A phenomenal achievement made possible by an exceptional collaborative spirit.
1995 was a golden time for British music with young indie and underground acts storming the mainstream and the summer’s infamous race for number one between Blur and Oasis. But even they were willing to come together to support some of the world’s most vulnerable children.
At the time the situation in the Bosnian conflict was drastically deteriorating. Hundreds of thousands had lost their lives, and the fighting had displaced millions from their homes. War Child looked to the music industry to raise much needed emergency funds and raise awareness of the worsening conflict to help support as many children as possible. A music industry collective led by Go! Discs Tony Crean, The Stone Roses and Manic Street Preachers publicist Terri Hall, Black Grape publicist Anton Brookes and legendary music PR Rob Partridge took immediate action opening their contact books and pulling together an unbelievable line-up of artists and support from studios, producers, engineers, labels, retailers, production and distribution staff.
Inspiration and direction came from John Lennon who around the release of 1970’s ‘Instant Karma’ said, “The best record you can make is recorded on a Monday, cut on Tuesday, pressed up on Wednesday, packaged on a Thursday, distributed on Friday, in the shops on Saturday…” and this is exactly what all those involved did.
The result was staggering and instantly changed the perception of what a charity album could be, whilst raising a spectacular amount of money and shining a light on this serious issue.
