Springsteen, Young join anti-war soundtrack for "Body of War" about Tomas Young of KC

[chat_noir]

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Peal Jam have contributed tunes to the anti-war soundtrack for a documentary about a U.S. soldier paralyzed in Iraq.

The 30-song, two-disc album "Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran" will be released March 18 via Warner Music's Sire Records label. All proceeds from the sale of the album will benefit Iraq Veterans Against the War.

"Body of War" focuses on Tomas Young, an Army soldier paralyzed upon arriving in Iraq. It will open on March 13 in Austin, Texas, and expand nationally in subsequent months. Talk show veteran Phil Donahue directed the film with Elaine Spiro.

http://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSN2352326720080223

War Is Personal: Tomas Young/Age 26/Kansas City, Missouri

Their house, a suburban ranch with a wheelchair ramp running up to the front door, was, as far as I could see, the only one on the street flying an American flag. It had to be Brie, not her rebellious and haunted husband of seven months, who was responsible for this. It had been Brie who put Tomas's Purple Heart on display in a corner of their living room.

After one ring Brie let me in, then said something about being tired after waitressing the night before and padded back toward the bedroom, leaving us alone. Tomas was sitting slumped over at the dining room table, eyes half closed, smoking a cigarette amid what he had dismissed as "my clutter"--newspapers, protest buttons, pamphlets from a veterans' support group that he planned to hand out, cigarette lighters, cigarette wrappers, bills to be paid.

Struggling to sit upright, Tomas began forcing his thin, angular body as far forward and backward as he could. "Here I am wanting a conversation," he said, "and it's not working for me. I'm feeling kind of dizzy and thinking it must be the meds." Tomas recalled that the night before he'd taken a prescribed dose of Valium, along with his regimen of pain pills, antianxiety pills, antispasmodic pills and laxatives, only to awaken earlier than usual. At that time he took his morning dosages of morphine and Wellbutrin, and a half-dozen other drugs, before falling back to sleep. When Brie woke to remind him to take his morning pills, he forgot, in the confusion from a troubled sleep, that he already had. He'd "doubled up." Then again, maybe he hadn't.




http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060327/richards


"Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran", was compiled by was by Iraq war veteran Tomas Young, who was paralysed in the war after only one week of service.

The collection, due out in the US on March 18, includes a previously unreleased version of Vedder's 'No More', which he wrote specifically for the 'Body of War' documentary about Young's life. Vedder performed the song with Ben Harper at Lollapalooza in 2007.

"Tomas has taught me a great deal, and our friendship has become one of depth and sincerity," Vedder said in a statement. "It has been a mind-expanding experience. I see how he relies on the strength of the songs to help him through each day. It is a true living example of the power of music."

The double-CD set also features songs by Rage Against The Machine, Roger Waters, Tom Waits and Tori Amos, among others.

http://www.nme.com/news/eddie-vedder/34614


Springsteen, Lennon Join Vedder On 'War' CD

Music from John Lennon, Kimya Dawson, Bruce Springsteen and Tori Amos will join Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Neil Young and Bright Eyes on the 30-song, two-disc album "Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran," due March 18 via Sire.

As previously reported, the album is a companion to a documentary of the same name which focuses on Tomas Young, an Army soldier paralyzed upon arriving in Iraq. The music Young chose for the Elaine Spiro and Phil Donahue-directed film "were tracks that inspired, motivated, and at times, literally saved me over the past few years," Young says.

Pearl Jam's Vedder composed the first single, "No War," specifically for the film. "Tomas has taught me a great deal," Vedder says. "It has been a mind-expanding experience. I see how he relies on the strength of the songs to help him through each day. It is a true living example of the power of music."

Artist Shepard Fairey, who has previously designed art for Smashing Pumpkins and Rollins Band, created the album cover. All proceeds from the sale of the album will benefit Iraq Veterans Against the War.

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003714023