Big Special have shared a cover of Jona Lewie’s Christmas Classic ‘Stop The Cavalry’ to raise money for children in Gaza.
The duo – comprising Joe Hicklin and Callum Moloney – took to their official Facebook page to announce the cover of the holiday track. “One last thing to top off the year. We got a bit silly in the studio and whacked out a short punk cover of Jona Lewie’s Christmas Classic, ‘Stop The Cavalry’,” they wrote.
They continued: “It’s devastating to hear how infinitely relevant this song is and we wanted to put it up on Bandcamp to see if we could raise a bit of money for Save the Children’s, Gaza Emergency Appeal. It’s up for a penny a second (£1.20) But you can pay what you want / can. All money made will be donated In the New Year.
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“We also have a little video of us recording the song up on youtube, made by our awesome Whammoth, where there will also be a link to donate. It’s important to remember that whilst many celebrate over the festivities, others are living in unimaginable hell. To stand on the right side of history, we must always stand with the oppressed and, In this case,
call for a Permanent Ceasefire.Please be respectful In the comments, Any child’s right to live is not debatable”
Speaking to NME back in September about finding their sound, escaping shitty jobs, and what keeps them moving, Big Special discussed the politics of the band as being “on the side of the people”.
“I don’t want to sound like a dickhead or like we’re above our station, but we’re just on the side of the people. All of the music comes from a personal place and is about experience and everything around it,” Said Hicklin. “Obviously I fucking hate the Tories, I fucking hate Keir Starmer, it’s all against the people. There is nothing there looking to look after the people. The working class might as well be completely fucking invisible. It’s all wank.”
He continued: “I just wish it would all burn down so we could start again. At least it would be different. Every day there’s less and less hope to seek, and it breeds either ignorance, confusion or hatred.”
Moloney added: “I’m not saying we’ve got the answers, but it’s not working. That’s apparent to everyone. Anyone who is disenfranchised against this system built against us is going to understand our music.”
In other news, Fontaines D.C., Massive Attack and Young Fathers recently teamed up for a limited edition 12” single to support the charity Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
100 per cent of the profits from the single will be donated to the charity to help their emergency operations in Gaza and the West Bank. In a statement, the artists have also called for an immediate ceasefire in the region, “in solidarity with the Palestinian people living under a brutal military operation”.
