Glenn Beck, has been leading pro-war demonstrations called “Rally for America,” across the country.
The one notable success for the anti-war movement on the radio airwaves has been “Peacekeeper,” a new Fleetwood Mac single recently debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at 93.
Other artists, however, have sought to steer clear of controversy. Handlers for the soon-to-be-released Madonna single, “American Life,” are saying the song is not “anti-war” but intended to promote peace.
“Madonna’s single, ‘American Life’, is not at all anti-war or political in any way shape or form,” her spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg said.
The song’s controversial video, however, reportedly shows the diva in military fatigues, tossing grenades while images of fashion models, soldiers and bloody babies flash on screen.
Kravitz too stresses his song is about peace, not war. The song features Palestinian musician Simon Shaheen on strings and Lebanese artist Jamey Hadded on percussion.
Kravitz is currently signed to EMI Group Plc’s Virgin Records, but the record label had no participation in the single.
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