Running October 14th through the 26th in Seattle, and coinciding with the worldwide observance of World Food Day on October 16, Groundwork 2001 is a week of music and activism designed to raise awareness about world hunger and help small farmers in developing countries. Artists scheduled to perform during the event, which will be held at different venues throughout the city, include R.E.M., Pearl Jam, the Wallflowers, Dave Mathews, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, Afro Celt Sound System, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Daniel Lanois, and Emmylou Harris, among many, many others.

Groundwork 2001 is tied into the United Nations Food and Agriculture Campaign who, for the past half-century, have helped the world's poor grow crops and raise animals, by providing them with the tools, seeds, and other equipment they so often lack. Proceeds from Groundwork 2001 will be used by the U.S. Committee for FAO, which will contribute the funds to FAO's global TeleFood fund.

The benefit is also being used to help raise momentum towards FAO's World Food Summit, scheduled to take place this November in Rome. The summit will be a meeting place for world leaders to renew a 1996 commitment to cut in half by 2015 the number of hungry men, women, and children in the world.

Both the cause and the artists lined up for this benefit are stellar, and this is an occasion you do not want to miss. However, if you miss out on the event's fast-selling tickets, you can still make donations to Groundwork via their website.

Artists Come Together for John Lennon Tribute

On October 9, on what would have been John Lennon's 61st birthday, Turner Network Television will air "Come Together: A Night for John Lennon." The sixth in a series begun by TNT in 1998, the broadcast (schedule to be recorded September 20 at Radio City Music Hall) will feature artists such as Lou Reed, Alanis Morissette, Moby, and others performing their own versions Lennon's songs.

Dubbed "A Concert in Support of a Non-Violent World," a portion of the concert's proceeds are to be donated to the Violence Policy Center, and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence in alliance with the Million Mom March.

Yoko Ono is the show's co-executive producer, Dave Stewart is the musical director, and Kevin Spacey hosts. Pull up a chair and a big bowl of popcorn and give thanks to the big hearts behind the event.

Liverpool Airport Now John Lennon Airport

In other Lennon news, England's Liverpool Airport was renamed Liverpool John Lennon Airport in a ceremony back in June. The first British airport to be named after an individual, the newly rechristened airport in the northwest of England will feature a scale model of a statue of the former Beatle. Said airport chairman Robert Hough: "Throughout the world, John Lennon is synonymous with Liverpool. He is an integral part of Merseyside's heritage and the new name places the airport firmly on the international map."

Did the world just get weirder or what?

Manson Accused of Robbing Crotch on Security Guard's Head

Not to be outdone by Lennon, Marilyn Manson was accused of rubbing his crotch the head of a security guard during July 20 performance at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan. In a statement released August 16, after spitting on the 25-year-old security person, Manson, attired only in a G-string, is alleged to have wrapped his legs around the guard and rubbed his genitals on his head and neck. "Manson's actions far exceed any freedom of expression or artistic license," said prosecutor David Gorcyca. "His conduct was in no way a choreographed part of the performance. These acts are sexual and physical assaults on an unsuspecting individual whose job was to protect the performers."

Charged with felony fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct along with misdemeanor assault and battery, Manson could face more than two years in prison if found guilty.

We're all sure it was just, ahem...just a big misunderstanding.

Manson to Write From Hell Soundtrack

And in more news from our favorite ghoulish metal rocker, word had it back in July that Manson is scheduled to write the soundtrack for From Hell, a movie adaptation of the graphic novel by Earpollution fav's Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, which is starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham, and is set to be released sometime in late Autumn.

Based on Jack the Ripper, the movie appears to veer away from the central plot of the comic, a grisly detailed and painstakingly researched theory on who Jack the Ripper might have been, and what his motives were. If you've not read anything by Alan Moore, his original From Hell comes highly recommended. Just be sure to read it with the lights on.

R.I.P. Joe Henderson

Rest in peace tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, who died June 30 at the age of 64 after a long struggle against emphysema. Henderson, whose styles ranged from bop to free jazz, was widely considered to have the tone for a tenor.

R.I.P. Al's Bar

Rest in peace punk institution Al's Bar. Located on the corner of Third and Hewitt in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, Al's had been around for over 22-years, and was widely acknowledged to be the oldest running punk venue on the west coast. Until now. The American Hotel--the building that housed the famous institution--was sold recently to Magnum Properties, who had no love of the arts and no desire to keep the club open. Under extremely short notice, the locks were changed and the club was closed. In the '80s, bands like the Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and the Minutemen cut their teeth at Al's; while during the latter half of the decade and into the early '90s, the likes of Beck and Nirvana paid their dues it Al's. It will be sorely missed.

