Musicians pull together to help Japan relief efforts

When the world’s third-largest economy was hit with its worst earthquake ever, a tsunami and a subsequent nuclear crisis, it was clear that recovery would be an exhaustive and extensive process.
Musicians and record labels have announced plans to pull together and raise money for relief efforts in the country following the devastation which occurred on March 11th.
U2, Rihanna, Bon Jovi, Justin Bieber and Lou Reed are among the many artists who are hoping that they will be able to make a difference by holding benefit concerts and releasing new music.
A number of British rock stars including Richard Ashcroft, Paul Weller and Liam Gallagher have announced that they will play a charity gig next month to raise funds for the British Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal.
The benefit concert will be held at the Brixton O2 Academy and the line-up includes Beady Eye, Primal Scream, The Coral and Graham Coxon of Blur.
“With images beamed worldwide as they occurred, the horrific tragedy that beset Japan in recent days has affected everybody,” Beady Eye said in a statement on its website. “In response, a collection of Britain’s finest rock musicians have heeded the rallying call and come together to present a very special one-off event.”
News of the concert follows an announcement that Universal Music is putting together a digital-only album featuring tracks from some of its leading artists to raise money for victims of the Japanese disaster.
The world’s biggest record label is hoping to make the album, which features Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber and Irish rockers U2, available for download by the end of the week.
Elsewhere, Sonic Youth has decided to auction off a set of rare posters and sneakers to raise funds, as well as headlining a concert on March 27th at Columbia University alongside Yoko Ono, Mike Patton, John Zorn, Sean Lennon and others.
Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass and Bill Laswell will also be taking to the stage in a fundraising concert at the Japan Society in Manhattan on April 9th.