Billy Bragg and Epiphone Join Forces for Jail Guitar Doors

by Staff.

Epiphone has announced its support for the Jail Guitar Doors campaign, an initiative started by singer, songwriter and guitarist Billy Bragg for the purpose of providing musical intruments for the use of inmates serving time in United Kingdom prisons. "I'm very pleased that Epiphone has come on board as a supporter of Jail Guitar Doors," says Bragg. "Music therapy has been shown to make a significant contribution towards rehabilitation and the supply of quality instruments that Epiphone has made available will help to enhance the work being carried out in Britain's prisons."

The campaign takes its name from the B-side of The Clash's 1978 single "Clash City Rockers." Bragg felt the theme would serve as a meaningful tribute to the late Joe Strummer of The Clash. “Aware that this year sees the sixth anniversary of the passing of Joe Strummer, I was hoping to be involved in more than just another tribute gig. Hearing The Clash as a 19 year old had changed my life, so I guess I was looking for a project that underscored the transformative power of music,” Bragg explains.

In support of the Jail Guitar Doors campaign, Epiphone has donated a number of acoustic guitars and Les Paul Special 11 electric guitars specially customized with slogans such as “Strummer,” “Clash City Rockers,” “Stay Free” and “Jail Guitar Doors” to capture the spirit of The Clash and has pledged its on going support with more instruments to come. According to Epiphone, "Previous projects in other prisons have relied on borrowing guitars from staff members which have to be taken home again after the session, depriving inmates of the chance to take their instruments back to their cells to play. Following a recent visit to HMP Wandsworth, discussions have begun with staff about the possibility of opening a guitar repair shop in the prison, with luthiers from Surrey Strings training inmates to repair and set-up instruments donated to Jail Guitar Doors."

Part of the inspiration for the campaign came about when Billy Bragg and Mick Jones of The Clash recently teamed up to deliver six guitars, a drum kit and various items of percussion to HMP Pentonville in north London. The equipment was purchased with funds donated by the NME Award winning band The Enemy, who approached Billy about getting some guitars into the prison after they played a gig there last month.

More information about the Jail Guitar Doors campaign is available at www.jailguitardoors.org.uk.

Billy Bragg's new album, Mr. Love And Justice, was released yesterday and Bragg is set to perform tonight (March 4) at the Roundhouse in London. More information about Billy Bragg can be found at www.billybragg.co.uk.

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