To celebrate this Independents Day thing on 4 Jul (a celebration of independent music), its organisers will release a two disc compilation of covers by big names and tracks from new artists in the UK, along with similarly-themed albums in various other territories around the world.
The Day is being organised by the Worldwide Independent Network and overseen by Association Of Independent Music here in the UK. A limited number of physical versions of the compo will be on sale, but only from 4 Jul to 7 Jul, with preorders being taken now via www.independentsday08.com and high street retailers. The UK version will also be available to download for a month.
Other ID related things include a Channel 4 TV show covering the recording of the aforementioned album, a gig at Cargo, some documentaries on indie labels on Xfm plus a some charity auctions of rare music memorabilia on eBay.
The initiative will raise money for a number of beneficiaries. In the UK, Independents Day 08 is raising money for charities CALM, The Campaign Against Living Miserably, a charity helping with the issue of suicide amongst young men, and The Musicians Benevolent Fund which provides help and support to musicians and their dependants and those in related occupations when illness, accident or old age brings stress or financial burdens.
Tracks so far confirmed for the sixteen track UK album are:
CD1
Tom Smith from Editors - Bonny (originally by Prefab Sprout)
Feeder - Public Image (originally by PIL)
Maximo Park - Was There Anything I Can Do? (originally by Go Betweens)
Prodigy - Ghost Town (originally by The Specials)
Cribs - Bastards Of Young (originally by The Replacements)
Jose Gonzales - Love Will Tear Us Apart (originally by Joy Division)
Futureheads - With Every Heartbeat (originally by Robyn)
Jack Penate - Dub Be Good To Me (originally by Beats International)
Rodrigo y Gabriela - Orion (originally by Metallica)
British Sea Power - Tug Boat (originally by Galaxie 500)
The Charlatans - Murder (originally by New Order)
Infadels - Steady As She Goes (originally by The Raconteurs)
CD2 will also be a sixteen track album and will include new bands Mobius Band, Little Dragon, Cougar, Shrag, Oceansize and Electricity In Our Homes.