More than a year after Jesse Malin suffered a rare spinal cord stroke, which left hims paralyzed from the waist down, the run of support for the New York City singer and songwriter is releasing Silver Patron Saints: The Songs of Jesse Malin. The tribute album features a collection of artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong, Jack Antonoff‘s band Bleachers, Lucinda Williams, and more performing some of Malin’s songs, including the first single Bleachers’ cover of “Prisoners of Paradise.”
Proceeds from the sale of triple-vinyl tribute will go to Malin’s Sweet Relief artist fund.
“As always in my songs, the themes are all there—transcendence, positivity and global unity through music,” said Malin in a statement. “This is what I love to do, and I’m going to do everything I can to keep doing it.”
Following his stroke, a long list of Malin’s friends and past collaborators have continued to show their support for him, including Springsteen, Armstrong, and Williams, along with Elvis Costello, The Hold Steady, Tommy Stinson, the late MC5 frontmanWayne Kramer, Tom Morello, Counting Crows, Dinosaur Jr., Rancid, The Wallflowers, Spoon, Susanna Hoffs, Frank Turner, Alison Mosshart, and more.
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On “Prisoners of Paradise,” Antonoff takes the song “through tunnel-of-love reverb like Suicide’s ‘Dream Baby Dream’ cut after hours at Sun Records in Memphis,” writes journalist David Fricke in the liner notes.
“There’s a feeling of liberation that comes with this, but I don’t want to keep repeating myself either,” said Malin. “My whole process—since I was 13—is to progress, evolve and challenge myself on each record. I really hope people in all parts of the world can relate to these songs, just the spectrum of emotions, overcoming by celebrating life through music and art.”
Malin, who is currently receiving treatment in Argentina, undergoing a strict daily regimen with physical therapy and stem-cell treatments, is also releasing Chasing the Light on June 21, a concert film and accompanying live album, filmed at the Sheen Center in New York City, on January 29-30, 2022.
Shot and edited by Malin’s longtime collaborator Dave Stekert, the film and album chronicle Malin’s performances during the pandemic, from 2020 through 2022. A day after the release of Chasing the Light, a benefit concert will be held in New York City for Bad Brains‘ H.R., who revealed in 2023 that he was diagnosed with SUNCT (Short-lasting Unilateral Neuralgiform with Conjunctival injection and Tearing).
Along with Malin’s band, the concert film features guest performances by Tommy Stinson, Gogol Bordello‘s Eugene Hütz, Catherine Popper, and H.R. of Bad Brains. H.R. is also featured in the first Chasing the Light release, a live performance of Bad Brains’ “I & I Survive” from the band’s 1983 album, Rock for Light, produced by Ric Ocasek.
“I am getting some strength back in my legs, but it moves a lot slower than I would like,” Malin recently shared of his condition. “I don’t want to portray it like I’m ready to do the James Brown splits onstage,” he added. “I definitely have a long way to go, but I’m blessed and so grateful for the amazing fans and friends that I have.”
Photo: Vivian Wang / Courtesy of Kid Logic Media
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