Andrew Cole is determined to stop bullying. He was teased while growing up for his career choice as a musician, ironically in Liverpool, the town that spawned the Beatles. Andrew never gave up in spite of the constant daily barrage, and he’s now working with some very well known entertainment industry veterans, including Julian Lennon, Meatloaf, Jeff Goldblum, Ron Sexsmith, Tom Cochrane and Steve Vai, all backed by members of Paul McCartney’s band on an anti-bullying project. Lemmy, Slash, and nearly 30 other celebrities have shared their story with Cole. Snoop Lion is currently in talks with Cole about the project.
Cole knows that music has the power to effect change, and inspire people to take action. It is both a rallying cry, and a calming influence. There are many more cultural icons working alongside Cole and the Canadian Centre for Abuse in the quest to save lives and heal the violence and verbal abuse.
He started with a song, “Think I’m a Joke,” and it developed into the documentary. Cole set out on a mission to bring awareness through the song, but his journey has been anything but smooth. His goal is to get the song recorded by many well-known iconic musicians across the globe, and create a song that echoes the common goal of raising the awareness of bullying. Along the way he hopes to record their personal stories, and how music and the support of others helped them overcome the emotional and physical scars they endured.
The documentary is near completion, but the journey is far from complete.
(L-R) Andrew Cole, Jeff Goldblum, Julian Lennon
Joke: A Documentary is a story about Cole’s quest, and how his journey to make this song is not only personal, it is also profound. In listening to some of the most famous people in music share their story, Andrew is able to conquer his own demons. Ultimately, it is the power of painful memories and emotional scars that compel these musicians to help out a virtual unknown like Andrew, and even to share very personal and sometimes tragic stories. Here’s a clip of an interview on Canadian National Television where Andrew shares some of his journey and footage.
“You Gotta Trust the Universe and just Believe! We can accomplish anything we truly see. If you’re a bully or have been bullied, there is always a chance to turn it all around. LOVE” – Andrew Cole
Hi Andrew and everyone associated with your documentary and song…
It does my heart good to see more artists and people in general becoming more and more involved in the anti-bullying awareness issue that is facing so many of our youngsters today. Sadly, adults are bullied, too, but we must focus on bringing more attention to this problem and hopefully eradicating these senseless attacks on our kids for just being who they are! I commend you and all the artists taking the time and appropriate measures to spread the word!
As a contributing writer and consultant to our recent Grammy-winning for Best Children’s Album, “All About Bullies…Big And Small,” congratulations on this masterpiece of influence to the masses!
All of our artists, engineers, producers and volunteers made this album without a penny for profit. All proceeds from our CD are benefiting the national anit-bullying organization, Pacer Kids. I believe there are a few web sites. http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org. being one of them.
Thank you for your time in reading my comment, and I support you in every aspect of your work!
Paula Lizzi
Producer/Writer/Promotions
East Coast Recording Company
215-620-0086
Bill Zahn on
I was bullied as a child to the point of having to physically fight guys that were as much as 10 years older. I have taught my children to tolerate differences but not to tolerate for even a moment a bully. I have also pointed out that the bully is usually the one with the deepest problems. I support this project.
Phyllis Ault on
What a great cause. Bullying has to stop. We are losing too many young, talented and giving people due to it.
Bullying is so uncool, but for some odd reason is glamorized in movies and media. That’s the root of this problem.
