Urmston’s act of Musical Activism Comes to Plymouth

Charlie Stokes Urmston cannot escape his conscience, which is perfectly okay with him. Raised in a free-spirited household with values grounded in equality and individuality, Urmston, lead singer and guitarist of State Radio, is a natural activist eager to spread his message through music. As the oldest of three boys in a musically influenced family, Urmston soon realized that his goals stretched beyond the local borders of his family’s Sherborn, MA farm. State Radio brings their show to Plymouth as the featured artist at the Student Government Association’s Plymouth State University State of the Campus 2004 on Thursday, April 29, at 9 p.m. in Prospect Dining Hall.After spending an inspiring time in Zimbabwe, while attending college in Vermont he formed Dispatch, a rock band that has become a phenomenon in the world of independent music and grassroots marketing. Dispatch self-released five albums, selling over 200,000 copies. They also toured extensively, selling out shows across the country at venues such as the Fleet Pavilion and Orpheum Theater (Boston), the Roseland Ballroom and Central Park Summer Stage (NYC), the Fillmore (S.F. and Denver), the 9:30 Club (D.C.), and the House of Blues (L.A.). After years on the road, they recently decided to take a break and follow their own personal paths.With State Radio, Urmston has successfully created an EP titled Flag of the Shiners, meshing rock and reggae music with social and political commentary in a subtle and powerful manner. The cover of the EP was taken on a recent trip to Belfast, where Urmston attended a peace camp promoting reconciliations between Catholics and Protestants. It is Urmston’s passions that come to light in the form of a band and record. The six-song EP was released November 5, 2002 on Fenway Recordings. The songs are tied together by the common theme decrying the widespread corruption of authority.It’s clear that State Radio has been inspired by other artists that see no barrier between music and society: U2, Rage Against The Machine, and Bruce Springsteen. Their musical style, however, is a bit more difficult to pinpoint. “I’d describe it generally as rock,” Urmston asserts. “I’m inspired by and love reggae, but I won’t create watered-down reggae.” Instead, he masterfully incorporates reggae components into his songs. Like all political movements, State Radio has great plans and goals for the future. Urmston has between twenty and thirty songs written, and after perfecting them through live performances over the last four months, the band plans on recording a full album. Tickets for PSU State of the Campus 2004 are free who rock the vote at Spring Student Body Elections April 27-29. Seniors should check their HUB Suite box for a complimentary ticket to the event. For more information, contact the Student Senate Office at 535-2298 or stop by HUB 030.