Rock band You Me At Six have released a song in aid of the relief effort for the Australian wildfires.
The five-piece, from Weybridge in Surrey, recorded Our House (The Mess We Made) during a trip to Thailand in October 2019.
All proceeds will go to the charity Wires Wildlife Rescue Emergency Fund, which works to save Australia’s native animals such as koalas.
The four-minute track sees 29-year-old frontman Josh Franceschi singing: “Profits with problems/Smart mouths don’t want to solve them/Nobody can tell me we got a plan B worth hearing.”
Australia’s wildfires have killed at least 33 people and destroyed more than 3,000 homes.
Franceschi, who is vegan, said: “In March 2019 we were coming back from a North American tour. I was sat talking to a geologist who was returning from a summit in Atlanta where it was confirmed that by 2050, large parts of heavily human populated areas would be uninhabitable.
“He said something to me that has seemingly stuck with me: ‘I’ll be long gone by then, but perhaps you, your children and grandchildren will have to live with the devastation left for them by previous generations.’
“My interpretation of this is that we are all part of the problem if we aren’t actively trying to do something to contribute to the issue of climate change.
“We finished the song whilst recording in Thailand in October 2019. We were inspired to address the issue of climate change, but equally by the hope that the youth have given me.
“Never in my life have I seen a younger generation take to the streets to have their voices heard than on this subject. They want change, they want their futures back because our house is on fire, and we must act now.
“Seeing footage of what has been happening in Australia, we felt compelled to do something to help those who are in need, both humans and wildlife. It’s for that reason we are using the most powerful tool at our disposal to help, music.
“We are releasing this track as a standalone single with all proceeds donated to the charity Wires, who are committed to rescuing native Australian wildlife in distress.
“Our hearts go out to a country that means so much to us.”
Stars including Kylie Jenner, Sir Elton John, Chris Hemsworth and Kylie Minogue have pledged sums of up to a million US dollars to the cause.
Our House (The Mess We Made) is out now.