Bands... you have a voice; USE IT!

Why are there so many bands out there today who do not get involved with politics or think it’s ‘uncool’ to have a political voice? When you’re in a band you have a great platform to involve the youth of today with the political situation going on around them. Bands have big influence on impressionable youngsters and can use that influence to drive a great feeling that they have a chance to change the world, therefore you’d see a surge of youngsters running to the polls to make a difference.

What this referendum has showed us is that the youngsters that voted, voted remain. We are a generation that lived next door to Polish kids, went to school with Romanians, played footie with Bulgarians, ate in Greek restaurants. We have lived with, laughed with and fallen in love with people from all walks of life. And when we moved to the polls, we rejected fear. We rejected racism. We rejected Xenophobia!

Today, it’s more important than ever to install hope and desire in to youth culture. We have the power to change the world. If you have a voice, bloody well use it!

Here’s a great article from a few years ago, written by Billy Bragg. He talks about the importance of bands being actively engaged with politics:
http://sabotagetimes.com/…/billy-bragg-interviewed-bands-ne…

At this moment in time we are the most divided we have ever been in any of our lifetimes. The vote has split us pretty much down the middle, there was a campaign of hate against the unknown 'foreigner', England voted out, Scotland voted in, Northern Ireland voted in, London voted in, Boris will be forever in the life's debt of Farage, the old has distanced themselves from the young as out of touch and to have decided our future for us. We have to communicate and come together through music and make our voices heard...

Gentrification continued...

Camden Town… our spiritual home and what used to be our physical home; now laid waste to multi-million quid developments which are sure to house the wealthy and the minuscule percentage that fall in to that weirdly obscure-generalisation of ‘affordable homes’. An unfortunate legacy left-behind by floppy haired, charismatic but utter dangerous former-Mayor Boris Johnson. A situation, that due to time spent building new affordable homes, won’t be solved by the current mayor, Sadiq Khan, for at least another two years.

The famous Hawley Arms isn’t just our favourite joint in Camden Town but was the after shenanigans choice for Billy Bragg, Carl Barat and others last Saturday. It was also the late-great Amy Winehouse’s favourite pub in NW1. The Hawley is still the great venue it always was and our set there at Camden Rocks Festival last Saturday was our favourite show to date; an amazing atmosphere filled with crowd surfers galore… it’s a day we will never forget.

But while we were having our pre-gig cigarettes on the balcony, we were looking over a construction site, which used to be home to the Lock Market and Scar Studios. Scar was a special place to us. We’d spend hours upon hours there… 3, 4 sometimes 5 times a week. It’s where we feel in love with being in a band, learned our craft, wrote songs, learned our instruments, bonded as a band. It wasn’t the cleanest place in the world but it had great character, a great vibe and truly represented the spirit of what Camden is all about. Now what’s left? Years of a construction site, a new railway line, probably Shitfucks coffee… Slavemark?

As a young band with a platform we have an obligation to voice what we feel is right… but you have a voice to so don’t let our beautiful city be made in to a UK-version of Dubai; a place for only the rich and fortunate.

Anyways, to leave you on a brighter note… Camden Rocks Festival was out of this world. Much affection to all that bought tickets and came down to see us, it was an unreal experience! Onward and upwards to Isle of Wight Festival this Sunday (This Feeling/Jack Daniel’s stage, 5pm if you’re there)!!

Peace,

Dan xXx

Picture courtesy of The Zine