Gogol Bordello have joined forces with Bernard Sumner to share a cover of punk classic ‘Solidarity’. Check it out below.
The new release sees the American rock band team up with the New Order member to deliver a cover of the thought-provoking ‘70s track ‘Solidarity’ – originally recorded by punk veterans Angelic Upstarts.
When it was first recorded, the song was written in support of the anti-Communist Solidarity movement in 1980s Poland, and went on to be the band’s most famous hit. Now, however, Gogol Bordello have introduced a new, modern meaning to the original track, with the lyrics now relating to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
This comes as the band’s frontman Eugene Hütz – who was born in Ukraine – has worked continuously over recent months to raise awareness for his country following the invasion by Russia in 2022.
The cover was arranged and mixed by Bernard Sumner of Joy Division and New Order, and also features Neil Neuton, an original member of Angelic Upstarts who plays guitar and sings backing vocals on the new version.
The cover comes in two mixes, one done by Sumner called ‘Right To Freedom’ and one by Hütz called ‘Unity’ – check out both below. Proceeds from “Solidarity” will go to Kind Deeds.
“I am so proud of this purposeful and, particularly meaningful for me, collaboration with the masterful Bernard Sumner,” said Hütz of the cover. “What we made is a double tribute to the spirit of heroic defiance and human solidarity and to punk rock itself, which still serves as a cultural humanitarian corridor worldwide, bringing relief to the uprooted and the oppressed in roughest of times.”
Sumner agreed, adding: “I am honoured to be asked to contribute to ‘Solidarity’. I think what the Ukrainian people are going through – fighting for their right to freedom is incredibly important for all of us, and I am in awe of the unimaginable sacrifices they are making in standing up to the primitive aggression that we all thought was consigned to another era. I believe their struggle is vital to preserving decency and self-determination for all our futures in this volatile world.”
Elsewhere, Neuton compared the cover by Gogol Bordello to the original version he also worked on, stating: “If Mensi (the author of the song) were still here today, I know he would be proud the song was still being used to help promote unity against tyranny & oppression. Mensi said he could never write a love song, I think he was wrong about that & offer ‘Solidarity’ as evidence -“In unity there’s each other & your friend becomes your brother.”
The release of ‘Solidarity’ arrives just days before the American punk band are set to embark upon their 2023 UK tour dates. Kicking off next week (December 4) with a stop in Glasgow, the live shows will continue throughout the month and see the band make stops in Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham and more.
A show at the Kentish Town O2 Forum in London is also planned for December 14, and the final date will take place two days later with a sold-out gig at the Chalk venue in Brighton. Find remaining tickets for the UK shows here.
As for Bernard Sumner, earlier this year the producer and musician spoke to NME about his recent collaboration with Mella Dee ‘Riptide’, and what the future holds.
“It was all about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and I was just seeing that all of the time,” he said, recalling the political inspiration for the lyrics. “I’d been in a vacuum so I wrote it about politics, really, and the war. I wanted to write it about something that meant a lot to me.”
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