RHODY LIFE

'A Hopeful Home For All' compilation helps support RI's homeless community

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According to the Providence homeless shelter Crossroads, about 4,000 men, women and children experience homelessness in Rhode Island each year. These are some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and with the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting our lives, the rate of vulnerability has multiplied.

Around these parts, House of Hope at 3188 Post Road in Warwick has been providing life-changing services and working towards the development of affordable housing for the homeless since 1989. It’s a noble endeavor that’s been recognized by Rhode Island’s music scene.

In that spirit, a compilation album titled “A Hopeful Home For All” was released on Feb. 5 to benefit the organization.

The album was curated by New Bedford native Mikey Apples through his label Tooth Hurty Productions. Along with being employed by House of Hope, Apples also plays drums in the Providence-based bands Harvey Garbage and Joy Boys, which both contributed tracks to the compilation.

“One day early this winter I was just sitting around listening to some of my bands’ recordings while I was working and it just dawned on me,” he said about the making of the album. “I figured I could combine my two passions and make a benefit compilation. I just reached out to a bunch of people and the response was overwhelmingly positive. It was an honor to have so many talented friends offer tracks. Then I asked my friend Chris Hickman if he’d be interested in doing the cover art and he painted this really incredible painting that became the cover. We are also going to auction off the cover at some point for House of Hope.”

“It was a little weird having my two worlds collide, but the support from both the music and my work community has been inspiring,” Apples continued. “This winter has been incredibly difficult for the homeless community due to COVID-19 and losing beds in the shelter system, so it is an important time to try to do everything I can.”

Bristol-based folk musician Allysen Callery contributed a rendition of The Beatles’ “Cry Baby Cry” to the compilation. She has a personal attachment to the song and she also admires what Apples does to help the homeless.

“I think the work that Mikey does is absolutely God’s work,” she said of why she got involved. “I call him ‘Angel Mikey’ for doing what he does and putting this together. I was happy to get to contribute and had this little Beatles cover that needed a home. I played it on my dad’s Martin nylon string guitar since my love of The Beatles came from him.”

To add beats and rhymes, Providence hip-hop artist Jesse Ramos, who makes music under the name Jesse The Tree, lent the track “Rain” to “A Hopeful Home For All.” He felt the symbolism behind the song identified with the album’s purpose.

“I thought ‘Rain’ would be a cool addition to it because it's a song about finding hope in darkness,” he said about what made him include the track. “It's a really sweet and thoughtful endeavor for Mikey to take on, not only to spread awareness about the trials the homeless community is facing in the winter and a pandemic, but also to contribute to the cause financially.”

Other highlights in the 30 track compilation include “PTO” from the Providence prog-soul band Bochek, “Anna Stone'' from Cranston native Damian Puerini under the name Charlie Blye, and “Fashion Mullet” from the New Bedford noise art rock act Baylies Band.

“I’m Alive” from Barrington singer-songwriter Beth Barron and “I Built The Shadow” from the Providence rock act Nate Cozzolino & The Lost Arts shine as well.

Each purchase of the album comes under the “name your price model,” with all proceeds going straight to House of Hope.

These days, we need something positive to get behind, and the ones in need definitely could use our help. Open up that digital wallet of yours and buy “A Hopeful Home For All” via Tooth Hurty Productions’ Bandcamp page at toothhurtyproductions666.bandcamp.com.

‘COMBINE MY TWO PASSIONS’:

New Bedford native Mikey Apples runs the label Tooth Hurty Productions and plays drums in the Providence-based bands Harvey Garbage and Joy Boys. He organized the compilation album “A Hopeful Home For All” to benefit his employer, House of Hope, and its mission to serve the homeless community. (Courtesy of James Lastowski)

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