Just when you thought the Torontonian, living legends of post-hardcore couldn’t get any zanier they go and release a Christmas single that’s sure to ring in holiday cheer — well, as best a band with a frontman named “Pink Eyes” can anyways. More Canadian hardcore fun after the jump.
Calling the song a “tongue-in-cheek” take on the ’80s classic “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Fucked Up has rounded together the likes of GZA, Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend), Bob Mould (Husker Du), Tegan & Sara, Andrew W.K., Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio), David Cross (Yep, the very one you’re thinking of), and fellow Toronto-based musician Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene) to create what sounds like the most diverse Christmas sing-a-long ever.
After winning the prestigious Polaris Music Prize earlier this year for their critically acclaimed album, The Chemistry of Common Life, the crew of Fucked Up opted to put the $20,000 grand prize toward financing this latest project — with 100% of the proceeds going to Justice For Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (Montreal), DTES Power of Women Group (Vancouver) and Sisters in Spirit (Ottawa).
Matador Records, Fucked Up’s label, issued the following explanation for putting all sales toward these groups:
“Since 1980, there have been 520 known cases of missing or murdered Aboriginal women across Canada and many believe the true number to be significantly higher. If compared to the rest of the population their death and disappearance rate would be equivalent to over 18,000 Canadian women and girls missing or murdered. Approximately 50% of the murders and disappearances have occurred during or since 2000.”
Who imagined hardcore aficionados to be so caring? That’s a touch of class.
In true hardcore fashion “Do They Know It’s Christmas” will be released as a 7″ in February 2010. In the meantime, check out the festive single on iTunes HERE.
Take a look at one of the band’s more memorable TV appearances (also the reason they’re not invited back to MTV Canada).
December 10, 2009 at 9:49 am, Zack V said:
I heard about this, and I cant wait to hear what it might sound like. I’ve tried to process it in my head, but it sounds like white noise when I get about halfway through the contributors.