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Day: 24 October 2011

Occupy Everything

Written by Jak Dyehouse on . Posted in Opinion.

Manchester. New York. Taipei. Brisbane. Rome. Hong Kong. Buenos Aires. Just seven of the 951 cities in 82 countries where political occupations broke out in October. Though the exact aims of the occupants are fuzzy and unrefined, the reasons for social unrest are plain to even the most isolated of observers – worsening living standards in the face of a sluggish global economic recovery and increasing displeasure with current political practices that leave the “99%” feeling underrepresented or even ignored due to the prioritisation of the interests of business leaders and other elites above the concerns and problems of public.

Until now, unified global action had been a distant pipe-dream due to the range of problems unique to each country – yet it’s easy to see the general source from which the widespread international action has sprung. In the context of social and political unrest following the recession, the recent wave of occupations represent a break from traditional methods of protest. But why occupation? What does the act of bunkering down in one location represent? And why has it become the current popular means of protest?

There are obvious advantages that occupation has over other forms of action. The longer the occupation lasts, the greater the amount of coverage the occupants are likely to accrue – and given the essence of an occupation, protesters must be prepared for the long haul. This provides dissenters with an arena in which they can hold meetings and discussions which are practically impossible in the context of a boisterous march, or a heavily pre-planned static protest in which much of the discussion is already meted out between close groups. By allowing the protest to adapt organically according to the tone and volume of press attention, the protest can more effectively react to the concerns of non-protesters. Moreover, occupation engenders political debate as well as addressing logistical concerns: it is an opportunity to educate people in alternative means of association and politics, who may be new to political activism. A semi-permanent, social media-savvy, widely publicised gathering of dissenters and protestors is, therefore, bound to be a greater thorn in the side of those being targeted by the protests.

The method of occupation can, however, be a double-edged sword. Joe Heffer, Chair of International Students for Social Equality, told me that whilst his organisation encourages “mass discussions of political alternatives and social issues,” occupation alone is simply not an effective form of protest – the general lack of long-term planning, combined with the inevitable wane in enthusiasm and the threat of government intervention can often overshadow the cause of the occupation itself. What’s more, occupations can easily be hijacked by more vocal, well-established activist groups, who may attempt to divert the occupations into “safer channels”, such as trade unions and political parties.

This is not to say that the ongoing Occupy protests have been without success. Suzanna Dickson, a member of Manchester Autonomous Students and participant in the much-publicised Roscoe Occupation, explained that perhaps the protest’s biggest strength was “the great range of creative people involved, who managed to organise some great and unusual events with very little resources. You can’t just occupy somewhere without creating something from it as nobody will take you seriously.” Perhaps, then, a genuinely purposeful occupation can be a potent form of protest.

The Occupy Wall Street protests have proved that, having developed remarkably quickly in an incubation period of only a few weeks. Tens of thousands of people have gathered at the heart of New York’s financial centre to voice their disgust at what they see as the grossly unjust excesses of capitalism. Protesters say that attempts to infiltrate and steer the group towards other channels by established organisations are a major threat to their autonomy. However, there are inherent problems within the movement which are yet to be addressed. Some have argued that the bulk of the OWS protesters are promoting their own, alternative ideology – whether that takes the form of anarchism, socialism, or some other anti-capitalist paradigm. If this is the case, surely commitment to a single ideology would be deadly to the protesters’ legitimacy, particularly given that it rests upon their claim to representation of the embittered majority? If those behind Occupy have such a strategy in mind, it may be a fatal mistake. To adopt such dogmatic, ideological tactics would be to leave the movement open to a volley of criticism by those who would cherish the opportunity to marginalise their growing cries of dissent.

Squatters are not criminals

Written by Maya Oppenheim on . Posted in Opinion.

Despite the great controversy that inevitably surrounds them, squatters are not who you may think they are. Squatters are generally the most vulnerable people in society; the people who cannot keep up with the rat race and who fall through the cracks instead. No, not the ‘middle class dropouts’ like tuition fees protestor Charlie Gilmour. I’m referring to the homeless, the physically disabled and the mentally ill. The vast majority of those who squat do so out of necessity. What’s more, the decimation of housing benefits and public services – a result of the Coalition’s savage programme of cuts – is bound to leave increasing numbers of people with nowhere to go.

