emergency - Computer Science

tlt''!3t:|'lltE33
m-ffi
re
!At'!'
A new fhont has been opened up
h bottlc rgrlnqt APartheld' wlth
uver flfty populrr muslclans
hrvlngJolncd together to record
r powcr{lrl mulcal strtemcnt
rgrlnct l[s futcd system.
"We ain play "
This is the song 'Sun City', and
although it's banned in South
Africa, it's made news headlines
internationally and is a favourite on
radio and TV playlists.
The driving force behind the project
is singer Steven van Zandt. A
musician who shot to fame as a
member of Bruce Springsteen's
East Street Band, he's now producing
solo albums.
'Little Steven,' as he's known,
cxplained to SASPU National how
the project happened, and why.
"SUN CITY was a song that
cameout ofmy gut,.fueled by j
the disgust I felt when I vis- "
ited the resort of thc same
name. On the way there, I
had stoppcd at a village
where people had to carry
water in on their heads, and
then I came face-toface
with the swim- --1
ming pools and fan- C
i->
tasy atmosphere - --
-
carrying on business
as usual in the phony
freedom of the Bop
homeland.
"The song was my way of bringing
some of the complexities and
realities of apartheid home.
'Many South Africans have heard
about or read about the SUN CITY
record. But since it was banned by
your radio stations even prior to its
release, and badly distributed, if it
was distributed at all, let me try to
describe our musical and media
attempt at solidarity with your
struggle.
" Last spring, I wrote the song that
sought to bring your struggle into
the ears and consciousness of
Americans.
"SUN CITY focuses on the infamous
resort in Bophutatswana and
makes a statement that we won't
play there, no matter what they'll
pay-
"In that sense, the song is both by
and for the musical 6qmmunilv -
directed to those few artists who
continue to play at Sun City, and to
the general public.
"But, the song says more than
that. It speaks directly to the idea of
phony homelands, and the relocation
policies that tear families
apart.
"It also explicitly and directly
names and blasts Ronald Reagan's
'constructive
policy of
engagement'.
It asks the American people
'why are we always on the wrong
side?"
The song became a collective
statement representing the committed
voices of
'Artists
United
Against Apartheid'.
*We lined up a roster of artists
unlikc any ever pressed onto one
piece of vinyl. They came from all
corncrs of the music industry.
"Some who took part were Hall
and Oates, Pat Benatar, Bono from
I the group U2, Ringo Starr of The
Beatles fame, The Who's Pete
Townsend, Keith Richard and Ron
Wood of the Rolling Stones, Bob
Musician Steven van
Zandt explains why
he wrote SUNCITY
Geldof,' Bruce Springsteen, Bob
Dylan, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed
and Joev Ramone, Gill Scott-
Heron, Eddie Kendrick and David
Ruffin of thc Temptations, Bobby
Womack, Miles Davis, Herbie
Hancock, Jimmy Cliff and Big
Youth, and the Malopoets.
"Our lyrics and multi-racial
approach explicitly challenged
racism in America as well as racism
in South Africa.
"Unlike some critics of apartheid,
we are well aware of how deePlY
racism still festers in the American
soil.
"As Bruce Springsteen Put it in an
interview, "I was hoPing that bY
helpins bring attention to what's
eoins 6n in South Africa, it would
irakE us look in our own backyards
at the terrible problems we have
with racism in this country right
now".
SUN CITY was probablY the first
;ecord banned in South Africa by
radio before anyone even heard it'
"We can't offend our shareholders",
was the way a programmer gope, defending his father's regime
for Radio 702 explained the deci- in Bophutatswada, was shouted
sion. So much for the so-called free- down as he tried to rationalize the
dom of Bop-based radio.
homelands policy.
"Sadly, many commercial radio "Our record was not offered as a
stations in our own country fol-
'charity record'. In fact, we refer to
lowed the lead of their South Afri- it as a 'reality record'. We are trying
can counterpart,. They wouldn't to ensure that the money we raise
play the record ;iving political pres- through royalties is used to further
sure as one reason.
the struggle.
"'In
reCponse, political leaders in "speciiiially, we earmarked the
our country spoke out on behalf of money for political prisoners and
the public's right to hear SUN their families inside South Africa,
CITY. Mayors Bradley of [,os the cultural and educational needs
Angeles and Andrew Young of. of those forced into exile, and for
Atlanta held press conferences. grassrootsorganisingagainstApar-
Martin Luther King's widow theid.
Coretta Scott King challenged "In the meantime, we are continuradio
stations to play the song. ing to appeal to artists to boycott
"In Washington, leaders of the South Africa.
Congressional fight against apar- "We think that if they are earning
theiddidthesame.
royalties from records sold there,'-
"Television coverage brought they should donate them to the
SUN CITY into America's living 'people so as not to profit from
rooms. Sol Kerzner, owner of Sun Apartheid.
City, flew to New York to debate us "Clearly, it is the people who are
in in hour-long nationally broad- sacrificing and struggling in South
cast talk-show.
Africa who must guide those of us
"Kerzner admitted our efforts who want to support your efforts.
were hurting his ability' to find . "We know that musicians have a
artists to play Sun City. His defense responsibility to use our gifts in the
of Sun Citv won few converts. service of humankind.
"On that same show, Eddie Man- "Let us know the next step".
THANKS TO SASPU NATIONAI