Pink Floyd have revealed that, due to their current profit single ‘Hey Hey Rise Up’, they’ve raised £500,000 for humanitarian charities aiding these affected by the continued Russian-Ukraine warfare.
‘Hey Hey Rise Up’ was launched again in April as Pink Floyd’s first new tune in practically three many years. On the time, bandleader David Gilmour – who has a Ukrainian household and had already spoken out towards the warfare – stated the monitor was recorded simply weeks prior as a present of solidarity to these combating towards Russia’s invading navy.
“We, like so many, have been feeling the fury and the frustration of this vile act of an impartial, peaceable democratic nation being invaded and having its individuals murdered by one of many world’s main powers,” he stated in a press assertion.
On his ambitions for the tune’s launch, Gilmour defined: “I hope it’ll obtain huge help and publicity. We need to elevate funds for humanitarian charities, and lift morale. We wish categorical our help for Ukraine and in that method, present that a lot of the world thinks that it’s completely unsuitable for a superpower to invade the impartial democratic nation that Ukraine has turn out to be.”
Shortly after the tune’s digital and streaming launch, Pink Floyd introduced bodily editions on CD and seven-inch vinyl. Like with the digital launch, income from the collectible pressings contributed to the charity fundraising.
In an announcement shared on Christmas Eve (December 24), the band confirmed that they’d reached the momentous half-million-pound milestone. £450,000 reportedly got here from single gross sales and streaming income, whereas the remaining £50,000 was contributed by Gilmour and bandmate Nick Mason (the one different member of Pink Floyd concerned in making ‘Hey Hey Rise Up’).
The cash, they wrote, will probably be distributed between 5 humanitarian charities: Hospitallers, The Kharkiv And Przemyśl Mission, Vostok SOS, Kyiv Volunteer and Livyj Bereh.
The band additionally inspired followers to embark on their very own philantrophy, writing alongside a hyperlink to a web page of assets: “Let’s see what else we are able to do that winter… It might be nice if you happen to really feel in a position to contribute to any of those charities instantly.”
Pink Floyd wish to thank everybody who has supported Hey, Hey, Rise Up. The only, recorded on thirtieth March with…
Posted by Pink Floyd on Saturday, December 24, 2022
In the meantime, former Pink Floyd chief Roger Waters has additionally made headlines in tandem with the Russia-Ukraine warfare, albeit not in a constructive mild like Gilmour and Mason. In a charged interview with CNN, Waters insinuated that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not less than partially at fault for the warfare’s outbreak.
He later penned an open letter to Ukraine’s first woman, Olena Zelenska, suggesting she persuade Zelenskyy to provoke a ceasefire with Russia. He additionally made an identical letter directed at Russian president Vladimir Putin, then claimed he’d been placed on a “kill checklist” of Ukraine’s enemies.
In different Pink Floyd information, the band lately uploaded a set of archival stay albums from earlier than the ‘Darkish Facet Of The Moon’ period – in addition to a five-song EP of “different tracks” from 1972 – to streaming companies. It adopted the September launch of their long-awaited ‘Animals’ remaster, which arrived 4 years after it was first introduced.
A month previous to that, it was reported that Pink Floyd can be promoting their back-catalogue for £400million.
