Q&A: Iraq vet Tomas Young finds inspiration in music

By Tamara Conniff

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The story of Tomas Young, an American soldier paralyzed during combat in Iraq, has drawn the attention of such star performers as Pearl Jam, Ben Harper and Tom Morello, not to mention Phil Donahue, who helped direct and produce a documentary about Young's experiences.

That film, "Body of War," screens March 13 at Austin's Paramount Theater as part of the South by Southwest Film Festival, and is scheduled for theatrical release in select U.S. cities beginning in April.

Young recently chatted with Billboard about choosing the material for the album "Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran," which Sire will release March 18, and what he hopes to accomplish by sharing his struggle.

Q: How did you pick the songs for the album?

Tomas Young: "I wanted them to be diverse and appeal to fans of any kind of music. Maybe you pick it up because you like Lupe Fiasco or Public Enemy, and then you get some Ben Harper accidentally thrown into your ear hole that maybe makes you think a little more about a different subject. I had all this unanswered rage channeling through my body, and music is a real outlet for it. Like most people, for most of my life, I've found solace through music."

Q: How many of the songs are featured in the documentary?

Young: "Only two, because the idea for the CD came well after the film had been completed -- Eddie (Vedder's) solo version of 'No More' and 'Light Up Your Lighter' by Michael Franti, which appears in a scene where I'm putting my Purple Heart and my complimentary American flag gift from the United States government up in my closet."

Q: How did you meet the film's co-director, Phil Donahue?