Cameron, I Would Call You A C**t – Song and Video Release!!!

It is done!! But now I need your help to get it viral!

I know I’m not the only one who utterly despises being a pawn in these despicable rich Tory boy games.

My anger peaked somewhat when the NHS Reform Bill was passed, despite massive opposition from just about everyone (including from the House of Lords whose decisions and recommendations on the bill were dismissed) , closely followed the very next day by a budget that further crippled the poor while benefiting the rich.

Over those two days I wrote and recorded this song in some vague attempt to calm down a bit!

It proved to be very popular, even among those that dislike the ‘C’ word (not Cameron, the other one), and I received a ton of pressure about whacking it out to try and chart.

I’m very much a DIY girl who has massive issues with corporations and the mainstream in general, so I dismissed the idea initially.

Then I got to thinking that it could have the potential to raise some much needed funds for the anti-cuts/anti-capitalist/anti-fascist collectives I’m involved with, so I thought ‘fuck it, why not?!’

Does this make me a sell-out? Only if you’re a bit blinkered, methinks. And let’s keep it real. At best, it’ll probably spend half an hour in the top 40 of some obscure download chart somewhere and piss off a few Tory wankers.

All good with me!!!

Then came the idea of a video for it.

I won’t spoil it for you, but it’s full of juicy wrongness and we all had ridiculous fun making it!

There were suggestions made to release it for the Olympic Opening Ceremony, but then came the news that those clueless, phallically-challenged Tory toffs were also aiming to ban Bank Holidays!

So here it is in time for May Day, the most significant Bank Holiday of them all!

You can buy the track for 79p via the following links (cringes and spits) and help raise some funds to keep fighting the devastation these utterly out-of-touch, gaffawing shitheads are set on subjecting us to (cringes, spits and feels a bit violent).

iTunes

Bandcamp

Spotify

And, of course, you can just download it for free on

Soundcloud

For a radio edit, contact somethingelse08@btinternet.com

And here’s the video !!

Enjoy (hopefully as much as we did making it) and we’d be very grateful if you’d share it all about. Thanks!

Proper huge thanks to..

Cosmo for recording/mastering/producing the song, his support and being such a creative inspiration!

Lucie Jade for being such an amazing director on the video as well as filming  and then editing it in just 2 days!

And, of course, to everyone who turned up to the shoot and made it possible..you are ALL stars!!!

And to you! xxx

Cameron, I Would Call You A C**t Fackbook Page

Muddy Summers and the Dirty Field Whores Fashbook Page

When Valentine’s Day is Over, it’s Over. . .Regardless of Gender

As an anarchist, equality is a massive deal to me, so when I see campaigns that appear to make one section of society more important than others it, quite frankly, makes my shit itch.

Currently, that’ll be the buzz around the domestic violence issue, and the way that violence from men against women is somehow ‘special’ in the eyes of some folks. It’s not. Domestic Violence is shit, regardless of which door you pee behind, and methinks that those desperate to add some kind of severity grading chart to this issue should maybe focus on levels, frequency and, most importantly of all, causes. And definitely NOT gender.

To close doors or make anyone who needs help and support  feel that their needs are somehow inferior isn’t progressive.

Domestic violence isn’t exclusive to heterosexual relationships any more than it is to gender. Among many lesbian, gay and trans couples, whether gender roles are taken on or not, violence can occur from either side.

Surely, to move forward, this has to be seen as a human issue (as I know it is by many), and not just a women’s one, and more support put into place for those dishing it out.

Anyway, it’s International Women’s Day, so last night, after a few ales, we recorded a slightly altered version of Billy Bragg’s Valentine’s Day is Over.

Yes, it’s supposed to be a little tongue-in-cheek given the day, but violence from women isn’t something to be played down or dismissed. Violence is violence.

Love Me, Love Me, Love Me. I’m a Welsh Liberal Democrat!

A year ago, after giving the Tories some grief during their conference in Cardiff, we wandered into the Welsh LibDem Conference after party at the Angel Hotel with the intention of locating their chocolate fountain. Sadly, their tiny budget didn’t allow for such luxuries, so they got a dose of anarcho folk and dancing instead, as well as nearly four hours of us engaging with them about the coalition, drinking their booze and getting them to admit that Nick Clegg was a cunt.

