As the nation marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks, New York songwriter Harry Spero is using music to revisit the emotions, memories and lasting impact of one of the most defining moments in American history.
Spero and his band, The September Project, are bringing renewed attention to September, a 10-song rock opera inspired by the tragedy of 9/11 and the ways it changed New York City and the country.
Originally released through Razor+Tie Music and now distributed by Concord, much of September was written in the weeks immediately following the attacks. Spero, a longtime New Yorker who has written more than 1,000 songs throughout his career, says music became his way of processing what he had witnessed and experienced.
“As it did for many people, the events of September 11, 2001 had a profound impact on me and changed my life forever,” Spero said. “As an artist, a patriotic American and proud New Yorker, I felt compelled to express those emotions through song.”
One of the album’s most poignant tracks, “Union Square,” remembers the extraordinary scene that emerged at Manhattan’s Union Square Park following the attacks. Photographs and messages honoring the missing and those who had died filled the area as New Yorkers gathered for vigils, remembrance and support.
The album explores more than the immediate grief of 9/11. Its songs examine how life changed afterward and the questions about identity, purpose and the future that remained long after the attacks.
The final track, “This Life We Choose,” turns that reflection toward the present, exploring the search for meaning and fulfillment even decades after a life-changing event.
The September Project features several vocalists, including Spero, Shannon Conley, who appeared on Broadway in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Scott Ross, who appeared in Rock of Ages. Their performances give each song a distinct voice while helping tell the album’s larger story.
When September was released around the 10th anniversary of 9/11, its songs received radio and television exposure across the country. The music video for “Union Square” was also shown at Citi Field ahead of the New York Mets’ 9/11 commemorative game.
Now, 25 years after the attacks, Spero hopes the album can serve as both a remembrance of those who were lost and a reflection on how September 11 continues to shape the lives of those who experienced it.
September is available on iHeartRadio and other major streaming platforms.