A Christmas charity single recorded at a top girls’ school in North Wales is being backed by a Hollywood star, a former top rugby player and one of the most respected figures in football.
Actor Jonathan Pryce, who hails originally from Holywell, recorded a personal plea on YouTube asking the public to buy a copy and support the cause.
It was recorded at the state-of-the-art recording studios at Howells School, Denbigh, by a cast of unsigned professional artists alongside girls from the school.
Among the high profile people to join the cause are French rugby league international Jerome Guisset and Gordon Taylor, the Chief Executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association.
The single is a cover version of Iridescent by the US super group Linkin Park and is aiming to take on the might of X-Factor in the race for the number one Christmas spot in the charts.
Released by InScreen Records under the band name Project Underdog, the single aims to raise funds for communities devastated by the summer’s inner city riots.
Jonathan Pryce is one of the Hollywood’s busiest and most talented actors with a long and distinguished list of screen credits.
He played Governor Weatherby Swann opposite Johnny Depp’s captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films.
Another high profile role was arch-villain, the power-mad, billionaire media mogul Elliot Carver in the James Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies.
But his good side has come out now in the YouTube video in which he says:
“I am asking you to support Project Underdog by buying the Christmas single, Iridescent.”
Jerome Guisset, who played more than 120 times for Warrington Wolves before ending his playing career at Catalan Dragons, has also left a message of support on YouTube.
He said: “The riots were about teenagers and kids in uproar because nothing was set up for them, they could not achieve what they wanted and there was no light at the end of the tunnel.
“In sport you can’t take short cuts, that’s a big lesson you have to learn in professional sport. The single is something that’s a big thing to get behind.
“The more people that buy it the more we can help the people affected by, and involved in, the riots.”
The charity single was the brainchild of InScreen Records’ Chief Executive Officer Jo Lloyd.
Gordon Taylor said: “Inspirational leadership, integrity, respect and moral values have been seen to be lacking more recently in our society as shown by the riots but positive role models such as Jo Lloyd and her attempts to put something back and have a willingness to affect real change can be a benchmark for others in society.
“The Professional Footballers Association fully endorses this Project Underdog single to make a real difference.”
Bolton captain and England international footballer Kevin Davies said: “I was both astonished and appalled by the riots that took place up and down the country in August this year and the damage they caused.
“As footballers we recognise we have more responsibility than just turning up each week for a match – we take great pride in our ‘role model’ status and this is why we are supporting the Project Underdog campaign and everything it stands for.
“Our fans and supporters were, undoubtedly, amongst those affected by the riots, they are the stars of tomorrow and we owe them a future.”
David Price, heavyweight boxer, 2008 Olympic Medallist, 2006 Commonwealth Games Gold, three times ABA Champion and undefeated heavyweight prospect has also got behind Project Underdog.
He said: “I am pleased to give my support to such a worthy cause, as I believe it’s important to bounce back from these type of things, and work together in the face of adversity.”
Robbie Locke, of Howells School, says staff and pupils are thrilled to have been able to play a part in the Project Underdog charity single.
He said: “We were delighted to be part of this and that we are now receiving the backing of people like Jonathan Pryce, Jerome Guisset, Gordon Taylor, Kevin Davies and David Price .
“Their support means a great deal to the girls from Howell’s who appear on the single and in the video.
“We have got our fingers crossed that the single is going to do really well so we can help raise as much money as possible for this deserving cause.”
