Brian Eno
 Brian Eno      (Musician, political activist) | |
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| Born | Brian Peter George Eno 15 May 1948 Melton, Suffolk, England |
| Alma mater | Winchester School of Art |
| Interests | LNF |
Brian Eno is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop and electronica. A self-described "non-musician", Eno has helped introduce unconventional concepts and approaches to contemporary music. He has been described as one of popular music's most influential and innovative figures. In 2019, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music.[1]
An advocate of a range of humanitarian causes, Eno writes on a variety of subjects and is a founding member of the Long Now Foundation. His recent political activism has included Gazan tragedy awareness before and during the 2023-2024 Israel-Hamas War,[2] climate change awareness,[3] anti-Toryism, and the freedom and release of Julian Assange.[4]
Contents
Political activist
Brian Eno was appointed President of Stop the War Coalition in 2017, having had a long involvement with StWC since it was set up in 2001.
Eno is an early and prominent member of Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25) where he contributes, issues statements, and takes part in media events and discussions.
UK politics
In 2007, Brian Eno joined the Liberal Democrats as youth adviser under Nick Clegg.
In 2017, Eno signed an open letter as a member of the Labour Party and has stated that voting for the Liberal Democrats is "voting Tory without admitting it". In August 2015, he endorsed Jeremy Corbyn's campaign in the Labour Party leadership election.[5]
In November 2019, along with other public figures, Eno signed a letter supporting Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn describing him as "a beacon of hope in the struggle against emergent far-right nationalism, xenophobia and racism in much of the democratic world" and endorsed him for in the UK/General election/2019.
In December 2019, along with 42 other leading cultural figures, he signed a letter endorsing the Labour Party under Corbyn's leadership in the 2019 general election. The letter stated that "Labour's election manifesto under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership offers a transformative plan that prioritises the needs of people and the planet over private profit and the vested interests of a few."[6]
Palestine supporter
In 2006, Brian Eno was one of more than 100 artists and writers who signed an open letter calling for an international boycott of Israeli political and cultural institutions. In January 2009 he spoke out against Israel's military action on the Gaza Strip by writing an opinion for CounterPunch and participating in a large-scale protest in London. In 2014, Eno again protested publicly against what he called a "one-sided exercise in ethnic cleansing" and a "war [with] no moral justification," in reference to the 2014 military operation of Israel into Gaza.
He was also a co-signatory, along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Noam Chomsky and others, to a letter published in The Guardian that labelled the conflict as an "inhumane and illegal act of military aggression" and called for "a comprehensive and legally binding military embargo on Israel, similar to that imposed on South Africa during apartheid."
In April 2021, Eno was a participant in the "Live for Gaza" online concert, which included Gaza's first rock group Osprey V, Wafaa Alnjeili, and Badeel Band.
In October 2023, Eno signed an open letter of artists for ceasefire during the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. In November 2023, he signed an open letter calling for a ceasefire and an end to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.[7]
Letter to the ICC
On 7 October 2024, Brian Eno and Yanis Varoufakis addressed an Open Letter to the Judges of the International Criminal Court, on the anniversary of October 7, calling for them to "Act now or international law withers forever".[8]
References
- ↑ "Roxy Music"
- ↑ "Brian Eno: This Is About People Who Believe in Peace vs. People Who Believe in War"
- ↑ "‘Capitalism didn’t understand community’: Brian Eno steps up the climate crisis battle"
- ↑ "Brian Eno's latest composition: A giant Christmas card with Julian Assange on it"
- ↑ "Jeremy Corbyn for prime minister? Why not?"
- ↑ "Vote for hope and a decent future"
- ↑ "Pulp and Lucy Dacus among thousands of musicians to have signed letter for Gaza ceasefire"
- ↑ "Brian Eno’s & Yanis Varoufakis’ Open Letter to the Judges of the ICC, on the anniversary of 7th October: Act now or International Law withers forever"
