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| From | Popdude@aol.com |
| Subject | "Of Hands and Hearts" article in today's Orange County Register |
| Date | Fri, 25 Mar 2005 12:56:24 EST |
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Nice article about the just-released tsunami relief cd produced by former
Auditeer and all-around good guy Stephen "Spaz" Schnee.
I've had the pleasure of hearing the disc and it's a real winner. Support a
great cause and pick one up (I believe Not Lame, JAM and the usual suspects
should have 'em).
JB
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Orange Pop
By ROBERT KINSLER
Special to the Register
Stephen Schnee had been looking forward to this week, with March 22 marking
the release date for "Of Hands and Hearts," an ambitious CD benefiting victims
of the deadly tsunami that hit Asia and Africa last December.
But the executive producer of the project was dealt a personal blow two days
before the release of the CD.
"On Sunday, March 20, just after noon on a bright and beautiful day, the man
who inspired this project passed away at the age of 65 after a long, brave
battle with cancer. ... He was my father, Duane John Schnee, and he taught my
family and I all about strength, love and compassion," Schnee wrote in an e-mail
this week.
Despite the loss of his father, Schnee was back at work the next day getting
the word out about the disc. In fact, he said he was especially saddened
because his father battled cancer for 2 1/2 years but didn't live to see the
release date. "He was very proud of the project," Schnee said.
"Of Hands and Hearts" features 49 artists from seven countries around the
globe. A mix of up-and-coming artists (Wormstew, the Waking Hours, Eugene
Edwards, the Virginia Sisters) and established veterans (Dramarama, the Fixx, Wang
Chung, Adrian Belew) are among those whose songs in the collection.
Schnee workedtirelessly from the time he learned of the disaster to recruit
artists and issue the disc through Anaheim-based Integrity Records. In addition
to approaching all of the artists and labels about securing music, he
commissioned the artwork (Reg Mombassa did the CD cover), finalized the track listing
and is handling promotion. All of the net proceeds from the sale are going to
CARE (www.careusa.org), a humanitarian organization that works in 70
countries to find lasting solutions to poverty.
"The seeds of this project were planted that very day (the tsunami struck).
My father had lung cancer, and the first time I really noticed a real physical
change in him was on Dec. 26, the day after his 65th birthday. It was such a
devastating day emotionally, and initially I felt that there was absolutely
nothing I could do to help anyone. But the human spirit is much stronger than we
can ever imagine, and it was only a week or so before I came up with the idea
to put this thing together," Schnee recalled.
In addition to Schnee's role, there are many other Orange County connections.
The CD's ranks include Orange-based Suburban Legends and Surf City's Jeffrey
Foskett (the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson). And Jeremy Morris performs a song
co-written by John Borack, a noted Fountain Valley-based TV director and pop-music
journalist (Goldmine, Amplifier magazine).
Whittier resident and Dramarama frontman John Easdale is among the artists
who have contributed a new track for the CD.
"I think anyone would jump forward (to help)," Easdale said of the response
to disaster, adding, "The scope and size is mind boggling."
Dramarama is finishing up work on a new album for release in May. The band
contributed a new song ("Try Five Times") for the tsunami disc.
"Stephen called a week or so after the disaster (asking if Dramarama wanted
to include a song on the CD), and I said, 'Sure.' A lot of people do that
(help) with their wallets. This is an easy way of doing service; to help in some
small way."
Schnee said that every one of the 49 artists he contacted was helpful and
considerate; he said there was not a single case where egos got in the way of
getting an artist included.
"I just started sending e-mails to artists that I knew, artists that I
admired and artists that my friends suggested," Schnee said. "Luckily, with some of
the bigger name artists (Dramarama, the Fixx), I had some sort of contact with
them already. Other bands that I approached, such as Supersuckers, Adrian
Belew, Wang Chung and Annabella Lwin (Bow Wow Wow) were artists that I admired
and who were very supportive from the very beginning."
Schnee noted that the title of the compilation refers to the strength
("Hands") and love ("Hearts") that organizations such as CARE offer to those in need,
as well as the hands and hearts of the artists who created the music on "Of
Hands and Hearts."
"We think of 9/11, and that was horrific," Easdale said. "When you heard of
hundreds of thousands dead (in the wake of the tsunami) - it's too high to
count."
The CD can be ordered through www.idealcopy.com, as well as purchased at a
number of area music retailers. For more information, visit
www.integritydistributors.com.
Freelancer Robert Kinsler has written about pop music for the Register since
1992.
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