(Switchfoot photo via TWLOHA's Flickr)
For three years, Jamie Tworkowski has been on a mission to harness the influence of your favorite bands to raise awareness about the very serious depression that can come hand in hand with the stereotypical rock star lifestyle. The same depression that affects an estimated 19 million Americans and can lead to suicide -- the third-leading cause of death among 18-24 year olds.
What started as a project to help out a friend in need has blossomed into a full on movement called To Write Love On Her Arms. Tworkowski has brought his message to church groups, universities, music festivals and, most of all, the internet. To Write Love On Her Arms has enough of a following on MySpace and Facebook to populate a small country.
But it didn't happen overnight. Tworkowski's first major ally was inspirational San Diego rock outfit, Switchfoot. His friend, drummer Chad Butler, was the first to wear one of the now infamous To Wear Love On Her Arms t-shirts onstage. Since then the minimal design has graced the celebrated torsos of Paramore, Evanescence, Bayside, Forever The Sickest Kids and SO many more.
Tworkowski's latest college tour, starting Friday in Florida, takes him across the American South to California, this time accompanied by North Carolina folk crooner, Josh Moore. The complete calendar of TWLOHA events is here. The famous t-shirts are here. Everything else you need, including resources to give or get a helping hand through hard times, is available on TWLOHA.com. Visit often.
I asked you to send me your questions for The Cab. Then I asked The Cab, and ye, verily, they answered. And their answers -- which range from killer robots and Star Wars to pancakes and Meatloaf (the guy) -- may surprise you. Also, somehow Something Corporate and Paul Blart: Mall Cop made their way into the Buzzworthy interview too.
Watch The Cab answer your Buzzworthy blog fan questions now.
PS: Yes, that's a framed photo of Bayside above the couch.
There are two types of punk and pop-punk fans -- those who'd rather be caught dead than caught listen to Britney Spears and/or Pussycat Dolls, and those who'd only listen to Britney Spears and/or Pussycat Dolls if and when covered by A Static Lullaby, August Burns Red (their cover of "Baby One More Time" sounds like angry indigestion) and Mayday Parade respectively. (There's also the third type -- the closeted pop fan who'll only listen to pop on someone else's iPod.)
Fearless Records isn't unleashing Pop Goes Punk 2 -- a tongue-in-cheek collection of punk-covered pop hits -- until March 10, but you can stream the entire album track right now on "The Leak."
Extra points go to There For Tomorrow for covering one of my favorite R&B joints -- "Ice Box" by Omarion (two great tastes that taste great together!) and to Bayside for putting what I'm almost positive will be a fresher coat of paint on Sean Kingston's cloying "Beautiful Girls."
+ Listen to Pop Goes Punk 2 now!
Yesterday we posted a Bayside video. Some of you flipped fantastic, commenting with such vitriol that you'd have thought we'd fired shots at your dog. (We'd never do that, by the way.) Frontman Anthony Raneri even took note and blogged about it -- quite eloquently too -- on Bayside's MySpace page.
Read more...
For the past few years, we tried to stifle and suppress our love for "Move Along" by the All-American Rejects. That love that dareth not speak its name was so strong, yet oh how it felt so wrong. So, we now feel way more secure in our love for Bayside's "Carry On" -- similar sentiments, way more substance.
And, Bayside fans and soon-to-be fans, take note: the band is putting a fine gold patina on The Walking Wounded with this summer's release of The Walking Wounded: Gold Edition. Watch a clip of the CD/DVD's bonus footage here.
Also, for anyone else interested, please also take note: our crush on Anthony Raneri is officially official. Sorry, Tyson Ritter.
