"These past few days have shown us the overwhelming support for Tyler, Alix and Harris from our fans and the greater music community."
Luca Brasi (Credit: Tom Wilkinson)
Tassie legends Luca Brasi are preparing to release their new album, The World Don’t Owe You Anything, next month, and today they’ve unveiled the new single, Sonny.
With a mid-tempo emo rock ballad, the band find the world crashing down around them amid a cathartic bridge that’s both heavy and freeing. “Sonny is telling a story about someone and the ride they are on in life,” the band revealed in a press statement. “Being in a band, and living a real life between touring is a bizarre existence at times.
“It is trying to understand who you are in between these lives, the highs and lows and everything they bring. Understanding what lifts you up but also what keeps you grounded is everything.” You can listen to the track below.
In an accompanying social media post, Luca Brasi detailed their apprehension about releasing Sonny amid singer and bassist Tyler Richardson facing a family crisis.
The Music reported earlier this week that the band’s guitarist Patrick Marshall started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help the Richardson family as the singer’s one-year-old son, Harris, was “diagnosed with cancer out of the blue”. Richardson and his wife Alix are gearing up to move to Melbourne, where Harris can begin receiving treatment at a children’s hospital.
The parents will be unable to work for at least a year as Harris undergoes medical care, leaving them with “a financial strain” on top of “what is already a super stressful time for them”.
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Marshall added: “We would like to help them as much as we possibly can, and this is one way in which we can all help them. We would like to raise enough money to help cover their mortgage while they are away and any unforeseen costs that may arise. We all know that they would do anything for us, so now it is our turn to return the favour.”
The fundraiser – which you can view and contribute to here – was set up on Sunday (30 July) and has already far exceeded its $60,000 goal, with the Aussie music community already rallying together and raising $140,713 for the Richardsons.
“These past few days have shown us the overwhelming support for Tyler, Alix and Harris from our fans and the greater music community,” Luca Brasi wrote on Instagram this morning.
“We were unsure if we should go ahead with the release of our second single ‘Sonny’ as originally planned, as we don't want to take any focus away from the battle the Richos are facing.”
The statement added, “But as a way of giving something back to you in the best way we know how, is sharing this song with you. Hold your loved ones close 💖 #riffsforrichos”.
The World Don’t Owe You Anything will be released on Friday, 29 September. You can pre-order the album here.