My recent trip to Belfast triggered the song Suspect Device by Stiff Little Fingers in my head. It came out of nowhere, sparked by a mural on the Shankill Road celebrating loyalist paramilitaries — the sort of imagery that still looms over parts of the city like a ghost from the past. As I stood there, one line from the song came flooding back into my head: “They’ll take away your freedom in the name of liberty.” It’s a line that is ...
For a certain generation, the passing of Rick Buckler feels like more than just the loss of The Jam’s drummer—it feels like a piece of youth slipping away forever. He was the backbeat to a band that defined an era, a time when music wasn’t just entertainment but an identity.
I never got to see The Jam live—I was a few years too young. Instead, I had to rely on my older brother’s stories about their gigs and even the time he met ...
I headed off to watch a Clash tribute band last night. Sub 89 was the venue, meaning a train from Whitchurch to Basingstoke and on to Reading. I met some fellow Clash fans at Whitchurch who were a good bunch.
Saved by the Hobbling Punks
We shared a drink on the train and parted ways as I was off to another pub to meet friends, some I hadn’t seen for decades. I arrived early, so I sat outside and had a drink with some young, musclebound ...
I remember a few years back when George Michael died, I found it a bit odd how morose some people were. The main demographic was women of a certain age who felt connected to him. It was not until later I appreciated what a decent, yet vulnerable bloke he was. It was a sad demise for someone who was generous, funny and always prepared to send himself up (see Ricky Gervais’s Extras). Yet, I still didn’t understand the connected sadness.
...
About 20 years ago, I was having a debate with an elder
friend of mine and I ended up quoting Clash frontman, Joe Strummer. He replied
by saying, “That’s all and well Bob, but life isn’t the gospel according to
Joe Strummer”.
I can’t remember what the argument was about, but I did feel a bit of a twat. He was right of course and from that day onwards, I have refused to live a life with rules set by Joe Strummer, Paul Weller, or ...
