My tiff I had with Billy Bragg

Have you ever had a relationship where things ended on a pretty bad note. There was an incident and it was the deal breaker for you. They cheated, you cheated, they thought Star Wars Episode I was an ok movie. You know, stuff that you couldn't find your way back from. You split up and go your separate ways and life seems to move on. But then you both find your self at some social gathering and things seem really good again and you're flooded with all those amazing memories of the good times and suddenly you can't quite remember why you were ever so angry with them, they smile at you and suddenly you wish you were on the best of terms again. But things can't be the same and even if you think you might be able to forgive you can never quite forget.

So where do you go from there?

This is the situation I have created inside my head with Billy Bragg. Of course he has no idea about this, or who I am asides from another random goon in a crowd who he smiled at. But this has been a raging issue for me since yesterday lunchtime. For the sake of writing a blog I'll start at the beginning and the good times.

Billy Bragg has been an idol and an inspiration to me for the best part of 10 years. Tazz and I used to listen to him whilst recovering from whatever shenanigans the preceding days had thrown at us and he gave us both the idea of picking up acoustic guitars, renaming CJD to Red Rag Front and doing it acoustic style. To Have Or To Have Not has been one of our regular renditions (as much from loving the Lars Frederikson and the Bastards cover as the original) and one of the last videos of Tazz and I together is us walking down a street in Shoreham singing that song. Billy Bragg has always been a part of that side of my life and he is one of the people that I looked to when I thought that I couldn't pick up an guitar and do this whole band thing again. So all in all he is a pretty big deal in my life.

But then the deal breaker came. He writes articles these days for The Guardian and the breakup article in particular was about the South Bank undercroft. Writing pro demolition of the spot, Billy Bragg took

something I hold dear to my heart and took an awful (in my eyes) view on the situation. Saying that catering to up and coming (mostly rich) entrepreneurs rather than saving 40 years of British counter-culture history was the right thing to do. WHAT! How could someone I look up to so much have such a jarringly "wrong" opinion on something I have an opinion on too!! What an arse
hole. He clearly doesn't deserve my admiration or respect for being just so wrong about this! etc etc. Basically this is how I felt (feel) about what he wrote, and I'm not the only one. So there you have it. How totally irreparably damaged is that? Billy Bragg was unliked on Facebook (SHOCK!) removed from my Spotify playlists (TERROR!) and spoken of badly to all within earshot when discussing the South Bank situation (ERMARGERD!)

Which brings us to the present (or very near past since I'm talking about yesterday). So I'm reading stuff on
Frank Turners profile and it just so happens that he's been hanging out with Billy Bragg. Not only that but they are both campaigning on behalf of Shelter UK. So here is another folk/punk idol of mine and he's hanging around with this celebrity I totally despise right now. but they are both getting involved with another cause that I care about, and this time on the same side as me. Not only that but they were doing a spontaneous busking session in Kings Cross just fifteen minutes from my office at lunchtime. A quick trip to Franks twitter for the location and I was set on going. Let's face it, these are two artists that sell out arenas and they were about to play totally unplugged on a street corner, I'd be mad to miss it.

I got there a little late because of work commitments and only got to see them perform about four songs but goddamn it was awesome. Frank taking a bit of a reverent back seat to Billy whilst belting their own songs and some more generic covers for the hundred or so crowd to sing along to. Watching Billy up on the crudely erected stage singing away brought back all those great memories of when I thought he was the greatest and watching him and Frank being such genuinely good friends, laughing at each other and the
oddness of their current situation made my brain think that Billy wasn't actually the total waste of space clunge trumpet I thought he was a day before. The clincher came when I was about to walk away whilst Frank was singing one of his hits off Tape Deck Heart. Billy had snuck away to have a little strum away from the crowd and I looked over at him and he at me. He gave me a nod, wink and smile and carried on playing away to himself and in that moment I was the ultimate Billy Bragg fanboy all over again. Forgetting whatever trivial thing I might have been annoyed about and just wanting him to autograph my forehead so I could go get it tattooed on me.

And so here I am, the morning after. I don't really know what to do about the fact that actually I'm still pretty mad about the whole south bank thing but also pleased to have seen him perform in real life in such an awesome capacity and more than that for a billiant cause that I can totally get behind. Watching him have fun with Frank Turner and wow a crowd thirty years after his heyday makes me feel like maybe I was the one who was an arse hole for judging him so harshly on one topic we disagree on without taking into account the ten years of history we have had together. and so once again I liken it to a relationship. I think I may just forgive him and put New England back on my folk/punk playlist. Does that make me a bad person? maybe. Will people look down on me for once again being a Billy Bragg fan? probably. But I don't care as long as it make me happy. Every one deserves a second chance.

Once again for clarity this whole situation is entirely in my mind and Billy Bragg has no idea whatsoever who I am or the way I feel or ever will know me other than as a generic fan he nodded at one time.

A space we all created.

FUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK!!!

So I know I kind of said I wasn't going to do gig roundups anymore and I know I wasn't going to go on about how great shows are going anymore and probably some other things but it's my blog and if me from the other day doesn't like it he can jog the goddamned hell on because punk bloody rock that's why!!

So this may get a little long because it's a little difficult to squeeze 12 hours of punk into less than 500 words

but again, my blog, my ever changing rules!!

I am of course getting overly excited about the More Of This!

Fest all dayer that I recently had the privilege of being a part of. The New Cross Inn was the venue and basically everything that is good and right with the world was the order of the day. As punk rocker we have (probably) all been subject to prejudice, abuse and negative judgement before and it always strikes me as odd that in turn parts of the punk rock community is equally as elitest and judgmental. I guess it just goes to show that those kids with mohawks 30 years ago really did grow up to be just like their parents and they inspired a whole new generation to think it's ok to act harshly to someone because they are wearing the right band shirt or have enough studs on their leather jacket.

That scene was no where to be..um, seen, at New Cross. Instead a huge group of friends assembled (some past, some met brand new on the day) and set about sharing their love of punk music with each other in the best way possible - By smashing glasses on the dance floor and throwing people onto it (but picking them back up afterwards). No, well sometimes, but mainly just by being totally super awesome people and getting along without any of the aforementioned judgement or bad attitudes. This feeling of friendship is an awesome thing to find at a show, but for it to be there for a whole twelve hours (some people managed the whole day!!) is pretty much unprecedented and a wonder to behold.

Of course nothing would or probably could have been possible

without the monumental efforts of one Steve

Todd (aka CEO and founder of Thirteen Stitches) and the Demon Smiles crew (and affiliates). He was the keystone to everything and really the entire day was a beautiful reflection of his personality. Showing him to be in equal parts an awesome friend, a thoughtful and caring person, total epic punk rocker and completely destructo batshit insane. Good mix for a great guy.

So onto the bands I'll try to be brief, also apologies now to

Slow Faction. Unfortunately I had to eat at some point in the day and my try to the greatest knock off chicken pizza joint in the universe had to come during their set. I caught about 30 seconds of the end of it and they did sound totally awesome but that's about all I can say.

First up were Kraft Check and Flow (spelt with crazy capitalization). I love bands that break from the tradition of doing acoustic folk rock in the "Bragg" manner and these guys certain threw that stereotype out the window. Using a mix of hip-hop/folk/punk/country they made something that I can truly call unique and I really dug it. in parts Professor Green, others New Model Army, others Janis Joplin, all cool. At the same time they fit in no-where and everywhere stylistically and every different style complimented

the others. Also helps that they were awesome guys too!

Well what can be said about act number two? nothing really because it was us. I will say though that it was one of our best sets, I think because of everyone watching being totally into the songs. It was an uplifting experience and if I could do MOT! all dayers for the rest of my days I would be a happy man indeed. We got a lot of very kind feedback from all who spoke to us which is pretty much the life blood of the band so that was totally brilliant.

After us came Chapter Eleven. who is in the main part Asher Baker, a fellow blogger/acoustic punker/Demon Smiles fan boy that I can't believe I only met on the day!! Turns out he's a bit of a legend, and his songs are really great, whether he's being poignant, or comical, or angry or happy he can really capture an emotion of a crowd by picking topics we can all get behind and creating poetry to plant the

perfect images in our heads. I'm really looking forward to being in the crowd when he's playing again.

Number four was Harrison Wilde, an odd case in that he was an unknown act who everyone knew and was playing a set of brand new

old songs!! A veteran of the punk scene he played tunes that, I think without exception, covered a misspent youth partying the way everyone should while their sanity and liver can withstand it!! Having shared what seems like a pretty similar past I really connected with all the tunes and greatly enjoyed the set. laughing my ass of at the cleverly worded lyrics and the memories of eviction parties and living with Tazz that he gave back to me.

After that the acoustic start to the day was over and we were onto the the loud stuff. and loud it got when old friends Recluse

Club got down to business. I have a particular love of these guys, having played with them in Worthing before and man if anything they've gotten faster and tighter!! I love me a bit of blisteringly fast punk rock and these guys deliver in spades. One of the funnest (is that a word) bands of the day for me

and a joy to behold.

Another set of friends came on stage after, and Not Pennys Boat once again knocked it out the park. There's this amazing likeability to everything about them, their songs are tight and catchy, the tunes all rock, the vocals are awesome, the whole band looks like their having the greatest time on stage and also

their are all excellent people to have in the vicinity. I had an even better time rocking out to them this time since I had the benefit of checking out their songs first and could have myself a bit of a singalong. although I've only seen them the once before this was their best performance mostly, just belonging on the stage. I was a little sad when they finished.

I know I'm basically gushing about my friends bands right now but that was the beauty of the day, and The Vulgarities are pretty much gonna get the same treatment!! They were down a guitarist

but to be honest I hardly even noticed because I think Hannah was turned up to 11. They have brilliant energy on stage and kick the screaming hell out of their tunes in the absolutely best way possible. Out of all the bands playing they could so easily have been the ones who might fit into the elitest crowd, straddling the gap between straight up Oi and more melodic street punk but they never once seem aggressive or highly strung at the crowd or the eclectic assortment of music fans in the crowd, quite the opposite. Their aggression is finely channeled into their songs where it belongs and made for a brilliant set. They owned the stage too like no one else!!