Lynda on
I was bullied by a celeb..how about that? You have no voice as no one will listen or back you cos they have such a huge community who love them around them who can’t see them any way but a god.
i still have panic attacks.. sometimes when people are loved so much by a collective you find you have no voice.. i am not sure i will get over it.. so thank you for making bullying be known and okay to say it happens as too many dismiss it. I had nightmares for two years and still have no idea how to bring closure as they just cut me out of their life and ignored me like my life, contribution had no significance. It was just a day out of 8 hour major mastectomy for cancer threatened, bullied whilst sobbing ( my life was in the balance) they put their work agenda before my life.. and was willing to destroy my legacy at a time i did not think i would make it.. and they continued and falsly reported me for copyright infringement which was a lie for money and fame as they could not wait…
… for me it has had me loose belief in that good can win.. it is hard to breath.. i am still fighting for my life and i need to talk to them to understand wtf happened but it is like i don’t exist now and i don’t want to leave with this being left this way.. they said i was their closest friend in their life.. it turned out of the blue. .. i just want to walk away in peace. denying people closure is the worst thing to deal wtih.. i wish them well but it has effected me so badly.. it is effecting my ability to deal with what i need to.. it takes time to heal and i don’t have time.. and denying communication for no good reason after being so cruel is devastating :/ The easiest thing you can do is to give closure ( with assistance not alone of course) .. when a friend spoke to them they say they have a clear conscience.. that just makes you feel even worse. The closest i can name it is emotional rape .. that is how bad it felt.. but worse was my friends who knew would not back me up cos of who he is.. how bad does that suck? I am not sure how to get over it .. i have tried everything but i am still dealing with cancer.. i have no strength.. who cares.. no one… I am finding it hard to keep going to be honest.. it has taken the stuffing out of my spirit .. the joy has gone.. i was a bubbly person.. not an angel but no one deserves their life to be dismissed.. so thank you for taking a stand..
Hi, Andrew, Jeff and Julian –
I am the daughter of a woman who suffered from a rare genetic disease; she died 12 years ago. I am the president of a national Canadian charity to help others who have this disorder, Epidermolysis Bullosa, as well as serving for the international charity. I also help people globally where there are no charities like these, and I founded International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week, which now has supporters in about 80 countries around the world. People with disabilities, or disfigurement, which people with severe forms of EB have, are often bullied. It is, in part, why we’ve developed a human rights declaration for EB patients.
As if these people do not have enough to deal with, the pain of EB, the blisters and wounds, the deadly threat of infection, the horrible statistics, the inexperienced medical professionals (because it IS rare), really just getting through LIFE… they are picked on by bullies. Why? The same reason bullies bully anyone – because they are DIFFERENT. Artists, musicians, artisans of all types, are often considered different when they are young because they have sensitive, gentle, artistic souls… the souls of dreamers. We need to teach bullies to be peaceful and we need to teach the bullied that they have value so that NO ONE can tell them they don’t. We need to teach about having a moral compass, a good character. Schools teach about rights but they don’t teach about responsibilities. The problem has to come back to parents and teachers, too – not just legislation, although politicians standing up for this will help, too.
We – that is, all of us! – must PROTECT those who are vulnerable and under-age. They need to see that there is support that they can turn to, don’t they? They need to know they are NOT alone. We also need to help them to stand up for themselves, and that is part of the equation. But something must be done… and I am GRATEFUL for this project… for your willing, determined, generous natures! YOU… WE… can change the world. Thank you all so very much for what you are doing!
7 Comments
Hi Andrew and everyone associated with your documentary and song…
It does my heart good to see more artists and people in general becoming more and more involved in the anti-bullying awareness issue that is facing so many of our youngsters today. Sadly, adults are bullied, too, but we must focus on bringing more attention to this problem and hopefully eradicating these senseless attacks on our kids for just being who they are! I commend you and all the artists taking the time and appropriate measures to spread the word!
As a contributing writer and consultant to our recent Grammy-winning for Best Children’s Album, “All About Bullies…Big And Small,” congratulations on this masterpiece of influence to the masses!
All of our artists, engineers, producers and volunteers made this album without a penny for profit. All proceeds from our CD are benefiting the national anit-bullying organization, Pacer Kids. I believe there are a few web sites. http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org. being one of them.
Thank you for your time in reading my comment, and I support you in every aspect of your work!
