Catch up 22

i havent been arsed to write anythong in this blog or elesewhere for that matter. not to say that nothing has happened ; quite the contrary, but much of it has been personal to certain people, suffice to say that counsellors / support workers are not always on duty, especially on a Friday night or the weekend!

Sicknote. Ah yes, Sicknote. so many gigs in so short a time and they do more than we can attend. Bristol Bassment, Glastonbury Tor Leisure centre (a cricket and bowling club no less, ive never felt so middle class and am grateful that my life has not succumbed to joininga sports club !). The night ended in a party in Frome at the home of the organiser of the night where we were warmly welcomed by the group of Sketchy Munters we've come to know over the last year or so. Not being designated driver has many benefits, though one drawback is you cant leave till the other driver does! They played Newport Bagnall in Milton Keynes the next day. one we couldnt get to and didnt really want to given age and the recovery period needed following such a cracking night. I was later told the venue was a British Legion club adorned with Union Jacks and pictures of the Queen. If only Doghouse had had a burger ; he could have pissed everyone off by rubbing it in the fat scroungers phisog !

Next day, Sunday, Flapsandwich, in his own inimitable fuckin crazy style managed to put on the Re - Launch of Sub 29 club in Cardiff. Great to see them performing at home again! People travelled from near and far to see some great acts including Sicknote, Clay Statues, Oll n Gee, DJ Pook etc. Free Party yet again, and would you believe it, the club was nowhere near full. With this crew, it doesnt matter ; its the ethos and camararderie that matters, and all performers gave their all.

A bank holiday to remember, the week hit me like a brick, and i'm only 2 days into work!

There are more gigs lined up but the next two are not do-able for us, but we will be thinking and hoping for good turn outs, good reactions, good networking, more gigs and hopefully more festivals.

Until then, we plod on through trials and tribulations.

Shout out to you all.

x

Too old to Rock n Roll, too drunk to piss !

Friday 24th April 09 and we ventured into the depths of da Port (Newport) to the Bassment. Very nice venue, pretty good sound, nice, seedy smoking area, a support band called Cowboy and the Corpse or summat, who knocked out a few psychobilly numbers and were o.k. Demented are Go needn't feel threatened at the moment.
Everyone was in good spirits and the vibe was enough for all to have a fuckin top night despite lack of numbers in the club. It proved to be a good platform to throw in some tunes which have not been performed as Sicknote and these were well received. They will undoubtedly feature on the Death Before Employment tour and at the festys this coming summer. Those that did attend were treated to an outstanding Sicknote set, Doghouse on top form and ranting like a manic cunt in between songs. Abuse was thrown at the crowd, and some was thrown back, all in jest and good heart.
Everyone was pissed or altered some way or another, which let the inihibitions drop to hell and burn there as brightly as the Dog's own heart.
Late back to ours, we topped our evening off with a few brandys before noticing it was half four in the morning. Went to bed and slept for a few hours.

Saturday. Did we really want to go to Blaengarw? Fuck yeah ! Why not ?! No work Sunday, a whole day to recover, I was being driven for a fuckin change, and last year at the Garw holds stories and anecdotes which still ring around the valley to this day! Crisp anyone?
Again, not too many people in attendance, but those who made the effort were once again in awe of the sound, the feel, the ethos, the words and the attitude from the best band to come out of Wales since ... well, no other fucker!
It was like a private little party had been put on for the stalkers (for fucks sake, realise this is in jest! we just believe in the success which is coming Sicknote's way and want to contribute to it and be a part of it) and not caring a shake of a donkey's cock, we danced to every tune. I was brave enough to try to tempt some big, burly, rugby type blokeys into having a dance with me but they were having none of it ! At least I made them smile.

Gigs are coming in every week ; we cant nake them all, but we'll make as many as is possible to do so, and we'll party, and laugh, and get mashed up, and appreciate what we've all got, and come back for more , more, more ! FUCK THAT SHIT ! I WANT MORE!

the Globe, Mavis'ssss Bidet . a fan's perspective

Maybe you had to organise baby sitters. Maybe you just turned up on the night and fell through the door. Maybe you chatted with people on Faceshot and arranged to meet up, making sure you had enough money for thrills n pills and booze and taxis and buses. Some people hired a mini bus. There's effort from everyone when it comes to attending an event like this and endeavouring to have a good night out.

