Tag: music

Make America Love Again – THE REMIXES is released on September 17^th in all digital stores. The video, which has now won 12 film festival awards across the world including ‘Best Film For Social Change’ ‘Best Music Video’ ‘Best Song’ and ‘Best Original Short’ is available to view on YouTube. 

“Francesca Confortini and Maxine Sparkles serenade the spirit of America with the soulful offering…”

Matt Cassidy, Indie Eye Film Festival

The Woolfman was inspired by the words of American filmmaker Spike Lee on BBC TV and wrote the song in a dream. Driven by the wish to “Heal the Soul of America” the songwriter and producer collaborated with one of the UK’s leading independent filmmakers Tone Davies to make a music video for release during lockdown 2021. Shot in the UK on mobile phones the global pandemic has helped shape this video. It has gone on to catch  the eyes and ears of music lovers the world over. At this time in history the message embedded in ‘Make America Love Again’ is more poignant than ever. 

“Sometimes it’s the simplest of words and expressions that can resonate deeply within someone…”

Music Vein

Capetown- born, The Woolfman left South Africa for the last time at the age of 16 repelled by the inequities of the apartheid system which were in full force at the time. Since then, he has been a vocal and active opponent of racism and all forms of injustice. This has been a consistent theme in his songwriting. In 2018 he watched director Spike Lee being interviewed on BBC television saying : “We only have to make America Love again…”. This sentiment reminded him that what happens in America can often have an effect around the world. That same night, a tune came to him… the lyrics emerged all at once, as if from outside himself and a new American anthem was created. 

“Director Tone Davies utilizes this old adage perfectly, by forgoing the bells and whistles of big shiny sets, decorative costumes, and stunning visual effects. Instead choosing to focus on what is really important to the world right now.”

Dream Machine International Film Festival

The Woolfman collaborated with singers Sparkles & Francesca Confortini on the original ‘gospel’ version of the track, which is fast becoming a new American Anthem, they also feature on the remixes along with the amazing Martha Lewis.

The Woolfman acknowledges: “Obama once said ‘Do we care to match the reality of America to its ideals? I am not yet ready to abandon the possibility of America.’ This is the message of  ‘Make America Love Again’ – the possibility of America as a beacon of democracy, hope and justice, leading the way in an increasingly turbulent and unpredictable world.” 

Make America Love Again – THE REMIXES is released on September 17^th in all digital stores.

1. Make America Love Again “Spike Says “ Deep Remix
2. Make America Love Again “Spike Says” Club Remix
3. Make America Love Again “Spike Says” Club Remix Radio Edit

My first words here bring me close to tears, they are for Jimi, Folajimi Olubunmi-Adewole who died after jumping into the River Thames in central London to rescue a woman. He leapt after hearing a woman screaming, she was crying for her life, shouting: “Help, I’m going to die”. Jimi tried to save her but died in the cold and darkness of the River Thames. He was one of two men who jumped in to save her, but his body was recovered about six hours later. He died for a cause – the life of another – he took no time to think of himself or how much his own life mattered. I want to honour his bravery and wonder if I would have done the same.

https://www.change.org/p/government-memorial-plaque-on-london-bridge-for-jimi-%EF%B8%8F/u/29070514?cs_tk=AjrTe0WYqSSBQYCDp2AAAXicyyvNyQEABF8BvEDUYJKeee-2lZ3Y6_tAYAw%3D&utm_campaign=5c46837594994bc5a5cd6b00904f85be&utm_content=initial_v0_4_0&utm_medium=email&utm_source=petition_update&utm_term=cs

Music and Art do not have a separate existence from the rest of life, they both reflect it and create it. This point can be argued much better by Arinze Stanley, the Nigerian artist who says: “Fast forward to 2020 when I was having my solo exhibition. As soon as the show started, there were a lot of events that happened simultaneously. This was around the time I was assaulted by the police and almost lost my eye. There were a lot of other things that were happening in the background. News of young people like me getting shot by the members of the police special unit called SARS, which led to weeks of protest, a very strong movement #Endsars. I was proudly part of the movement. Even shortly after I just had my eye surgery, I went out there to protest and speak. Meanwhile, my works were speaking to the outside world in my solo exhibition in the U.S.

It was so amazing because I felt like, “yes, I am doing what I have been instructed to do in life.” Art gave me purpose in life. It was all connected. It felt like I was given this ability to speak, and there was a platform to speak. I had already made these works months ago, but then it was still relevant now because that is really my reality. That was surreal for me. I mean, I believe this is all I want as an artist: to be able to create meaningful change”.

