Songs Of Change By Katie Nicholls
In April 2019, thousands of activists blocked roads and bridges in London as part of protest movement Extinction Rebellion, while David Attenborough’s Climate Change: The Facts aired to a shocked audience. In the same month, 16-year-old Swedish activist 24 Greta Thunberg met with UK party leaders and gave a speech in parliament condemning the UK’s inadequate policies in tackling the growing threat of an environmental disaster. It was a perfect storm. The government declared an environmental emergency in the UK and the climate change message was suddenly no longer the concern of a growing minority, instead becoming fully absorbed into the mainstream cultural consciousness. Of course, warnings about climate change are not new, with Neil Young (Mother Earth) and Joni Mitchell (Big Yellow Taxi) to Radiohead (Idioteque), Michael Jackson (Earth Song) and Antony Hegarty (4 Degrees) discussing this issue through their work since the 1960s. What happened in spring 2019, however, was the sense of emergency reaching new levels. Naturally, musicians, festivals and venues have been responding to the crisis. Ticking clock “It seemed like the music world had lost touch with reality, partying like there’s no tomorrow, when ‘no tomorrow’ has become the forecast,” says Fay Milton, drummer with Savages and one of the eight-person working group leading Music Declares Emergency. The new
The Musician • Autumn 2019
© Bobby Singh / Shutterstock
As the effects of global warming and pollution grow ever greater, the music industry is adding its voice to the climate change protest.
Radiohead (left) and Savages (right) are discussing climate issues and supporting Music Declares Emergency.
group was formed to “enable the UK music industry to declare a climate and ecological emergency, to accelerate collaboration and ambition in order to meet critical targets and to call on government to use their policy and investment tools to help us to reach those goals”. So far, over 700 artists, venues, festivals and promoters have signed up to the group’s aim of a carbon neutral music scene, including Radiohead, The Cambridge Folk Festival and Abbey Road Studios. “The most powerful thing we can do is to build communities to work together, share knowledge, and accelerate ambition. So that’s how we work to support everyone – from individuals to large institutions,” says Chiara Badiali from environmental action charity Julie’s Bicycle. Its goal is to galvanise creative communities to act on climate change. It has also been the driving force behind the formation of Music Declares Emergency. Meanwhile, UK festivals are upping their engagement with the issue. Shambala, a leading light in promoting green credentials since its first event in 1999, has been meat
free since 2016 and now uses 100 per cent renewable energy using vegetable oil and solar power units. In 2019 Glastonbury banned single use plastic from the festival site. Voice of protest By virtue of their audience, musicians have the opportunity to champion a cause and engage their audiences in the issues that concern them. “Artists and creatives are uniquely placed because we have a very specific relationship to how we make, experience, and reflect on the world around us,” says Chiara. “The arts and creative communities are better placed than any other to drive a peaceful, consensual and positive transformation… And now is the time to act.” “I think it’s vital,” agrees Emily Barker, singersongwriter, and UK Americana Artist of the Year 2018. “I think in any form of art it’s crucial that we emote the science and we’re able to
