I Love You All The Time
December 19, 2015 11:57 AM   Subscribe

Eagles Of Death Metal have announced their Play It Forward fundraising campaign for victims of and families of victims of the Paris terrorist attacks of Nov 13. Artists of all musical genres are encouraged to cover EODM's song I Love You All The Time and offer it up for purchase, with all proceeds going toward this fund. So far, a wide variety of musicians have contributed covers, and more are expected. Pearl Jam is also offering a 7" single. Music can help heal the world, or at least help support those affected by senseless violence.
posted by hippybear (30 comments total) 13 users marked this as a favorite
 
I find the impromptu hagiography of this band amusing after reading this Grantland piece about their main guy only weeks earlier.

But you know, doing good does good, and even assholes can do some good sometimes.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:47 PM on December 19, 2015 [7 favorites]


Hagiography? I've not seen much of that. I did find this VICE interview with the band about the shootings to be a bit too harrowing to watch, and it seems Jesse was most deeply affected of all, according to his body language.

I don't know much about the band other than I heard them first at my barber's about 18 months ago, and then forgot about them until the night of the shooting, and what happened at their show was pretty horrible no matter what side of politics you are on. They lost a member of their crew that night, as many others lost friends or family. I was at a show that night in a completely different corner of the planet, a thing that is not lost on me.

As far as the actual tracks go, they're an interesting mixed bag of styles or conformity. I'm working on finding an ideal play order, and when I do I will post it here.

I bought all the tracks for $13. I paid $12 for breakfast this morning. It felt like a simple thing to do, for me personally.
posted by hippybear at 3:14 PM on December 19, 2015 [1 favorite]


I find the impromptu hagiography of this band amusing after reading this Grantland piece

I think I'm now looking forward to this guy's autobiography.
posted by philip-random at 3:16 PM on December 19, 2015 [1 favorite]


Hagiography? I've not seen much of that.

Perhaps 'retroactive valorization' might be a better way to express it, but I've seen a ton. But then, I only really noticed because I had been surprised at what a reprehensible human being Jesse Hughes comes off as in that Grantland piece.

what happened at their show was pretty horrible no matter what side of politics you are on.

Yes, of course. My comments are not directed at you or this post, merely the fascinating and upsetting way that some things can be forgiven and forgotten, while others most assuredly are not, when there is fresh blood on the ground.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:27 PM on December 19, 2015 [1 favorite]


Watching the video in the FPP and then a few other songs of theirs was the first time I realized that they weren't actually a death metal band.

Reading the Grantland and other pieces, the main guy doesn't really sound like my kind of person, but I wish them luck in this, and it is clear that they were deeply affected by the events.
posted by Dip Flash at 4:54 PM on December 19, 2015


what happened at their show was pretty horrible no matter what side of politics you are on

Not really sure what side of politics has any space for a random mass shooting of ordinary people on the street, or what side of politics might find even the most remote connection to such an event.
posted by C.A.S. at 6:05 PM on December 19, 2015 [2 favorites]


Not really sure what side of politics has any space for a random mass shooting of ordinary people on the street, or what side of politics might find even the most remote connection to such an event.

I'm not sure either. I was making an FPP about a charity fundraiser devoted to supporting those whose lives were altered forever by the random mass shooting, but then the very first comment brought politics into it. Apparently it's important to someone... *shrug*
posted by hippybear at 6:11 PM on December 19, 2015 [2 favorites]


Well, I don't know about politics.

I thought and still think that it is fascinating how Jesse Hughes could (assuming the Grantland piece does him justice) go from someone 'unabashed in his moral depravity' to someone at the front of a charity fundraiser like this. I don't suggest that he's not sincere in doing it, in any way. Tragedy can transform people, and so if he isn't an asshole (as I characterized him earlier) any more, that's both interesting and a very positive thing, I think.

