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Help Joseph Arthur replenish funds after having to buy back his tour van!

Musician and painter Joseph Arthur has been reunited with his 2003 Dodge Ram touring van and all of its contents, including musical instruments and many paintings (full statement from Joseph is below).  The van and possessions had been sold at auction by the City of New York on August 23rd while he was out of the country.  It had been seized for unpaid parking tickets Joseph believed had been paid.  

The story is featured in the New York Daily News
 
Famed civil rights lawyer Ron Kuby volunteered to represent Arthur and hired his longtime associate Vic Cornetta to locate the buyer.  Cornetta, an ex-NYPD and current private investigator for In Sight Case Management, tracked down Bronx resident Jose Lopez, who paid $1000 at auction.   
 
The PI and Joseph’s guitarist Kraig Jarret Johnson met in Jose’s neighborhood for a classic shakedown:  After hours of negotiations with no obligation for Jose to sell, a final deal of $5,500 had finally been reached - five times what the buyer had paid.
 
“It's good to know that even if I never reach sainthood at least my van has,” says Joseph, who has received incredible support from his audience, fellow musicians and the media.
 
A fundraiser will be thrown Sunday, October 21st @ City Winery in New York City, featuring Joseph and special guests.
 
“Where Is My Van” has been hailed by Michael Stipe as "the most fucking awesomest ever music video since
"Nothing Compares 2 U."
 
“Where Is My Van” fundraising single and t-shirts can be purchased at www.josepharthur.com
 
From Joseph:

So after all this I got my van back!  
I can't thank y'all enough for your support and help.  
It cost plenty, but I'm very happy to have my art and my gear back.
Jose (the guy who had it) drove a hard bargain (Ron calls it a sort of hold up)
and sold it all back to me for $5,500 after he paid a grand for it,
but I’m trying to keep it in perspective,
Things like this can't be measured strictly with numbers
and the life lessons it taught were of greater value than the dollars and cents.
The main one being the support I got from all of you.
Along with the people,whom without I never would have gotten it back,
Ron, Vic, Lea, Carla, Julie, Peter, Kraig, Ehud and Spencer - THANK YOU!
The list goes on, but now I need to search this four wheel goliath for my tarot cards and try to catch new dreams.
Thanks again everyone and I hope to see you down the road.
I'll be the one driving a van more famous than me.

much love,
Joseph

ABOUT PETER BUCK

Peter Buck is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M. Throughout his career with R.E.M., which was founded in 1980, Buck has also been an official member of various 'side project' groups including Hindu Love Gods, The Minus 5, Tuatara, The Baseball Project, Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 and Tired Pony. Additionally, another side project group called Full Time Men released an EP while Buck was a member; ad hoc "supergroups" Bingo Hand Job (Billy Bragg and R.E.M.) and Nigel & The Crosses (Robyn Hitchcock, Peter Buck, Glenn Tilbrook and others) have each commercially released one track; and a current side project group called Slow Music plays semi-regular gigs. Buck also collaborated with Saint John and the Revelations in 2011. Buck is currently working on his solo career with the recent release of "10 Million B.C."  

Last year Buck founded the Todos Santos Music Festival, a unique three-weekend with bands, events, and venues.  The event is a benefit for Palapa Society, a multi-cultural, non-profit Mexican Civil Association that runs a variety of programs to benefit local children and their families.

Artist Website