Ukrainian Punk Band Beton have turned The Clash’s famous single London Calling into Ukraine’s own war anthem titled Kyiv Calling with support from the legendary UK punk rock group
Beton have recorded Kyiv Calling and have created a music video all within the last few days from Ukraine just miles from the frontline
All proceeds will go to the Free Ukraine Resistance Movement (FURM) to support their communication operation that will alert Ukrainians to threats and lobby the international world for support
Three-piece Ukrainian Punk band Beton, have teamed up with legendary punk rockers The Clash to create and record their own version of the bands most pivotal track London Calling. In just the past few days, Beton have re-written and recorded their track Kyiv Calling in a message of resistance to maintain morale and speak to the world about the strength of Ukraine, its people, and to call on other countries to help their fight. The track is mix and mastered by producer Danny Saber, one of the last people to work with Joe Strummer, lead singer of The Clash before his death in 2002. The track will be distributed by Downtown Music.
Beton band members: Bohdan Hrynko, Oleg Hula and Andriy Zholob, recorded Kyiv Calling in a music studio in Lviv on Thursday and Friday. The music video released alongside the track is compiled of footage from the band’s friends, family, colleagues and volunteers, capturing the attacks taking place in different towns and cities of Ukraine from Kharkiv to Kyiv. Whilst shocking, the footage captures the great strength and resistance of the Ukrainian people.
On top of this, all the band’s members are playing their part to help Ukraine: guitarist and vocalist Andriy Zholob works as an orthopaedist doctor, currently supporting victims and soldiers, while drummer and vocalist Bohdan Hrynko, and bassist and vocalist Oleg Hula are part of the territorial defence, both are ready to take arms and join the resistance when called upon.
Punk music is a major part of Ukraine’s cultural scene and has provided an outlet to express Ukraine’s anger as it struggles for freedom in the face of Russian aggression. With many musicians and bands having had to flee or take arms, it is hoped this track will champion them as well as acting as a rallying call to the nation.
Andriy Zholob, lead singer of the Ukrainian band Beton and a supporter of FURM, said;
“Many Ukrainian musicians are now on battlefields or in territorial defence. This time they’ve changed guitars to guns. We hope this song shows Ukrainians’ spirit and our defiance to Russian aggression. The Clash were one of our inspirations when we fell in love with punk rock and music in general, there is no snobbery or pretentiousness to the music, they had something to say and voiced their opinions against human anger. London Calling epitomises all of that and we are very happy to be able to take this iconic classic and turn it into our own anthem with new meaning and life.”
Andriy continues… “We are glad it is being played not just in Ukraine but around the world as a symbol of solidarity and hope. Our country will defend our hard-won liberty and protect our right to self-determination. We have no doubt about our victory, we are proud to be Ukrainians and feel support from musicians abroad. This means so much!”
All proceeds from the single will go to the Free Ukraine Resistance Movement, a citizen-led network of thousands of ordinary people of all professions, that brings together over 30 NGO’s throughout Ukraine. The collective mission is to restore territorial integrity and strengthen Ukraine’s sovereignty, building it as an EU and NATO member country.
All donations made to the FURM that arise from this record will go towards the non-military work of the movement in communications, support for morale and support for humanitarian partner networks and organisations.
Ostap Kryvdyk, International Secretary of Free Ukraine Resistance Movement (FURM) said:
“FURM calls on the world to listen to the call from Kyiv. For us the music of the Clash is the music of freedom. We must stop the new iron curtain falling. London calling was the call sign of the resistance of Britain when it stood alone against the Nazis. We want Kyiv Calling to be the symbol of resistance to the new aggressor in Europe. No surrender. no compromise peace. For Ukraine peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is the unity of Ukraine. FURM thanks the Clash for their support in our darkest hour. Bring on the dawn”
Kyiv Calling Lyrics in English
Kyiv calling to the faraway towns
Now war is declared and battle come down
Kyiv calling to the whole world
Come out of neutrality, you boys and girls
Kyiv calling, now don’t look to us
Phony Putinmania has bitten the dust
Kyiv calling, see we ain’t got the planes
So clear our skys stop the rockets of pain
The iron age is coming, the curtain’s coming down
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
‘Cause Kyiv is rising
We live by resistance
Kyiv calling to the NATO zone
Forget it, brother, we cant go it alone
Kyiv calling to the zombies of death
Quit holding Putin up, and draw another breath
Kyiv calling and I have to shout
But while we were talking, I saw oligarchs slipping out
Kyiv calling, see we cannot retreat
We’re already home, so Russia ships fuck you
The iron age is coming, the curtains coming down
Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin
A nuclear error, we should have real fear
‘Cause Kyiv is rising
We live by resistance
The iron age is coming, the curtains coming down
Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin
A nuclear error, and I have real fear
‘Cause Kyiv is rising
We live by resistance
Now get this
Kyiv calling, yes, I was there, too
And you know what Moscow said? Well, none of it was true
Kyiv calling at the top of the dial
And after all this, won’t you give me an airforce?
