ROCK FOR HOPE, a collective of musicians has put their twist on Ramones’ “I Believe in Miracles” to help raise money for Partners In Health so they can stock up on PPE and other medical equipment needed to fight the battle against COVID-19. The gang includes Walter Schreifels (Quicksand, Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Rival Schools, CIV), Frank Turner, Eugene Hutz (Gogol Bordello), Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), Justin Hawkins (The Darkness), Brett Anderson (The Donnas), Tom Higgenson (Plain White T's), Nathen Maxwell (Flogging Molly, The Bunny Gang), Mike Miley (Rival Sons), Boris Pelekh (Gogol Bordello, Hey Guy), and Roy Cardenas (Mutemath). Donations can be made via Go Fund Me here.

“Rock For Hope was inspired by my mom who’s in her mid-sixties and a staff nurse at New York Presbyterian in Queens,” explains music director and project organizer Boris Pelekh. “Her hospital became a central hotspot of the pandemic in New York City and her unit was repurposed for COVID-19 patients. The situation was growing more grim by the day, so it became very difficult for me to isolate at home and not try to help somehow. I decided to muster up a bunch of friends from other bands to come together virtually and lay down a hopeful and anthemic punk rock song. Our goal is to raise everyone’s spirits and help raise funds for a charitable organization that’s on the frontlines fighting for our well-being. I picked one of the most timeless punk bands from Queens and their song couldn’t be a better fit.”  

Partners In Health is a global health organization restoring social justice by bringing quality health care to the most vulnerable around the world. 

"PIH is uniquely positioned to respond to COVID-19, leveraging deep experience in treating infectious disease outbreaks and responding to emergency situations around the world. They're launching a comprehensive effort to support this response across its network of supported countries around the world to contain and control the spread of the virus, ensure that patients are provided with dignified care, and demonstrate to the world what aggressive action in vulnerable settings can achieve. More than 88% of all our funding goes directly to our sites."

Their motto is simple: "Watch our video. If you enjoy it, please donate. If you're not in the position to give, share it with someone that is."

 

COLUMNS

Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...7/3/25

"Absolutely! It is a tribute to him but it is not a tribute band," began Bon Scott "79th Birthday Tribute" organizer John Jackson as he discussed this year's event, past history and more. "What we're trying to do is model this off like what the "Experience Hendrix" folks do with their "Red House" tour where they've got several guitar players that come and do various Jimi Hendrix songs but there is not one person who is being Jimi Hendrix. So, last year we had 16, this year we have about a dozen different singers who are all going to do one or two songs; their favorites. So, it's more of a celebration and that's why we do it on his birthday rather than like a tribute gig the way people have come to know them. Hopefully we'll do him justice, it will be hot, it will be loud but it will be fun, I promise."

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Makin Waves Song of the Week: "My Place" by Des & the Swagmatics