‘West of Memphis’ Soundtrack Features Eddie Vedder and Natalie Maines

West of Memphis Voices for Justice

Legacy Recordings will be releasing the soundtrack to the documentary West of Memphis on January 15, 2013. The soundtrack, West Of Memphis: Voices For Justice, will feature tracks by Eddie Vedder, Natalie Maines, Patti Smith, and Lucinda Williams, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the West Memphis Three.

Sony Pictures Classics is releasing West of Memphis on December 25, 2012.

“Music has always played a huge role in my life. In my early years, it allowed me to escape the crushing poverty I was born into. Music took me out of myself and into a thousand other worlds. Then, when I was put on trial, it was music they used against me. My love of heavy metal was considered ‘proof’ that I was evil and a satanic murderer. And then, ultimately, it was music that helped to free me when friends and supporters came together to put on the Voices for Justice concert in Little Rock,” states Damien Echols, producer of the film and one of the West Memphis Three.

Some of the music in West of Memphis comes from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis (The Dirty Three, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds) who contributed the original score and performed on the soundtrack. “It was an honor to have made a contribution to the film and to have played a part in raising awareness of the case of the West Memphis Three,” stated Cave.

The Story:

West of Memphis is a new documentary film produced by Echols, Peter Jackson, and Fran Walsh (the Lord of the Rings trilogy), Amy Berg, and Lorri Davis. Directed by Amy Berg, the film reveals the untold story behind an extraordinary and desperate fight to bring the truth to light; a fight to stop the State of Arkansas from killing an innocent man.

Starting with a searing examination of the police investigation into the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old boys in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, the film goes on to uncover new evidence surrounding the arrest and conviction of the other three victims of this shocking crime–Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. All three were teenagers when they became the target of the police investigation for crimes they did not commit.

Each of the West Memphis Three spent more than 18 years in prison while outside the gates, mounting evidence and testimony pointing to their innocence led to an outpouring of support, particularly from the music community and artists featured on this album such as Eddie Vedder, Henry Rollins, Natalie Maines, Marilyn Manson, Dave Navarro, and Patti Smith.

West of Memphis: Voices For Justice Track List

1. Henry Rollins (feat. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis original score) – “Damien Echols Death Row Letter Year 9”

2. Natalie Maines – “Mother”

3. Lucinda Williams – “Joy”

4. Camp Freddy – “The Jean Genie”

5. Tonto’s Giant Nuts feat. Johnny Depp & Bruce Witkin – “Little Lion Man”

6. Marilyn Manson – “You’re So Vain”

7. Band of Horses – “Dumpster World” (Live)

8. Citizen Cope – “DFW”

9. Eddie Vedder – “Satellite”

10. Bill Carter – “Anything Made of Paper”

11. The White Buffalo – “House of Pain”

12. Bob Dylan – “Ring Them Bells”

13. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – “West of Memphis Score Suite”

14. Tonto’s Giant Nuts feat. Johnny Depp (feat. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis original score) – “Damien Echols Death Row Letter Year 16”

BONUS TRACK

15. Patti Smith – “Wing” (Recorded Live at Voices For Justice Benefit Concert – August 28, 2010)

DIGITAL ONLY BONUS TRACK

16. Bill Carter – “Road to Nowhere”