The book that inspired a pair of songs on Buckcherry’s latest album has also led the rockers into activist work against child abuse.
The quintet has recorded a special public service announcement as part of its Rescue Me Campaign, which coincides with National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. The spot, which features an acoustic version of “Rescue Me” from Buckcherry’s latest album, “Black Butterfly,” is available at the group’s web site and is being distributed by ClearChannel Communication’s www.iheratmusic.com. The PSA also promotes the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (www.childhelp.org, (800) 422-4453).
The full acoustic performance of “Rescue Me” is also available at www.buckcherry.com.
The group is also planning to play a fundraising concert to benefit Childhelp on May 15 at the Fillmore New York, with Pop Evil and Royal Bliss also on the bill. Tickets for the show go on sale Friday (April 3).
“Rescue Me” and another “Black Butterfly” track, “A Child Called It,” were inspired by Dave Pelzer’s book “A Child Called It,” one of three young-readers memoirs he wrote about his experience with child abuse. “We were on vacation and my oldest daughter (then 13) was reading (the book),” Buckcherry frontman Josh Todd tells Billboard.com. “I was really, really inspired by this guy’s perseverance to get through all that and have somewhat of a normal life. I just wanted to do the book justice and draw some attention to it.”
Todd says Childhelp is “the best web site I’ve found as far as helping kids that have been through” abuse and adds that in addition to awareness he and his bandmates “just hope that maybe people will donate money and help the people who are helping out these kids…so they have a shot at a good life.”
Buckcherry is currently on the road promoting “Black Butterfly,” which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 in September. European dates with Papa Roach are slated for June, and Todd says the band plans to be on the road ” ’til the end of the year, for sure, then we’ll probably assess the situation at the time.” He also adds that the group “has some songs in the works” but plans to focus on “Black Butterfly” for the time being.
“There’s a lot of great songs on the record,” Todd explains, “so we’re going to spend a lot of time plying it out so everybody can grasp what’s going on with it, just like we did with (2006’s platinum) ’15.’ We have a lot of work ahead of us this year.”