The criminalisation of squatting therefore fails to consider, let alone address, the underlying problems which the poorest people in our society are facing. There are a number of common misconceptions about squatting, most of which are fuelled by a callous and unforgiving press. Despite much media distortion, tough laws against squatting already exist and are frequently utilised. The home invasion horror stories espoused in the tabloids are simply untrue – squatting should not be mistaken for home invasion, which was made illegal in 1977 in a law established to protect ‘displaced residential occupiers’. Nevertheless, the media coverage of this vital issue continues to be shrouded by a lack of facts, as onlookers refuse to accept the complexity of the issue.

With 737,000 empty and abandoned properties across the UK, why should it be deemed acceptable for the homeless to sleep rough? Squatting is far from an ideal solution to homelessness – but it is an imperfect solution to an imperfect problem. Rather than criminalising the most vulnerable in society, we should instead confront the gross inequality engendered by the thoroughly exploitative housing crisis which is crippling Britain. Numerous charities, such as Shelter and The Big Issue, warn that the criminalisation of squatting will drag the country’s most vulnerable people through the criminal justice system. Where are these homeless people expected to go? It seems deeply immoral to criminalise people for having nowhere to live.

Furthermore, we must remember that the financial crisis was partially caused by a housing crisis – it was, after all, the reckless banks who lent extortionate amounts of money to poor families so they could fulfil the fictitious dream of house-ownership. This unsustainable, unaffordable dream quickly collapsed. Now, properties are being widely repossessed all over the country. Britain’s housing conditions are among the worst in western Europe, with five million Britons currently sitting on council housing waiting lists. The current situation is a travesty, and it is simply horrendous to think that property speculators, unscrupulous landlords and buy-to-let parasites should allow their ubiquitous properties to lie empty, whilst others have nowhere to go.

Contrary to popular belief, squatters invariably improve the conditions of the houses they inhabit. According to the charity Crisis, the vast majority of squats have been empty for ten years or longer and are in terrible condition, with broken windows, lacking water, heating and electricity and crawling with vermin. Time and time again, squatters dramatically regenerate these properties, transforming them into liveable spaces. Can transforming these desolate, long-forgotten buildings into communal hubs, which host workshops and film-screenings, really be considered a crime?

This proposed legislation also poses a serious threat to popular protest tactics, which could conceivably make occupations a thing of the past. Criminalising squatting would have a fundamental impact on students, as rather than occupations being a civil matter, dealt with by the university and the courts, occupations would be dealt with by police who would hold the power to interrupt such a protest by arresting each and every occupant. Last year, occupations were held on campuses across the country in response to the rise in tuition fees – including our very own occupation here at the University of Manchester’s Roscoe Building. The National Union of Students has joined the campaign against the criminalisation of squatting, promising that it will “mount a campaign which will make it politically impossible for the government to introduce such a law”. Whether or not the NUS succeeds remains to be seen.

There is clearly a more sinister logic behind this legislation, as the government hopes to put a stop to struggles for social justice in our cities. Today we are living in increasingly divided, unequal and unjust urban settings; the squat is one of the few remaining places where people can live communally and creatively. The criminalisation of squatting will solve nothing. Instead, it will further burden the criminal justice system, the police and charities – not to mention the squatters themselves, who will be criminalised for their own vulnerability. If the government wants to find a genuine solution, they must see squatting as a welfare and a housing problem rather than a criminal issue.

 

Live: Kurt Vile @ Sound Control

Written by Rebecca Cocking on . Posted in Music.

Kurt Vile
Sound Control, Manchester
5th September 2011

‘Angel/demon/human’ sings Kurt Vile on the title track of his most recent album. It’s an unnerving hybrid but also an apt reflection of Vile himself and the eternally revolving nature of his music. Onstage at Sound Control, the Philadelphian guitarist alternates between menacing stares and gentle ‘thank you’s whilst strumming even more confusing loops around each other. It’s this distinctive (if slightly schizophrenic) personality, underpinned by solid Americana sensibilities that has set Kurt Vile apart from the slew of other lo-fi soloists and earned critical acclaim for his fourth album, Smoke Ring For My Halo.

Tonight’s performance shows that much of this is owed to Vile’s backing band, The Violators who not only manage to keep up with their front man’s volatility but also respond with equal innovation. Consisting of just guitar, bass and a basic drum kit, they untangle original compositions and re-plait melodies into even more mind-boggling arrangements than those of their recorded counterparts. The Violators’ modest set up also lends itself well to Vile’s acoustic tunes. Spine-tingling love song, ‘Baby’s Arms’ suddenly sounds far more sinister when punctuated only by a pounding war drum and Vile’s evil stare over the microphone.  

