T-Shirts are Awesome

So, it's been election season. As we all, no doubt, know. David Cameron and the Conservatives won. Kinda. The champs at Banquet Records have made a Fat Wreck inspired "Not My Prime Minister" t-shirt.

So, what does this have to do with me?

Anyone who knows me should know I'm a massive Saved By the Bell fan. So much so, I've been re-watching Season One recently and, rather conveniently, happened to come across the "The Election" episode. Quick plot summary: Jessie runs for Student Body President. Zack learns that whoever wins gets a free trip to Washington. Zack decides to run. Zack wins, feels guilty for shafting Jessie for personal gain, and then resigns. Leaving her as president.

So...

If I got these made would you buy one?

Cheers, yo.

Tomorrow is polling day

Tomorrow you have the chance to vote. Please use it. I'm not going to tell you who to vote for (I have my preferences, obviously) but it's not my place to tell you who you can and can't vote for.

What I ask is that you do use that right to vote. You have the ability to take part in this democratic process and I implore you to take advantage of that.

That is all.

So, where were we?

Aside from mis-using promotional tools for cutesy animal movies, of course.

Last night Nick Griffin got rinsed on Question Time. Much fun was had by all.

Work is under way on issue 2 of the zine. So far we've shifted 60 copies of issue 1 (as in sold, given to shops, traded for stuff, etc) and, well, I'm pretty damn chuffed with that! I'm likely going to get another 30 printed up tomorrow. If you want to contribute anything for issue 2 (or any subsequent issue, as this does seem to have become an ongoing project) please get in touch. I should have an interview with Jeff Rosentock (Bomb the Music Industry) in issue 2 which I am absolutely fucking stoked about. I've been a huge fan of Jeff's work for years, and getting to put him on earlier this year was such a high point for me, plus he turned out to be a genuinely nice dude as well.

John Power Up is carrying on the tradition of Power Up in Norwich in my absence by booking some stellar shows. Namely; The Skints, The Peacocks, Kevin Devine and We Are the Union. So if you're in the Fine City, look out for those.

I've nearly finished demoing the new MC iPod EP. The four tracks are written, and I've tracked vocals for three of them, just need to do this last one. I'll see how it all sounds together and make a decision as to where I'll do the final recording. It might end up being my bedroom (as usual), but I'm learning more about recording technique so it'll sound better than previous stuff. The demos - in my opinion - sound pretty good.

So yeah, good times generally. Keep watching the skies, as they say.

Please vote tomorrow

If you live in the UK, tomorrow is your chance to vote for your representative in the European Parliament (and, in some constituencies, local elections too).

Please vote. Please use your democratic right to make your voice heard.

I'm not going to tell you who to vote for (other than to beg you not to vote BNP or UKIP, obviously) but please use your opportunity to have a say.

Thank you.

Anti-Flag did this better

Upon re-reading that last post, I come across as having the political knowledge of Anti-Flag. That's what happens when you accidentally segue-way into a political rant.

So I guess this is the part where I write about politics and attempt to appear smarter.

Go...

Obviously, voting for UKIP or the BNP is a bad idea. Any party which has such blanket views as "immigration = bad" or "British jobs for British workers" is clearly insane. Surely if someone is of benefit to the country they have a right to be here, regardless of whether they were born here or not. Surely if someone is the best at a job, they have the right to do that job, regardless of where they were born. This is just the tip of the iceberg of BNP and/or UKIP politics, but I don't feel like a fully-fledged politics rant, so I won't delve any deeper for now.

What I will say though, is that - as much as I hate to admit it - these parties do deserve a right to preach their filth. It's just up to us to make sure that people who hear their bullshit then hear a logical and sensible alternative. If someone hears a BNP argument, and is then dissuaded from agreeing with it through being better educated, next time they hear that BNP argument they'll remember why it was a bad idea and not vote for them. As the saying goes, there is no good without evil. We need these shitty parties to exist purely so we can explain why their views are wrong.

That'll do for now as I'm not a politician. In conclusion: don't vote Nazi.

So I quit my job today

True story. I quit my job today. Well, handed in my notice. Reason being: I am leaving Norwich soon. The missus is going back to uni (Masters, Bournemouth) so I'm following her as I have no direction of my own. The contract on our house is up at the end of June, so I'm off back to Cambridge for the summer followed by going down to Bournemouth late September.

So yeah, real life stuff. You want to read this.

In other news, I am totally fucking broke. This is bad as there's stuff that warrants buying. You also want to read this.

I am currently playing around with an old Super Badge-It and making novelty badges. Simple things. My Hooper X/Chasing Amy/"The Black Man Is God" badge is the greatest thing ever. Now to wear that out around the streets of Norwich and watch the ignorant xenophobic racists get scared.

Speaking of ignorant xenophobic racists (I'm sure there should be some commas in there somewhere) there are elections coming up. Anyone who votes BNP or UKIP is a douchebag. Fact. Do the slightest bit of research and realise that these parties are nothing more than the National Front dressed up in different ways. I actually fear though that the people of Norfolk want that. Anyway.

Conclusion: don't vote for Nazis.