Newton – Plays Negativland’s “U2”

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San Francisco bay area-based culture-jamming band, Negativland, has broken its silence regarding the passing of Casey Kasem. The late radio legend who just passed was featured prominently on Negativland’s 1991 EP/maxi-single “U2” (released & withdrawn by SST/Seeland) which has been a touchstone of the band’s career ever since.

In tribute, Negativland is offered the original multi-track master of the song for free download with the intent of allowing anyone and everyone to re-work the seminal track.

Newton has accepted this invitation and has created unique mixes. With these works he will not only pay tribute to the late radio legend, but also to U2, and Negativland themselves as their EP “U2” with its well-documented legal battles has influenced Newton’s perspectives on sound.

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From: Hal Stakke, Legal Counsel/Seeland Records
Subject: In Memoriam, Kemal Amin “Casey” Kasem (27 April 1932 – 15 June 2014): Negativland releases “U2” tracks for remixing and reuse

One of the most beloved voices in music radio, Kemal Amin “Casey” Kasem, died on Fatherʼs Day 2014 after a long illness, and also a very public family squabble over his continuing care. Negativland pays tribute to this broadcasting legend by reaching into its vaults and presenting what is perhaps Kasemʼs best-known work, on Negativlandʼs long-unavailable “U2” maxi- single, offering up for public consumption (and now, for creative reuse) what has been hidden from view for 23 years.

In 1991, Negativlandʼs “U2” single had one of the shortest releases in music history, squashed like a bug after less than ten days on store shelves, under legal fire from the Irish rock band U2ʼs music publisher (Warner/Chappell) and then-record label (Island). The history of this fracas was detailed in Negativland’s book and CD release, “Fair Use: The Story of the Letter U and the Numeral 2” (Seeland 013).

Now, instead of merely reissuing the “U2” record itself, Negativland presents, for free digital download, the original un-mixed studio multi-track tape for re-mixing, re-purposing and re- inventing in whichever way the listener may choose. Negativland encourages the re- contextualization of this seminal work for whatever reason, whatsoever. In keeping with the working methods and philosophy of Negativland, and the Fair Use provision in U.S. Copyright Law (Section 107, http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html), the group offers up this raw material in the hopes that entirely new versions of the work are created and disseminated.

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Members of Negativland pose with their attorney, Hal Stakke

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“Little Haiti Rock City” A documentary featuring the legendary Churchill’s Pub Kickstarter

A documentary featuring the legendary Churchill’s Pub in Miami, FL and the music scene and culture it has fostered for nearly 35 years.

Rat Bastard, Marilyn Manson and The Spooky Kids, Cock E.S.P., The Mavericks, Unicorn Hard-On, Iron & Wine, Harry Pussy, Iggy Pop, Haves & Thirds, Wyclef, To Live And Shave In L.A., Dick Dale, God Willing, R.E.M., Newton, U2, Torche, The Jacuzzi Boys, Humbert, Load, The Holy Terrors, Quit, Young Turk, Sum 41, Nuclear Valdez, Al’s Not Well, Suicidal Tendencies, The UK Subs, Del The Funky Homosapien, Holly Hunt, Anal Cunt, and a bit of fish n chips!

Every one of these artists and tens of thousands more have had their day at the legendary Churchill’s Pub. Many even playing their very first show on its humble stage, and some moving on to world-wide acclaim. This unlikely watering hole and live music venue in the middle of Miami, Florida’s Little Haiti community, has been a part of American music history like no other for nearly thirty-five years.

Just as CBGB’s defined a large part of the music scene in New York, so Churchill’s has done for South Florida. It’s a venue unlike any other, and which has survived against all odds, where freedom of expression reigns and anyone with a guitar is welcome to the stage. Churchill’s is much more than the bar that’s seen more live bands than any other bar in the world. It’s become a home to many, a community and a family, and a haven that has fostered and shaped the live music scene in a vacation town known mostly for bright lights, sunny beaches and electronic dance music. The number of acts that have performed at Churchill’s is estimated at well over 20,000 and counting, but it’s days are dwindling.

Churchill's Pub
Churchill’s Pub

“The definition of a music scene is based on a music venue. So once a venue disappears, that scene is gone… if Churchill’s disappears the music scene that is living here at Churchill’s now, is going to disappear.” 

~Rat Bastard, Miami’s Godfather of Noise, and international music legend.

Dave Daniels (left), the owner of Churcill's Pub, together with Rat Bastard.
Dave Daniels (left), the owner of Churcill’s Pub, together with Rat Bastard.

Churchill’s has been sold. Sadly for many, the time has come for owner Dave Daniel’s to retire, and once the bar changes hands Churchill’s Pub as the world knows it will be gone forever. Dave’s amazing ability to not allow favoritism and opinion to control the stage is a rarity amongst ownership and management in any part of the world and that shall go along with him. No matter what happens when that day comes, whether the bar stays open or not, or continues as a live music venue, the Churchill’s Pub that we know and love, that has made such an impact on so many lives and musical careers and ambitions, will be forever changed. This is our opportunity to tell this inspiring story, to document it, and to make sure that its history is forever preserved and we keep the legacy alive.

We just could not let this moment pass us by. We saw an amazing story that was about to disappear and fade away like so many others untold. Only to be reminisced upon and thought of fondly in years to come, everyone wistfully agreeing, yeah, that place was one of the greats. And so we jumped at the opportunity, and together with the help of our amazing friends and local crew, started production on a little documentary we call LITTLE HAITI ROCK CITY: A `SORT OF’ FILM ABOUT CHURCHILL’S PUB.

We need YOUR help. The response we’ve had from everyone has been AMAZING, and everyone we’ve contacted or who has heard about our project has come with an outpouring of support, stories to tell, photographs, video footage, old posters, and most importantly of all, overwhelming emotion and gratitude that we are telling this story.

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