7-INCHES FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD SHARE SECOND SINGLE
ELLIOTT SMITH’S “PRETTY (UGLY BEFORE)”
PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED LIVE VERSION RECORDED AT LARGO

May 5- Earlier this month,  members of the creative community announced 7-inches for Planned Parenthood, a curated series of 7-inch vinyl records and digital downloads to benefit Planned Parenthood. The project comprises contributions from acclaimed creative minds who stand with Planned Parenthood and its patients (see below for a full list of participants).  Last week, the first single by CHVRCHES was released and was accompanied by a Kristen Stewart-directed video for “Down Side Of Me (Live)”. And today, the project has shared an previously unreleased live version of “Pretty (Ugly Before)”, by exalted musician  Elliott Smith,  live at Largo in Los Angeles.  Listen to the single at Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify.

 The estate of Elliott Smith released the following statement regarding their contribution:

“Elliott did and said many things in his life that showed his commitment to the principles that Planned Parenthood stands for, including equal rights for all, affordable and accessible access to healthcare, and a woman's autonomy over her body.  He was an outspoken feminist (evidenced not only by his actions and countless conversations with friends and family, but also by his culminating college thesis written in spring of 1991 entitled "Toward a Post-Structuralist Feminist Jurisprudence"). He went out of his way to play for or otherwise contribute to charitable causes. For these reasons, and so many more, Elliott's family has no doubt that he would feel very proud to be part of this project.”

Mark Flanagan, owner of Largo, described Smith’s performance of the song:

In this beautiful, scary and most complicated world, Elliott Smith was here, accompanied by his guitar and his friend Jon Brion on a antiquated pump organ, and brings us to a simple place.

This song was recorded on a hot LA late summer night. Elliott would very often drop by to hang out ( and lucky for me at the time and now all us ) he would be bursting with the need to share his latest songs. This version of this song was the first time he performed it. Jon happened to be at Largo that nite and he and Elliott sequestered themselves in my tiny upstairs office and he played us the song. Jon's pump organ was sitting right outside the door and he dragged it in and started playing along.

I went downstairs to make sure the night’s comedy show was moving along. Janeane Garafalo was the headliner with a few other comedians also performing. All of us were big fans of Elliott and Janeane was no  exception. I asked her if she thought it would be cool if he did a new song before she went on. She was thrilled , so I went back upstairs and told the boys they were up next, they laughed and said no way.

Within minutes we heard what you now hear.

Elliott was a beautiful, kind, funny, awkward, confident, handsome, scrawny, cool dude. I found this cassette recording among the many cassette recordings I have of his shows from almost 20 years ago and can think of no better place for it to find it's way to all kind people who support girls young and older in our world.

Largo doors stay open now and always. Please support Planned Parenthood and let us all thank Elliott's wee sister Ashley for making this happen

Brooklyn artist Hisham Akira Bharoocha provided the artwork for the single. Titled “Tropical”, Bharoocha describes his process. “I made it casually a while back when I was doing more straight-forward illustration work for magazines, but I liked it and kept it in my archive.  It's a cut paper collage and all done by hand, cutting with scissors and gluing down to paper.  I like using origami paper because it's so smooth to cut and paste with.”

The first single from the box set, a new version of “Down Side of Me (Live)”  from acclaimed electro-pop trio CHVRCHES, is available for purchase and stream at Apple Music,  iTunes and Spotify.  Accompanying the release is also a Kristen Stewart directed video for the song. Watch it HERE.

The entire 7-inches for Planned Parenthood vinyl boxset is available now for pre-order at 7inchesforplannedparenthood.com with a target of early Fall for delivery. Each single will include a unique piece of artwork accompanying two sides of unique music, comedy or spoken word, many of which are given to Planned Parenthood, which provides reproductive health care to 2.5 million women, men, and young people each year.

The creative collective behind  7-inches for Planned Parenthood states:

Lawmakers with extreme views are working hard to shut down Planned Parenthood. If they succeed, millions of Americans will lose access to basic health services, including STD testing and treatment, birth control, and life-saving cancer screenings.

7-inches for Planned Parenthood is a response to this threat. This curated series of 7-inch vinyl records is being made by a group of people who believe that access to health care is a public good that should be fiercely protected. Do we know there’s a joke in the name? We do. We hope the title evokes the rich history of 7-inch vinyl records as a medium for protest music and resistance.

Planned Parenthood will receive 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this 7-inch box set and streaming listens.  We see this initiative as the start of something bigger, and hope it will inspire both contributors and listeners to continue to seek out ways to stand with Planned Parenthood and other institutions that are so vital to us all.

In addition to supporting 7-inches for Planned Parenthood  people can also visit IStandWithPP.org to find ways to get involved locally, contact their Senator and urge them to stand with Planned Parenthood, show their support for Planned Parenthood on social media using the hashtag #IStandWithPP,  and share how Planned Parenthood has helped you.

Website: 7inchesforplannedparenthood.com

Facebook: facebook.com/7inchesforplannedparenthood

Instagram: instagram.com/7inchesforplannedparenthood

“We’re incredibly grateful to have the support of so many artists and entertainers, many of whom have themselves relied on us for health care,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Planned Parenthood has been around for 100 years, and one in five women in America have turned to us for care.  Planned Parenthood has stood defiantly in the face of opposition for a century, and we’re not backing down now. ”

 

Contributors to 7-inches for Planned Parenthood include:

Record Contributors

Aparna Nancherla

Björk (rearranged and remixed by Arca)

Bon Iver

Bryce Dessner

Chvrches (with film clip directed by Kristen Stewart)

Common

Dr. Willie Parker

Dream Hampton

Elliott Smith

Estelle

Feist

Foo Fighters

Heather McGhee

Helado Negro

Janeane Garofalo

Jenny Slate

John Legend

Jon Brion

Laurie Anderson

Margaret Atwood

Margaret Cho

Mary J Blige

Mary Lattimore

Matt Berninger

Meg Baird

Walt Martin

Mitski

Nico Muhly

Pete Holmes

Sarah Silverman

Sharon Van Etten

Sleater-Kinney

St. Vincent

Tig Notaro

Walter Martin

Zach Galifianakis

 

Visual Contributors

Angela Pilgrim

Azar Kazimir
Domonique Echeverria
Hisham Akira Bharoocha
Jacqui Oakley
James Merry
Mark Fox
Megan Tatem
Molly Schiot
Penelope Gazin
Rashid Johnson
Shepard Fairey
William Villalongo

More About 7 - inches for Planned Parenthood

The 7-inches Collective is a group of music industry professionals working in collaboration with Planned Parenthood Federation of America to bring forth 7-inches for Planned Parenthood.  All artists have donated their work to this project, and an advisory committee of individuals and organizations have contributed their time and effort to bring 7-inches for Planned Parenthood to life.

More About Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With approximately 650 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives

For more information or artists inquiries contact:

Dana Erickson | Grandstand Media | [email protected]

Kate Jackson | Grandstand Media |  [email protected]

For Planned Parenthood requests contact:

Planned Parenthood media office | [email protected]

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RESIDENTS OF: AR, CO, CT, LA, NH, OH, OR, UT AND WI 50% OF GROSS SALES RECEIVED BY 7 INCHES FOR, LLC WILL BENEFIT PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA, INC. (“PPFA”); HI THE COMMERCIAL CO-VENTURER RAISING FUNDS FOR PPFA VIA THIS CAMPAIGN IS 7 INCHES FOR, LLC; MA THE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION RECEIVING DONATIONS FROM THIS CAMPAIGN IS PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA, INC., 123 WILLIAM ST., NEW YORK, NY 10038, 212-541-7800 WITH SUCH CONTRIBUTIONS TO PPFA GOING TO FURTHER THE PPFA MISSION TO ENSURE THE PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE REPRODUCTIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN SETTINGS WHICH PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE ESSENTIAL PRIVACY RIGHTS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL, ADVOCATE PUBLIC POLICIES WHICH GUARANTEE THESE RIGHTS AND ENSURE ACCESS TO SUCH SERVICES, PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WHICH ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING OF INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS OF HUMAN SEXUALITY AND PROMOTE RESEARCH AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE AND ENCOURAGE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR INHERENT BIOETHICAL, BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS (THE “MISSION”); NJ 7 INCHES FOR, LLC ALONG WITH THE PARTICIPATING ARTISTS HAVE VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAMPAIGN UNDERTAKEN BY 7 INCHES FOR, LLC.. THE DONATIONS BEING MADE BY 7 INCHES FOR, LLC WILL BE MADE TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA, INC.; NY THE DONATION FROM YOUR PURCHASE SHALL BENEFIT PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA, INC. TO FURTHER THE MISSION SET FORTH ABOVE. 50% OF GROSS SALES WILL BENEFIT PPFA AND THIS CAMPAIGN IS INTENDED TO RUN FROM 04/14/2017 UNTIL 03/31/2022.