All: Below is Henry Rollins's latest newsletter. I'm forwarding it on in case any of you are Rollins Band fans (which is somewhat likely) or grew up listening to Black Flag (which is more likely) or the type of person who just wants to support a good cause (which is most definite). I'll let Henry do the rest of the talking. Tom This is a pretty massive undertaking but we’re going for it. You remember the Rise Above: 24 Black Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three album that we did last year. We did some shows at the end of last year with that material. Thanks to the generosity of the audiences, we were able to send the West Memphis Three Defense Fund ten thousand dollars. We had a great time playing those songs live and the audience was into it too so we have decided to take it worldwide. We will be doing several dates starting on June 01. There’s a solid month in America for sure and the dates are being booked as I write this. From there we go to Europe and as it looks now, Australia will be included. For the US shows, none other than the man himself, Mr. Keith Morris, the original singer in Black Flag the leader of the Circle Jerks will be joining us. When you hear him sing these songs—whoa. We did an instore appearance last year with Keith starting the set out and when Keith and the boys went into Gimmie Gimmie, I damn nearly wept. Keith did all but one of the shows with us last year and he was amazing. So, there’s a ton to be done to pull this off. The first show is in less than three weeks. We will be ready with the music, the boys are amped and ready to hit the rehearsal room. We will be learning songs that are not featured on the record. Last year we were playing Can’t Decide, Clocked In and Don’t Care and they sounded great. I have to think we’ll be learning some more songs for the tour. The hard part is getting all the details hammered out. There’s a lot of press to be done and countless other things. Road manager Mike Curtis has been working his ass off getting things together. This week the press release goes out and we’ll see if any of the press types want to write about it. This is for us to obsess and worry about and we’ll do what it takes. Here’s what I need from you. I need you to show up to these shows. Flat out. All the money we make goes to the West Memphis Three Defense Fund and right now things are at a very interesting place in the case. DNA evidence from the case that the defense never had the budget to test the first time around is now being tested. Now we ’re onto something. But, this testing isn’t cheap and that’s where the money is going. I need you to show up at the show. I need you to tell a friend. That’s what I need. I need these shows packed out and the house rockin’. From our side of things, I want to make this absolutely clear: We are not going to be casually shuffling through these songs like it’s some oldies show and you’ll be kind of into it because everyone’s hearts were in the right place. We are a trained assault unit. We are going to fuck you up with this music. This is not a Black Flag reunion. Greg Ginn and Chuck Dukowski wrote some of the best songs ever and we are hell bent on rendering them as best we can. If we didn’ t know for sure that the set was bomb proof, we wouldn’t be out all summer wasting everyone’s time. This is a one time, one time only tour. We’re not looking to cross over to some new audience by playing someone else’s music or cash in on some dubious claim to fame. We didn’t write any of these songs. On this tour, we are a cover band. I should add that when I say cover, I mean you better take cover when we hit stage because we’re not fucking around. I think I have made myself clear on this point. Hey you know what? The DNA evidence might come back inconclusive and it none of this will have made a difference. This was a botched case from the beginning. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley didn’t get a fair day in court and that’s not right and if you’re down with this program then you’re standing up for justice. They’ve been hanging out in prison for ten years and all you have to do is come to the show and have a great time as you know you will and you will have made a huge difference to three people who have absolutely no recourse now other than to depend on the will of good people to do the right thing. And that would be you, right? Please join us this summer. Please don’t respond to this letter. The next two and a half weeks will be very busy and there’s no time to answer any questions. There’s nothing to ask on this one. Anyone who has their own WM3 Group in their town, make some fliers for the show and get the word out. For dates, locations and other information for these shows, please go to our website. If you don’t see your city, don’t write us about it. Right now there’s no time to answer any questions. Myself and the staff here are going to be wall-to-wall on this thing until the band heads out so please understand. Any shows that come in will be posted immediately. Get ready to rock. For anyone who received this newsletter and are not aware of what I have been talking about, please go to www.WM3.org for more information. Thank you. --Henry Rollins PS: Tour dates are posted at www.21361.com ______________________________________________________ Discs I'm listening to at work: Solomon Burke -- Don't Give Up On Me Tim O'Brien -- Red on Blonde Beck -- Sea Change Jimi Hendrix Experience -- Axis: Bold As Love Dusty Springfield -- Dusty in Memphis Johnny Cash -- At Folsom Prison