NASHVILLE |DATE: MARCH 9, 2000
FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN/TODD BRODGINSKI
EVERCLEAR FRONTMAN ART ALEXAKIS TO TESTIFY MARCH 16 BEFORE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SUB-COMMITTEE ON THE NEED FOR FEDERALLY-ENFORCED CHILD SUPPORT LAWS
EVERCLEAR singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer ART ALEXAKIS is taking time from recording two different albums due out this year to testify at a congressional hearing on the need for federally-enforced child support laws. ALEXAKIS will appeal on behalf of ACES (The Association for Children for Enforcement of Support, Inc.) to the House of Representatives on Thursday, March 16 at 11:00 AM (EST) in Washington, DC.
ALEXAKIS–who has illuminated his own adolescent domestic issues in the EVERCLEAR smash hit "Father of Mine" from the double platinum album SO MUCH FOR THE AFTERGLOW–knows the subject matter all too well and is now taking his convictions to the floor of Congress.
In "Father of Mine," which was a Top Five hit on BILLBOARD's Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1998, ALEXAKIS compellingly addresses his absentee dad with such lyrics as:
"Father of mine/Tell me where have you been/You know I just closed my eyes/My whole world disappeared/Father of mine/Take me back to the day/When I was still your golden boy/Back before you went away……Sometimes you would send me a birthday card/With a five dollar bill……Now I'm a grown man/With a child of my own/And I swear that I'm not going to let her know/All the pain that I have known"
The congressional legislation being debated is:
* House Reform 1488, co-sponsored by Representatives Henry Hyde (R, IL) and Lynn Woolsey (D, CA). HR 1488 allows states to establish paternity and support orders. Employers would payroll-deduct child support payments in the same manner as federal income taxes. At year's end, the support would be collected in a process similar to our federal taxes, enforced by the IRS.
ALEXAKIS will have more than personal history on his side March 16. He is a longtime supporter of ACES and was presented with their Golden Heart Award at last year's 15th Anniversary Party. ACES is the largest grassroots child support advocacy organization in the United States with 400 chapters in 48 states totaling 40,000 members nationwide. The organization's goal is to assist disadvantaged children affected by parents who fail to meet their legal, moral and financial obligations to support them. ACES' National President/Founder Geraldine Jensen will also testify before the Sub-Committee.
In addition, ALEXAKIS addressed many of the issues involving the legislation as a main source of reference as part of his performance on last year's spoken-word Spitfire Tour.
"This has nothing to do with party lines," ALEXAKIS emphasizes. "This is about people who need help and it's about people who are not responding to their responsibilities. Our society has accepted this for too long. If you're going to have sex with someone, you have to be prepared to be a parent.
"If you don't want to be a parent in person, fine–that's on your own conscience and soul, but the support is crucial," continues ALEXAKIS. "It's just not acceptable to continue to abuse our own children emotionally and financially."
After testifying, EVERCLEAR—ALEXAKIS, bassist CRAIG MONTOYA and drummer GREG EKLUND–will continue to put the finishing touches on the first of two scheduled 2000 releases, SONGS FROM AN AMERICAN MOVIE VOLUME I/LEARNING HOW TO SMILE, due in late spring, to be followed later this year by SONGS FROM AN AMERICAN MOVIE VOLUME II/GOOD TIME FOR A BAD ATTITUDE.
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