Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, DEVO, Primal Scream, and more have joined forces for Los Angeles Rising, a new benefit album raising funds for musicians affected by the recent LA wildfires.
Spearheaded by Kevin Haskins of Bauhaus and Love and Rockets, along with producer Nick Launay, the compilation features previously unreleased tracks from some of alternative music’s most influential artists. All proceeds from the album will go directly to Sweet Relief, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to career musicians in need.
The album, which is available exclusively on Bandcamp, includes a reimagined version of “California Dreamin’” by Jarvis Cocker, an alternate take on Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Turn Into” from Show Your Bones, and a new track from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds titled “Michelangelo.” Primal Scream contributed an orchestral version of their song “False Flags,” while Danny Elfman added his own surreal spin with “Monkeys on the Loose.” DEVO, Gary Numan, and Flea also feature on the 16-track compilation.
Haskins and Launay, both longtime LA residents, were personally affected by the fires and said the project came together quickly as they watched the devastation unfold.
“As the wildfires were raging and destroying thousands of homes around Los Angeles, both my neighborhood and Nick’s were instructed to evacuate. But we were the lucky ones,” Haskins said in a press statement. “The fire threatening our homes and recording studios was thankfully extinguished by firefighters just minutes away, but countless musicians and friends lost everything.”
Launay added, “This harrowing experience and witnessing the monumental destruction of entire communities inspired Nick and I to team up to create a compilation album to raise money for the less fortunate. We reached out to our musician friends for unreleased recorded gems and the response was incredible! PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, Primal Scream, Gary Numan, and Devo are just some of the artists that rushed in to help.”
“Nick and I were lucky. We had to evacuate, but our homes and studios survived,” Haskins said in a statement. “So many musicians we know lost everything.” The two reached out to artists who had worked with them over the years, asking if they had unreleased tracks that could help raise money. “The response was incredible,” Launay added. “These musicians didn’t hesitate to contribute to something that could directly help their peers.”
The album arrives amid a broader industry-wide effort to support wildfire relief. Bandcamp recently announced that all proceeds from purchases made on Feb. 7 would be donated to MusiCares, while a separate benefit album—featuring contributions from R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, and more—is also in the works.
Los Angeles Rising is available now on Bandcamp, with vinyl pressings and limited-edition merchandise set to be released later this month. As wildfires continue to impact communities across California, the music industry is once again proving its ability to rally support when it’s needed most.
