Hey everyone, I'm posting this post as a personal plea for help. Recently a good friend of mine and someone who played a huge role and influence in my life was a victim of a suspected hate crime. She has suffered sever injuries and does not have the money to pay for the medical bills.

When I was in high school, I joined a band called OPERATION: CLIFF CLAVIN. CHRIS, the singer and song writer in the band, and his friend SAM also founded and ran our record label, PLAN-IT-X RECORDS. PLAN-IT-X has gone onto to be one of the most influential punk rock labels of recent years, releasing a bevy of incredible music and always staying true to their ideals. If not for SAM, CHRIS and PLAN-IT-X, there would be no IHEARTCOMIX and I'd probably be some dopey kid in INDIANA working at pizza places still.

If you are interested or able to help, information on how to donate is below, along with the posting from the PLAN-IT-X FORUM that elaborates more on what happened. Also below is a DOWNLOADABLE BENEFIT/TRIBUTE COMP that consists of covers of PLAN-IT-X ARTISTS. DONATIONS ARE SUGGESTED.

THANKS,
FRANKI CHAN

From PLAN-IT-X:

In late 2008, Samantha Jane Dorsett (founder of Plan-it-X Records and Boxcar Books, and a valuable member of the Long Haul Infoshop as well), “a transgender woman from the Bay Area, was pushed or fell 50 feet off of an interstate bridge. Although no one may ever know exactly what happened, the information we do have points to a hate crime.”

She has been released from the hospital after breaking two ankles and two vertebra, leaving her with extensive back and spinal injuries. She has had spinal surgery and still needs a lot of help with rehabilitation, rent, and other expenses while she recovers. In later 2008, members of the Plan-it-X Records message board came together to create something for her. Some of us have been donating monetarily but we value Sam more than money. It is important to realize that without Sam Dorsett, a lot of us would not know each other. Plan-it-X would not exist. A lot of great bands and collectives that have come together because of that label would not exist. CLLCT might not even exist. Some of us (present company especially) owe our very livelihoods to Sam and some of us have never even met her, don't even know what she looks like.

A bunch of us recorded one cover each of one of our favorite songs to ever come out on a Plan-it-X release. When you download this effort, entitled All Punks Got Is Each Other, we hope that you will keep Sam in your hearts. We also hope that you will consider donating monetarily to her. Think too about all of the external forces like her who have made you and your friends what you are. Be thankful for them daily. Maybe one day you will be that person to someone else. Maybe you already are.

HOW TO DONATE TO SAM:

By mail (please make out checks to Samantha Dorsett):

Samantha Dorsett
PO Box 3995
Berkeley, CA 94703

PayPal (please make a note in the appropriate field that it is for Sam):

chrisclavin@yahoo.com

ALL PUNKS GOT IS EACH OTHER:

All Punks Got is a song that Sam wrote. It was made "famous" by Operation: Cliff Clavin. Chris Clavin has asked that the original recording be included on the compilation, and it appears as track twenty-three. It goes like this.

I love and respect you and I know that you do your best
This world is so fucked up, never let me take it out on my friends
But you know that it ain't all that bad
Sometimes I'm sorta glad that I'm alive (I'm alive)
And you know summer's gonna come and all our plans might come together
At least we will survive (we'll survive)
I love and respect you and I know you're gonna change the world
You've already made it a better place for me to be (to be)
All we got is, all we got is each other
All we got is, all we got is each other
All we got is, all we got is each other
All punks got is each other, all punks got is each other
All punks got is each other, all punks got is each other

ALL PUNKS GOT SAM BENEFIT COMP

A TRACK LIST:

1. Mitch The Champion – Come Pick Me Up (Erin Tobey)
2. Greg Schilling – 87 (The Sissies)
3. Dan Rickenback – Body Count (This Bike is a Pipe Bomb)
4. A Good Pillow – Do Do Do (I Like Japanese Hardcore)
5. Tonight We Launch – Paper Dolls (Operation: Cliff Clavin)
6. Dakota Floyd – Mr. and Mrs. Everyone (Eric Ayotte)
7. Burrow Owls – Secret Letters (Erin Tobey)
8. Myles and The Blanks – Jus’ Folks (The Bananas)
9. Boogdish – Caveman (Carrie Nations)
10. Tristen Brenner – Unicron (Andrew Jackson Jihad)
11. Myles Walsh – Critical Hit (Ghost Mice)
12. Noah Balloon and Tasha Lozanoff – Never Forget, Ever (Defiance, Ohio)
13. Vispen – Better Off Dead (This Bike is a Pipe Bomb)
14. Your Yellow Dress – People (Andrew Jackson Jihad)
15. Becca and Jer – Only Babies Cry (Paul Baribeau)
16. Tom Ripley – Leopard Print Girl (The Max Levine Ensemble)
17. Stephano Ponce – Dancing Shoes (Matty Pop Chart)
18. Tinyfolk – Christmas Lights (Paul Baribeau)
19. Killah Kaytee – Southern Girl (Your Heart Breaks)
20. Spoonboy – Back Outside (Abe Froman)
21. Madeline Ava – Umm Like Yer Smile is So Totally Ruling Me Right Now (Rosa)
22. Spencer and Geoff – Feel Better (The Bananas)
23. Operation: Cliff Clavin – All Punks Got (Samantha Jane Dorsett)