Angels and demons aside, it’s Vile’s human side that prove to be the most powerful tonight. He spaces out during the show and occasionally sings in incomprehensible monotone but somehow this fallibility only serves to highlight the transcendental nature of the music he creates. 

 

Parklife Festival 2011

Written by joe smart on . Posted in Music.

Parklife Festival

11th-12th June

Platt Fields, Manchester 

Standout act 

Despite D/R/U/G/S offering a decent effort and the hoards telling everyone that the sun shone out of Katy B’s arse, the standout, for my money, was DJ Shadow. Making great use of visual effects in a show rumoured to have cost £10, 000, Shadow proved he’s still a major player in beat production with a masterfully mixed, electric set.

Biggest Flop

Poor Kelis. Not sure what she was aiming for, but her set consisted mostly of borrowed beats. Listening a mile away, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d missed a set including Tinie Tempah, David Guetta and, strangely, Nirvana. Despite sounding like the Top 40, crowd favourites ‘Millionaire’ and ‘Milkshake’ still made an appearance, thank God.

Surprise Package

Not much of an unknown these days, but Darwin Deez fulfilled his hype with a high energy set, which the crowd responded to readily. DOOM so nearly won out, but his well-attended show was hampered by quiet vocals and a surprising lack of a DJ – it looked like the mask-wearing rapper was flicking through an iPod for half the set.

Atmosphere 

Despite looking like a festival-edition of Hollyoaks, Parklife is close to the hearts of most Fallowfield residents, becoming an end-of-exams tradition. With most attendees being students, there’s a chance you’ll run into familiar faces; fingers crossed it wasn’t that last-resort you were hoping you’d never see again.

Worth the money? 

At 60 notes, loans wont be rationed too strictly for this excursion. It’ll get bigger and better, but probably more expensive.

 

 

 

My Political Hero: Clement Attlee

Written by Rob Fuller on . Posted in Uncategorised.

He is noted for his dry sense of humour and rampant wit, but there was one joke that Winston Churchill enjoyed telling more than any other. “An empty cab pulled up to Downing Street – and Clement Attlee got out.” Classic 1940s humour I’m sure, but Churchill’s jibe stumbles upon a serious point: Clement Attlee is far too often the forgotten man of 20th Century British politics. Attlee had none of the rhetoric of Churchill, his great political rival, and none of the public relations schmooze of Tony Blair. In the unlikely event that your ‘British Politics since 1945’ textbook is made into a film, Attlee will probably be played by someone unnervingly dull. Like Gary Oldman. But, much like Gary Oldman, deep down Attlee was a fascinating character with a career worth celebrating.

Attlee was born in 1883. He left school with conservative views but after working for a charity that helped to alleviate the poverty of working class children he was converted to socialism, joining the Labour Party in 1908. His first ‘political’ role saw him cycling around England explaining and promoting the National Insurance Act, one of the first pieces of major social legislation in British history. He then served in World War One, narrowly escaping death during the Gallipoli campaign. He returned to the country as Major Attlee and quickly rose through the ranks of local politics, becoming an MP in 1922. In 1935, Attlee finally became leader of the Labour Party, a post he would hold for 20 years.

Earl Attlee, as he would eventually become, achieved more in the inter-war period alone that the vast majority of modern day politicians achieve in their entire career. Under his leadership, Labour opposed both Nazi Germany and the prevalent strategy of appeasement. While Churchill is seen as the definitive wartime leader, Attlee was the man who ran Britain. Domestic policy was left almost exclusively in his hands as the Prime Minister focused his energy on the Second World War, and his steady yet dependable stewardship saw the wartime economy mobilise – enabling us to defeat Nazism without society collapsing at the same time. He simultaneously made the Labour Party a stronger electable force than ever in its history – and his post-war achievements as British Prime Minister set him apart as a truly great statesman.

Despite Churchill’s overwhelming popularity, Attlee won the 1945 general election with Labour’s largest number of votes ever. In the six years that followed, he began to rebuild Britain at the same time as forging the welfare state. The National Health Service is perhaps his greatest achievement but it is impossible to imagine today that, before Attlee’s government, there was barely any form of social security whatsoever. That he established the welfare state at a time when many called for severe post-war austerity measures ensures that these achievements resonate even more sharply today.

