Depeche Mode, The Smiths, The Mission, Gary Numan, etc. unite for brand new charity single ‘Tower Of Strength’ – check the preview
Wayne Hussey, frontman of The Mission, will soon have a new single out in support of key workers dealing with Covid-19 globally. He has remade the classic Mission anthem “Tower Of Strength”, joined by members of The Cure, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Slowdive, Bauhaus / Love and Rockets, The Smiths, The Twilight Sad, Depeche Mode, The Cult, The Wonder Stuff, Gary Numan, Evi Vine, Midge Ure (Ultravox), Spear of Destiny / Theatre Of Hate, Beauty In Chaos, The Soft Cavalry, All About Eve, Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails and Gene Loves Jezebel.
The actual collaborators include: Andy Rourke, Billy Duffy, Budgie, Evi Vine, Gary Numan, James Alexander Graham, Jay Aston, Julianne Regan, Kevin Haskins, Kirk Brandon, Lol Tolhurst, Martin Gore, Michael Aston, Michael Ciravolo, Midge Ure, Miles Hunt, Rachel Goswell, Richard Fortus, Robin Finck, Steve Clarke, Tim Palmer, Trentemøller
Produced by Wayne Hussey, this release features mixes by Tim Palmer and Trentemöller. This is also the first time brothers Jay and Michael Aston (of Gene Loves Jezebel) have recorded anything together since parting ways many years ago.
Here’s a preview of the song featuring for instance Martin Gore.
The single itself will be out on August 28 on all digital platforms followed by a 12” vinyl and CD on October 2.
Wayne Hussey: “When Covid-19 hit I started receiving messages asking ‘why don’t you re-issue Tower Of Strength for the front line workers?’ The song had apparently been adopted as an anthem by some NHS workers, and it got me thinking that I would like to contribute something to the greater cause at this unprecedented time and the only thing I could really contribute is music. So in conjunction with my good friend Michael Ciravolo, I came up with the idea of recording a new version of Tower Of Strength for charity by enlisting the help of musician friends and acquaintances. Tower Of Strength was first released by The Mission as single in 1988 and then again in 1994. It charted twice in the UK top 40 and has proved to be probably our biggest song and the one we generally close our shows with. It is anthemic. I wondered if recording a more well known song might have a greater reach but neither Michael or I could come up with any suggestions that seemed to fit lyrically without getting too corny. So Tower Of Strength it was then.
Usually I detest things that are done for charity that are also self-serving, but I came up with a plan that satisfied my conscience. I spoke with my fellow Mission band members who co-wrote the song – Craig Adams, Mick Brown and Simon Hinkler – and we agreed to give up any publishing income generated by the new version to nominated charities, including mechanical and performance royalties and 100% of any revenue raised by sales. TOS2020 has been renamed to divert funds from the original version, and the charities will all be personally nominated by the people involved in its recording and release. Because the musical contributions are global our idea is that the proceeds will be divided and distributed equally among all the beneficiaries.”
Tracklist for the vinyl:
Vinyl Side A
- TOS2020 (Beholden To The Front Line Workers Of The World mix)
- TOS2020 (single)
Vinyl Side B
- TOS2020 (Trentemøller remix)*
- TOS2020 (Albie Mischenzingerzen remix)**
Tracklist for the CD:
- TOS2020 (Beholden To The Front Line Workers Of The World mix)
- TOS2020 (Trentemøller remix)*
- TOS2020 (Albie Mischenzingerzen remix)**
- TOS2020 (single)
Tracklist for the digital bundle:
- TOS2020 (single)
- TOS2020 (Beholden To The Front Line Workers Of The World mix)
- TOS2020 (Trentemøller remix)*
- TOS2020 (Albie Mischenzingerzen remix)**
- Tower Of Strength (original new remaster) – The Mission (free bonus track with bundle only)
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