By Eileen Wetherill, Citizen Journalist

Michael Wood returned home to Sidney from humanitarian work in Nepal to put the finishing touches on his break out CD, “Occupy This”. The album is now complete and is receiving enthusiastic response from fans and industry insiders.

Wood was part of the Stelly’s High School Global Perspectives 12 class who recently returned from 18 days in Nepal. The students raised over 20 thousand dollars to buy farm land for a women’s collective supporting victims of domestic violence. They spent days digging out terraces, planting tomatoes and rice, plastering walls, and helping to build housing.

Global Perspectives is a course for students who are passionate about making a difference in the world, and helping those in need locally and internationally. “We have worked with orphans in Haiti (2000 and 2001), refurbished at a refugee centre in Toronto (2002), built a play area at a retraining centre for single mothers in Cuba (2003), constructed a cancer clinic and taught literacy classes in Belize (2004 & 2005), and most recently, built six schools in remote mountain villages in Peru (2006 through 2011).” Says teacher Tim Storm, adding “Our program was recognized by Maclean’s magazine in August 2005, when Stelly`s was named the best high school in Canada in the Community Outreach category.”

The students are planning another trip to Nepal, in March 2013 to build a women’s shelter in a remote village. Over 64% of Nepalis are currently living in poverty, and many Nepalese women live in squalor as victims of abuse and isolation. The Stelly’s students are working to change that by building a women’s shelter outside of Kathmandu, Nepal.

“Occupy This” is receiving enthusiastic response from critics. The single “End of the World” is enjoying immediate radio play, and Aaron Bethune of HItquarters raves “Shockingly fresh, strong songs with a great delivery. Infectious grooves that bring to mind The Police, Kings Of Leon and Red Hot Chilli Peppers with undertones of Hendrix, the Ramones and Tom Petty. I had to listen to the music from start to finish…then press repeat.” Wood’s video, a guitar driven cover of “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People has received over 20 thousand views.

A singer /songwriter with an evocative voice, Michael Wood’s emotionally charged lyrics speak of universal themes in a frank and infectious manner. A fresh alternative rock sound mixing classic elements with the edginess and bite of modern concepts, the album “Occupy This” has energy to burn. The Michael Wood Band is rock for the new age.

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