And, as I was careful to note, if he still is that same person the Grantland piece describes, even after recent events, well he's still involved in doing good with this charity effort, and that is, again: good.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:51 PM on December 19, 2015 [1 favorite]


Honestly, I don't know Jesse, and I have no experience with being in a concert where nearly 90 people were shot to death. And it's possible to still be an asshole and have this life event occur which makes you want to create something that helps those affected by it.

I hope another 100 artists of various background and styles join up to this effort. The 13 tracks I have downloaded so far have been fun to listen to, and I didn't mind dropping the (basically) pennies on them because charity and stuff. We need some EDM and industrial and bluegrass and all sorts of other genres taking this on, because it's all for a good cause.

Jesse can deal with his present and past ghosts of attitude (if he has any, which certainly isn't anything I know about) at another time.
posted by hippybear at 9:02 PM on December 19, 2015


And it's possible to still be an asshole and have this life event occur which makes you want to create something that helps those affected by it.

Absolutely, as I said.

I hope another 100 artists of various background and styles join up to this effort

Me too.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:04 PM on December 19, 2015 [1 favorite]


I thought and still think that it is fascinating how Jesse Hughes could (assuming the Grantland piece does him justice) go from someone 'unabashed in his moral depravity' to someone at the front of a charity fundraiser like this. I don't suggest that he's not sincere in doing it, in any way.

Who's to know anyone's true motivation? But it's hard to argue that having one of their songs, previously little known by the general public, covered by high profile bands will provide some invaluable promotion for the group in addition to the indisputable charitable benefit.
posted by fairmettle at 1:48 AM on December 20, 2015 [1 favorite]


What fairmettle said. I'm struggling to see why I, as a musician, would prefer to release a cover of an EODM song as a charity single, rather than one of my own. As far as I can tell, all it does is give EODM a plug and endorsement I would not wish to provide.
posted by Dysk at 2:39 AM on December 20, 2015 [2 favorites]


I suppose the reason a musician might prefer to release a cover of the song is because all of the means of giving are already in place, and because by the nature of what EODM went through people will hear more about the charitable outreach because the media is already focused on that group. If some other group has the misfortune to be part of a terrorist attack and survive they will also be in a public/publicity space to raise awareness and money.

I have honestly never listened to the group, and never read the article. He may be an ass. But it seems difficult to fault them for raising money to help people. And I guess if it helps them too, that's just the upside for them. I can't imagine there are many upsides that come from such an event.
posted by bluespark25 at 5:24 AM on December 20, 2015


Right, but Jesse out of EODM is so much of an arse that anything that is an upside for EODM is a net negative for the world. It'd be like if Shrikelli started a fundraiser that was also massive positive publicity for him, while continuing to be entirely unrepentant - on balance, not worth getting behind when you could do the same good without involving the hideous, hideous personality.
posted by Dysk at 5:57 AM on December 20, 2015


I never listened to them either so I don't care about them as a band either way - but for the sake of pedantic accuracy, these are the facts that can be gathered so far:

- The "donating covers" thing started with Duran Duran donating their royalties for the previously recorded EOMD cover that was brought back to the UK charts through a campaign started by fans - as is explicitely stated at the very beginning of their own announcement about this initiative

- On their campaign homepage they also state:
In the same spirit, we would encourage you to offer one of your songs up to be covered by another artist, and follow suit - donate the publishing monies to charity - The Play it Forward Initiative.
- The list of musicians participating includes all sorts of names - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE (FEATURING THE MACCABEES), KINGS OF LEON, ED HARCOURT, IMAGINE DRAGONS, MY MORNING JACKET, SAVAGES, JIMMY EAT WORLD, THE NEW PACIFIC, r00ms, SAVAGES, SINNER SINNERS, DEAN WEEN GROUP - many of those are not well known to the general public, even lesser known than EODM were before the attacks, so it's not like only higher profile musicians are involved in doing the covers

- EODM were not some struggling unknown band, they sure weren't as famous as U2 or Duran Duran but they had been around for ages and were touring internationally and had their own dedicated fan base already

- The attack itself already brought them at the centre of media attention and in contact with even more musicians

- Using that attention and those contacts with other musicians is arguably a more effective way of doing a fundraising than, say, doing it in secret, or just putting a donate button on your website

Put all these things together, shake well, form any opinion on what they're doing - but that's the current facts of immediate relevance to their fundraising initiative for the victims of the attacks.

