Ireland’s creative community has long demonstrated extraordinary solidarity with the Palestinian cause, wielding art and music as powerful tools for activism. From protests to fundraisers, artists from all corners of the island have come together to support the struggle. Today, Hunger Is Violence stands as yet another significant contribution to this ongoing solidarity.
We’re proud to present a first listen to this striking new compilation from Diet of Worms. Hunger Is Violence features fourteen diverse reinterpretations of Richard Berry’s iconic 1955 R&B track’, Louie Louie,’ with all proceeds going to the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC).
This release is a vital statement, bringing together an array of boundary-pushing Irish artists to put their own unique spin on a song that has been recorded thousands of times yet remains shrouded in mystery and complexity. Curated by the Irish label Diet of Worms, the compilation features some of the island’s most singular experimental and avant-garde talents, including Natalia Beylis, pôt-pot, Aonghus McEvoy, Seamas Hyland and White Sage, as well as Anna Clock, Coolgirl, Bedsores, Big Tears and more.
What makes this compilation stand out is the raw creativity behind it. A track that, despite its ubiquity, has become synonymous with rebellious energy is now reimagined through experimental takes that push the boundaries of what we expect from such an ingrained piece of pop culture. As Irish author Kevin Barry writes in his liner notes:
“The facts: backstage at a show in Anaheim, California, sometime in 1955, the doo-wop musician Richard Berry took the riff of a Cuban tune, ‘El Loco Cha-Cha’, and added some new and mildly suggestive lyrics to make a song called ‘Louie Louie’. He wrote the lyrics on toilet paper. The song was first recorded the following year and eventually became a hit for The Kingsmen in 1964. In the decades since, thousands of versions have been recorded, and I believe that there will (and should) come a time when everyone alive on the planet has offered their own take on ‘Louie Louie’. It is the song that invented viral.
In this anthology, that single propulsive riff from deep in the vaults of time has been exploded in many new ways, and somehow it still refreshes, whether the rendition is by noisenik guitar or ambient drone, by the death-claps of industrial percussion or with groovy shuffling beats, or with AI interrogations, or with loopy dreaming synths. None of this matters. All that matters is that the artists gathered here have done so to show empathy with those who are suffering in Palestine, and now, more than ever, our acts of empathy are critical, even if they are not enough.”
The release, available on limited cassette and digitally from Diet of Worms this Friday, 6th December 2024, features striking cover art: an abstract tricolour of black, white, and green stripes overlaid by a red triangle. The art, a photograph of a piece of paper used to protect a kitchen table during a child’s painting session, perfectly distils the chaos and vibrant variety that defines both the music and the cause it supports.
All proceeds from the sale of this compilation will be donated to the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), a non-profit organisation committed to raising awareness of the human rights abuses faced by the Palestinian people and campaigning for their rights and freedoms.
Hunger Is Violence is more than just a compilation – it’s a vital testament to the power of art in times of crisis, uniting some of the island’s finest artists in their shared commitment to the Palestinian cause.
Stream Hunger is Violence below. For more details and to purchase the release, visit Diet of Worms on Bandcamp.