Paula Lizzi
Producer/Writer/Promotions
East Coast Recording Company
215-620-0086
I was bullied as a child to the point of having to physically fight guys that were as much as 10 years older. I have taught my children to tolerate differences but not to tolerate for even a moment a bully. I have also pointed out that the bully is usually the one with the deepest problems. I support this project.
What a great cause. Bullying has to stop. We are losing too many young, talented and giving people due to it.
Great job bro.
I too am trying to change people threw my music.
PEACE
Bullying is so uncool, but for some odd reason is glamorized in movies and media. That’s the root of this problem.
I was bullied by a celeb..how about that? You have no voice as no one will listen or back you cos they have such a huge community who love them around them who can’t see them any way but a god.
i still have panic attacks.. sometimes when people are loved so much by a collective you find you have no voice.. i am not sure i will get over it.. so thank you for making bullying be known and okay to say it happens as too many dismiss it. I had nightmares for two years and still have no idea how to bring closure as they just cut me out of their life and ignored me like my life, contribution had no significance. It was just a day out of 8 hour major mastectomy for cancer threatened, bullied whilst sobbing ( my life was in the balance) they put their work agenda before my life.. and was willing to destroy my legacy at a time i did not think i would make it.. and they continued and falsly reported me for copyright infringement which was a lie for money and fame as they could not wait…
… for me it has had me loose belief in that good can win.. it is hard to breath.. i am still fighting for my life and i need to talk to them to understand wtf happened but it is like i don’t exist now and i don’t want to leave with this being left this way.. they said i was their closest friend in their life.. it turned out of the blue. .. i just want to walk away in peace. denying people closure is the worst thing to deal wtih.. i wish them well but it has effected me so badly.. it is effecting my ability to deal with what i need to.. it takes time to heal and i don’t have time.. and denying communication for no good reason after being so cruel is devastating :/ The easiest thing you can do is to give closure ( with assistance not alone of course) .. when a friend spoke to them they say they have a clear conscience.. that just makes you feel even worse. The closest i can name it is emotional rape .. that is how bad it felt.. but worse was my friends who knew would not back me up cos of who he is.. how bad does that suck? I am not sure how to get over it .. i have tried everything but i am still dealing with cancer.. i have no strength.. who cares.. no one… I am finding it hard to keep going to be honest.. it has taken the stuffing out of my spirit .. the joy has gone.. i was a bubbly person.. not an angel but no one deserves their life to be dismissed.. so thank you for taking a stand..
Hi, Andrew, Jeff and Julian –
I am the daughter of a woman who suffered from a rare genetic disease; she died 12 years ago. I am the president of a national Canadian charity to help others who have this disorder, Epidermolysis Bullosa, as well as serving for the international charity. I also help people globally where there are no charities like these, and I founded International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week, which now has supporters in about 80 countries around the world. People with disabilities, or disfigurement, which people with severe forms of EB have, are often bullied. It is, in part, why we’ve developed a human rights declaration for EB patients.
As if these people do not have enough to deal with, the pain of EB, the blisters and wounds, the deadly threat of infection, the horrible statistics, the inexperienced medical professionals (because it IS rare), really just getting through LIFE… they are picked on by bullies. Why? The same reason bullies bully anyone – because they are DIFFERENT. Artists, musicians, artisans of all types, are often considered different when they are young because they have sensitive, gentle, artistic souls… the souls of dreamers. We need to teach bullies to be peaceful and we need to teach the bullied that they have value so that NO ONE can tell them they don’t. We need to teach about having a moral compass, a good character. Schools teach about rights but they don’t teach about responsibilities. The problem has to come back to parents and teachers, too – not just legislation, although politicians standing up for this will help, too.
We – that is, all of us! – must PROTECT those who are vulnerable and under-age. They need to see that there is support that they can turn to, don’t they? They need to know they are NOT alone. We also need to help them to stand up for themselves, and that is part of the equation. But something must be done… and I am GRATEFUL for this project… for your willing, determined, generous natures! YOU… WE… can change the world. Thank you all so very much for what you are doing!
Gena