Paranoid visions
Adverse reality
Foad / Louderthanwar records
For a band steeped in history and the history of punk it’s no surprise that this record captures 4 decades of Dublin. From the greyness of Dublin town through asking people are they happy to revenge killing, Deko’s lyrics have lost none of their anger over the years.
It is a 10” beautifully packaged with lyric sheet, poster and booklet of Dekos lyrics. It harks back to the days when you’d get the bus home from the record shop poring over sleeve and thanks lists and lyrics with great excitement in anticipation of putting that needle on the record.
‘Little Johnny jukebox’ lived on those grey streets. Through the needles and poverty and unemployment of a city with character. He had some venues that he could go and see music and no matter how desperate times were he always seems to have enough for food, a ceiling overhead and a chance of a night out. The venues have now closed, the colour is on many streets but Johnny has no home and no future
With the ‘broken clock’ and ‘good morning freedoms’ we have a slight departure as the emphasis on Deko’s words comes to the fore. They are spoken word vitriolic attacks on democracy and the life of a failed and how in reality it’s let the people down. Some atmospheric background music sets the scene as Deko spits out his rage.
It’s a rage that has been targeted at people in both English and Irish as ‘An bhfuil tú sasta’ gets a remake. Originally recorded in 1984 it was a plea from the visions for Irish people to rise if they weren’t happy. What we got was high rise buildings built for a quiet populace.
The final bullet in this 6 shooter is ‘rough justice’. When Paranoid visions were starting off Dublin was at the beginning of a heroin epidemic as communities got together to rid themselves of the scourge of drug dealers. There was some moderate success as dealers were moved from one community to another but in the adverse reality they set u shop somewhere else and now the druglands are killing fields for those playing the dealing game. One gang tries to reign supreme over another as people’s lives are at stake
And this is Dublin with 2020 visions. The reality of people freezing, starving and homeless whilst unemployment is at an all time high. Where innocent people walking on certain streets are under attack whilst high rise buildings surround them counting artificial money. 30 years ago Paranoid visions proclaimed that the other half lives. In reality it is the 99%. we have subsequently seen as the wealth increases vastly for those who have it. The song has been re-written as we enter the third decade of the new century with austerity a cancerous stain on many of our recent past. Paranoid visions sing of those let down by austerity, those left behind as corners were turned. Their music is still angry and the change they are spitting out for is still needed.
niallhope
