
I’ve never been to Los Angeles. I’ve been to San Francisco, and it was a magical place when I visited in 2014 for my fiftieth. I wandered Haight Asbury, went to Ameoba Records, explored the Castro and North Beach, and visited Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park. I’ve always been obsessed with the ‘West Coast sound,’ and this visit felt like visiting old friends that you’ve only met remotely before—familiar yet new. So the next box to tick was down the coast at the capital of the music industry in California – Los Angeles.
In a world of several unfolding tragedies, the fires that have devastated vast swathes of the city are just one more with, thankfully, a much smaller loss of life at present but the displacement and horror should not be underestimated. I cannot imagine losing everything I claim to own. Gone in a moment. For sure, there’s the relief of escaping physically unscathed but the trauma will be no less immense. If I ever visit it will be a different LA from the one last year and before that. We are a music website and one that often focuses on performers or works of art that have emerged from or are based in and around the Los Angeles area. Amongst the affected there are many musicians, they are not in any way suffering more than most but often they have fewer safety nets than most. I thought that I would investigate and share some ways that those of us that can, can help, and I thank the website Consequence.net for the links below.
MusiCares is the charity wing of the Grammys organization and provides crisis relief, preventive care, recovery resources, and financial assistance for people across all music professions. Music industry professionals can reach out for “emergency funds related to evacuation and relocation costs, instrument replacement and repair, home damage, medical care, mental health services, and other essential living needs.” You can donate here
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to musicians and industry members struggling to make ends meet. Readers may recall albums in support of, amongst others, Victoria Williams and her battle with MS as well as Jesse Malin and his spinal injury. They’ve launched a fund specifically for those in the LA area affected by the disaster. You can donate here
There is also a spreadsheet of musicians and artists seeking assistance that you can donate to individually. Here
Obviously, these charities support a particular demographic and other agencies will be less targeted and more all-inclusive. The band Dawes has been massively affected with both Taylor and Zack Goldsmith losing their homes as well as several of their family and friends losing theirs. You can read their posts on Facebook and they were invited to perform on Jimmy Kimmel a couple of nights ago, it must have been incredibly difficult. The performance is below and a powerful watch it is.
Mostly been preoccupied with LA so both tracks this week reflect this. the aforementioned Dawes and then some classic Young. The radio show was chaos personified but featured me moaning about a bad back (get some perspective Keith!) as well as some DBT, Will Johnson, Van Morrison, Lila Forde, and many more. As ever… and stay safe.