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.

More more Moore, after the jump…

 
Musicians and Noise Artists, Elizabeth Veldon and Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt have recorded and released For Chelsea Manning, a 40-minute experimental, Avant-Garde album, in support of the recently convicted soldier.

Chelsea Manning is a queer hero, she is a role model for socially and politically engaged queer people.

The album is the first release from Veldon‘s new, political label Queering the Black Circle:

A record label for and by queer artists. Sometimes the music may be about queer issues, sometimes it may not but the motto of the label stands: queer artists, queer music.

For Chelsea Manning is available for download here.
 

 
Previously on Dangerous Minds
An introduction to the world of Noise Artist: Elizabeth Veldon

The ‘Accidental Guitar Music’ of Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt