TO
SPEAKER PELOSI,
SENATOR SCHUMER,
AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE US HOUSE AND SENATE:
We the undersigned musicians appreciate your efforts to extend certain benefits to us and other self-employed people in the third COVID relief package.
However, few of us have received enough support to survive the crisis. Many states have yet to distribute benefits to self-employed workers, most of us are still awaiting stimulus checks, and our overdue rent, medical debt, student debt, utility bills, food costs, medical costs, and more continue to pile up. Many of us were never even eligible for expanded benefits because of immigration status. Many of us have been out of work since early March. Even when we receive the promised benefits, it will be too little and too late to survive the catastrophe facing our industry.
As such, we add our voices to workers across the country on the following.
1. We demand an extension of CARES Act unemployment benefits, including Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, through at least the remainder of 2020. Live music will be one of the last businesses to reopen, and music workers will need support until that happens.
2. We demand the extension of benefits to all Americans in need, regardless of their immigration status.
3. We demand a national rent and mortgage cancellation for all for the duration of the crisis, in order to ensure housing security, and to save our music venues, small businesses, and non-profits.
4. We demand emergency supplemental funding to the NEA, NEH, and CPB, and that the new relief package authorize emergency regranting to individuals.
5. We demand that Medicare be expanded immediately to cover everyone in the country.
6. We demand that the US Post Office be given all necessary funding, with no rate increases and no privatization. The Post Office is a necessity for musicians and other artists who ship recorded music and other merchandise.
The above include the bare minimum needed to ensure that musicians, self-employed people, and all workers are able to survive the COVID crisis and its devastating economic aftermath with dignity. Musicians and artists perform labor that provides entertainment, comfort, and meaning, for countless Americans, particularly during quarantine. If we are to continue producing through this crisis and afterward, we must have rights, respect, and immediate economic relief.
Signed by the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) and the following artists,
Damon & Naomi
Riobamba
Downtown Boys
Eve 6
Algiers
of Montreal
Moaning
Frankie Cosmos
Sammus
Henry Hank
Curt Oren
Painted Zeros
dj haram
Ester
Jess Shoman
Jim Hill
Isabel Reidy
Jim Hill
Too Free
Stolen Jars
David Palazola
Raia Was
Arthur Moon
Simulcast
Alice Bag
Guy Picciotto ( Fugazi, Rites of Spring)
Shady Bug
Naomi Yang
J. Mamana
DAP The Contract
La Neve
Kohinoorgasm
Damon Krukowski
Evan Greer
Clear Channel
Gauche
Dan Boeckner
Wet Leather
Joe DeGeorge
Harry and the Potters
Michaud Savage
iji
Cannons
Dueling Whitneys
Market
L.A. Takedown / Aaron M Olson
DJ Dayglow
Chris Cohen
Lori Goldston
Dogbreth
Amato Zinno
Jonny Kosmo
Kim Logan
Booker Stardrum
PlayPlay
trinkets
Luisa muhr
Dear Nora
Andrew Glasgow
Harness Flux
Rafael Nunez
Groupie
Ashley Kossakowski
HORDE
Potty Mouth
Jane Doe Ensemble
Erica Dawn Lyle (Bikini Kill/AquaShade)
David Huckfelt
Heather Elle
Marquavius James
Michele Kappel
KHORIKOS
Amanda Bartley
Cristy Road Carrera
Scott Garlock
Ari Fouriezos
Jess Huetteman
Paul Burkett
Sister Raymos
shane
Kaela
Julia Holter
Newborn Huskies
Humeysha
Peter Winnipeg
Glitterer
Nat Baldwin
Amar Lal
John " Coconutz" Chittwood
Pretty Purgatory records
Unholy Two
Michael Noyce
Marc Smason
Asher Platts
Jill Burstein
Kenneth Reveiz
Chip Hale
T.J. Masters
Emily Harris
Mutual Benefit
rhys hastings
The_blue_haired_girl
Couture Detour
John Marquez
David Palazola
Mega Bog
Dennis Bathory-Kitsz
Phillip Golub
The Ophelias
Greg Schlotthauer
Swaya
Pieter Hilton (Typhoon, Sunbathe)
Lara Driscoll
DAP The Contract
Laser Background
Gouge Away
Aaron J. Shay
A Hawk and A Hacksaw
DIIV
La Dispute
Hiro Kone
NFlorin
bathtub cig
Peter Winnipeg
Tashi Wada
Jenise Reedus
Joan Anderman
Half Waif
Ryan H. Walsh
Charles Mxxn
Jonathan Birkholz
Alex Lichtenauer
Katie Lee
Nate Kinsella
Lee Ranaldo
Aaron Edgcomb
IE
Angel Davanport
Dougie Poole
Philip Bardowell
Hellrazor
Amari Newman (sleepwalker)
aloe lonely
The Sapsuckers
heather trost
Ciemme
THE PICTURES BAND
Sloane Angel Hilton
Sad13
Speedy Ortiz
Karna Ray
The Kominas
Unibrow
Fay Pordon
Maya Lo
Chris Bernhardt/ BMR4
Jesse Poe
Tanakh
Diet Cig
Tonks & the Aurors
Ryan Mahan | Dead Meat
Matt Maggiacomo
Katie Alice Greer
Shahjehan Khan
Jeremy McMaham
Tanya Donelly
Tashi Dorji
Larry Crane
Aaron Jonah Lewis
Mary Lattimore
Monoculture
Greg Kelley
Nicky Devine
Greg Kelley
Bridget St. John
James Hoff
P Michael -ONO
Derek Baron
Ben Chasny
Thalia Zedek
Banny Grove
Teenage Afterglow
Shannon Rose Riley, ONO
Hether Fortune
Geoff Rickly/Thursday
No Joy
ZOLA JESUS
Cold Showers
Michael Berdan / Uniform
connor tomaka, ONO
Telefon Tel Aviv
heather kapplow
Holy People
Forest Management
Lysa Flores
Razor Clam
Rikki Watson
Dusty Watson
Emily Reo
Mikhail Shraga
Andy Graydon
Pinkwash
The Rare Forms
Scarves
Spencer Compton / Proper Nouns
TBASA
Michael Abbate
Taryn Dorsey
Aeon Corvidae
Da Wei Wang
Tobacco City
The Fabulous Downey Brothers
Sonny Falls
TV Coahran/Gazebos
WAR ON WOMEN
Patrick Galactic
La Fonda
Dave Segal
Quillan Roe for the Roe Family Singers
buzzbtns
THE CURLS
Tobias the Owl
Fernando House
Garrick Rawlings
Animal Hospital
Marco Buccelli
David Stern
Fur Dixon
travis
connor tomaka, ONO
ONO
jeff hersch
Ushamami
Kim Boekbinder
Tom Van Buskirk (Javelin, Actual Magic)
Lee Tesche
SRSQ
Matt Tong
Nate Donmoyer
Privacy Issues
Hiro Kone
Moor Mother
Joe Malinowski
Lucas Knapp
Told Slant
psychic of orange
Nacey
Charly Bliss
Baths
Jeff Berner
Jacob Nathan
Andy Pitcher
Lia Braswell
WHY? / Yoni Wolf
Ishai Barnoy
Bird Streets
Cory Juba
Marley McNamara
Yohuna
TORRES
Kat and the Hurricane
Freezing Cold
Tomberlin
Guerilla Toss
No Baby
Joe Oakes
Squirrel flower
Late Bloomer
Max Del Viscio
Mannequin Pussy
Connor Sullivan
Maneka
Flochango and the Moneyshots
Hannah Feldman
PLEASURES
Burgers
Long Neck
Black Tabs
The Goodbye Party
Bernard pilon
Paige Beller
Flick Liver
HXXS
Bedbug
Liza Anne
Bren Lukens / Modern Baseball
Uncle Monsterface
Feyer
Shell of a Shell
Lucy Stone
Woozles
Cleric
Panini Girlfriend
Peter Winnipeg
Girlpool
Hartsick
Tapir
NEW BOMB TURKS
matt reber - new bomb turks
OK Glass
Zilched
Yellowbird
Macie Stewart
Magic Man
Fashion Club
Kevin Doherty
Ruben Tirado | Gold Steps, EDIU, Rare Bloom
Half Gringa
Young Marshall
Terror Pigeon
Tiny Deserts
Anomie Belle
Shaki Tavi // Leon Mosburg
Cassidy Andrews
Headboggle
John elliott
Adrien Young
Preston Mendell
Nixon/kato
caloric
Max Stephens (Bad Optics)
Double Libra
Microcosms
Coco Roy
Kid Congo Powers
Tim Keen (Ought)
Sydney Ha
Victoria Ruiz
Nixon/kato
Spineapples
Bacchae
Jo passed
cold weather boy
S.S. Something
Leonor Falcón
Bonsai Trees
Thin Lips
Joel Jerome
Jerry Paper
Lucy Arnell
Carinae
Grand Vapids
Noah Kohll
Bryn Bliska
Stef Chura
Radiator Hospital
Launder
Future Punx
The Acute
Craig McQuiston- Tour Manager: Kurtr Vile, MGMT, The War On Drugs
Jeff Rosenstock
richjensen
Marinara
Martin Arguelles
Kemba
Bradley Mehlenbacher
RENT STRIKE
Danny J. | Daniel J. W!shington
Tom Laroc
DJ Jeannie Hopper
Glass Bat
Double Libra
Tennis System
8ULENTINA
Kunal Prakash
Squish
Eli Winter
Sonoda
Chris Cote, Guitar & Backline Tech
Marni
Jon Catfish DeLorme
Stagehand
Hypoluxo
Charlie Vela
Geedomane
José Rivera (Proxemia)
David Badstubner
Jacopo Lanotte
Choke Chain
Alicia Ortiz
Beach Vacation
John Van Tongeren
Katrina Urton
Goldblush
The Deluxe Band
James Ringness
Ryan Packard
Chris Hamlett
Clear Capsule
Glockabelle
GILT
Kevin Smith
Acidgoat
Station Agent
Paula Henderson
alouette.
Sprain
Scott Daniel
SASAMI
Anna NastY
Jeff Haley- Wild Nothing
Brian Lawlor
Jonathan Schenke
The Digital Locomotive
Theodore Davis
Daniel Cooper - Lucky Bird Media
baby.comThe Other Half of the Sky
Charley James
Damper
Slang Terms
Erica Miller
Bethlehem Steel
James World
M. Roosevelt
NOVA ONE / Roz Raskin
Jen Ayers
gobbinjr
Sarah Cowell (tall child)
Bailey Lawless
Baby Grill
Heaven
Timeless Agents
Bebé Machete
Eli Namay
Bobby Cardos
BiG HUGE
Jo Alvarez
Kenneth M. Piekarski (Slashed Tires)
Kerry McCoy / Deafheaven
Boy Romeo
Ben Zucker
Found Space
Michael Serafin-Wells (Bipolar Explorer, Tremosphere)
ENDOR
Sarah Coffey
Kitchen Stripes
Boy Harsher
Wam Dingis
KONGOS
Cusi Coyllur
Stephanie Barclay
Deeper
Orchin
The Big Net
Mike Hewlett
Bryant Senghor (Gizmo 3squire)
Iain Standing
illuminati hotties
P.Savant
Sigra
Fingerprince
Gorgeous Dykes
Mary Wander
