Morrison has been speaking out against the United Kingdom’s COVID-19 restrictions since the summer, particularly as they relate to live music.

In September, he launched an anti-lockdown song series that included the tracks “Born to Be Free” and “No More Lockdown”.

In spite of the fact that such measures have helped the country start to see a flattening of its infection curve even as one in every 185 people in Morrison’s native Northern Ireland test positive, the Astral Weeks singer apparently hasn’t evolved his thinking — and Clapton is now standing with him.

“There are many of us who support Van and his endeavors to save live music; he is an inspiration,” Clapton said (via Variety). “We must stand up and be counted because we need to find a way out of this mess. The alternative is not worth thinking about. Live music might never recover.”

 

Clapton performs the Morrison-penned “Stand and Deliver”, which is due out December 4th.

Despite its controversial themes, the track does stand to benefit those impacted by the novel coronavirus. Proceeds from the song will benefit Morrison’s Lockdown Financial Hardship Fund, which supports musicians whose income have been impacted by the UK’s lockdown measures.