But Clem, as he was affectionately known, is not my political hero purely because of what he achieved. What seems even more remarkable today is the way in which he did it. Attlee was not a skilled communicator like the politicians of today. He was simply a man of absolute conviction and character, who presided over monumental achievements throughout the nation’s toughest decade. He didn’t seek office for power or money or fame, but rather because he believed Britain could and should be better. Yes, he had his failings. Critics say he should have made more profound changes to education, focused more on house building, or stood down as party leader sooner. But in light of his many and varied accomplishments these minor defects pale into insignificance.

It is almost unfeasible that Clement Attlee would succeed in politics today. He was too disinterested in pandering to the media to really shine now. But it seems to me that politics would be a better place if more of our leaders looked to Attlee to see what can be achieved with the appropriate focus and dedication. Attlee believed that drastic change was possible and could make our society better and stronger. The NHS and the welfare state, in particular, continue to stand as pillars of our community today – a testament to his tremendous vision and ability as a politician and a man.

Honest to blog

Written by hettyscrope on . Posted in Arts.

Creativetourist.com is an essential for any student who wants to explore further afield than Fallowfield. Few and far between that you are. Its got maps, calendars, exhibition and film reviews, and features. I’m currently working my stomach through ‘five of the best: breakfasts’ in Manchester. So far they are not wrong. There’s also an app for the tech-heads amongst you. So to sum up if you like culture (and/or food) and you’re vaguely interested in what’s going on around the city or discovering some soon-to-be not-secrets, this should definitely be your first stop.
Check it out for yourself:

High Voltage Festival 2011

Written by Tom Geddes on . Posted in Music.

High Voltage Festival

23rd-24th July

Victoria Park, London

Standout Performance

As their last ever UK show, it was to be expected that Judas Priest were going to steal the weekend. With over three decades to hone themselves, they blasted out hit after hit, with lead singer Rob Halford still hitting higher notes than an abused cat, despite being 59.

Biggest Flop

Whilst it’s tempting to mock Attica Rage for their ill-judged decision to end their set on a song they can’t play, the band to really suffer were Thin Lizzy; though they cannot be accused of putting on a bad show, painfully quiet mixing ruined what could have been a huge sing-a-long.

Surprise Package

Graveyard and Gentlemens Pistols both impressed with their retro vibes, but the real surprise was Von Hertzen Brothers. Opening the weekend, Finnish prog might sound tedious, but when it’s done well (check out ‘Freedom Fighter’) it leaves you awestruck.

Atmosphere

This is first and foremost a classic rock festival, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it was a bit ‘dad heavy.’ That’s not bad though. The drunken contentedness of the masses is calming and infectious. Though quiet mixing for the first day (thanks Hackney Council) did lower the mood.

Worth the Money?

At just under £100 (OK, £99) you can’t argue. Two days of solid bands, a highly varied beer tent and most important of all, the cheapest festival food I’ve seen all year. Though it would be a little better with the volume pushed a little higher.

Column: A right ruin

Written by Tom Hickman on . Posted in Music.

There are many things a British summer brings to its melancholic public: the eternal quest for something resembling a hot day, an ever-growing collection of comeback tours and an ever more pressing search for a festival without either Arctic Monkeys or Muse somewhere on the bill. This year however, the summer break also brought a disastrous day in the history of British music. Thanks to the riots of August 2011, there was an earthquake within the industry, the repercussions of which will still be being felt for many months to come.

Originally, the biggest fears were of damage to a small number of venues, and although a select few nights had to be postponed, this masked the far greater problem at hand. Along with the mandatory looting of JD Sports and Foot Locker came the tragic torching of the Sony DADC warehouse in Enfield, North London. A major distribution centre for record labels across the country; the leading lights of Britain’s music trade held stock in the warehouse. Such names as Rough Trade, Domino and Modular were all affected, but essentially will battle through. The far greater problem is the damage done to the little men, with a large number of independent record labels and record stores staring liquidation in the face. Closer to home, Manchester’s Piccadilly Records was left on its knees, with dwindling stock unable to satisfy customer demand. All in all, over 200 labels had retained stock in the Sony warehouse, only for the majority of it to be set ablaze.

