Band ‘furious’ over the treatment of veterans record song for charity
MC16 aim to shine light on problems
‘FURIOUS’ musicians outraged at the mental health crisis gripping Britain’s veterans community have recorded a fundraising song for a forces charity.
Underground punk rock band MC16 hopes its latest track will shine a light on the problems faced by traumatised troops.
The three-piece’s work will be raising cash for Southsea-based All Call Signs, which supports veterans with a host of problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and homelessness.
And to accompany the band’s tune, Sleeping On Cardboard, MC16 has recorded a music video in Portsmouth featuring All Call Signs’ co-founder, Dan Arnold.
The film, shot by Portsmouth filmmaker Will Hutchinson, focuses on an army veteran’s struggle to cope with life after leaving the military.
Tom Carson, frontman of MC16, said he was dumbfounded at how military veterans were facing such hardships after their service.
The 39-year-old said: ‘The idea that you could be serving in the forces and that your biggest fight isn’t on the battlefield but when you come back home, is something I can’t contemplate.
‘It leaves me furious and unable to sleep.
‘As a country, we should look after our people and especially those who try and look after us.
‘If we see an injured dog, then rightly so, people rush over to help.
‘But if they see an “injured” homeless ex-forces veteran, then they just walk on by.’
The single will be released on Friday December 20 on all major streaming platforms and can be downloaded at MC16’s BandCamp Page – mc16band.bandcamp.com – with all proceeds going towards All Call Signs.
Afghanistan veteran Dan, who has been left with PTSD after his military service with the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, was touched by the gesture.
He said: ‘The song is great and really highlights the issues surrounding veterans suffering with mental health and living on the streets, which is at the forefront of everyone’s mind - especially this time of year
‘We hope that the single paints a very realistic picture of what it is like for some members of the armed forces when they leave.’