DAMON ALBARN and ROBERT ‘3-D’ DEL NAJA are planning a second set of “more direct” anti-war adverts in NME, as the countdown to war in Iraq continues.
Last year 3-D and Damon designed and financed a number of adverts that appeared in NME – aimed at raising awareness of opposition to any British involvement in a US led attack on Iraq. The pair are working with CND and the ‘Stop The War’ coalition, who are organising an awareness campaign at the potential perils such a strike.
Now, 3-D has told NME that a new selection of adverts will appear to highlight a second anti-war demonstration in London on February 15.
“The situation is the same as last year.” he told NME. “We did the ads prior to the march. This time around we’ll be lobbying Parliament on the 21st and then we’re going to do the march on the 15th of February.
“I’ve got to talk to Damon about it at greater length but I’d like it to be more direct. It’s becoming more and more transparent the reason for this war, and it’s about the global economy and it’s about oil. And I’d like to get quotes from people like (political writer) John Pilger and (political comedian / filmmaker) Michael Moore.”
will be on tour throughout the year, and will try to get the message across wherever they play – including when they visit the US.
“With the last petition, about 20,000 people went to sign saying they’d seen the NME ads. Me and Damon have been talking about doing TV ads and ads in national papers, but we’ve got to get a budget together.
“We’re going to try to keep a CND, Stop The War and Red Cross presence at all of our gigs around the whole world, starting in the Far East, Europe and eventually into America if we get let in!” he joked. “I don’t want to bore people to death with it but we’re going to keep a silent presence there all the way.”
are also planning on releasing the Sinead O’ Connor-sung ‘A Prayer For England’, a song taken from their new album ‘100th Window’, and donate the funds to charity.
He concluded: “We’re thinking of releasing ‘A Prayer For England’ in Spring and having all the proceeds for that go to the Red Cross and any other peace organisations. We’re going to keep the attention in the right place as far as we can.”