Music has always had a mission. The power and emotions that a good song can bring up are undeniable. This also leads to awareness for issues that may go unseen by the general public but can be introduced through them through music. Punk music has been at the forefront of this since its early beginnings. So it should be no surprise that the new RAMONES-ESQUE we recently discovered is ready to continue that charge.
If you have not been sleeping under a rock for the past decade, you should be well aware of the Opioid crisis currently going on. Especially in the musician community, these drugs have taken hold and taken the lives of far too many of our brethren. Amazingly there are helpful solutions out there BUT the powers that be seem to be more interested in making a profit off the crisis than saving lives.
The Asheville, North Carolina nonprofit Musicians for Overdose Prevention and Holy Crap Records recently released a new, punk compilation album, “Ramones-Esque.” The album features underground musicians and bands from many punk scenes who have come together to shine a light on how the overdose epidemic has impacted their community and bring attention to the overpriced cost of Narcan.
Naloxone (Narcan) is highly effective at stopping heroin, fentanyl, and other opioid overdoses. It can be used to save lives by just about anyone in an easily administered nasal spray, but the price for a two-pack of Narcan — is $75!!! A price out of range for the average struggling musician and the nonprofit organizations out there trying to help them.
Stream 'Ramones-Esque' Here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/3VW1AYj4QyPfyaNJHLBKxV?si=f91K7XdKSx2KFZhRXtLefA
When the call went out for bands willing to help, there was an amazing response. Fifty bands came out from all corners of the punk scene to lend their musical talent to Ramones-Esque. The collection features 3 discs worth of old school Ramones-style punk rock. Simple and to the point. In this moment of crisis, in order to save lives and address their own complicity in the creation of the overdose epidemic, pharmaceutical companies must lower costs of Narcan and naloxone: #NoProfitForNarcan.
Ramones-Esque can be bought at https://holycraprecords.bandcamp.com, or on Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, or other online music services.
About Musicians For Overdose Prevention:
Musicians for Overdose Prevention is a nonprofit company aimed at supporting musicians through Narcan/naloxone awareness, Narcan distribution, and general mental health support. To learn more, visit https://www.musiciansforoverdoseprevention.org/.
