Do The Right Thing?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: http://www.tonyeallenandannbrown.blogspot.com

PLEASE Sign Petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/946246942

HIP HOP PHOTOGRAPHER BEATEN BY TORONTO POLICE; FIGHTING TO HAVE CHARGES DROPPED

TORONTO, CANADA...October 16, 2006, at approximately 1:40 pm after checking out of the Econolodge Hotel (335 Jarvis Street) and while in the process of hailing a taxi, Black Americans Tonye Allen and his fiancee, Ann Brown, were assaulted by several Downtown Toronto policemen from the 51st division. Mr. Allen, who did not resist, was beaten and pepper sprayed several times while handcuffed and in police custody. Ms. Brown was choked, shoved, and threatened with arrest as well.

Mr. Allen was never told why he was being detained. The arresting police refused to tell Ms. Brown where they were taking Mr. Allen. After locating the correct police station, Ms. Brown spoke with a "Det. Moyer," who said he "hadn't decided" what he was going to charge Mr. Allen with. Ultimately, Mr. Allen was charged with assault of two policemen and resisting arrest, times two.

In bail court, Mr. Allen and Ms. Brown were called "terrorists." After Ms. Brown posted cash bail of $1,000, Mr. Allen's passport was taken by "Det. Moyer."

Mr. Allen was unarmed. He had never been arrested. He had no criminal history. He has no history of drug/alcohol abuse or psychiatric problems.

Mr. Allen and Ms. Brown are seeking publicity and legal references to help fight these false charges.

Mr. Allen is a photojournalist who works professionally under the name "TRILOBITE." His work has appeared in: Essence, Vibe, The Village Voice, Rolling Stone, LA Weekly , and The Source Magazine. He has worked for Sony Music, PolyGram Records, Def Jam Records, and Interscope Records, among others.

Ms. Brown is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Essence, Black Enterprise, Upscale Magazine, The Source , and various other publications.

Mr. Allen and Ms. Brown were in Toronto on their way to South Africa.

Mr. Allen sustained the following injuries:

Head abrasions and bruises
Ear abrasions and bruises
Possible concussion
Right eye: deep cut on eyelid
Black left/right eyes
Damaged left eye, loss of sight (previous 20-20+ vision)
Left ear loss of hearing
Lip bruised
Dislocated jaw
Abrasions/bruises on right cheek
Right and left shoulders contusions and bruises
Left wrist: deep cuts, ligature marks, nerve damage
Right wrist: cuts, ligature marks, nerve damage
Left and right hands: abrasions, nerve damage
Right ring finger dislocated
Bruised ribs
Abrasions on torso
Bruised thoracic vertebrae
Left and right knees: abrasions and bruises

Sloan

Sloan are happy to be hosting a label showcase at this year's Canadian Music Week to promote our exciting new spring line-up on murderecords. Sloan have owned and run murderecords over the past 16 years.

The night will feature showcase performances by new murderecords artists: Will Currie & the Country French and Pony Da Look. We will also be joined by our friends the Meligrove Band. Sloan will be performing a showcase set of mostly new material from their forthcoming album due to be released on murderecords later this spring.

Advance tickets are now available for $13 through Ticketbreak . A limited number of tickets have been held for fans to purchase in advance using the special promo code CMWSLOAN. There will also be limited tickets available at the door for $15, and CMW wristbands will be honoured as space allows.

9:20 -- Will Currie and the Country French
10:20 -- Pony Da Look
11:20 -- Meligrove Band
12:20 -- Sloan

And unfortunatly I wont even be able to attend since it is a 19+ event, boo hoo right?

The Carps

The Carps are from Scarborough, a pretend hood in Toronto. They are a duo that plays music for human ears. Having two people in a band can be a liberating thing, as it has been seen. Such a shame they are so young - had they come around any earlier they could've taken credit for more than a few novel ideas. With the EP the Young & Passionate Days of Carpedia, the two ragamuffin soul rockers deliver the promise to set themselves far apart from elephants, swirly red and white candy, beards, brothers and sisters, and Phil Collins. The Carps stand alone. They sound like nothing you could imagine, and everything you'd like to.

The Carps thrive on ingenuity and vicissitude. Newness always! Therefore the captain of the ship, Neil White, wielding his disheveled bass and a wonky synthesizer, steers this raw emotion into a palatable and progressive direction. All this while never leaving his "mindless self-indulgent" duct tape Punk Rock days far behind him. Perhaps the jungles of Sri Lanka still run through his veins, though he could never lose the class and distinction that only he, as a real British bloke, could carry.

Jahmal Tonge is the soul junkie. Growing up on asexual legends like Michael Jackson and Prince, it was sifting through his father's record collection that exposed to him to Motown, Stax, Soul music! These are the sounds that are at the heart of The Carps. From behind his drum kit, or with his guitar strapped and his MPC drum machine at his side, Jahmal soulfully screams his soulful, soul-catching, soul-baring soul in a raw way... It's the only way he knows. It was Bold, Black, Christian women that led him that direction. Discernibly, the sight and sounds of the Caribbean still stick. Hearing the tropical wind blow through an open church tent as a woman cries out to God, tearing her vocal cords from the deepest part of her being, will change a temerarious young boy. 

They've been on tour for a while now all over Europe and the U.K. and man, when I heard/found out today that The Carps are coming back to town I thought, "yeah boii!! back again!". Every time, I've gone out either with Neil, or to his shows it's always something new and nuts going on, wether it's sneaking into a club, or Neil falling to the floor during the "Compton To Scarboro" performance. Either way, it's always a fun time, eating sushi, drinking beers, scouting out for hunnies or whatever it may be. But it's not always fun and games, aside from the laughs and jokes you have to have show  your appreciation to The Carps for there dedication to making something that isn't a garbagey media piece of crap, time and effort has been spent and even while your on the dance floor shaking it, there's always a message. There newest and latest single titled "Veronica Belmont" is up on there myspace for y'all to check out (www.myspace.com/thecarps) and dropping April 8th is there new E.P "Waves And Shambles", which I'm stoked, and looking forward to hearing. Coming out of "snowy Toronto" I'm putting my hands down and giving it up for The Carps and there success and what's to come.