“Wait, we don’t want a song by the drummer!”

October 18, 2024 3:56 AM

The History of Red Hot, the Pioneering Social Change Organization, in 8 Great Songs Ahead of Transa, a new project for trans charities featuring Sade and André 3000, Red Hot founder John Carlin talks about wrangling Nirvana through Kurt Cobain’s babysitter and accidentally releasing the first-ever Wilco song.
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs (6 comments total)

Wow. This is a great post.

I have Red Hot + Blue, and I remember how pioneering it was - and yet I also don't fully remember, didn't FULLY realize. I don't think I was aware of anything other than the album - I don't remember the TV special at all, and I'm not sure I was aware of all the music videos (in the era of MTV? Of course they all had videos! but I don't remember them).

I had NO IDEA the project had continued all this time, and done so many albums, and done so much good work.

The interviews in the oral history are terrific and enlightening.

I am so glad to know this project has been around for so long, and has accomplished so much. I look at the article, and the roster, and I think about the cliche of creative types doing charity projects for good PR - and I hear and see in this article their pain and their anger, their determination to do SOMETHING about the crushing loss, the heartless disease of AIDS, the cruel disease of homophobia, and I am truly moved, newly, by what they did, and what Carlin and everyone who's joined him are continuing to do, decades on.

This has gladdened my heart.

Thank you so much for sharing this, Ten Cold Hot Dogs.

This is good.
posted by kristi at 6:38 AM on October 18 [7 favorites]

Aw, Red Hot + Blue! This was was one of the cassettes I brought on my cross-country motorcycle trip (when space was at a premium) in the early 90s, and Don't Fence Me In was one of the highlights (I can still sing along to it!), along with several other stellar tracks.

I knew the Red Hot org put out a couple other albums that I wasn't as interested in, but I didn't know No Alternative was one of them (I have that one too). I don't remember the PSAs, but I wasn't watching a lot of television at that time. Had no idea they were still a going concern. That is encouraging.
posted by Pedantzilla at 8:00 AM on October 18 [2 favorites]

I have "Red Hot + Blue," from which I still play songs, and also "No Alternative" -- which (like Pedantzilla) until today I didn't recall being part of the same project, and which is such a great collection.

Dang, now I want to hear more of these!
posted by wenestvedt at 9:33 AM on October 18 [1 favorite]

I am delighted (but not surprised) that Beverly Glenn-Copeland is on here.
posted by vverse23 at 9:41 AM on October 18 [1 favorite]

Based on the timeline, the most likely "song by the drummer" they would have gotten was Marigold which is pretty good.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:30 PM on October 18

Ms. Otis regrets...
posted by oldnumberseven at 2:34 AM on October 20 [1 favorite]