Music and Poverty

Eric Olsen August 19, 2002 Comments Off on Music and Poverty 37 Views

“If musicians could help put an end to poverty, that would be the
ultimate song.”–Fredo Ballesteros, Boxing Gandhis

Rock A Mole Productions has just finished a documentary film, The
Ultimate Song, that highlights the great importance of music in the battle to
end poverty. The Ultimate Song includes interviews and/or performance footage
of Ice T, Sara Hickman, Jackson Browne, Tom Morello of Rage Against the
Machine, Bruce Springsteen, Brother Bank, Marah, Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule,
Krown Ju-Elz, Steve Earle, Kindred, Wayne Kramer, and Brian Blade.

This is combined with interviews and action footage of the growing poor
people’s movement in the United States. The leaders from the ranks of the
poor detail the importance of music in their work, how it helps break down
the isolation of individuals and organizations and how it keeps spirits up
during trying times.

The Ultimate Song explores a new relationship between musicians and poor
people’s organizations, where the poverty of musicians and their struggle to
create is placed on the same footing as the general problems of high rent and
low health care.

The Ultimate Song, filled with music from beginning to end, shows how the
use of culture can help bring about the end of poverty for musician and fan
alike. It tackles such questions as: “Are Poor People Lazy?,” “What Color is
Poverty?,” “Musicians Are (Poor) People Too,” “The Power of Music,” and
“What Can Musicians Do?”.

“With our leaflets or our speeches, we can only speak to hundreds or
thousands of people. Music speaks to millions.”–Willie Baptist, Director of
Education, Kensington Welfare Rights Union.

A VHS copy of the Ultimate Song will be provided FREE to any musician who
wants one. If that’s you, just email us at rockrap@aol.com with your name and
postal address. For everyone else, we request a $10 donation. Please send to:
RRC, Box 341305, Los Angeles CA 90034.