Freedom People

Sole U.S. Peace Representative Brad Stanfield, Performs at United Nations Geneva, Switzerland Peace Convention on August 6th, 1999.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 29 /PRNewswire/ -- "Just because there's not a Vietnam, people think we don't need to take up the cry for peace," says modern rocker Brad Stanfield - looking like Sergeant Pepper meets Austin Powers. Brad is the real thing, leaving 60s wannabe, Lenny Kravitz, in the dust. With the bright purples, oranges, blues and greens of his psychedelic clothes and Stratocaster guitar perfectly accenting his strawberry blond curls, the entire visual image he brings to his musical shows is a reminder of the era that strove to bring ultimate peace to our planet.

The recent deadly skirmishes in Kosovo have been but one example that keeps Stanfield writing, recording, and singing his songs of hope -- rather than despair -- to the masses. Referred to as "The Musical Prince of Peace," Brad began his journey towards universal peace when he founded his band, Magic Love Fountain. "I wanted to create something that suggested positive force, rather than the usual dark angst of many modern rock bands."

Before Magic Love Fountain, Brad cut his teeth playing for music legends such as Dave Mason (Traffic). With Magic Love Fountain, he released his debut CD to some serious National radio support for the single, "Who Do You Think You Are?" (Also featured in the upcoming fall film "Fear 2 - Halloween Night" from Devin Entertainment).

"I've moved into a whole new realm of songwriting," explains Brad, an Orange County native, now relocated to the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, CA. "One thing is that I believe we should bring the people to where the food is, instead of sending a bunch of food to rot on the docks. People have historically migrated to where food was more readily available during times of drought or famine."

The ultimate honor of course, has been the special invitation Brad received to play for peace at The Geneva Peace Conference. Two songs, "Send Peace Around the World" and "Revelations 23," cemented the peace gig.

With live shows, and a new CD planned -- peace minstrel Brad Stanfield, like Gandhi and John Lennon before him, is asking us to once again, "Give Peace a Chance."

- PR Newswire

Sunday, March 23, 2008
Freedom People: "New (R)Evolution"
It's a damn shame that there really hasn't been a powerful musical protest movement against the Iraq war. Ever since the Dixie Chicks were vilified for daring to challenge the Bush administration, other modern recording artists seem to be afraid to get overly political. While important artists like Steve Earle have dared to speak out against the war, the vast majority have decided that it's best to avoid controversy.

Freedom People are Brad Stanfield & Periel Marr, who apply their vocal and instrumental skills upon the ten tracks on their album New (R)Evolution. Musically, the album assembles guitars, percussion, and Stanfield's and Marr's vocals into a crisply recorded folk-rock style that will sound familiar to fans of John Mellencamp or, to go back a few years, the Mama's and the Papas.

The lead-off track, "New (R)Evolution" is the most overt call for the end of the Bush Doctrine and an end to the war. Stanfield and Marr plead for a "sit in on the White House lawn," to an accompaniment of vibrato-charged guitars. Stanfield's guitar chops are solid, as he uses a wah-wah to great effect in the hard-charging "People Let's Stop the War." The duo shows off a funky side with Marr on lead vocals in "Say Love," then enters Stevie Nicks territory with the mid-tempo number "Be Here Now."

New (R)Evolution offers a good bit of varitety. The duo's voices are engaging and effectively compliment each other ("Hologram"), they know how to rock ("The Earth is My Church"), and Stanfield demonstrates his guitar chops ("Free").

The modern rock audience may find the Freedom People to be overly nostalgic, with their message of peace and love. But Stanfield and Marr are sincere in their beliefs, even if sometimes the album hearkens back to a time when people were actively engaged in demonstrating their disdain for the politics of the time.
- Hitsession.com-Doug Cornell