I know we are now over a month on from the incident, but this single event of mindless vandalism could well have been the decisive nail in the constantly lowering coffin of independent record stores. So, who’s to blame for this? Is it our top columnists such as Alex Curran, writing her ‘insightful’ horseshit in OK! every week about “bargain” tops for hundreds of pounds? Is it the influx of the so-called ‘gang-culture’? Now I’m no politician (we’ll get back to them in a minute), so cannot place judgement on the validity and causes of these social episodes, but I do know that no one gained anything from the sour occurrences of early August. These little fuckwits were inspired to burn down a factory, thinking they would get a free PS3 out of it and the result is UK’s largest stock of independently released records being reduced to mere charcoal.

Obviously there was likely to be a social response, perfectly encapsulated by a tweet from Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand) stating: “Where the fuck are the Bullingdon boys? Would you only end your holidays if it were Fortnum & Mason being looted?” Looks like a good step towards our ‘Big Society’ then.

With hard copy sales of music already nigh on decimated by digital downloads, and the readiness of music anywhere on the internet, the actions of early August have gone a long way to signalling the end of the beloved record store. A place where you could wile away hours sifting through shelf after shelf, only to stumble across a peach of an album. Yes, we do still have HMV, but it’s just not the same.

Sonisphere Festival 2011

Written by Tom Geddes on . Posted in Music.

Sonisphere Festival

8th-10th July

Knebworth House 

Standout Act

Whilst many would think of one of the headliners (Metallica, Biffy Clyro and Slipknot) as the best of the festival, we all know that Limp Bizkit, however much they’re ridiculed, steal any festival. Who doesn’t seriously bounce as soon as ‘Rollin’’ hits? If that isn’t enough, they also sampled ‘Eye of the Tiger.’

Biggest Flop

As much as it hurts to say this, hands down, the biggest disappointment of the weekend were Motörhead. What would have been an OK set of rushed classics turned embarrassing as Lemmy slurs nonsense between songs, even disappearing during a drum solo to, presumably, down another Jack Daniels.

Surprise Package

Tempting though it is to give this to Led Zeppelin throwbacks Rival Sons, they’ve made their name this year already. The real surprise was Vintage Trouble. A fifties style rock band fronted by a man with all the characteristics of James Brown, the unknowing audience lapped it up. A genuinely pleasant surprise.

Atmosphere

For a large, heavy festival, it’s not bad. Granted, you get the odd few intimidating meatheads running around shouting “SLAYARGH” at 2.AM, but overall, it’s a friendly vibe. No more so than in the pits, where everyone, no matter how preoccupied they are, were quick to help people to their feet.

Worth the Money?

For well under 200 quid, you can’t complain. This year worried many metalheads due to the dreaded ‘Biffy Clyro day’. But other stages always had plenty else going on, with a good cross section of rock and metal covered. With such a good atmosphere to boot, it’s worth an end of year blow out.

Reading Festival 2011

Written by Rob Fuller on . Posted in Music.

Reading

Little John’s Farm, Richfield Avenue, Reading

26th-28th August 

Standout Act

A lot of people reacted negatively to the Reading line-up this year. Anyone who’s seen Muse live will tell you that it was a stupid reaction to have. Now I’ve never been a huge Muse fan but it’s hard not to be convinced when you see their huge live show, performing “Origin Of Symmetry” in full. It’s Rock Opera at its finest, and I’m not talking Mamma Mia.

Biggest Flop

Beady Eye. As much of a rock star as Liam Gallagher is, it just sounds like tired, subpar Oasis. Not “Definitely, Maybe” Oasis either – Oasis that should have retired long a go. Apart from the hardcore Liam fans, the crowd wasn’t falling for it.

Surprise Package

Grouplove, Festival Republic stage. American indie art-rockers whose single “Colours” has had some airplay. Surprisingly, the live show and the other songs were memorable too. Definitely a band to watch for the year ahead.

Atmosphere

It’s Reading. Even though it rained for days on end you know before you arrive you’re going to have a good time. It’s a friendly crowd, if you can handle the occasional bottle of warm piss thrown around and fanatical Muse and MCR fans wearing nothing but band merchandise.

Worth The Money?

Like every major festival, the price has basically doubled in the last decade. But, with three days of quality music and this year having 4 main-stage headliners, as well as 4 other stages, you can’t really go wrong.