theartsdesk Radio Show 37 - Pete Lawrence of the Big Chill discusses the power of protest music and his new project This Is The Fire

This edition of Peter Culshaw’s peripatetic radio show features guest Pete Lawrence. Pete is one of the good guys -  a positive force in the culture, as he says "my life's work is bringing people together".

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His best known interventions include setting up the label Cooking Vinyl, who released an album by Michelle Shocked The Texas Campfire Tapes which became a million selling album - recorded on a cheap machine at a festival round a fire "recording budget…one pound or so". He set up The Big Chill and still does the more intimate Campout Festival and the Campfire Convention. We discussed Brian Eno’s quote “singing together is the key to world peace” and the nature of protest songs - and we get to play Sam Cooke, The Specials, Kumbaya, Robert Wyatt, Blowzabella, Penguin Café, a modern Iranian protest song, and Bob Marley.  Pete discusses his new projects, particularly his inspiring new This Is The Fire album, a modern update on protest songs, which which sounds like it could be an important release with some great singalong hooklines (we get some exclusive previews) and as he puts it  “New songs of inspiration and empowerment that bring people together are needed more than ever. This Is The Fire is about hope, connection and the potential to transform.”

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Click for more information on Pete Lawrence's Projects 

* Crowdfund for This Is the Fire 

*  More New Music reviews on theartsdesk 

*  Peter Culshaw's Spotify