--- Interlude ---
Seriously everyone should go to the chicken shop round the corner

from the New Cross Inn, even if you aren't seeing a band there. Two 9" pizzas with four toppings each for a fiver!!!! just brilliant. and they sell turkish Mountain Dew. That place rocked my mouth!!

after missing Slow Faction and being a little sad I got to witness something even more unique than the KC&F set from the start of the day. If you've not seen an aquatic themed hardcore band before with 40 second songs, all of which are bad sealife puns ("Shamu and conditioner") then I don't blame you because i think

Mussels are one of a kind. I'm not normally a fan of hardcore

stuff but I certainly am a fan of hilarious music in anyform and these guys definitely delievered there. The front man had a fantastic moustache for a Movember attempt and his trusty sidekick (or is it the other way around, I couldn't be sure) managed to make skipping on stage cool and possibly a little bewilderment at being on stage made funny songs off the charts great.

The Apostates are not your typical punk rock band, if they can really be called punk in the strictest sense. Instead I'd try to label them as melodic, post progressive, post hardcore....something, fuck it, they can't really be put into a bracket, what they are is incredible. They make beautiful, powerful, moving music that had me in a trance from start to finish. I wish I could have jumped around and danced more to them but honestly once each song started my mind ran away with me and I had to recollect myself at the end and remind me what the hell was going on. Their music affects some deep and childlike and lets imaginations sore as they effortlessly rock the stage. They have the biggest sound I've heard off a three piece act and I could spend all day watching them own a stage.

I really seriously have the biggest punk rock

music boner for Demon Smiles. I love them, plain and simple. I know all the words to all the songs they have recorded and I'm love with every new track they play. Despite some technical difficulties their set was every bit as energetic and fun a I've come to expect and of course it was made even better with a bit of crowd participation (myself and fellow DS connoisseur Asher doing the "Joe" bits for S.O.S.) and all the round excellent reception for the stars of the day.

I went through a stage in my younger years of not liking Ska-Punk. If any of those feeling still existed Lead Shot Hazard took them and beat the crap out them and left me skanking like it was

the only function my body knew!! I wish I could write something more about their musicality and the kickass vocals (from Asher Baker, checking in his second set of the day) but to be honest I was just too busy dancing my freaking ass off to the best ska-punk I've heard since I saw Capdown play the Brighton Conchord 2 about seven years ago!!

Since being lucky enough to share a stage with Mug back in July they have become one of my favourite UK punk bands as well as a great set of friends. They totally killed it during their set,

replete with odd looking dancing drunks, plenty of skull duggery (drinking from a skull named Dug, not actual skull duggery), crowd surfing front men and epic tunes from beginning till end. Mug know how to get a crowd going (feed them alcohol) and how to deliver a tune (fucking loud and fast) and
they along with many other acts gave the best set I've seen so far. They make it seem like it's the easiest thing

in the world to play so well so consistently and once again it was my great pleasure to have been on the same bill as them.

When I decided on a whim to check out the Top Buzzer album out last month before the show I never expected them to become one of my favourite new bands. They rock my world pretty hard (so hard

in fact there was blood all over the bass!!) and were totally brilliant entertainers. Maybe the least known of the top three acts, that didn't stop them from having everyone going berserk and jumping around (even up on stage with them) and at one point pretending to be animals!! Great bands can hold an audience in the palm of their hands and Top Buzzer manage that without seeming to even try.

Oh Jesus Drones CRUSHED IT!!! The crowd was pretty much shell shocked for the first couple of songs, probably from disbelief at

the quality of hardcore punk they were witnessing and then went absolutely arse over tits ballistic for the rest of the set, there was destruction and crowd surfing guitarists and more moshing than you could shake a stick at (whilst ducking a windmill fist coming for you) and all throughout Drones just kept piling on the power and the quality. This was getting pretty late and a lot of people had been rocking out for more than 10 hours when Drones came on stage but they absorbed every last bit of energy left in the room and let it out in wave after wave of awesome tunes.

What comes up, has to come down and come down it did. Not the quality of the punk rock, which was still up in stratosphere when

Middle Finger Salute took the helm but by half eleven even the hardcorest punk rockers were pretty shattered! The good thing though was that MFS got to take over much more of the room (even tables) to end the night with a nuclear bang!

All in all the day was a success in even more ways than anyone had originally thought. Not only was an incredible line up put together and not only did every band give incredible sets and not only was everyone well received and enjoyed but we did some bigger in scale that day that can't be quantified. A new scene was born, free from prejudice and judgement. A counter counter-culture where a shared love of the people making music in front of you is all that's needed to be a part. the drunk in the bomber

jacket and the metal-head who didn't leave the dance floor for 12 hours were equally at home with the punks with giant mohawks and the burgeoning hardcore superstars. collectively we made a place we all belong and now it belongs to us, but all are welcome. It's a honour and a privilege to have been there to see it happen and I hope it keeps on unhindered for generations to see how people should react to each other.