We were invited to return the following year by Sian Cliff, then prospective AM for Penarth (well, as much as the LibDems can be in Wales), so it seemed rude not to make an appearance. Apart from anything else, we’d googled Sian after meeting her last year, and wanted to ask her about the time she pretended to be a nurse on some LibDem campaign literature, and how she thought that had affected her chances of getting into the Welsh Assembly.

This year, the venue had moved to the Mercure Hotel. We thought it’d be nice to go along with a few friends and fellow South Wales Anarchists this time, so in we all wandered wearing our posh as fuck homemade rosettes and armed with the words to Cosmo’s version of Love Me, I’m A Liberal. I’m sure it would be unfair to gauge the importance of the Welsh LibDems by the non-existence of any security whatsoever but, for the second year running, no-one stopped us making a beeline for the bar.

The first recognisable face I clocked was the ‘Tory Twat’ who’d made some watery attempt at kicking off at us last year. The conversation between him and his colleagues as we waited to be served overpriced drinks turned to punk rock. One of them was overheard saying that the LibDems were the closest party to Anarchism. Oh, how we laughed.

While we were sat down drinking and sussing where best to perform, in walk a pair of fuck-me-shoes. ‘Sian!’ I thought. Sadly, it wasn’t. It turns out that she wasn’t even there this weekend. How terribly rude to invite folks and not bother to turn up!

We wandered over to where the hub of the party was (I use this term loosely. It was more like the usual backslapping bullshit with added alcohol). Out came the guitar, songword sheets were dished out to our largely confused audience, and the craic commenced.

We did manage to get most of the words out, despite uncontrollable giggles at the reaction. One woman ripped the songwords up, there was much initial agogness and then some trying to talk very loudly over us. Unfortunately for them, their deep, my balls have dropped further than yours because I went to public school tones were no match for us. We were already turned up to 11.

Cosmo – Love Me I’m A Liberal UK 2012

A couple of blokes did attempt a funny half way through the first song by chucking some loose change into the guitar case, and then skipped off with smug expressions. Bless them. It reminded me of my Dad’s sense of humour. He’d have been 91 this year. At least they didn’t dance.

The hotel manager turned up just after the second song – Strike! Occupy! Resist! - had started. At this point, I was having my hair touched by the girl in the fuck-me-shoes who felt the need to make it clear that she wasn’t a LibDem. Then she confessed to being a sponsor ‘which I know is worse’. The manager had asked us to leave, and instructed the bar staff to phone the police. When asked why he’d done that, and had it pointed out that we’d spent money in is bar, he said it closed to the public at 11pm. You’ve already broken your own rules there then, big man. It was 2am.

Cosmo – Strike! Occupy! Resist!

One of the blokes who’d chucked pennies in the guitar case, after proclaiming that ‘we hate the Tories more than you do’ (it’s not a competition, love) decided to make a speech, which started with ‘I know we won’t ever agree politically, but..’ and ended with ‘Let’s give them a round of applause.’ Nice attempt at patronisation, sunshine, but your gritted teeth spoke much clearer than you did.

I also liked his comment about our gorgeously crafted rosettes. ‘Not very original, are they? You can buy them on the Labour Party website.’

‘Oi! I used my best felt tip pens on these!’

Just before we left, I spotted the nice chap who got us pissed while engaging with him last year. He only vaguely remembered it as he was ‘very drunk’. At least he knows where all the money in his wallet went now, and can rest easy that no call girl or drug scandal will dent his clearly thriving career.

We waved goodbye and said we’d see them next year.

The ‘Tory Twat’ from last year followed us to the bar doors as we made our escape. I’m beginning to think that the perfect smug expression is part of the LibDem initiation training process. He obviously doesn’t come across the working class fuck you council estate hardstare too often, mind. He didn’t hang around to wave us off.

