Carlos Lopez G - CD4 Project
www.carloslopezg.com

With the year closing up to Christmas its almost impossible to avoid the usual crimbo charity feast, and the ever commercial and earlier Christmas sprit in shops urging you to spend spend spend; However, increasingly ever more becoming 'cultured consumers' rather than a consumer culture, because we like to learn about what we buy before we buy it. More and more we are making a difference, when for example; a product we buy endorses a charity.

It gives us more incentive to put our hands in our pockets, reach deep and spend our well earned cash, because it's going to a good cause.

However, how do we know where our money is going, will the good cause ever really see our cash, or will it be eaten up by middle men and administration fees on the way to them?

That's why some people like to spend their hard earned cash on local produce or local causes. For example a local Sheffield based group has gathered musicians, studio volunteers, producers and formed a ‘Super Group' from around the world, in order to raise cash and awareness for their local HIV charity Shield. I have met them and it is their theory that in order to help with HIV and Aids, we must make everyone aware that it is everyone's problem and not just something that happens to someone else.

Very often we hear about the promiscuity of the nation's youth and we wonder are they really as clued up as they say they are about sexual health, if we look at the recent Panorama Program (filmed in Sheffield) about sexual health then the answer is a clear NO.

Do we really know the implications faced by people living with HIV, as parents we worry, because we are certain that although some do, many may not know and the greater the risk, epidemics happen when people think that it only happens to other people, and in other countries. The album comes under the heading Nothing Is Ever Black & White, a hearty mix of Jazz, Blues, Rap and Funk by a very talented bunch of musicians who's lives have been touched in some way by HIV and Aids they like Shield believe that HIV doesn't discriminate so why should we.

So if you've not been put off by the above and still looking for that inspirational Christmas present which means something this crimbo - make sure its this one, go on make their day.

For more information about CD4 the Band visit (search engine google) www.carloslopezg.com a track from the album is available to download. We ask you to make a minimum donation of £1.00 to your local HIV organisation.

You can purchase CD's through Shield www.shield.org.uk Tel: 0114 278 7916 the album is £9.99 plus £1.00 to cover postage and packing please add 50p for more than 1 copy. Cheques should be made payable to Shield.