Borrell records single

In aid of Big Ask campaign

30 May 07 - Razorlight's Johnny Borrell has recorded a song for charity.

Funeral Blues was recorded today (30 May) to benefit environmental charity Friends of the Earth's Big Ask campaign. Johnny completed the track in the UK's only solar powered recording studio in London.

The Big Ask is calling for a law to commit the UK to cutting its carbon dioxide emissions by at least three per cent every year.

Despite this, Johnny admits the track has nothing to do with the environment:

"It's a song that I wrote a little while ago, and I've been really looking forward to recording it, but it has nothing to do with the ecological concerns whatsoever."

He says he was inspired to approach the organisation direct.

 

"I just got on the phone: 'I'm Johnny. I'm in a band called Razorlight. Can I help you?'"
Johnny Borrell

"I went to the cinema with a friend. We watched An Inconvenient Truth, that film by Al Gore, and we walked out and were like, 'blimey' so that was it. I just got on the phone the next day. I said, 'I'm Johnny. I'm in a band called Razorlight. Can I help you?'"

This isn't Johnny's first environmental endeavour. Razorlight have incorporated environmental awareness into their live act:

"Its been great, we did the I Count rally, using their visuals on our tours and collecting names for the database. The way I see it for a band, if by singing a few songs or playing a little gig or writing an article you can raise awareness of what an incredible organisation like Friends of The Earth is, then its worth your time."

Johnny spoke proudly of his assocation with the organisation:

"The thing I really liked about Friends of the Earth was the concept behind the Big Ask campaign which was about putting pressure on your local MPs to make it easier for the country as a whole to reduce their carbon emissions, rather than just about hassling everyone to switch to energy saving lightbulbs which is good, and everybody should do that, but sometimes that can feel like a drop in the ocean."

Jacqueline Springer