As for the other fact mentioned here - that the frontman may be a dickhead and likes drugs (not in itself an unprecedented combination in rock history) and Donald Trump and George Bush and Ronald Reagan and Israel and guns and the Bible and going to church (admittedly a more original mix of preferences for rock musicians) and talking about a bunch of contradictory/contrarian/controversial stuff that has "I am such a blowhard and I like to piss off people" written all over it - well, I don't know about the relevance of all that to the fundraising effort itself. It's not like Trump himself is setting up a fund for victims of the Paris attacks while running for president. But I can see how once you learn about those things you cannot ignore them easily.
posted by bitteschoen at 7:02 AM on December 20, 2015 [2 favorites]


For some of us, things like supporting Trump represent a very real threat to or attack on our very right to exist. I cannot overstate how much that particular point matters.
posted by Dysk at 8:06 AM on December 20, 2015 [4 favorites]


I've been casually aware of EODMfor a few years, but had never heard any of their music until the news lowered my curiosity barrier. My loss, I guess. They certainly rate "guilty pleasure" status or better.
posted by hwestiii at 9:48 AM on December 20, 2015


Dsyk: that's very clear, and I can sympathize with that point myself, but the point here is the fundraiser... Do this guy's opinions - which he has occasionally voiced in the past, not since the attacks - really matter that much more than whether the fundraiser is a worthwhile effort or not, in itself?

The band are not going around talking politics. They are not using their accidental worldwide notoriety to endorse Trump or promote any of their political views. If they start doing it, then that will be very relevant - but they haven't. Maybe they were genuinely affected by escaping a bloodbath and seeing their fans decimated in front of them and genuinely want to "pay it forward". Maybe that's why they're drawing the support of all kinds of bands, regardless of politics, because this is not about politics.

For all we know, among the other survivors and families of victims there may be more than one person who voted for Marine Le Pen. It's likely, given the numbers involved. Would that make them less worthy of sympathy and donations? Less... innocent? At what point does the line for political pedigree and purity of intentions need to be drawn there, before there can be any solidarity?
posted by bitteschoen at 2:15 PM on December 20, 2015 [1 favorite]


Dsyk: that's very clear, and I can sympathize with that point myself, but the point here is the fundraiser... Do this guy's opinions - which he has occasionally voiced in the past, not since the attacks - really matter that much more than whether the fundraiser is a worthwhile effort or not, in itself?

Well yes, because I (and others) also have the option of fund-raising in a way that doesn't have the side effect of signal-boosting and promoting EODM in general, whether it be in other ways entirely, or by recording and releasing an original song with the proceeds going to charity.

For all we know, among the other survivors and families of victims there may be more than one person who voted for Marine Le Pen. It's likely, given the numbers involved. Would that make them less worthy of sympathy and donations? Less... innocent?

No, but it would make it a lot less appealing to engage in brand promotion for those victims' personal brands, much as it is to do it for EODM.
posted by Dysk at 2:52 PM on December 20, 2015


Oh, ok... seriously? "brand promotion for those victims' personal brands"? what does that mean? those are people, there are no brands on the receiving end of donations there.

Good luck anyway, setting up a direct donation effort like that with the condition that both those donating and those receiving donations must be politically aligned to some pre-approved views of your choice. And best of luck screening them out. That will the most appealing and effective fundraising ever. As long as you feel good about it! That's the spirit isn't it?

If you are not joking, if that's seriously your approach to solidarity and charity, then don't ever donate or do anything in support of any group of people - statistically there's bound to be someone who said or did things you will not approve of in there.

