Those dang commie socialists in Stick To Your Guns decided to celebrate, what to them is, a very special anniversary – the birthday of Chilean revolutionary and folk singer Victor Jara. They are doing so by releasing a demo of "Hasta La Victoria."
The band explain “Today Stick To Your Guns is honoring the birthday of Chilean revolutionary and folk singer Victor Jara by releasing a new (demo) song entitled “Hasta La Victoria”. Victor’s story is one known all over the world and one used as a cautionary tale in recognizing fascism but even more so the necessary importance of fighting it with everything that you have.
On September 11th 1973 a CIA sponsored coup took place in Santiago, Chile to overthrow democratically elected leftist leader Salvador Allende (it is also referred to as “The First 9/11”). Victor and thousands of other musicians, poets, artists, teachers, students and political dissidents that were seen as a “Marxist threat” were taken to the Santiago stadium where they were tortured and killed.
Many eye witness accounts of people who were lucky enough to survive said that the officers were especially brutal to Victor. They broke his hands and said “sing for us now you son of a bitch”. They brutally beat him until finally his body was torn apart by machine gun fire.
His songs have inspired people all over the world to never forget the struggle of working people and to stand up together in unity and solidarity against systems that serve to pillage and steal from working class families. Today we release this song not only for Victor but for the Chilean people who put everything they have on the line to continue to fight for their most basic dignities.
You have and continue to inspire us to keep up the same fight. Solidarity forever.
This song is ONLY available via Bandcamp. The song costs one dollar but if you wish to give more you can. All proceeds will be going to national legal and bail funds to help aid the people who are on the ground doing the work here in the United States.
…Much love to everyone. We love and miss you all.
This beat goes on, this melody sung UNTIL VICTORY!”
Listen below:
