War Child UK Returns with Major Benefit Album Three Decades Later
Exactly thirty years after their landmark "Help" benefit compilation achieved phenomenal success, War Child UK is preparing to launch its highly anticipated follow-up titled "Help(2)". The original album, released in 1995, soared to the top of the British charts and raised over 1.25 million pounds (approximately $1.938 million) to support children and families affected by the Bosnian War.
A Star-Studded Legacy Reborn
The inaugural "Help" compilation featured exclusive, unreleased tracks from Britpop royalty including Oasis, Blur, and Radiohead, alongside a supergroup collaboration between Paul McCartney and Paul Weller. Rich Clarke, War Child UK's Head of Music, has revealed that the charity has been actively seeking to recreate that impactful moment ever since its initial triumph.
For various logistical and timing reasons, a comprehensive all-star sequel remained unrealized until now. This Friday marks the official release of "Help(2)" across both physical stores and major streaming platforms. The new compilation boasts previously unreleased material from contemporary music giants such as Arctic Monkeys, Olivia Rodrigo, and Wet Leg, alongside other notable artists.
The album aims to generate crucial funds and increase public awareness for children enduring the horrors of conflict in multiple global war zones, including Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan. Clarke emphasized the current urgency felt within the music community, stating, "I think it's a situation now where musicians feel not that they want to do something, but that they need to do something. That's a powerful driver. And sometimes, things happen when they're meant to happen."
Artists Rally for the Cause
Jarvis Cocker of Pulp brings a long-standing connection to War Child UK, dating back to 1996 when his band donated their Mercury Prize winnings to the charity. When approached by producer James Ford to contribute a song, Cocker eagerly accepted. He contributed "Begging for Change," a track he began fourteen years prior but found renewed purpose in finishing for this cause.
"When the last one happened, it was something like 10% of the world's kids were living in poor areas, and now it's more like 20%," Cocker told The Associated Press. "And it's a strange thing, you know, childhood sets you up for the rest of your life or it doesn't."
The recording session at London's iconic Abbey Road Studios featured an innovative approach, with director Jonathan Glazer filming the process alongside children creating a documentary. Cocker even incorporated some of these children into a choir on the track. "I thought it was a good idea," Cocker explained. "If you're going to do a thing for a charity that is supposed to help children in war zones, then it makes sense to capture it from a child's point of view."
Cocker reflected on the essential role of charities, stating, "Charity shouldn't have to exist if governments did what they were supposed to, if they looked after people and looked after the world. But they do need to exist. They need to exist even more now."
The Enduring Power of Benefit Compilations
John Nolan, guitarist and singer for Taking Back Sunday and Straylight Run, highlighted the tradition of benefit compilations within independent music. "It's something that we can be a lot more hands-on with," Nolan said, referencing his own compilation for the ACLU. "I think that's also why a lot of more underground bands take on compilations for causes too, because it's something you can be kind of DIY with."
Other participating artists echoed this sentiment. The British band Black Country, New Road contributed their song "Strangers," viewing it as a natural extension of their ongoing charitable work, which includes fundraisers for Palestinian children. Violinist Georgia Ellery noted, "With what was going on in the world a couple of years ago, I think it became important to us that we became more aware and started questioning things and how we wanted to move as artists."
Graham Hastings of the Scottish band Young Fathers described the decision to join "Help(2)" as a "no-brainer." "When you see children in these refugee camps, for me it's a sign of humanity failing for that to even occur," he said. "For us, the important thing is for people just to feel a general awareness about what's happening and why it's happening, and get active and get involved in the community."
The release of "Help(2)" represents a significant moment in music-led philanthropy, aiming to harness the power of contemporary artists to address urgent humanitarian crises affecting children globally, three decades after its predecessor set a powerful precedent.