Personally, I thought the night was a massive success; four excellent and very under-noticed bands from South Wales performing at their very best to a rammed venue of approx 300 punters. FOR FREE ! NO ENTRY FEE, NO CASH PAYMENT FOR THE BANDS, NOTHING FOR THE PROMOTERS ! With this in mind I put some Tantrum Record stickers on a plastic Beck's bucket and asked two rather gorgeous looking specimens from the female variety to do a whip-round of the punters in the hope of raising £300 for the organisers. That would have been £1 each punter. Imagine my dismay when by the end of the night there was £25 in the bucket! I simply don't understand how people can be all TAKE TAKE TAKE all the TIME ! Put something back dammit ! These events are some of the best parties in the country and some people bust a blood vessel and lose money in putting this on for us!


The Nukes took the stage first tearing through proper old-style punk tunes with a fervour unrivalled by anyone half their age! Winning over new fans with each number, this was The Nukes first gig with the Tantrum crew, and I'm told it wont be the last. I hope not. The Nukes gave away free CD's to spread their sounds and message to a new audience ... I got mine!

Next up were the fantastically frantic antics of one of my favourites, Clay Statues. Mavis was already well oiled in celebration of his bidet, before taking the drums to another dimension, empathic to the twisted sounds that Doz gets from his scruffy bass. Unrehearsed for a few months, the Stats played their hearts out to rapturous applause from the faithful to the newly indocrinated, Doz flailing around the stage with no mind to his or anyone else's health and safety. A thunderous sound shook the foundations and Doz got off by BJ'ing the mic and winding the crowd into a frenzy.
Then the Egg got thrown out of the venue for throwing a dangerous toilet roll on to the stage. "It was a toilet roll this time. Who knows what it might be the next time!" said an over-inflated jobsworth of a bouncer with no idea of a gathering of minds.


A treat took centre attention for many who have not had the pleasure of seeing Henry's Funeral Shoe perform live until now.
Faces looked stunned at the capabilities of a guitarist, adorned with hat looking like a reject from Clockwork Orange, backed up by a nutty drummer (my favourite kind) using all sorts of implements to hit the skins.
The talk outside the club was of astoundment at not knowing who this band were, how good they were, and how many people would be going out of their way to see them again.

Then there was Sicknote. After threatening to walk and take the audience with them unless DJ Eggman was let back in, the Sick boys delivered their best set since Thimbleberry Festival September 09. All the old favourites were played, the crowd flocked to the front and shared sweat with each other, dancing like crazy to well known Sicknote tunes. One or two in the know were talking of a full set being played with some new tunes being thrown in for the first time this evening. Alas, the plug was pulled at 11.15p.m., alledgedly following the complaints from a neighbour. Could it actually have been the display of an over - excited fan getting her baps out to rub them in the crotch of the pussy magnet everyone knows and loves as Dr. Conker?

Whatever the reason, the punters were left feeling short changed (well, not really as no fucker paid to get in ) wanting a longer set from the sound of 2009, Sicknote!
The general feeling was that the night had been awesome, but also that many of the punters would not be returning to the Moroccan styled (?!) Globe Club. Maybe they should stick to cover bands and dinosaurs.

read the captions !

you say you want a revolution weeeeel you know ... we all wanna change the world.

the chance of turning the music industry on it's head again, as witnessed during each decade or so when contributing new genres and like - minded individuals come together and said "enough is enough ... we want more than 4 per cent of music released each week to be given airtime, and to buy OUT of the big cash IN", is here and available to us in the form of internet communications.
free music downloads could force the suits to think again, beyond legal downloads at 79p per single (yeah well done Metallica ; rock n fuckin roll) and re-assess where the real talent is coming from.
there are many scenes happening across the UK all with the same ethos and philosophies regarding politics, money, religion, oppression, lack of voice etc., to actually join together and become one voice. it needs co-ordination. it needs people to be made aware of these pockets of musical rebels; the next, next generation of Do It Yourself, and fuck the way it's being done by business and corporations and back-handers and free speedboats !
so sayeth the Rev who is ranting under the influence of a wee dram o' whisky.
it's simple ; if you find or are sent something which flushes your turd .... click on share and get it out to as many people as possible in as short a time as possible.
support LIVE music and get out there and see the people who are giving out this free stuff to encourage them to keep doing what theyre doing.
throw some cash on the fuckin stage1 buy some cheap and nasty home-made merchandise ; again pure punk and DIY.
do something for fucks sake!

">

just a copy and paste

if this is true, i am not shocked or surprised, but i am bloody angry at the hypocrisy !!!