Bernie & The Wolf
Noel Palacios
Juliet Quick
Taciturn
Steve Shebby
Sabrina Pantal
Quisol
Old Friends
Robbie Pate
Jess Harp
Troy Topinka
Max Bernstein
Shadwick Wilde
Ria Hodgson
Thin Lips
Richard Album
Ellen Brandwein
Florist
RJ Mason
Emily Sprague
Funeral Cone
SoSaLa
Bryan De Leon
Vaiapraia
Kaz Mirblouk
Monde UFO
Johnny Wilson
Paradot
LUNCH
Jack Langdon
Bret Koontz
Lara Americo
Joshua Elza Breen-Tucci
guests
STRFKR
Carolyn Leonhart
World Record Winner
Big Mermaid
Oropendola
Christopher McBride
Bartees Strange
Erin Tonkon
Mr. Monday
Nicholas Palmirotto
Mahssa Taghinia
The Benji’s
Will Sprott
Dirty Fences
Boy Bloom
METALLEG
R.O. Shapiro
L K Hae
Lotus Brothers
Gregg Foreman
james toth
Leebo Freeman(Beau x)
Hot Water Music
Amanda Glasser
Mimpi
Jesse Greenberg
Meg Bashwiner
Brushstroke
Tonye Aganaba
Rob Snow
Ariana Hodes
one human person
B. Dolan
Kayleigh Goldsworthy
Kiley Lotz, Petal
Jakob Heinemann
Remember Sports
Maxo
Pom Pom Squad
Elisa Ambrogio
gettohed
leafing
Steve Hauschildt
Dog Sister
Nico Fox
Fiona Silver
Yarn
Sheridan Sogge
Scott McGrath
Jackie Mendoza
Jules Drucker
Friendship
Rudith PD
AKUA
Martha Stuckey
Ali Mehraban
Pictoria Vark
Ornamental
Firebrick Lab
Psychic Twin
Joe McGinty
The Rakers
Via Vespucci
Clara TAkarabe
Neyva
Kitty Kat Fan Club
Haybaby
Yowler
Suzanne Thorpe
Pike Company
Blis.
Sarah Safaie
Ceschi Ramos
baby's breath
brin
Ali McGuirk
Doom Lover
Leviathe
All Hits
Chubby & the gang
Faithful
Deafheaven
Adult Mom
Lush Agave
Jason Roebke
Mala Vista
B Taylor
Oux
AND THE KIDS
Greg Rutkin
Bread Boy
Indigo Finamore
Andrew Weathers
topographies
Hello Whirled
The Fairy Ring
Angela Morris
Gavin Gamboa
disappearing dreams
Tony Goddess
Radical Tanks
A.M. Rodriguez
Miss Eaves
Mike Purcell
Melkbelly
Drive Safe
Hurts to Laugh
Amy Klein
Sad Baxter
Victor Orlando
Douglas Laustsen
Suzi Analogue
Gustaf
Stuck
Giancarlo Cortes (Hand of Gavrilo, Flatlands, Hippodrome)
Anna Altman
Turnip King
isador
Campaign Launch Party
Liza
Frank Coleman
Glad Rags
Ian Cunningham
Peter Aaron
Zad
Pat Thomas
Ryan Leonard
abby black
Your Heart Breaks
B
Gudiya
Sand Pact
Sheer Mag
Mary Mister
Available
Josi Arias
Chief Boima
Home Body
Sally Horowitz
Shiva Linga
P0STB1NARY
John Pazdan
Frenchy and the Punk
Patrick Johnson-Whitty
Lotus Sound Design
ana rocha
Swaggaquil
The Red Scare
NYALLAH
Nara Avakian
Boye
Dionysus & Apollo
Kiffy Myers
Mickey Moore
Nani castle
Josephine
liz isenberg
Arden Gonta
Glitter Moneyyy
Maria Chavez
Family Cash
Wyatt Smith
Francesca Caruso
Gavilán Rayna Russom
Chico Chi
Family Cash
Saint Heartbreak
Stephanie
Bobo
Mick's Jaguar
Mahssa Taghinia (Mount Analog)
Animal Hospital
Matt Falkowski
Wayne Leechford
NSRRW
NIIKA
Quin Kirchner
David Combs (Spoonboy)
Colin Frangicetto (Circa Survive)
Ben Roidl-Ward
Math the Band
Mourning [A] BLKstar
Sean Johnson
Julian Porte
Reno Cruz
Gabriel J. Garnica
The Blank Tapes
Mikel Farber
Drinking Flowers
Heba Kadry (Mastering Engineer)
WSABI Fox
