You Me At Six have released a new single to raise money for WIRES, a charity rescuing native Australian wildlife in distress following the country's destructive bushfires.
It's been brilliant to see how many bands within the rock community have helped out in raising money and awareness for Australian bushfire relief – from Green Day's gig ticket proceeds, to blink-182's merch line and a very sizeable donation from Metallica. Now, You Me At Six are the latest group to do their bit, unveiling a powerful new standalone single in aid of the cause.
The track goes by the name Our House (The Mess We Made), and it not only has an extremely important message and story behind the song, but it will also go a long way in helping the animals affected by Australia's terrible bushfires; the band will be donating all proceeds from the single to the charity WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue Association, which is committed to rescuing native Aussie wildlife in distress.
Our House (The Mess We Made) actually came about by chance, after You Me At Six met a geologist who informed them that, in just 30 years' time, it is expected that large parts of the earth will be completely uninhabitable.
"In March 2019 we were coming back from a North American tour," explains frontman Josh Franceschi. "I was sat talking to a geologist who was returning from a summit in Atlanta where it was confirmed that by 2050, large parts of heavily human populated areas would be uninhabitable. He said something to me that has seemingly stuck with me, 'I’ll be long gone by then, but perhaps you, your children and grandchildren will have to live the devastation left for them by previous generations.'
"My interpretation of this is that we are all part of the problem if we aren’t actively trying to do something to contribute to the issue of climate change.
"We finished the song whilst recording in Thailand in October 2019. We were inspired to address the issue of climate change, but equally by the hope that the youth have given me. Never in my life have I seen a younger generation take to the streets to have their voices heard than on this subject. They want change, they want their futures back because our house is on fire, and we must act now.
"Seeing footage of what has been happening in Australia, we felt compelled to do something to help those who are in need, both humans and wildlife. It’s for that reason we are using the most powerful tool at our disposal to help: music.
"We are releasing this track as a standalone single with all proceeds donated to the charity WIRES, who are committed to rescuing native Australian wildlife in distress.
"Our hearts go out to a country that means so much to us."
Listen to Our House (The Mess We Made) below:
And visit the WIRES website for more information on what you can do to help.
