Skinny Puppy – great interview and tour dates reminder

Many many moons ago, a guy from my math class – a dude with long blond hair and a necklace with an eyeball-shaped charm – came to class talking about seeing Skinny Puppy in Hamilton. I don't remember the guy's name, but I do remember thinking that was cool and feeling a little jealous, even though I was only beginning to get a sense of what Skinny Puppy was about.

skinny puppy + peta2 = free song download

News from SPV/Synthetic Symphony:

Animal rights organization peta2 has joined forces with industrial music legends SKINNY PUPPY to offer a free download of a new SKINNY PUPPY song. The song "Wavy" comes from their new release "hanDover" which is being released October 25^th via SPV/Synthetic Symphony. Get your free download of "Wavy" courtesy of peta2 HERE

peta2 is the more youth-oriented division of parent organization People for the Ethical Treatment of animals. The partnership with Skinny Puppy is a logical one, building on early associations between the band and animal rights activism, especially in relation to the anti-vivisection song "Testure."

My review of the new Skinny Puppy album should be up next week at exclaim.ca [edit: see comment below], but the site has some preview info plus a video you can check out in the meantime.

Veggie Superfriends event in St Catharines

Passing along an announcement disseminated by Niagara Action for Animals:

"Veggie Superfriends" will be coming together to raise funds for the AETA 4, 4 animal rights activists from the U.S. who are currently facing terrorism charges (10 years) for things like chalking sidewalks, wearing balaclavas at demonstrations to conceal their identities, etc. Although these charges are all frivolous, they are up against a major piece of legislation, the AETA Animal Enterprises Terrorism Act, and legal fees are mounting. Let's all get together to help all our jailed activists and show the world that unjust legislation like this will not stop the call for an end to animal cruelty. All proceeds from ticket sales are going to the legal fund for the AETA 4. The day starts at 1:00 pm and includes the following:

• Cooking Demo with Vegan Chocolate Goddess Suie Moffat. Author of "Lickin' The Beaters" and owner/operator of Boardwalk Chocolates (http://boardwalkchocolates.com/), 2pm.
• Guest lecture from Brock University Professor and former host of Animal Voices, Lauren Corman, 2:50pm.
• Tabling from local AR organizations as well as Sea Shepherd.
• Film Showing: The Cove, 3:30pm.
• Free vegan food, 5:30pm.
• Bands, starting 6:30pm:

I Refuse (Ottawa Hardcore) - http://www.myspace.com/irefusehc
Black Faxes (Toronto Hardcore) - http://www.myspace.com/blackfaxes
Class War (Niagara Hardcore Reunion!) - http://www.myspace.com/classwarhc
Northern Primitive (Niagara Rockers) - http://www.myspace.com/northernprimitive

Tickets can be had by emailing theveganpoliceradio@gmail.com or at 73 St. Paul St in the near future. There will be two separate colour tickets, one for those who are attending, and one for those who support the cause but will not be attending (blue). For those we are not in the area but want to support this cause, please donate online by paypal or email support@aeta4.org.

More info on the cause and the activists can be found here:
http://aeta4.org/ or http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/.

I don't know much about the case they're raising money for here, or even about the speakers and bands scheduled for the event, but I can say with a great deal of certainty that I'm against labelling animal activists as terrorists. Herbivore magazine had a story on the issue a couple of years ago. If that issue is no longer available I'll see about getting permission to scan and post the article.

animal activism and terrorism: bad bedfellows

Disturbing for so many reasons:

CBC article, from The Associated Press, about an animal activist branded by the FBI as a terrorist.

On a less scary note ... (?)

TVOntario's Agenda program is taking up the issue of "Animals and the Law" tonight. It seems to be looking at the contradictions (and, perhaps, irrationalities) of human animal relations, from farm animals, pets, and property. Will it accomplish anything with this? I highly doubt it, but I'm glad people are talking about it.