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 600 employees and has the following employee statistics:

29 have been accused of spouse abuse

7 have been arrested for fraud

9 have been accused of writing bad cheques

17 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses

3 have done time for assault

71 cannot get a credit card

14 have been arrested on drug-related charges

8 have been arrested for shop-lifting

21 are currently defendants in lawsuits

84 have been arrested for drink driving in the last year

Which organisation is this?

It's the 635 members of the House of Commons, the same group that cranks out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us inline.

What a bunch of pricks we have running our country - it says it all. And just to top all that they probably have the best 'corporate' pension scheme in the country .&nb sp;

If you agree that this is an appalling state of affairs, please pass this message on to everyone you know.

Reasons to be cheerful

Well there's a fuckin revelation from a reverand straight away !
The days are getting lighter and longer. The tribe of Tantrum is getting bigger. The talent of our favourite bands is getting stronger. The dates for gigs, parties and festivals are coming thick and fast.

In between the shit we all experience, the constatnt misery we are exposed to on the telly and in the "news"papers, we have to look for something which keeps our heads above the sea of misery. How or what you do to alleviate this is of course your call, and there's no shame in calling it a coping mechanism.

Coming this week :

Tantrum Remix Lab Vol 1
MArk E Smith @ The Point on Wednesday
Rugby and Burlesque show @ The Globe on Friday
SICKNOTE @ Glo Bar on Saturday

So we get through anotherweek of drudgery, responsibilty and lip-biting, to be lucky enough to get together with like-minded people and good friends, new friends, friends in the making and acquaintances.

Yes folks the Prozac are working fine, the sun is shining, and a re-awakening is at hand.

so sayeth the Rev.

x

MUSICAL SCHIZOPHRENIA: SPREADing THE Sickness!!!#c4588428728731836852

MUSICAL SCHIZOPHRENIA: SPREADing THE Sickness!!!#c4588428728731836852

They Want You to Stay Indoors !

I'm a big fan of conspiracy theories; partly because of my paranoid mind, mostly because I dont trust authorities, even more so because 30 years down the line when the information files are made accessible, what was wriiten off as the babblings of madmen often prove to be true. Cant wait till the Church release the files on your Jesus ! How many 1000's of years overdue ? ;-)

Look at what's happening today though ; we have interactive television, computers, game consoles, home entertainment centres, downloading capabilities, online shopping an so it goes on. My theory is, if they catch you outdoors youre up to no good ! This rings especially true for me where "da yoof" is concerned.

The hypocrisy of my generation is astounding, constantly focussing on young people in hoodies hanging out in shopping malls or playgrounds, drinking alcohol or taking drugs. Well guess what? WE did the same fuckin thing ! If we can recall the first time we tried a cigarette or the first time we got completely bladdered on a flagon of Strongbow or a bottle of 20/20, i can almost guarantee we were under the age of 16 and we did it out of sight of adults. Curiousity and experimentation is the most natural thing in the world for a kid who is trying to do things the grown ups do .... in too much of a hurry to grow up ! Throwing punitive measures and BADGES OF HONOUR / KUDOS such as ASBO's isnt goint to solve a damn thing!

Then there's CCTV, the Police with their wee DVD recorders tracking our every move. The UK has more surveillance on it's citizens than any other country in the world (yes, including America) apart from Switzerland. Every UK citizen who ventures outside is caught on some kind of surveillance camera up to 300 times a day.

How many people are aware that the police are now officially instructed to take a DNA swab of a "prisoner taken into custody" ON ARREST ?! NOT after being charged, going to court and being found guilty, just ON ARREST !

I.D. cards. What the FUCK ?! As if they dont have enough information on us already?! Birth certificates, school records, dental records. driving licences, bank details, passports, social networking sites, BLOG SITES !!!! So. we're chipped and logged, we get our I.D. card and it gets stolen .... where's my fuckin identity now ? This scheme serves nothing and no-one and can be used for mal intent. SHOW US YOUR PAPERS ! ZEIG HEIL !!!!

Freedom? What freedom?

Democracy? What democracy.

Please feel free to comment ... all 5 of you ! ;-p

Roll on Spring and Summer

It's amazing how many people i know well or am aquainted with in real life and on the net who are experiencing hard times at the moment. S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) is a recognised medical condition, but whats ben happening around me is much more than that.
Two of my best friends have lost loved ones to the big C, and supporting them is going to be a priority. My family is going through masses of shit we could all do without, and just about everybody is feeling the first effects of the recession.

