Former Sonic Youth guitarist/vocalist and avant-rock icon Thurston Moore has recorded a benefit song for Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign called "Feel It in Your Guts." In an arrangement with the Joyful Noise Recordings label, the release came out yesterday on square white flexi-disc in an edition of 1,000 (already sold out!) and as a download. According to the press release, "the track is a twelve-string acoustic piece laced with excerpts from Bernie Sanders' speeches, touching on topics like the worship of money, economic inequality, social justice, and the need for basic human rights for all people." The song's arranged and mixed by Mike Bridavsky of Lil Bub internet fame. Note that there's a somewhat roundabout process to ensure that your money reaches Sanders's coffers: Read the three-step ordering procedure here. Check out a couple of explanatory videos and the press release after the jump. (We eagerly await Kim Gordon's pro-Hillary anthem.)

Joyful Noise Recordings recently brought together two inspiring individuals for a very special release: a brand new composition by Thurston Moore, created in collaboration with the Bernie Sanders campaign. Titled "Feel It In Your Guts," the track is a twelve-string acoustic piece laced with excerpts from Bernie Sanders' speeches, touching on topics like the worship of money, economic inequality, social justice, and the need for basic human rights for all people.

"Feel It In Your Guts" is limited to 1000 hand-numbered copies on square, white flexi-disc vinyl. All records are given away for free to those who make individual donations to Sanders' campaign. More details here.
Throughout his political career, Sanders has been a strong supporter of the arts. “You have my promise that as President, I will be an arts President,” Sanders said in a video recorded for the Arts Action Fund. “I will continue to advocate strongly for robust funding of the arts in our cities, schools and public spaces. Art is speech. Art is what life is about.”

Explaining how the Bernie Sanders & Thurston Moore collaboration came to fruition, Joyful Noise's Karl Hofstetter says:

Bernie Sanders inspires us. In a political and business climate which is increasingly self-interested and money-driven, Bernie Sanders alone remains uncompromisingly focused on the issues that affect 99% of us. Which is to say, he’s talking about the things that will improve the lives of ourselves, our families, and basically everyone we have ever met. As the only presidential candidate who refuses bribes from big business, his agenda is unswervingly focused on the people over special interests. As Bernie himself has said, “The reason why we are doing well in this campaign is because we are telling the truth.”

We at the label were inspired to support the campaign, and we thought it would be best to use our curatorial talents to this end. Being a weird-o indie rock record label, we are fortunate to work with a variety of incredible musicians; including, on occasion, the great Thurston Moore. So we decided to ask him. And we were delighted that in a matter of minutes after posing the idea, Thurston excitedly agreed.

Next: the task of getting a major presidential candidate involved. Fortunately, one of our employees was already friends with the good folks of the Bernie campaign, so we reached out. Amazingly, the Bernie campaign responded, and within a week or so, we heard that Bernie himself was into the idea. The amazing folks at the Bernie campaign have worked closely with us to make this crazy collaboration a reality. - Karl Hofstetter