In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, RED Distribution has launched an initiative called “Ten Bands, One Cause,” in which bands will reissue popular albums on collectible pink vinyl. Today, the following artists released the first round of pink records: Against Me!, Courtney Barnett, Jason Isbell, and Me First & the Gimme Gimmes.
The limited edition copies are now available for purchase in record stores across the country. For every pink record shipped, a dollar will be contributed to Gilda’s Club NYC. This non-profit community organization was named after original Saturday Night Live cast member Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989.
The campaign was orchestrated by Alex Brody, the Director of Indie Sales and Marketing at RED Distribution. His father died of liver cancer 15 years ago. “I’m pretty big on cancer research and charities and going on runs and donating when I can,” he said. Brody also explained that he used to live right across from Gilda’s Club NYC in Brooklyn and walked by it everyday, always wanting to contribute somehow. “Ten Bands, One Cause” is that contribution.
“We had conference calls with representatives, looked at calendars, and came up with this idea to make pink vinyl on top-selling titles and try to give back to that charity in a way none of us have before,” he explained. Around 10,000 units will be shipped to retailers. The records will also be available on webstores like Amazon, which was recently reported by Billboard to be the number one seller of vinyl.
As nice as the idea sounds, it has already received some criticism. Many allege that pink products have become more of a marketing symbol than an actual fundraiser. This “pink ribbon controversy” is now being pointed at some of the artists who have agreed to participate.
“It’s tough because I already got a little criticism for it,” said Against Me!’s lead vocalist, Laura Jane Grace. “Someone criticized me online, saying, ‘That’s so cool, you’re giving a buck only?’ That’s totally valid, I was happy to donate all of the money we received from the 500 copies [of Transgender Dysphoria Blues].” However, the bands themselves had no control over how much was allotted for charity. RED Distribution is still sticking to a one dollar donation, for reasons that are unclear.