photo courtesy of narayanann.files.wordpress.com

“The reality is that if you go to Arizona and play, it is no longer a neutral act,” said Zach de la Rocha, lead singer of Rage Against the Machine.

16 musicians have recently joined the growing number of 200 artists who refuse to perform in Arizona and pledge to De La Rocha’s Sound Strike boycott effort. The campaign aims to compel the state of Arizona to repeal its controversial immigration law. De la Rocha, along with artists Conor Oberst and Ozomatli have featured in the first series of video PSAs released June 28. Additional PSAs will be posted to the website every Monday in the weeks leading up to the law’s scheduled enactment. De la Rocha says also that plans are in the works for a series of protest concerts in July.

“In the coming weeks we are going to be organizing a series of concerts that are respectful of the nature of the boycott in its attempts to isolate the Arizona government but not isolate the people, and especially the organizations that are fighting this on the ground,” de la Rocha said in a telephone interview. “Many of us have begun to plan concerts that include bands that have signed on the Sound Strike, and make tickets available so that people within Arizona can come and see these concerts as they roll out. These are things that are being set into motion right now - a series of concerts or maybe even one giant concert in late July.”

Zack De La Rocha for The Sound Strike from Producciones Cimarrón on Vimeo.

De la Rocha says that the purpose of the strike is (1) to rob Arizona of the economic power generated through these musical performances so that the state cannot use it to implement such unjust laws, and (2) to create a new cultural solidarity within popular music, which can help educate fans and motivate artists to take action.

But, what about the livelihood of Arizona-based fans and promoters?   While many artists support the boycott, some in the Arizona music community feel unjustly punished by it. Arizona-based concert promoter Charlie Levy of Stateside Presents urges the participating artists to reconsider.

He says, “By not performing in Arizona, artists are harming the very people and places that foster free speech and the open exchange of ideas that serve to counter the closed-mindedness recently displayed by the new law.”

Levy notes that the people hurt most by the boycott are local concert venues, including non-profit art house theaters, independent promoters, motivated fans, and the hundreds of people employed in the local music business.

“If the boycott continues, it is all but guaranteed that some of these venues will be forced to close their doors,” he says.

De la Rocha disagrees. He says that all the people targeted by the state of Arizona are “facing the major brunt, and what I’ve heard from them, directly, is that they’re willing to make that sacrifice. They would rather face the economic consequences of a boycott if they can live with their dignity intact. They refuse to be humiliated and applaud all of the artists who refuse to play in Arizona so long as this law is in the book.”

He promises that musicians will return to Arizona in force, if their effort is successful. He says, “When its removed from the books, we’re going to have an unbelievable concert – it will be the celebration to end all celebrations.”

The law is set to be enacted July 29, so take action now and join The Sound Strike in boycotting Arizona. Artists can sign up here to join the strike. Everyone can sign the petition and join the campaign.

June 30, 2010 by Priya
Tags: Arizona Immigration Law, b-activists, b-listed, boycott Arizona, breakthrough, human rights, pop music, Rage Against the Machine, social justice, The Sound Strike, Zach de la Rocha