The manager and some dogsbody of his tried to escort us orf the premises, even though we were leaving anyway, much to the disgust of one of the more distinguished ladies in our group. ‘Fuck off, mate, I’ll see myself out. I don’t need a fucking escort!’ Or something like that. She refused to move, so he backed down and came down ahead, muttering about how he’s used to dealing with children.

‘Thankfully, so are we, love. Enjoy your power wank!’

With a glass raised in their direction, we were out of there….til next year.

‘

Boycott Workfare at Tesco

My report on a demo at Tesco in Cardiff on Radical Wales.

Boycott Workfare at Tesco.

Generic Boycott Workfare PDF Flyers (English and Welsh)

Click links below pics for PDFs.

BWFlyer PDF

BWWElsh PDF

Boycott Workfare – Boycott Tesco PDF Flyers

Demo flyers in PDF – English and Welsh

Click on links BELOW pics to download.

Boycott Workfare – Boycott Tesco flyer PDF

Boicotiwch Workfare – Boicotiwch Tesco (Welsh) PDF

Open Letter to Gerald Toms and Roger Lewis of the WRU re:Our Eviction from ‘The Great Tax Invasion’

Dear Gerald Toms (Millenium Stadium General Manager and  former Chief Superintendent of South Wales Police and Commander of the Cardiff Division) and Roger Lewis (WRU Group Chief Executive, ex- Managing Director of ITV Wales, ex-Managing Director at EMI Records and ex-world wide President of the Decca Record Company),

Firstly, may I thank you for making some of us homeless yesterday for the sake of maintaining power over a building that you have shockingly neglected.  The old Inland Revenue Building on Westgate St, Cardiff, which you ‘own’, was occupied with the intentions of turning it into a community and art space, as well as a much needed communal home for some of us that can no longer afford to heat our homes and barely feed ourselves.  After researching both of your histories, I think I can safely assume that neither of you have ever wanted for anything.

The government’s outrageous austerity measures are hitting those not as privileged as you extremely hard. The cuts to vital community projects and support groups mean that many of them cannot continue unless they are offered free space to do so. You have that space, yet feel it is more important to exercise power than negotiate.

Attempts were made to locate the owners of the building before we entered it, but it seemingly doesn’t exist. We didn’t break and enter. We walked through an already open window. It was obvious when looking around inside that other people had been in there. There was already graffiti on the walls and half eaten food present.

As soon as you made yourselves known as the ‘owners’, we opened negotiations with you. We asked for a 6 month rolling contract with a two month mutual notice period. We said we would pay no rent as this was a not-for-profit project, but would cover utility bills and general maintenance. You said you’d get back to us, and you did. A couple of hours later, you sent your solicitor with a court hearing date scheduled for three days’ time. Then a court bailiff came by and told us that we’d probably have until between February and April as the courts were so busy. We were evicted with immediate affect yesterday. Two well used phrases come to mind:- ‘Money talks’ and ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.’ Both the law and the media have clearly been ‘on your side’ during our occupation, so I’ll add ‘We’re all in it together’ for good measure. The media have consistently lied and misquoted us. This was never intended just to be a media centre for the Occupy movement. It was just one tiny aspect of what our intentions were.

So why didn’t you negotiate? You could have added clauses etc. to a contract. You could have helped us stick it to Westminster and Cameron’s ‘Big Society’. You could have showed a side to the WRU that isn’t just about making money from rugby fans via over-inflated corporate prices, but instead is aware of its roots and gives a shit about its communities.

Welsh people have been suppressed by England’s powers forever. Now it seems that the WRU, instead of being community conscious, have joined the bully boys.

The old Inland Revenue building is beautiful, unused and falling apart from the top down (a bit like society, really). I can only hope that now we’ve highlighted this that you will put some effort into maintaining it rather than just using it as a base for the builders of your £multi-million projects in the future as it has been used in the past.

I can only hope that you consider what our intentions were, are taking time out to research how Welsh communities are affected by Westminster’s savage cuts, and that you will avoid turning the old Inland Revenue building into a luxury hotel or apartments and will put it to good, non-profit use.

Very sincerely,

Gail

(and any signatories in the comments)

Evade? Avoid? Invade!

