Pitchfork

Nothing tops wrasslin' for a good cause, and VS. Dobbs, creator of the blog Wrestle the Future to the Fucking Ground, knows it. Dobbs is taking part in a Blogathon, a 24-hour writing marathon in which he will post blog entries every 30 minutes from 9am on Saturday, July 29 until 9am on Sunday, July 30. So while we're all out partying in the hot sun at the Pitchfork Music Festival, he'll be in a nice, air-conditioned room, all alone at the computer.

As is the case in cancer walks, Jump Rope for the Heart, etc., readers can volunteer to sponsor Dobbs, with all donations going to Sweet Relief, a charity that aims to provide financial assistance to musicians dealing with illness, disability, or age-related issues.

Yeah, we all give a big thumbs down to the sickness, but how about some incentive here? Those donating to Sweet Relief will be entered into a raffle, making them eligible for an iPod, a copy of Expression Engine blogging software and Expression Engine Discussion Forum, and a Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar Prize pack.

But wait, there's even something for the freeloaders! And here's the good part: Anyone visiting Wrestle the Future to the Fucking Ground after the Blogathon's kickoff can, for the low, low price of $F-R-E-E, download rare tracks from a variety of bands including Art Brut, Akron/Family, Dengue Fever, the Handsome Family, Psycho and the Birds (Robert Pollard), Jana Hunter, Kingsbury Manx, and more. Dobbs approached each artist individually, asking for unavailable tracks (this includes those that have not yet been released, will not be released, or were once released but have since gone out of print-- demos, home recordings, outtakes, remixes, and upcoming jams are all part of the mix).

The artists that complied have supplied Dobbs with one track each, and these tunes will be posted on WTFTTFG this weekend and remain until either a) the artist requests it be taken down or b) Dobbs' blog is out of the picture.

The tracks will be inserted into some of Dobbs' blog entries during the Blogathon and are available for the downloading pleasure for anyone and everyone.

Those interested in sponsoring, donating, or just plain finding out more about the event can check out Dobbs' Frequently Asked Questions section here .

For a list of the featured tracks, see below

Akron / Family - "August Fans" (home recording)
Angels of Light - "Rose of Los Angeles" (acoustic version)
Art Brut - "Moving to LA" (live)
Danko Jones - "Womanbound" (demo)
Dengue Fever - "Hold My Hips" (remixed by Paul Smith)
Fake - "What to Watch When the War Is on TV" (unreleased)
Graham Smith - "Oh No, You Didn't" (unreleased)
Handsome Family - "After We Shot the Grizzly" (acoustic demo)
Harvey Girls - "Lazlo, Buddy" (unreleased)
Jana Hunter - "Recess" (demo)
Jracula (featuring Jana Hunter and members of Octopus Project, Woozyhelmet, and Butterknife) - "Lion, Ox, and Eagle" (unreleased)
Josh Millard - "A Man in a Boat in the Water" (unreleased)
Kingsbury Manx - "Galloping Ghosts" (demo)
Psycho and the Birds (featuring Robert Pollard) - "Organic Comes On" (unreleased)
Radio Room Recording Company - "Untitled" (unreleased)
Ruth Minnikin - "Angel at the Dawn" (demo)
Ruth Minnikin - "Southern Misfortune" (demo)
Steve Koven Trio - "023" (unreleased)
Sybarite - "The Ground Up" (live)
Thee More Shallows - "Celibate Maze" (bedroom recording)
Velma - "Polyphony" (unreleased)