Musicians Rock the Boat for Sea Shepherd
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In 1978, the first Sea Shepherd vessel hunted down and rammed the 'Sierra', a notorious pirate whaling ship, in a Portuguese harbor. Since then, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has conducted hundreds of missions, practicing full-contact ocean conservation, and even landing a starring role in the T.V. show 'Whale Wars'.
Bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, accustomed to making their own waves, seem to vibe with Sea Shepherd's brand of activist marine mayhem. After 25 years of supporting the group, Anthony Kiedis and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers were awarded Sea Shepherd's first 'Rock the Boat' award, in 2007. Trash McSweeney, lead singer for Australian art-rock band The Red Paintings, finds a kindred spirit in Sea Shepherd's maverick Captain Paul Watson, and the likes of Mick Jagger and Rick Rubin have been seen at Sea Shepherd galas.
According to Sea Shepherd:
Music is a powerful media and it is an essential tool for increasing awareness and raising support. We all have the power to change the world in so many different ways and musicians are blessed with the ability to convey messages powerfully with great emotion.
On August 12, Modest Mouse released a music video for "King Rat", a track off their new album, No One's First, And You're Next. Proceeds from the download of the music video on iTunes the first month of its release will be donated to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to support their ocean conservation campaigns. "Modest Mouse is bringing an important issue to their fans via this music video and raising awareness about illegal whaling in a provocative and effective manner," said Captain Paul Watson.
Sea Shepherd has taken on small- and big-time poachers, big companies and governments, often facing arrest and litigation after a mission to stop marine exploitation. Still, swift policy changes and shrewd public scrutiny of the issues often follow in Sea Shepherd's wake, and the group has made significant impacts on conservation laws and law enforcement. Activist bands appreciate the hands-on approach. Even the Dalai Lama, perhaps the biggest rock star of all, has voiced his support of Sea Shepherd's non-violent action to protect life in the earth's oceans.
On August 17, Australian singer-songwriter Xavier Rudd, who sometimes flies the Sea Shepherd Jolly Roger flag on stage and encourages fans to support the group, was awarded Sea Shepherd's second Rock the Boat Award. A multi-instrumental jam extraordinaire, Rudd has made himself known for his innovative sound, combining vocals and guitar licks with percussion and the didgeridoo, all of which he plays simultaneously.
Even the remaining members of the Grateful Dead are digging the Shepherd. The fellas, known post-Jerry Garcia simply as, The Dead, have auctioned off tickets for their most recent tour to benefit various nonprofit organizations, including Sea Shepherd. Said the legendary Bob Weir, "We want to do what we can to keep these folks up and running and in business."
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