Bon Jovi and Madadian team up for "message of worldwide solidarity"

Once again, musicians have teamed up to fight adversity in the world the best way they know how: through their music. In a move reminiscent of the time-changing music of the ‘60s, Jon Bon Jovi and exiled Iranian singer Andy Madadian have teamed up to create a music video of the two singing Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” that they hope will send “a musical message of worldwide solidarity” to the Iranian people as they continue to struggle with riots and violence after the most recent election, according to co-producer Don Was. The video, basically a filming of Bon Jovi and Madadian’s studio session (where they are joined by Richie Sambora on the electric guitar and vocals, Don Was on bass, Patrick Leonard on the keyboards, Jeff Rothchild on the drums, and Tiffany Madadian and Nikki Lund on background vocals), was filmed on June 24th and premiered on Wes’ portion of My Damn Channel this past Saturday. Since then it has been spread all over the Internet by YouTube, Facebook and Twitter users. Both Madadian and Bon Jovi sing the first verse of the song in Farsi, and at the end of the video they hold up a sign that says, “we are one” in Farsi. “It is not for sale,” Was said. “It wasn’t intended to be on the Billboard charts, wasn’t meant to be a hit record or even pressed on a CD. It’s intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people. The whole idea was to get it into Iran and tell them… to carry on, that the world is watching and we’re with you.”

-Laurie Moot

Currently listening to: "Stand by Me," by Jon Bon Jovi and Andy Madadian on YouTube

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