Artists sing against apartheid

Press, 5 October 1985, Page 11

Artists sing against apartheid

NZPA-Reuter New York Three dozen of the biggest names in show business, including Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and Ringo Starr, have recorded a new song called “Sun City” that slams apartheid and the President of the United States, Mr Ronald Reagan. It takes its title from the resort city of the same name in the South African black “homeland” of Bophuthatswana, used as a holiday centre by South African whites. The song urges a boycott of Sun City. Its promoters, who expect sales in the millions, think of it as, “We are the world against aparthied.” Proceeds from the sale of the record, which will be released this month, will go to South African. political prisoners and exiles, as well as anti-apartheid groups in the United States. The man who started it all is Steven van Zandt,

former lead guitarist for Springsteen, who is known as Little Steven. He wrote the song after two trips to South Africa this year. The recording began in June but was not completed until September because, as word of the project spread throughout the music world, many big names got in touch with van Zandt and asked to participate. Unlike “We Are the World,” which was ‘an apolitical humanitarian effort to aid the victims of African drought, “Sun City” takes a clear political stand. As interest in the project snowballed it was decided to record “rap” ’ and jazz versions of the song. An instrumental, version with the speeches .of the African NationaiyCongressr founder, Nelson Mandela, and Bishop Desmond Tutu mixed in has also been recorded. It will be released on October 16.