AVRIL LAVIGNE has reworked Bob Dylan‘s classic ‘KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR’ for the forthcoming ‘WAR CHILD: HOPE’ album – a fundraiser for children in Iraq.
David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Travis, Spiritualized, Moby,
The Charlatans and [/a] are also amongst the stars who have contributed tracks to the 17-track record, set for release on April 21.
“Whatever the politics, whatever the rights and wrongs of war, children are always the innocent victims so I am delighted to be able to make this small contribution to a magnificent project that I hope goes a long way to alleviating some of the pain and suffering,” said McCartney.
He has re-recorded his song ‘Calico Skies’ from 1997’s ‘Flaming Pie’ for the album. [a]David Bowie has also re-worked one of his own songs, ‘Everyone Says Hi’, and Yasuf Islam, ’70s star Cat Stevens, has come out of self-enforced exile to redo his own hit ‘Peace Train’.
Following the success of last year’s NME/War Child album ‘One Love’ and 1995’s ‘Help!’, which raised £1.25 million for the charity, ‘Hope’ will be released through WEA Records.
Travis frontman Fran Healy said his heart is firmly behind the War Child project.
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“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this war,” he said. “We hope that by contributing to the ‘Hope’ album we can help raise the much needed funds that will provide immediate aid and relief to the children of Iraq.”
War Child’s field workers are currently on the Iraq-Kuwait border preparing an emergency response to the devastating effects of the current conflict.
War Child was founded in 1993 in response to the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. It has since expanded its fieldwork to conflicts around the world.
Tickets are now on sale for War Child ‘War Dance’ club night at the Kentish Town Forum on April 10. Performers include Kosheen, Dirty Vegas and [a][/a].