Love Music Hate Racism

Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) is a music-oriented campaign by the Anti-Nazi League and Unite Against Fascism. The campaign involves concerts aimed at spreading an anti-racist message. It follows in the tradition of the 1970s Rock Against Racism (RAR) campaign, which also involved the Anti-Nazi League.

LMHR was set up in 2002 in response to increased support for the far right British National Party. [ [http://www.lovemusichateracism.com/about/ Love Music Hate Racism » About ] ] The first big LMHR concert was a festival in Manchester’s Platt fields, headlined by Doves and Ms. Dynamite. The organisation believes that modern music is influenced by many cultures and traditions, and that it can be used to bring different kinds of people together. Most LMHR concerts include several music genres. There have been two large LMHR concerts in Trafalgar Square.

The organisation has worked with several popular acts, including three winners of the Mercury Prize: Ms. Dynamite, Dizzee Rascal and Badly Drawn Boy. In 2005, the film "Who Shot the Sheriff?", which documents the history of RAR, toured the United Kingdom with LMHR events, including the Liverpool tribute concert for murdered teenager Anthony Walker (featuring Ms. Dynamite, Roll Deep, The Stands and Lupe Fiasco). Other prominent musicians who supportthe campaign include The Libertines, Morrissey, David Gray, The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster and Belle and Sebastian.

In October 2007, popularity for the group dramatically increased following a big campaign in the music magazine, NME. [ [http://www.nme.com/lovemusichateracism NME article about Love Music Hate Racism] In December 2007, the campaign announced that it would mark the 30th anniversary of the RAR/ANL carnival and procession with a similar event in Victoria Park on April 27, 2008. [ [http://www.lovemusichateracism.com/news/2007/12/17/the-lmhr-rock-against-racism-30th-anniversary-carnival/ Love Music Hate Racism » Blog Archive » MAJOR LMHR CARNIVAL IN LONDON’S VICTORIA PARK TO MARK ROCK AGAINST RACISM 30th ANNIVERSARY ] ] The event would feature performances from major contemporary acts and appearances by some of the music artists from the RAR era. The campaign stated that one of the main aims of the event would be to inspire thousands to vote against racism in the Greater London Assembly would be taking place weeks after the event.

References

External links

* [http://www.lovemusichateracism.com/ Love Music Hate Racism website]
* [http://www.anl.org.uk ANL Website]
* [http://www.lmhrcarnival.com LMHR Carnival 08]