So what can you do ?

Would it be too much to ask that the education authorities add dealing with illness, loss and bereavement to the curriculum instead of focussing all attention on World War 2, The Tudors and fuckin P.E. ? Probably.

Would it be too much to ask the Government to concentrate their efforts on keeping people housed instead of bailing out banking corporations and STILL giving bonuses and payouts to the cunts who got us into this mess in the first place by investing in dodgy deals and funding illgal wars ? Probably.

Would it be too much to ask that instead of ploughing money into warfare and unnecessary legislation to rule the people through fear, that money is put into health and welfare, enough money to provide for every single adult and and child on the planet? Probably.

Would it be too much to ask the people to take the power back, get off their fat McDonalds and KFC arses and get out into the streets and protest to say enough is enough? Probably.

So, while all this shit is going down, we can look for silver linings wherever we can find them, and as always for me, on a very personal level, I find it in music and the people who go out of their way to provide it. Not Government approved bollocks with a healthand safety check tagged onto it, but the more soulful, heartfelt, finger up to the suits that you find in originality and the minds of free - thinkers.

Roll on Autumn tours and the celebrations that stem from the relief of the Pagans who made it through another winter : FESTIVAL SEASON !

Just another soul - less atheist in search of world peace and harmony.

x

Abstain, Maintain ?

Working in the drug and alcohol field can be physically and emotionally demanding, and moreso, very frustrating. The frustration doesnt always stem from the tragic and often dire stories from the client group though; there is and always has been a division on how to address the "needs" of people with a drug and/or alcohol problem.

Harm Reduction accepts and acknowledges the fact that the use of mind altering substances has been part of the human race for thousands of years, and will continue to be. This approach does not make any judgments about users, it simply works with them at their pace whilst implementing ways and means of reducing the harm that over - use of drugs can and does cause. Abstaining from using drugs isnt always an option for some people until they are ready. No preachy preachy.

Abstention, Abstaining from the use of drugs and / or alcohol, has long been the favoured approach of the church, employing the 12 steps approach as devised by two Christian doctors from Minessota, also known as the Minnesota method. This approach declares addiciton is an illness or a disease and requires you to put you sanity, life and decision making in the hands of your God. It used to be God, now it's YOUR God as you understand God, to be more accomodating and accepting of other faiths. Often accused of being a recruiting cult, the 12 steps practitioners deny such allegations and do indeed help many people through some very difficult times of their lives.

Here are the 12 steps :

1. We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. We made direct amends to such people wherever possible except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practise these principles in all our affairs.”

This division which I mentioned earlier is splitting the work of some very dedicated people from both approaches and is, in my opinion, doing fuck all to actually serve the best interests of the clients who need the services.

A "new" "RECOVERY" movement is gaining momentum and would have everyone believe that approaches such as controlled drinking and long term methadone programmes are ineffectual and damaging to the lives of addicts.
In the interests of trying very, very hard to be neautral, I'll leave any more research into these two differing approaches to anyone who comes across this blog.

MUSICAL SCHIZOPHRENIA: Money...

MUSICAL SCHIZOPHRENIA: Money...

My Alternative Life from work (Shitmas and New Year's Eve)

I'm recollecting a bit here, so what would have been a long blog about shennanigans experienced since just before Shitmas and New Years will be condensed into the small parts I can remember, or just a rant about how I feel about it all now.

Shitmas was just that : SHIT ! the lead up to it, the night before and days after. Shitmas eve the norovirus struck chez Dread and wiped us out fo the next few days. Shitting and Puking and shaking and Sleeping, taking bets on who would make it to the toilet next.

Not to harp on on that. I had the best New Years Eve I've ever had in my life (so far) thanks to some online bullying from the Flapsandwich. Sicknote were booked to play a squat party, which I advised him not do as the payment was an insult to the talent and dedication of my favourite bunch of hedonists in the UK. What the fuck do I know? I was full of trepidation about ravelling all the way to Liverpool to a party which could have been full of nobheads and twats, then thought fuck it, I'll be with people I like and trust and i needed a good time. It surpassed all expectations; the venue was outstanding and I want to live in warehouse, throw parties, charge a small admission and put all profits toward Tantrum and Sicknote. It wont happen but thats what I'd like !

Very condensed version of affairs which tells me if I am to continue this rant of a stalker i have to write immediately following anything i think deserves writing about.