86 - Artists United Against Apartheid

Prisoners of Rock and Roll

In 1985, a group of musicians came together to raise awareness about the oppressive, racist government in South Africa.

Organized by Steven Van Zandt, the group calling themselves Artists United Against Apartheid was, according to music critic Dave Marsh, “the most diverse line up of popular musicians ever assembled for a single session” and the list is pretty amazing.”

Just some of the names include Bono, George Clinton, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Kurtis Blow, Miles Davis, Ringo Star, David Ruffin, Joey Ramone, Run DMC, Keith Richard, Bruce Springsteen, Herbie Hancock, Bonnie Raitt, that dude from Midnight Oil, AND the Fat Boys.

They jointly refused to ever play at Sun City, a luxury resort in South Africa that symbolized the racial segregation of South Africa, and they released a protest album called Sun City to raise awareness.

In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re diving into the history and impact of Artists United Against Apartheid.

Episode Playlists

Check out the Artists United Against Apartheid album here.

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