Musicians for Overdose Prevention launches an online music “underground battle of the bands” to advocate for the distribution of naloxone to music venues, musicians, bands and fans.
Musicians for Overdose Prevention will present the “June Madness” online music series to raise awareness about the need for naloxone distribution. During the month of June, 64 bands and musicians will play 126 mini-sets in a fun knock-out bracket format. Beginning on June 1 and lasting every night until July 2, each night from 7-8pm EST, four 15-minute sets from underground rock and country musicians from around the United States will be broadcast from the bands/musicians live Facebook feed, and from the Holy Crap Records, Musicians for Overdose Prevention facebook pages. The bands or musicians who receive the most “Likes” will move on to the next round.
Musicians, particularly those who don’t have any financial support for their art, are extremely vulnerable; one reason that opioid addiction strikes musicians hard is because mental illness, specifically depression, is rampant. One study published in Billboard magazine found that 73% of independent musicians struggle with mental illness, specifically anxiety and depression. Especially during the time of COVID19, with music venues closed and the service industry employees facing mass unemployment, our aim is to help the music community to learn how to look after each other. Naloxone equips regular people to act as first responders in case of an overdose. The surgeon general stated in 2019 that it is more important for every American to carry naloxone than to know CPR; in spite of this, on the ground we don’t see great naloxone distribution, even amongst populations, such as musicians, who are disproportionately affected by overdose. We are distributing naloxone and advocating that everyone should carry it. We know this will save lives.
King Pizza Records and Holy Crap Records are partnering to support the Musicians for Overdose Prevention and this music series.
“King Pizza Records is excited to work on this project because community is the most important aspect of any music scene,” Greg Hanson, of King Pizza Records, says. “And supporting each other goes beyond the obvious. Naloxone distribution is an important step in bringing scenes closer together because safety - in all senses - is paramount to a healthy scene. Overdoses within the community are hopefully something we can work to reduce but the ability to save someone from an overdose is just as important in acknowledging the problem where it is and that way we can hopefully save lives.”
“This is a moment when artists and musicians can come together for each other,” JP Kennedy, of Musicians for Overdose Prevention and Holy Crap Records, says. “We make no judgements. We just want this music series to act as advocacy and outreach for carrying naloxone. I promise you - you will be blown away by the talent and performance of these musicians and bands. Underground DIY music is the greatest!”
Musicians for Overdose Prevention connects musicians and music clubs with suppliers of naloxone in their areas. Musicians for Overdose Prevention is also creating a compilation album featuring songs about the opioid epidemic, as written and performed by `underground’ rock musicians, and played on the Holy Crap Records Podcast.
The bands and musicians involved in June Madness include: Acid Carousel, Ameriglow, Axxa/Abraxas, Bad Molly, Bonny Dagger, Broken Robots, Butthole, Darby Wilcox, Day & Dream, Daydream Creatures, The Deathbots, Derek Frye, Davanan Habring, Domino & The Derelicts, Eerie Point, Elliott Kage Jones, Errol Bateman, Fantomex, Father is Lost, Fortezza, Georgie Harris, Grace Joyner, Guy Roswell, Harriers of Discord, Harry Harrison, Hong Kong Wigs, John Kirby and the New Seniors, Joseph Perez, Kitty Tsunami, Lavender Blue, Lo Wolf, Make No Bones, Mark Hayoowd, Mary Norris, Matt Greenia, Momma Molasses, MusiqReiV, Nicholas Bradley, Rascal Baskins, Power Snap, Quinn Powers, Reverend Bro Diddley and The Hips, Samuel Price, Sane Voids, Sang Sarah, Scott Stetson, Scout Harris, Slick Silver, Scum Shots, Slow Poison, Stevie and The Sleaze, Sun Voyager, The Callers, The Duke of Surl, The Flesh Panthers, The Rizzos, Tin Roof Echo, White Oak Splits and others.
Musicians for Overdose Prevention will present the “June Madness” online music series to raise awareness about the need for naloxone distribution. During the month of June, 64 bands and musicians will play 126 mini-sets in a fun knock-out bracket format. Beginning on June 1 and lasting every night until July 2, each night from 7-8pm EST, four 15-minute sets from underground rock and country musicians from around the United States will be broadcast from the bands/musicians live Facebook feed, and from the Holy Crap Records, Musicians for Overdose Prevention facebook pages. The bands or musicians who receive the most “Likes” will move on to the next round.
Musicians, particularly those who don’t have any financial support for their art, are extremely vulnerable; one reason that opioid addiction strikes musicians hard is because mental illness, specifically depression, is rampant. One study published in Billboard magazine found that 73% of independent musicians struggle with mental illness, specifically anxiety and depression. Especially during the time of COVID19, with music venues closed and the service industry employees facing mass unemployment, our aim is to help the music community to learn how to look after each other. Naloxone equips regular people to act as first responders in case of an overdose. The surgeon general stated in 2019 that it is more important for every American to carry naloxone than to know CPR; in spite of this, on the ground we don’t see great naloxone distribution, even amongst populations, such as musicians, who are disproportionately affected by overdose. We are distributing naloxone and advocating that everyone should carry it. We know this will save lives.
King Pizza Records and Holy Crap Records are partnering to support the Musicians for Overdose Prevention and this music series.
“King Pizza Records is excited to work on this project because community is the most important aspect of any music scene,” Greg Hanson, of King Pizza Records, says. “And supporting each other goes beyond the obvious. Naloxone distribution is an important step in bringing scenes closer together because safety - in all senses - is paramount to a healthy scene. Overdoses within the community are hopefully something we can work to reduce but the ability to save someone from an overdose is just as important in acknowledging the problem where it is and that way we can hopefully save lives.”
“This is a moment when artists and musicians can come together for each other,” JP Kennedy, of Musicians for Overdose Prevention and Holy Crap Records, says. “We make no judgements. We just want this music series to act as advocacy and outreach for carrying naloxone. I promise you - you will be blown away by the talent and performance of these musicians and bands. Underground DIY music is the greatest!”
Musicians for Overdose Prevention connects musicians and music clubs with suppliers of naloxone in their areas. Musicians for Overdose Prevention is also creating a compilation album featuring songs about the opioid epidemic, as written and performed by `underground’ rock musicians, and played on the Holy Crap Records Podcast.
The bands and musicians involved in June Madness include: Acid Carousel, Ameriglow, Axxa/Abraxas, Bad Molly, Bonny Dagger, Broken Robots, Butthole, Darby Wilcox, Day & Dream, Daydream Creatures, The Deathbots, Derek Frye, Davanan Habring, Domino & The Derelicts, Eerie Point, Elliott Kage Jones, Errol Bateman, Fantomex, Father is Lost, Fortezza, Georgie Harris, Grace Joyner, Guy Roswell, Harriers of Discord, Harry Harrison, Hong Kong Wigs, John Kirby and the New Seniors, Joseph Perez, Kitty Tsunami, Lavender Blue, Lo Wolf, Make No Bones, Mark Hayoowd, Mary Norris, Matt Greenia, Momma Molasses, MusiqReiV, Nicholas Bradley, Rascal Baskins, Power Snap, Quinn Powers, Reverend Bro Diddley and The Hips, Samuel Price, Sane Voids, Sang Sarah, Scott Stetson, Scout Harris, Slick Silver, Scum Shots, Slow Poison, Stevie and The Sleaze, Sun Voyager, The Callers, The Duke of Surl, The Flesh Panthers, The Rizzos, Tin Roof Echo, White Oak Splits and others.