REM have become the latest US act to post an anti-war song online.
The band performed ‘The Final Straw’ for the first time at a low-key instore appearance in Vancouver at the weekend (March 23), and have now made a studio version available on their official website – [url=] click here to hear it and view the lyrics.
The band follow in the footsteps of [a][/a], whose ‘In A World Gone Mad’ was posted online earlier this month (March 12) and Zack de la Rocha and DJ Shadow, whose ‘March Of Death’ was made available via the web last weekend (March 22).
REM frontman Michael Stipe says he is praying for all the lives of all people involved in the Iraq crisis.
He told fans at the gig: “This is the strongest voice I could think of to send out there.
“We had to send something out there now. We are praying and hoping for the lives of all people involved, the troops, the Iraqi civilians, refugees, POWs, families of troops, the innocents, that they are safe and okay. Safe home, all.”