Next week, The Vines, Flight Facilities, Operator Please and many others will be taking to the stage at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney as part of Billabong’s Design for Humanity UNICEF fundraising event. We got political with Chris from Operator Please and Hugo from Flight Facilities and chatted about the event, and what it stands for.
How did you get involved in this event?
Chris: When we were first approached about this gig, we had a chat about it and decided it would be a great thing to do so support such a worthy and needy cause. With so many natural disasters around the world, it’s great that we can use art and music to help out.
If someone gave you $1 million on the condition you had to give it all away (didn’t Oprah do a reality TV show where that was the entire premise?), where would you like to see that money go?
Chris: I think $1 million dollars could be used to give children from troubled and flood damaged areas instruments and sporting goods, as well as contributing to rebuilding parts of their community/lives. I think children that are forced in to these situations by natural disaster often don’t get to enjoy their childhood. A few simple instruments or some sports equipment could bring them a great deal of happiness, like it does to us (even though we sometimes forget how lucky we are for it!)
Hugo: If we were given the $1 million now, we’d probably still give it to a Pakistan flood appeal. It’s our next gig so it’s on the brain even more so than usual. They still need all the help they can get. The disaster in Haiti was given full attention but these floods seem to have been somewhat overlooked.
When tragedy strikes a nation, there is a huge groundswell of initial support – but then, thanks to mainstream media, the public forget about it and focus moves onto the next disaster.
Chris: It happens every time, mainstream media jump on the bandwagon for a week or two and then move on to the next news story, whereas in actual fact these areas are still struggling months and years after the media have shied away from the matter.
Hugo: People tend to throw money at things and then forget. It’s going to be a long process for Pakistan to return to its original state. It shouldn’t be forgotten or ignored within such a short period of time. Living in Australia, it’s easy to assume that whatever is destroyed can be quickly rebuilt or fixed. This is a luxury we can all take for granted. Visiting parts of Thailand, even two years after the Tsunami, there was still obvious damage. We can’t imagine the amount of time and effort it’s going to take to help restore Pakistan.
But there are of course still people who need help from the last one! What do you think we as people can do to look past the headlines and be better informed?
Chris: I think schools should take on the extra curricular activity or program of volunteering to be assigned to certain areas affected by natural disaster. By doing this, they could commit to this area over a one or two year period. Be it through fundraisers or even something as simple as becoming pen pals with a child over in damaged areas or donating old clothes. This way, schools that wish to be involved could follow the progress of re-building towns and cities while helping areas most in need. It would also be an important lesson for the children to acknowledge how fortunate they are!
Hugo: Most of the problem lies with the information we are given on a daily basis. The news headlines have become somewhat of a joke. In a 30 minute news program, we’re now given 5-10 minutes of current events, at least one of which involves sport or sports star. We’ve heard more this week about an NRL player getting fellatio from a dog than we have about a country with a death doll of over 1500 and a damage bill estimated at over $9 billion. Those in charge of the content need to reassess their priorities. The amount of gossip and “celebrity” shaming, that takes place in the news now, is sad and disrespectful to those who are really suffering.
What do you hope people take away from this event. And perhaps even, what do YOU hope to take away from being involved with this event?
Chris: I guess the main thing that should be taken away from this event is that we can all use what we have in life, be it music or art or donations and generosity in different ways to help out others in need. Also, of course, it will be a chance for us to realise how lucky we really are.
Hugo: Being involved with this event is definitely a good feeling. It’s nice to know that having a job like producing music and djing can somehow be linked in a way to help out the people in a far removed world. It’s like being at the opposite end of the spectrum. We’re both very lucky and appreciative to have the job and live the life we do. Playing our music to friends and party goers is always so much fun. Now, knowing it’s helping the likes of Pakistani farmers seems bizarre but makes it so much more worthwhile. Hopefully everybody attending is given a greater presence of mind to the world’s real issues, as well as the awareness of how lucky we all are. When things are bad, they could always be worse. It’s when they’re worse that people need to lend this kind of helping hand.
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Don’t miss Operator Please and Flight Facilities when they take the stage with The Vines and plenty more at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney on Wednesday 24th November 2010. Tickets are a bargain are on sale now – and it’s all for a great cause – head to http://www.oxfordartfactory.com/ or http://www.designforhumanity.com/ for more information!
