Ted Leo unveils benefit EP

By Alex Young on September 15th, 2008

While the conditions that resulted in the creation of Ted Leo & the Pharmacists brand new, totally unexpected EP, Rapid Response aren’t anything to cheer about, the prospects of downloading a brand new release of the New York based outfit right this second certainly makes for a great way to cap off our unofficial birthday.

Available now as a digital download on Touch and Go Records for the price of $4.00, the four-track EP offers a mix of brand new selections and covers. The hope of the release is to raise awareness of the inappropriate “police activity in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area surrounding the recent RNC convention.”

“…Real people were hurt in St. Paul, and real people have bills to pay, and real people need funding to continue their good works. We (the band and I) were all feeling these events as deeply as we could from our 1200 mile remove, and so as not to feel entirely powerless, and in an attempt to contribute SOMETHING to that continuation of those good works, we wrote a song and recorded it…”

- Ted Leo

All proceeds from the Rapid Response EP will go directly to Food Not Bombs Minneapolis and Democracy Now and the legal fees for those who have been arrested. After the two week period, the tracks will be available for purchase at online retailers (itunes, Amazon et al), as well as the Touch and Go Records website.

Rapid Response EP Tracklist:
01. Paranoia: Never Enough
02. Mourning in America
03. I Got Your Number [Cock Sparrer cover]
04. Nobody’s Driving [Amebix cover]

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists 2008 Tour Dates:
09/30 - Birmingham, AL @ Workplay Theater *
10/01 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade *
10/02 - Hilton Head Island, SC @ Masquerade *
10/03 - St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing *
10/04 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues *
10/05 - Gainesville, FL @ Common Grounds *
10/07 - Greensboro, NC @ Green St. Club *
10/08 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat *
10/09 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory *
10/10 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom *
10/11 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall *
10/12 - Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre *
10/14 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s *
10/15 - Des Moines, IA @ People’s Court *
10/16 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *
10/17 - Chicago, IL @ Riveria Theatre *
10/18 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre *
10/20 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown *
10/21 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre *
10/22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue *
10/23 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory *
10/24 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market *
10/25 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater *
10/27 - San Francisco, CA @ The Grand *
10/28 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern *
10/30 - San Deigo, CA @ Casbah ^
10/31 - Tuscon, AZ @ Club Congress ^
11/02 - Norman, OK @ The Opolis ^
11/03 - Columbia, MI @ Blue Note ^
11/04 - Bloomington, IN @ Buskirk-Chumley Theatre ^
11/05 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel ^