Will's Records
Punk rock has probably been the single most powerful influence on my life. I grew up in Texas, in a small town. Reading the liner notes of records, picking up zines, and finding tables of books at punk shows was life-changing for a kid in that environment. For me, some of the most powerful records were splits between authors/activists and bands. My collaborations on records are a creative outlet and a small contribution to this unique history.
Rise Against with Will Potter
Punk powerhouses Rise Against invited Will Potter to collaborate on a special Record Store Day release. Rise Against lead singer Tim McIlrath says: “Inspired by author/musician split collaborations like the Bad Religion/Noam Chomsky or Kurt Cobain/William S. Burroughs releases, we teamed up with Will Potter, author of Green Is the New Red. Potter’s book inspired and informed the song 'The Eco-Terrorist In Me' and his spoken word contribution 'We Will Never Forget,' dives deeper into the fight for animal welfare and increased transparency in the shadowy world of factory farms.
"Potter, for his part, does not give in to anger or fingerpointing...and it is both profoundly affecting and inspiring... THAT is how this single fits together; while not exactly of the same form, both sides and the artists who produced them seek to use vibrant and powerful language to affect change. Coupled the way they are too, it quickly becomes hard to imagine one without the other.”
- HellBound.ca
Old Lines with Will Potter
A collaboration between Baltimore’s Old Lines and author Will Potter, featuring two new songs and two new spoken word tracks by Potter. The band and Potter worked together from the start, merging their work into a cohesive project.
As Razorcake said: “To Build a Fire is less of a split and more of a collaboration...Each piece reflects the other in theme and subject matter, showing the closeness with which Potter and the band worked...The emotional impact of the two together will give you goosebumps.
"This is a mammoth production...Will Potter's cascading voice through silvery guitars and bass, tumbling down amidst audio carnage and poetic verse... Haven't heard much like this."- Maximum Rocknroll
"Punk rock and hardcore punk has always been among the first to comment on the injustices of society, posing as one of the most direct, counterculture, angry, but also political and highly educational forms of art. The recent record from Baltimore metallic hardcore band OLD LINES and acclaimed social activist and author Will Potter does just that." - Idioteq