I never felt so much alike, alike, alike, alike
Beton is a 3-piece punk band made up of Bohdan Hrynko, Oleg Hula and Andriy Zholob. Since 2019 Beton have swiftly gained recognition for their own speedy and aggressive punk sound, their last two albums have lyrically addressed a variety of subjects from police violence, consumerism and unemployment. Beton’s fans are wide-ranging from children to Ukrainian soldiers alike. On top of that the band has played at some of the most renowned Ukrainian festivals including Zaxidfest, Tarasova Gora festival.
Bohdan Hrynko (drums, vocals) an architect. He makes projects for private houses and also big projects like multifunctional centre for Ukrainian soldiers in Eastern Ukraine, he is a member of the Territorial Defence Force;
Oleg Hula(bass, vocals) is a Co-owner of Fat Sound, a rental company specialized in sound, light and stages for events, concerts and festivals, he is a member of the Territorial Defence Force;
Andriy Zholob (guitar, vocals) is an orthopaedist, radio presenter and also a presenter on different events. He was an official announcer on Champions League Finals in Kyiv some years ago.
About the Free Ukraine Resistance Movement
The Free Ukraine Resistance Movement (FURM) is a citizen-led organisation dedicated to the protection and restoration of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. FURM works hand in glove with the Ukrainian government and law enforcement agencies to support the defence of democracy, territorial integrity and national unity. The group provides communications support to all Ukrainians resisting Russian aggression, as well as effectively communicating the Ukrainian resistance to the international community. If the Ukrainian government should fall, FURM will be central part of the resistance to Russian occupation.
Founded by the leaders of the Maidan Self-Defence group, FURM is one of the largest resistance organisation operating in Ukraine and is comprised of a coalition of Ukrainians who reflect the country’s religious, ethnic and political diversity. Members of the organisation operate in almost all regions of Ukraine, with a focus on countering Russian invading forces by working as part of Territorial Defence Battalions and regular units, as well as in Volunteer Battalions. This grassroots network is made up of volunteers from the worlds of media, civil society, politics, and security groups which has evolved since the war began.
Further background on the Free Ukrainian Resistance Movement
The Movement was founded by the leaders of Maidan Self-Defence during the Revolution of Dignity and beginning of the Russian Military Invasion in 2014. During 2019-2022, the movement was known as the “Capitulation Resistance Movement” and organised 20+ nationwide street protests and resisted Ukraine accepting the Steinmeier formula and Minsk Agreements. International Secretary of the FURM, Ostap Kryvdyk commented: “We’ve literally ruined Putin’s plans to partition Ukraine from inside by the Russia-led agents in Ukrainian Parliament active at that time. We knew that Putin would not stop. This is why even months before the full-scale invasion we’ve already started to mobilise and train people for all levels of resistance to defend Ukraine – military, communications, humanitarian help and diplomacy. “
FURM comprises the self-defence network which was preparing for the full invasion of Ukraine since 2014 and is a legal, public advocacy, and training for territorial defence team which is connected to grass roots network of people ready to defend the country. This Self-Defence network comprises around 1000 people. It linked to the Veterans’ network, an extensive community of veterans of the Maidan revolution and of the initial weeks of resistance to Russia in 2014. Before the war it could mobilise a movement of 200,000.
Most of the members of this network are serving in the Territorial Defence Units – the Home Guard of Ukraine, “Dad’s Army” but facing an actual invasion and not just war from the air. Another dimension of FURM is the Maidan Revolution network: this is an extensive nationwide at grassroots, and community level united by common fight at the frontline and helping across the full range of humanitarian assistance. The FURM is linked to a network of diaspora partners across Canada, USA, Australia, UK, Germany, Poland, Spain, Portugal, and Argentina of around 5000 people. There is also a minor presence in UAE and Australia.
The Free Ukraine military subunit was created based on the Law of Ukraine “On the Basis of National Resistance” as a voluntary formation of Kyiv’s territorial community “Free Ukraine” and is fully legalised by order of the Commander of the Territorial Defence Forces. We operate as part of the 112th Brigade of the Territorial Defence.
“On the ground we are now living through an act of military aggression in addition we observe several unusual forms of this warfare. 80 percent of this war is in the information space it’s information warfare and 20 are about hot hostilities…speaking about Kyiv it is indeed a target for Moscow they are planning to encircle the city. In the west, east and north and we’ve got Russian troops everywhere and the only way out of the city is south and southwest. They have not yet encircled but there is a plan to encircle and to lay a siege.”
