- Calexico’s John Convertino and Joey Burns are part of Artists for Action. “Whenever there’s an artistic or cultural boycott, it’s important to back that up by showing your presence and doing something,” says Burns. “The intent is to go to fans inside of Arizona and inspire them to vote.”
Arizona musicians have formed a new organization that hopes to provide an alternative to touring acts that are considering a boycott of Arizona over SB 1070, the controversial new immigration law that’s set to take effect at the end of the month unless blocked by the courts.
The group, Artists for Action, includes Calexico’s Joey Burns and John Convertino and the Sand Rubies’ David Slutes.
“The intent is to reach out to reach out to local, national and international artists and invite them to come here to Arizona to perform, educate and inspire audiences,” Burns says. “Now more than ever, we need everyone’s help.”
The group hopes to reach out to musicians who have joined Sound Strike, a group formed by Zack de la Rocha, lead singer of Rage Against the Machine.
More than two dozens acts have said they will join the Sound Strike boycott, including Kanye West,
Conor Oberst, Nine Inch Nails, Ry Cooder, My Morning Jacket and Steve Earle.
“You can’t look at SB 1070 in isolation,” says de la Rocha in a video on the Sound Strike website. “It’s part of an entire state’s campaign to humiliate and criminalize an entire population.”
Burns says he understands the concerns of his fellow musicians, but he hopes that some may reconsider coming to Arizona if given a chance to rally support against the law.
“We want to work together with Sound Strike,” Burns says. “Whenever there’s an artistic or cultural boycott, it’s important to back that up by showing your presence and doing something. The intent is to go to fans inside of Arizona and inspire them to vote. If people haven’t registered to vote, now is the time to do it.”
To that end, Artists for Action will be setting up voter-registration tables at shows, including a performance by the Swell Season this Saturday, July 17, at downtown’s Rialto Theatre.
Artists for Action is also planning a major concert in the Phoenix area later this summer. Slutes, who also books bands at downtown’s Hotel Congress, says that one day of this year’s HoCo Fest in September will focus on efforts against SB 1070.
“What Arizona needs now is support,” Jimmy Adkins of Phoenix-based Jimmy Eat World said in a statement supporting Artists for Action. “I have the utmost respect for musicians, artists, and small business owners who are killing themselves to make something on their own terms. I hope Artists for Action can be the bridge to help inform interested locals. And to help bring like-minded progressive voices back to Arizona.”
Artists for Action found a key ally last week: Congressman Raul Grijalva, who first called for a boycott of Arizona after SB 1070 was signed by Gov. Jan Brewer in April.
“It’s important to have a progressive presence in this fight against SB 1070,” Grijalva said at a press conference. “Artists have always been at the forefront of change. They need a platform and a venue to do that. Artists for Action provides that. Artists for across the country can come here and help us change the course of this state though voter registration, through education and through mobilization.”
Grijalva says he still supports “economic sanctions” against Arizona in response to SB 1070, but he doesn’t want a boycott to go on “any longer than necessary.”
For more info on Artists for Action, visit vivaarizona.org.
This article appears in Jul 8-14, 2010.
In my admittedly limited knowledge of all the musicians’ activity in this town, I’ve rarely seen local musicians (or those directly in the local promotions of musicians) at any anti-war demonstrations, immigration protests, election integrity meetings, Free Gaza demos, 9/11 Truth rallies, or anti bailout rallies. Some exceptions…Al Perry, Chet with Earthlingz, Raging Grannies. Also, you’ll get Lisa Otey performing on behalf of a nonprofit charity and Calexico doing a gig before Jim Hightower at a fundraiser for the Prima Vera foundation (hopefully not too overshadowed by Calexico’s complaints about what’s coming through their monitor speakers). Let’s face it, Calexico will do a fundraisers for the likes of Gabrielle Giffords (an event that should be picketed as well):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2jrap_ct1U
Honestly, who’s really challenging the incredible level of ignorance found throughout the state? Who’s setting light to the misconceptions and racist attitudes that have brought forth SB1070?
Why are we attempting to tap national musicians to come in and do what we should have done in the first place. I think the boycott is sound reasoning. Sort out the scum we have in our state, then maybe the music returns, but first, Arizona needs an enema.
Artists like Steve Earle should know that nothing will be done if you stay quiet against something that matters to you.
Kudos to Artists for Action. Viva la voz! Let your voice be heard!
I think the likes of Steve Earle have lulled you into a coma. When his shit was fresh, was there any backlash for the warcrimes in Fallujah directly after Ohio was stolen from Kerry? What was that? “The Revolution Starts Now”? I’m sure Earle and these folks have good intentions, but they all need to flush out their head gear. Too many people dying.
The problem with a boycott is it’s collective punishment. You probably will have little effect on those who truly deserve to be punished for the terror they have inflicted on so many and you hurt those who are already suffering.
The word Boycott came from my country and a boycott is preferable to violence but it was originally used against the cause of the problem, the nasty Captain Boycott. It targetting the source.
Nowadays boycotts, embargos and sanctions all cause pain to the majority who did not cause the problem. How many kids died in Iraq under Saddam because we didn’t send them medicine?
How many families suffered for so long being separated from family in Cuba?
I remember my son crying when he came home from school on seeing a sign on a neighbor’s door that read Boycott everything French. It was the time of Bush’s “freedom fries” and my son had just studied the Holocaust in school. He knew it was wrong to demonize a large group of people like that.
Let’s not punish people who had nothing to do with this nasty racist law.
Just as it’s wrong for a teacher to punish a whole class for something an individual did, so it’s wrong to punish Arizona.
Direct the punishments (non violent) firmly against Jan Brewer and those who wrote the law and the brutal and ignorant Sheriff Arpaio.
Getting people to vote is a positive step. In dark times, people need art to lift them out of sorrow. Don’t deprive them further.
I’m thrilled Glen and mar are taking the right road.
I can’t quite see how national touring groups coming here would somehow be a blow against SB 1070. Sorry, but I think they should continue to Boycott, AZ. Those that are already scheduled, fine, no one expects them to break a contract and pay a penalty. But I don’t see how a nationally known group, particularly a group with musicians of color, could be sending a message against the bill by coming here. Just the opposite, as it would be like saying passing such a draconian law doesn’t matter. I don’t believe the crowds at venues like the Rialto have voting on their minds anyway when they go to see a national touring act. Benefit crowds are different of course. Having given money to and worked on Rep. Giffords first campaign for that office as a volunteer, I have to agree she hardly deserves the support of progressives anymore. She talks more like a tea party appeaser every day, and, guess what Gabby, those people won’t vote for you no matter much you pander to their ignorant views. If you can’t beat the sorry yahoos running against you without betraying all you supposed principles, then maybe you don’t deserve to be there. In any case, there are so many great local musicians in Tucson, I’d rather spend my money to see them than most any national group.
azjimn2son your posts are quite naive. the ‘boycott’ you support is not going to change the minds of the state legislature but we can vote those people out of office. giffords is a realist, you can’t govern from the far right or the far left (particularly in her district) and expect to be a career politician. you’d rather she be voted out of office so your idealistic conscience can sleep at night. why don’t you try running and find out for yourself.