“When he heard Chopin’s music, he turned pale. Every kind of music, even the simplest, struck him like a physical blow. The colour left his face  and his lips trembled. Music communicated something to him that the others could never achieve. It seemed that the melodies did not speak to the rational portion of his mind. The discipline he demanded of himself relaxed at such moments as if his body too were releasing itself from its rigid posture. At such times he forgot where he was, his eyes sparkled, he stared into the distance oblivious of his surroundings. When he listened to music, he listened with his whole body as longingly as a condemned man in his cell aches for the sound of distant feet perhaps bringing news of his release. When spoken to he didn’t hear. Music dissolved the world around him just as it dissolved the laws of artistic unity” – from EMBERS by Sandor Marai.

In this story a man lives his life for music. I understand that, those of us who write and perform and those of us who listen all have a common bond. Music takes us out of ourselves, transcends difference and leads us to a common place, a shared place. There is a paradox – in this place we are lost in our individual experience, yet this is a shared place familiar to us all.

Music gives me purpose in life. Our project, Make America Love Again – is about music and shared experience transcending the bitterness of old and fixed political viewpoints. In hope, in desperation, I shout out for our common humanity and the possibility of shared values and humanity.

“Spike Lee – meet your thoughts in Cannes! Our  New American Anthem, ‘Make America Love Again” is Official Selection at Cannes World Film Festival”

Dear Spike Lee,

We have been selected for Cannes World Film festival. You will be the official Cannes Film Festival https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/ jury President! Thank you for inspiring our song and our project. This is the most important act of a lifetime and came from that extraordinary moment of inspiration I witnessed when you spoke to the BBC.

 Ron Stallworth speaks for me and millions of others when he says: “If one black man, aided by a bevy of good, decent, dedicated, open-, and liberal-minded whites and Jews can succeed in prevailing over a group of white racists by making them look like the ignorant fools they truly are, then imagine what a nation of like-minded individuals can accomplish.” – Ron Stallworth, Black Klansman: Race, Hate, and the Undercover Investigation of a Lifetime

For me it is poignant that he mentioned the Jews because I believe that we have a shared experience and a natural alliance. Most Jews will acknowledge the innate fear of a Klan that comes in every country, in many forms, in bars, supermarkets at school, college and the workplace.

Felix Kendrickson: You are going to take this lie detector test. Take a seat.
Flip Zimmerman: What is this? Is this your Jew den? Is this where you make your candles, you know, and your lampshades?
Felix Kendrickson: No, you’re going to take this lie detector test.
Flip Zimmerman: Open the damn door. This is some lame bullshit.
Felix Kendrickson: Lame or not, you’re taking this Jew lie detector test.

So we sometimes try and hide but the fear of being called out and attacked – and the experience of these things is always present.

In the dialogue between Ron and Flip:

Flip Zimmerman: Well, I’m not risking my life to prevent some rednecks from lighting a couple sticks on fire.
Ron Stallworth: This is the job. What’s your problem?
Flip Zimmerman: That’s my problem. For you, it’s a crusade. For me, it’s a job. It’s not personal, nor should it be.
Ron Stallworth: Why haven’t you bought into this?
Flip Zimmerman: Why should I?
Ron Stallworth: Because you’re Jewish, brother. The so-called chosen people. You’ve been passing for a WASP. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, cherry pie, hot dog, white boy. It’s what some light-skinned black folks do. They pass for white. Doesn’t that hatred you’ve been hearing the Klan say doesn’t that piss you off?
Flip Zimmerman: Of course it does.
Ron Stallworth: Then why you acting like you ain’t got skin in the game, brother?
Flip Zimmerman: Rookie, that’s my fucking business.
Ron Stallworth: It’s our business.

It is all our business and these are dark times. Barack Obama said he believes in the “possibility of America”. This is the message behind Make America Love Again. It is even more important today when both Ukraine and Taiwan face possible invasion. Only the USA stands powerful enough to protect us across the world, the same as during World War 2. There is much wrong with America but much can be right, but thank goodness America is there – right now.

Spike – thank you again…
https://40acres.com/

Atman is supported by the Council of West Hollywood – an amazing community organisation. Kevin Roose in the New York Times says “It raises an important question for the Biden administration: How do you unite a country in which millions of people have chosen to create their own version of reality?”. How do we rebuild a community. Timothy Garton Ash in the Guardian says “to prosper, democracy needs a certain kind of public sphere, on in which citizens engage in vigorous argument on the basis of shared facts”.

Without mutual trust, without the belief that we can agree on some simple truths ie “who won the election”, “global warming is happening”, “covid is a killer” we become increasingly separated from each other. We increasingly stick to media channels that confirm our prejudices and dissenters are robbed of their humanity. Anyone who disagrees with me is somehow less than human and deserves neither respect, liberty – or sometimes life!

“Make America Love Again” sets a new path, an aspiration. We do not pretend everything was ever all right. Obama says – “Do we care to match the reality of America to its ideals”? This is a time to ask – what is or was ever good about America? Obama says – “I am not yet ready to abandon the possibility of America”. This is the message of “Make America Love Again” The Possibility of America as a beacon of democracy, hope and justice in an increasingly unfair and angry world.