Musicians Drum Up Sudan Awareness Campaign
They're usually the butt of almost every joke referring to musicians but drummers from bands as diverse as Pink Floyd, Elbow, Radiohead, the Police and Faithless have banded together to raise the serious issue of calling on world leaders to increase their efforts in preventing a return to civil war in Sudan.
The drummers are all taking part in a film for the Beat for Peace campaign. The short movie is currently being streamed on YouTube and is part of the wider Sudan 365 campaign.
Radiohead's Phil Selway said: "I wanted to be involved in this project because I think music is such a powerful way of bringing people together. Of course, I'm biased in thinking that what's underpinning it all is always the beat - always drummers!
"Hopefully this film will show that together people can make a huge noise and through this film I hope people's focus will be brought back to what is happening in the Sudan over this very important next year."
The film was organised by Faithless drummer Jamie Catto who explained the reasoning behind the campaign. He told the BBC, "The drum is the oldest communication and music device. It's something anyone can join in with.
"Anyone can add a beat to show that everybody in humanity feels that making sure horrific atrocities and millions of murders don't kick off again in Sudan; to make sure it is a priority, gets up the list and is fully attended to."
A referendum is to be held in January 2011 on whether the south of Sudan should be granted independence and campaigners are fearful of a return to the civil war that ravaged the country at the turn of the century.
Five years ago a peace deal was signed ending 22 years of civil war in the country which killed or displaced millions. But violence erupted
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