My first article for Radical Wales! An inside view of The Great Tax invasion squat in Cardiff!

Evade? Avoid? Invade!.

Don’t get your tits out in the Owain Glyndwr!

Or, at least, not if you’re breastfeeding!!

The Owain Glyndwr is on St. John St in Cardiff. A few of us have been meeting there fortnightly, or, more precisely, in the Tair Pleun which is attached to the Owain. In fact, we have a regular booking which, when around 40 members of Occupy Cardiff joined us on Monday 14th November, two days after they were brutally evicted from the lawns outside Cardiff Castle, our booking had disappeared.

After speaking with the bloke running the (very quiet) bar, he gave us the go ahead to use the Tair Pleun side to meet, but asked if I could move everyone over to one side so he could move some tables about. This was for access to the toilets for folks using the Owain as their regular toilets are upstairs, and they had a speed dating event going on. Fair enough.

Then I was asked to stop folks using the fire exit, to stop them standing or sitting in certain places and to make sure no-one consumed their own food and drink. As far as I saw it, their tills were ringing a lot hotter than usual for a Monday eve, though clearly not because of the speed dating. A couple of us were hassled to go upstairs as they only had six participants. I was definitely at a ‘chill out, you’re taking money and everything’s cool so let everyone get on with it’ point at that stage.

I spent most of my time in the Owain side for reasons I’ll probably go into in another blog, but wandered in now and again. On one such occasion, the bloke running the bar collared me again and asked if I could get people out with kids. Erm, ok, but their not actually in an open bar? I said I’d mention it, but it takes ages to pack kids up, right?

So I shouted that folks with kids would have to leave. At this point, Neil McEvoy was already pumping his ego at the meeting. There were only one couple there with kids, and they were happily co-operative, but would need some time to gather stuff etc.

Then, and I am still struggling to believe that this shit still happens, the bloke running the bar said to me. . . .

‘Oh, and someone’s breastfeeding.’

It took me a minute to process this. Was this just an observation or was he having a go? Was it consuming your own food rules gawn mad? But then he added. . .

‘People are eating!’

Oh dear!! I tried to explain the law to him, but he kept coming out with little gems like ‘people are having to come through here for the toilets. They don’t want to see that’, so I lost my rag a bit. He was adamant that he was right, and he was clearly disgusted on a personal level. I asked to speak to the manager and he said he wasn’t there, so I asked for his number. He declined giving it to me.

I spoke to the lady who was breastfeeding. Understandably, she wasn’t over-impressed either!

He did come and find me a while later, and said ‘You were right about that thing, so I apologise.’ Well, thanks!

I didn’t see much of Neil McEvoy kicking off, though could hear him shouting. Then I heard that he’d been escorted off the premises. When I said to the bloke running the bar that he’d kicked out a councillor, he looked worried, but didn’t deny it. Seems he has since in the local press though!

McEvoy’s actions created a natural break in the proceedings, but as folks went to the bar, they were told they couldn’t buy alcohol. McEvoy did receive some abuse outside, including from me, but he wasn’t holding back with his insults, either!

Not long after the meeting resumed, two rather large bouncers told us that we had 15 minutes to get out. Nice that! I did argue the toss, pointing out that it was a political debate so would inevitably get heated at times, but nothing had, or was likely to be, broken.

I then had the same conversation with the bloke running the bar. . .and his manager! The manager who apparently wasn’t there, but, in fact, lived upstairs and was in all the time. I also brought up the breastfeeding issue with him. His attitude was that it was fine because the bloke running the bar had apologised after checking with him.

Train your fucking staff properly then!!

I am truly stunned that this level of ignorance still exists over something so natural!

So the EDL are making a calendar? Reckon it’ll look like this!

So the EDL are making a calendar!!

They’re advertising the wish for us all to send our photos in to calendarpics@englishdefenceleague.org but have stressed that they must be EDL related.

Reckon I may have saved them some time.

Got them all in HD if you want then, boys!!

These will be available from the RemEDL website for £57.38 unless you’re a  bit of a member, which you will be if you want one of these.

No Euros.

Happy New Year!