published on
Today we lost possibly the most principled British MP of the modern era. RIP Tony Benn. A true inspiration. One of a kind. Went over to Tony's Chesterfield office to record this vocal. Figured I should upload this collaboration with him before it gets lost forever.
"Chip Away" featured on the "No Compromize" CD which I cobbled together featuring many large student scene bands from the Nineties including Suede, Wedding Present, Cud, Utah Saints, Dreadzone, Chumbawamba, New Model Army etc etc. Full band list below. First compilation I ever organised. Nine Invisibles was a free festival style dub / ambient music collective I occasionally collaborated with that was signed to independent record label Delerium Records alongside bands like Porcupine Tree and my live act Kava Kava.
The "No Compromize" double CD pack raised funds and awareness for the "Campaign For Free Education" set up against the introduction of tuition fees back in 1996. Tony Benn was C.F.E. honorary president. The campaign was based at Huddersfield Poly (now University) Students Union. At that time C.F.E. Secretary was Graham Hellawell who was also Huddersfield Poly Students President. I managed to get Delerium Records to manufacture and distribute the CD.
Students: if we had received the backing of the National Union Of Students (NUS) rather than reports of letters being sent out to some of the bands and label taking part claiming we were revolutionary extremists (!?) then maybe some of you wouldn't be paying up to £9000 per year. (ps those letters kind of backfired when bands forwarded them onto the national and music press. many years later the NUS started campaigning against the fees)
Just listen to Tony Benn's words and tone.
I did and agreed to become Music Officer for the Campaign to help raise funds and awareness. We also organised benefit gigs all over the UK and met the wonderful Tony Benn a few times. He agreed to be interviewed over at his office in Chesterfield and to feature on the CD with some music which we got together. He even set up our press conference at the House Of Commons!
RIP Tony Benn
"No Compromize" featured tracks and remixes from:
Suede, Senser, Skip McDonald, Adrian Sherwood, Dreadzone, Northern Uproar, Zion Train, Kava Kava, Mother Earth, Marion, Transglobal Underground, Intastella, Fun-Da-Mental, Eat Static, Unknown Society, Todd Terry, Cud, Dave Creffield, XC-NN, Tim Bran, Wedding Present, New Model Army, Nine Invisibles, Tony Benn, Sanjuman, Utah Saints, Revolutionary Dub Warriors, MC Jabber, Mr. Methane, Banco De Gaia, Chumbawamba, Loop Guru, Ukrainians, The Aardvarks, Autechre, Moonflowers.
Full track listing here: http://www.discogs.com/Various-No-Compromize/release/876891
- Genre
- tony benn
