We’re closing in fast on Cassette Store Day (yes, there is such a thing). It’s October 8, and former Sonic Youth member Thurston Moore, is using the celebration of tape culture as an occasion to release a song in support of the campaign to free U.S. Army Private Chelsea Manning, who in July 2013 was sentenced to 30 years in military prison for sharing information on WikiLeaks. The information Manning (then known as Bradley Manning) released included footage of a U.S. helicopter attack that killed a dozen Iraqis plus uninvestigated reports of casualties, torture, and corporate interest in international diplomacy.
On August 22, 2013, the day after sentencing, Manning’s attorney made it known to the press his client was a female, and requested that she be referred to by her new name of Chelsea and feminine pronouns.
The name of Moore’s single is “Chelsea’s Kiss” with “Sad Saturday” as the B-side. The “cassingle” is being released by Blank Editions and some of the proceeds will go to the Chelsea Manning Support Network. The track was recorded by Moore, Ryan Sawyer, Deb Googe (of My Bloody Valentine), and James Sedwards (of Nøught). If you are in London on October 8, a release party will be held at Lion Coffee + Records in London.
We can’t play you “Chelsea’s Kiss” but we can provide “Youth Against Fascism” from Sonic Youth’s 1992 album Dirty.
via Pitchfork
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
‘For Chelsea Manning’: New album release from Elizabeth Veldon & Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt