Sterling Campbell This is Me

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1. 1. faluninfo.net

   faluninfo.net/article/598/?cid - [Cached]

   Published on: 6/15/2008   Last Visited: 6/27/2008

   Sterling Campbell: A Musician Takes a StandFalunInfo.net - Sterling Campbell: A Musician Takes a Stand
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   Sterling Campbell: A Musician Takes a Stand
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   Sterling Campbell: A Musician Takes a Stand
   
   15 Jun 2008
   
   With the Chinese characters "Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance" emblazoned on his drum kit, Sterling Campbell uses his music as a platform for human rights in China
   
   In the 1980s and 90s, Sterling Campbell was a rising star in the music industry, performing and touring as the drummer for Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran, Soul Asylum, David Bowie, and many more.
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   Campbell says he prided himself when he was young on staying away from drugs, but as time wore on, the temptations grew.He eventually became heavily involved in drugs and alcohol, and was a two-pack-per-day smoker.His relationships began to deteriorate.
   
   "After a while I became very depressed and ashamed of myself.My confidence and self-esteem were shattered," recalls Campbell.
   
   He tried to turn his life around by exploring Tai-Chi and yoga, but no avail."I felt trapped," he recalls.
   
   But one morning in 1998, all that changed.During an early morning walk in the park, Campbell came across a group of people performing Falun Gong meditation, and he was handed a pamphlet with information on the practice.
   
   At first, he says, he was skeptical."I was quite cynical about a lot of these spiritual things due to the fact that I spent thousands of dollars to people who were putting a price on spirituality and universal matters," he recalls."So I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that there's no price on Falun Dafa , it's totally free."
   
   The next day Campbell began practicing Falun Gong meditation and reading its primary text, Zhuan Falun.
   
   "The more I read the more I was drawn into the book," he says."I felt I was in the presence of something very unique and immense.I knew that I had found the truth I'd been searching for."
   
   To his amazement, within a month of practicing Falun Gong, Campbell no longer had any desire for cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol.
   
   "For so long I equated music to drugs, alcohol or being promiscuous," he says."Now I realize it doesn't have to be that way."
   
   While Campbell admits that changing his lifestyle was no easy task, an even greater challenge was yet to come.
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   On the other side of the world, Campbell and others did their best to bring media awareness to the plight of Falun Gong adherents in China, but it wasn't enough.Then, in late 2001, Sterling and a small group of Western Falun Gong practitioners decided to go to Tiananmen Square themselves.
   
   His goal, he says, was to unfurl a banner proclaiming Falun Gong's innocence, and hopefully talking with some Beijing residence about the practice and the violent , yet hidden , persecution.
   
   On Valentine's Day, 2002, Campbell made it to Tiananmen Square, along with dozens of other Western Falun Gong practitioners from around the world.The Chinese police were expecting them.
   
   The Square was ringed with police officers."The atmosphere was very oppressive," recalls Campbell."The police were very suspicious of westerners."
   
   Before he could make it to the middle of Tiananmen Square to stage a demonstration, the police vans arrived and began taking Campbell and his companions away to be detained, beaten and interrogated.
   
   At a nearby police station, they were searched and interrogated."Anyone who resisted was met with brute force," says Campbell."They were being punched, kicked, slapped in the face.People were screaming"
   
   Campbell himself was kicked and thrown to the ground when he refused to tell the police where his passport was.
   
   "At that point, I wasn't angry, I felt no hatred," he recalls.Instead, Campbell says he felt sorry for the policemen who were abusing them."They get caught up in the government's policies.You could feel that some of these young policemen really didn't want to do what they were doing.But if they have any goodness or sense of justice in them, they're not allowed to show it, or else it's all over for them."
   
   On his return to the United States, Campbell continues to do whatever he can to raise awareness of the persecution in China that he witnessed first-hand.

2. 2. duranduran.wikia.com

   duranduran.wikia.com/wiki/Ster - [Cached]

   Published on: 6/15/2008   Last Visited: 6/15/2008

   Sterling Campbell
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   Sterling Campbell (b. May 3, 1964) is a rock drummer who was a member of Duran Duran from 1989 to 1991.He was hired to tour with the band during the promotion of Big Thing, and was made a full member of the band at the end of the year.He contributed to the recording and promotion of Liberty, then was asked to leave after he failed to get involved for preparations for what would eventually become The Wedding Album.
   
   Campbell was born and raised in New York City, and began his rock/pop career by working with Cyndi Lauper in the mid- 1980s.
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   Sterling Campbell's website
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   Experience Sharing - Sterling Campbell
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   Andy Taylor • Warren Cuccurullo • Sterling Campbell

3. 3. www.teenagewildlife.com

   www.teenagewildlife.com/Intera - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/30/2008   Last Visited: 5/24/2008

   Sterling Campbell - as far as we know - has continued session work as a drummer.
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   The B-52s were totally washed up even with Sterling five to eight years ago.But with new music, it's absolutely shocking: the new album is way better than it should be.The drumming isn't anything outstanding on it per se--it's split between Sterling and Zach Alford, apparently--but the songs are mostly really good.
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   And it goes without saying that Sterling is absolutely flat-out magnificent.As usual.They're doing a package tour in NYC, but surely will be back this fall and I hope to catch them.A colleague went to the WXPN--Philly AAA public radio--live show last week, and said Sterling was magnificent.As usual.
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   Worse, I saw a video of the band around 2000 at Carnegie for a benefit with Sterling, as well as heard some live post-reunion stuff, and it was pure Vegas-y nostalgia trip.