Ban-the-nukes sonic Molotov was launched on the auspicious date of all the ones, 11-11-11, while multitudes of newlyweds in Hong Kong and on mainland China were signing up for a lifetime of marriage in the hope that this lucky day would bring them long years of peaceful and happy togetherness, there were like wishes from a small band of anti-nukers.

The scene, ACO Bookshop – Art & Culture Outreach – in the Wanchai district of Hong Kong. Those so-gathered were old acquaintances, of varying notions of dissent, coming together again against the ills of nuclear power.

*“Today is the day of the release of this double CD album titled “Howl”* [title stemming from beat poet Ginsberg’s hay days],” says Lenny Kwok, *“a sonic Molotov as a metaphor like we are throwing a Molotov into the grounds of the nuclear industry; all these songs, stories, sounds and noises…*

*“It’s local talent other than the two bands from France who happened to be passing through when we were doing the recording, destined for a China tour. They heard about this project and they offered themselves to take part in the recording.*

*“The operation started with the sending out of a call for contributions of composition, of songs, poetry, whatever, and then we booked a factory building which had recoding facilities and in one whole day we did the recordings. Each band had an hour, which session was recorded, then we did the editing and each master, then we put the whole thing together. Some of the tracks are ‘home made’ as people liked to record themselves and then sent us those tracks. In the end we had 21 tracks. Basically it’s local talent.”*

The idea was generated following the April 10, 2011, Global Action Day Against Nuclear Power.

*“After that event we still wanted to push ahead with the open discussion about the dangers of nuclear power as found that getting through to people was very difficult, especially given all the propaganda from government and nuclear industry people,” continued Lenny Kwok. “We were feeling the pressure. We began to think that if we just keep on doing demos, passing out pamphlets and holding workshops, that will not go to far – as the same people keep turning up. We seen that we were only a small community in this action; we have to expand this community.*

*“We considered that the music and also the poetry was a good way to reach out to young people. That is why we wanted to put together this sonic Molotov, and then we go to the young people, also taking all the information about what’s going on in the nuclear industry. They will link things up. If they are interested in music and poetry, with their cultural sensibilities, they will link up with the anti nuclear action.”*

A look at the CD contributors highlights: Zeppo_une mine irradieuse; les motsaccrochez votre ceinture; edmund leung_pigs in space; peter scherr_ground; logo_non-stop paradise; fragile_unter den linden; vinci mok_minimum electrictiy; alien_who needs it; amber beton_politique de l’autruche; nelson hiu_musica self immolation in 3 colors; madeleine slavik_the act of walking; lenny_werideagainsturanium; odaiko_dondo bayashi. Produced by len guo; co-ordination by ah kok; recorded by zams yu assisted by ah chan. Mixed, assemblage and mastering by jimi wong.

*“What we want to do is put out the CD then put up a website and from the website everybody can download the songs, they can watch the music videos on YouTube. Together with all the songs and videos they can also follow links to information collected from all over the world and get updates on the anti nuclear movement across the world.”*

In the immediate future the plan is to take this offering to the Occupy space in Hong Kong at the HSBC bank building in Central and put on a show.

*“We will ask the guys who contributed to this album to go there and do a gig together in the Occupy Hong Kong area. We might also do a tour of the campuses of Hong Kong universities and bring along information boards to inform students. We see all of this being done in an organic way. We have to go on like this and develop the discussions. We don’t want the effort to just roll to a stop which happens when the solely intellectual types do their thing – we have to take it all out of this limited circle.”*

Hong Kongers can get a copy of the album at ACO Bookshop. Soon, others will be able to order it directly from the website: http://aco.hk – acobook@gmail.com