In response to recent protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, Pirates Press Records is hosting an auction of test pressings from the label's catalog. All proceeds will be donated to Anti-Police Terror Project (Oakland, CA) and the ACLU's Racial Justice Program. Items available for bidding include releases by Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards, Cock Sparrer, The Slackers, Subhumans, The Aggrolites, and more.
The label discusses their motivation in a statement, a portion of which is shared after the bump alongside a link to the auction, which ends on June 14 at 3pm PDT.
We aren’t going to pretend that various forms of racism haven’t existed in punk rock over the past 40+ years, and that some forms of it still do; but we must be the change we want to see in the world. At Pirates, and as punks and skins, hardcore kids and metal heads and everything in between, we MUST stand together and support human rights and everyone’s equal right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Especially black people, people of color and other traditionally oppressed communities. Until we are all safe, nobody is safe. Until we are all free, nobody is free.
In addition to learning and educating, standing up and speaking out, raising a fist, marching, and all the other ways we are helping bring awareness to this issue and fight for change, we are also introducing a series of auctions to help finance and support the people on the front lines; some of those with the most potential to change public opinion, legislation, and ultimately the future our children will inherit.
