David Bazo wrote the music for the documentary film “UBI, Our Right to Live“, which will be released on the 12th of May at noon at the El Pozo Cultural Centre, Madrid, within the frame of the European Humanist Forum 2018. A multifaceted artist, composer, producer, arranger and interpreter of music for singers, soundtracks, New Age, Pop, TV… David shows us his commitment to causes such as universal basic income and social justice in this selfless work.
EHF2018: Can you tell us about the tracks that accompany the documentary?
Of course. Broadly speaking, I can say that the soundtrack for the documentary is all original tracks that both the director and producer of the film and myself have specially selected to illustrate and accompany the content. Since this film was informative and even formative, the idea we had in mind for a project like this was that the music should not detract from the content or distract from the message. So you hear short extracts that come and go dynamically in the footage. We didn’t want to flood the piece, we wanted to create an atmosphere.
You hear the sound of clocks, the concept of time…. What connection do they have to the theme of the film?
The passage of time like a doorway to the era, the changes in our society and the consequences of technology in the work and social spheres are concepts present in the different talks by the speakers, in which they very accurately speak of how the current times require social and economic responses that help to shape the current reality in which we live. All those sounds had to be referenced in the footage. Just like the other more classical musical parts, with choir and voices, which reflect the historical parts of the story, the most every-day and evocative piano passages, or the orchestral parts that help to unite the whole musical ensemble. Just as language is articulated in the different explanations in the film, music aims to do the same when it comes to illustrating the content.
Did you know the idea of Universal Basic Income before this experience?
Not only did I know about it, I’m a strong supporter and that’s why I’ve been so interested in helping to shape this project. Turning our backs on any economic proposal that might help to alleviate social inequality in the world is dishonest for oneself and for others. Currently, 1 in 9 people in the world has nothing to eat, more than 800 million human beings suffer from a shortage of drinking water for basic consumption and sanitation. It’s easier to turn our backs on these realities and not realize that the inequality in which we live generates unsustainable thresholds of poverty and disease, when it’s in everyone’s hands to put an end to them, or at least to fight them effectively. Basic income is one of the most intelligent and viable responses to fight inequality and we must help to spread it and make people aware of its viability.
Right now it’s hard for artists to make a living, do you think receiving an Unconditional Basic Income would open up possibilities and improve the creative capacity of musicians like yourself?
Not just for artists. Everyone has talent in this life. Everyone. And I’m not talking about being a painter or a sculptor. The talent of some may be their dedication to others, their ingenuity in answering questions, research, volunteering, whatever. Creativity has a very high percentage of perspiration, and a lower percentage of inspiration. The basic income would not only help people’s creativity but also their personal growth, their expressiveness and their ability to be happy. And most importantly, their respect for others and their possibilities, which can be just as valuable as their own.
How would you like things to be in the future? What could we do to make this future a reality?
The true reality is that the future will be the one we create through our actions. Just as an attempt has been made to combat the greenhouse effect, through proposals such as those of the G20, we must put on the table the most capable countries in terms of social and economic responses to alleviate wars, diseases, hunger and social inequality. It can and must be done. That is how I would like things to be, that we would all be able to realize on a personal level what we are doing wrong in the present and do our part to improve in the future, for ourselves, our loved ones and everyone around us.
What do you think of the setting up of this European Humanist Forum?
I am very optimistic about the implementation of activities such as the European Humanist Forum. Social movements are becoming more and more important in our society. I believe that there is a willingness on the part of the ruling classes to listen. And more and more answers and information are available to everyone. We’ve come a long way. Forums like this one are getting bigger every year, with more participation, and this is a very positive thing.
What elements do you think can unite us to bring us closer to this proposed concept of a universal human nation?
For starters, something as basic as acceptance. We must realize that the key to inequality is that we must be able to share our resources effectively. Another key element is not to turn our backs on the reality in which we live, to get out of our bubbles and our comfort zone to see the situation we are in. Open your eyes and see that there are alternatives. No one is happy to see the difficulties others have. When you travel you realize that your reality can be very different from that of millions of people. We can all help because change is possible. Responses such as the universal human nation and basic income, cooperation funds, etc., are answers that demonstrate this. These are winning proposals. We only have to dare to bet on them.
More information: www.davidbazo.info