That applies even more to larger and more diverse groups of people. Like, say, refugees.

And this is how you end up out-trumping Trump, by the way.
posted by bitteschoen at 4:00 PM on December 20, 2015


Oh, ok... seriously? "brand promotion for those victims' personal brands"? what does that mean?

That means that EODM is Jesse's personal brand, basically, and that this charity single drive is promoting them. I have no issue with any donations going to people I don't agree with politically, or even people who might wish for my death. I would, however, have an issue with engaging in charity work that has a side effect of promoting their bands (or other personal brands, as artists, chefs, consultants, whatever) in the way that this does for EODM.

what does that mean? those are people, there are no brands on the receiving end of donations there.

I don't know how to put it more simply than this: money donated going to Marine Le Pen because some of her family were victims of the attacks or whatever? No problem. Engaging in a charity drive that is also a marketing exercise for Front National? No fucking way.

Engaging in a charity drive that is also a marketing exercise for EODM (the personal brand of a very very reprehensible person) is like the latter, not the former.
posted by Dysk at 4:07 PM on December 20, 2015


I haven't listened to most of their catalog, to be honest basically none of it, but does EODM really use their music to promote the personal politics of Jesse, or any of the other 4 people in the band?

That VICE interview with them linked upthread is harrowing, but worth watching. If you want to see what effect being on stage when almost 90 people are being shot to death in your audience has on people.
posted by hippybear at 4:30 PM on December 20, 2015 [1 favorite]


So I've been playing around with the 13 tracks I have, and for those who are playing along at home, I think this is a pretty good running order:

Jimmy Eat World
The New Pacific
Dean Ween Group
r00ms
My Morning Jacket
Mini Mansions
Kings Of Leon
Alain Johannes
Savages
Sinner Sinners
Imagine Dragons
Florence + The Machine
Ed Harcourt

It seems to provide the right flow between a direct statement of the song (Jimmy Eat World) and through various styles deep into the weird and back again and finally ends with a deep resignation, which is what the song demands.
posted by hippybear at 8:32 PM on December 20, 2015


By the way, the just-released HBO U2 concert video from Paris brought the EODM on to play Patti Smith's People Have The Power and this song at the end of the show. I watched it Friday night with some of my Friday night adult beverages, and the gesture was kind of touching, everything else being discussed notwithstanding.

(And kind of weird as someone who once loved but hasn't really enjoyed U2's stuff in well over a decade -- I found myself veering wildly back and forth between *rolleyes* and then tearing up a bit during the concert. No matter how you feel about U2, though, it was a pretty spectacular production.)
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:43 PM on December 20, 2015


stavrosthewonderchicken: I think their performance of Bullet The Blue Sky from that show is a mini-masterpiece in and of itself.
posted by hippybear at 8:54 PM on December 20, 2015 [1 favorite]


I know, right? Fat Bono (which at least makes me feel better about my own middle-aged spread) and his weakened voice, 15 years of (to me, at least) forgettable songs, mostly, but man, they can still blast out some of the old ones like goddamned thunder.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:05 PM on December 20, 2015


Well, maybe 'fat' is excessively unkind. 'Plump' perhaps, because it's fun to say 'plump Bono'.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:20 PM on December 20, 2015


I found myself wondering how much of Bono's body language was being limited by his bicycle accident, which was pretty severe. There were a lot of times during the show where it looked like he was moving within self-prescribed limits or even resting due to pain.

Overall, it's a pretty great show. One of the best concert presentations I've seen by anyone. Only NIN really beats them out for using tech merged with music.
posted by hippybear at 9:31 PM on December 20, 2015


There were a lot of times during the show where it looked like he was moving within self-prescribed limits or even resting due to pain.

Hadn't thought of that. I knew he broke an arm, but I wasn't aware the injuries were more extensive.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:41 PM on December 20, 2015




« Older tear it out, root and branch   |   memories of the future Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments