I’m writing this listening to Bob Vylan’s ‘we live here’ record. A punk rock Benjamin Zephaniah with some amount of anger for society. Interesting in the week that England placed her faith in the Tory party once more. Sure they’ve been in power for 80 of the last 100 years so there should be no real surprise.
I got an international subscription to Razorcake fanzine. A great zine race has been doing its part for over 20 years. It’s diy and it promotes a way of life and bands that live the life they talk about. Some great interviews and positive throughout.
It was great spending the Bank holiday reading the latest issue and being grateful for trade unions providing working week, promoting workers rights and creating the working week. This is all subject to change as people clamour for what they call normality.
Normality us a confusing word for me. What does normal really mean? Is it something that involves reputation. We accept activities as they are construed as normal. As we edge slowly from lockdown us normal being able to go to the pub? Is it going on 2 holidays a year as we fly to countries that haven’t seen non-residents in over a year. Is it spending hours travelling to work 5 days a week. Is it full classrooms as people learn phrases to use to pass exams? Is it waiting lists for hospitals and housing? Or maybe it’s just the Tories winning elections in England.
For me normal is finding comfort in music. This week I found comfort in Mackie’s split 7”. This is a real community effort. 4 acts – Spoilers, Tiltwheel, The Slow Death and Mackie from the Blitz and 2 record labels work it all. War on Womens ‘Wonderful hell’ album got a good airing. I enjoyed its call to action for equality and voice.
It was my Birthday last week. The 53rd year this has happened. All so strange thinking I’m over half way and wondering does music, creativity or the will to change the world stop at a certain age?
As a family we walked Darkness into light on Saturday morning. Through the Bizarre weather there was an apt electric atmosphere to this event. Thousands of people out walking thinking about someone they knew or loved who felt normalcy was driving them to take their own life. We wondered could we have helped, could we have really got the message home that it’s ok not to feel ok. We will never know that answer but can only offer solidarity, forgiveness and an ear to those who need it
Let’s not Return to normal let’s create a new normal.
Stay safe