R.I.P. Gibson's Bar and Grill

And in more disheartening punk venue news, unable to afford insurance costs due to earthquake damage to the building that housed it, Seattle's Gibson Bar and Grill recently closed its doors for good. Gibson's is the most recent in a long line of punk club closures here over the past few years. First went the Lake Union Pub, then went Uncle Rocky's, and now Gibson's. While the Chinese cuisine left a whole lot to be desired, the club was home to a lot of local punk acts, who oftentimes had difficulties getting booked elsewhere in town, and band's and music that Gibson's fearlessly championed. One of the last shows to be played there was an August 10 fundraiser for Earpollution's favorite local bleeding heart rag, Eat the State. Forced with the high insurance costs and the increasing gentrification of the Downtown/Belltown area of Seattle, Gibson's, sadly, called it a day.

Napster Irrelevant, Poll Says

In a poll conducted by Billboard online, a whopping 65 percent of the 8,530 participants polled believe that Napster is irrelevant. 15 percent said they never bothered with Napster in the past, so a newly relaunched site with subscription service don't mean diddly to them. Only 10 percent of those polled believe that a Napster subscription service will save them money over conventional means of purchasing music, and just nine percent said that compensating artists via a subscription fee was a fair deal.

Napster who? I'm sorry, who were we talking about again?

Pacifiers, Glow Sticks Once Declared Drug Paraphernalia by DEA Now Free Again

Earlier this year in a plea bargain between New Orleans rave promoters and the Drug Enforcement Agency under a federal "crack house," glow sticks, pacifiers, and other items commonly found at raves were officially declared them "drug paraphernalia." Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Well, it's true. However, following a class-action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, on August 23 U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous issued an injunction against enforcement of the plea bargain. In their suit, the ACLU claims the ban violates the constitutional right to free speech and the right against unlawful seizure of legal property (First and Fourth Amendment protections, respectfully). The judge set a case hearing for December. Diaper-wearing, pacifier-sucking ravers (and others) can breath a sigh of relief for the time being.

Thieves Are Scum (Flea's Blues Remix)

On August 15 between 3:30 and 6:30pm, some daring twit or twits broke in to Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea's North Hollywood storage space. Among the items stolen as of press time were a 1952 yellow Fender bass; a blue bass with "Pedro" written on it in red; a box of vintage Chili Pepper shirts; a box of personal photos; all of Flea's gold records; and possibly some journals and other basses and equipment that has yet to be figured out.

This isn't the first time Flea has had stuff heisted by some unkind cretins. Back in November of '99 while on tour in Italy, the manic bass player had his favorite turquoise-colored pants stolen from backstage. The culprits who nicked his pants fessed up, and they were finally returned to a very happy Flea. [Click here to read about the incident.] We're hoping this latest bout of bad luck will have the same warm outcome.

Anyone with any information on the theft should email shitwasheisted@yahoo.com.

Robert Johnson Finally Gets Headstone

Robert Johnson, known as the King of the Delta Blues, who purportedly sold his soul to the Devil at a crossroads in exchange for unmatched guitar skill, will finally have a headstone placed on his unmarked grave, 63 years after his death from strychnine poisoning. An unidentified grave in Greenwood, Mississippi, for 60 years until blues historian Gayle Dean Wardlow discovered it in 1998, on August 16 a headstone was unveiled in a two-day event marking the first annual Robert Johnson Cross Road Memorial Days.

And for those wondering, it is believed that the crossroads where Johnson purportedly sold his soul is not where Highway 61 intersects Highway 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, as long believed, but instead "where Dockery Road crosses old Highway 8" between Cleveland and Ruleville, Mississippi. Just in case you're looking...

Hendrix Childhood Home for Sale on Ebay

The Seattle-area childhood home of Jimi Hendrix lived for several years as a child has been put up for auction on Ebay. As of 6:00pm PST August 31, the current bid for the home was at $40,100.00. The two-bedroom, 900-square-foot house was home to Hendrix, his father Al, and his brother Leon for several years in the '50s. The lot where the home sits has been sold and is slated to have Townhomes built, and the winning bidder is "responsible for any and all costs and liabilities with moving the house."

Bidding started at $19.53 (the year Al Hendrix bought the home), and will end on September 12.

Photo of the Month

photo by craig young

Theory of Ruin @ Gibson's Bar and Grill December 1999

-Craig Young
Editor, Earpollution