Music

An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times. I think that is true of painters, sculptors, poets, musicians. How can you be an artist and not reflect the times? That to me is the definition of an artist.

Nina Simone

Tuesday, 24 May 2022 08:07

Culture for All: Why Choirs Matter

Written by Culture Matters

in Music

As part of the Culture for All series, supported by the Communication Workers Union, we're proud to present a short film about why choirs matter, by Boff Whalley.

Monday, 09 May 2022 20:55

Som independents / We are independent

Written by Culture Matters

in Music

Som independents / We are independent by Xavier I Panades, extracted from Gwrthryfel / Uprising No necessitem que ens vigilis,ni que ens suggereixis que fer.No cal que seguis a damunt nostre,ni que posis preu a la nostra fe. El fantasma del meu pare plora:per les tortures innecessàries.El fantasma de la…

Catalan independence Welsh independence

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 11 April 2022 12:01

Culture for All: Why Jazz Matters

in Music

Written by Culture Matters

As part of the Culture for All series, supported by the Communication Workers Union, we're proud to present a short film about jazz written by Chris Searle, with voiceover provided by Mike Quille. Why Jazz Matters by Chris Searle I grew up in the skiffle and trad era of the…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Thursday, 17 March 2022 20:02

The spirit of Victor Jara lives on in Wales

in Music

Written by Pete Godfrey

From August 5th to the 7th, Wales will reverberate to the unlikely sounds of Latin American music with a distinctly political twist as the El Sueño Existe festival – ‘The Dream Lives on’ – is celebrated among the green hillsides of Machynlleth (SY20 8ER). The festival, inspired by the music…

El Sueño Existe

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Wednesday, 23 February 2022 10:43

Gutsy, Punkish Sound-Bombs: On the Radicalism of Fontaines D.C.

in Music

Written by Ciaran O Rourke

On a red carpet in February 2020, Grian Chatten, the front-man and vocalist for Fontaines D.C., was asked about the recent general election in Ireland, which had seen a historic plummeting of support for both of the traditionally dominant (centre-right) parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. The election was proof,…

Dubliners Joy Division Oasis crony capitalism

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Sunday, 20 February 2022 10:59

Three contemporary working-class composers of classical music

in Music

Written by Ben Lunn

Classical music does not really know how to deal with the working class – either as listeners or as artists working in it. My articles in the Morning Star and elsewhere have attested to this, and often complained that discussions of inequality very rarely consider class as an important element…

David John Roche Verena Weinmann Gillian Walker

Saturday, 11 December 2021 10:06

Lingering tones in the face of capitalist realism

Written by Ben Lunn

in Music

Historically, lefties in the arts are as numerous as there are days in history. However, since the Cold War these numbers have dwindled as liberalism, postmodernism, or anarchism have become the trendy oppositional voice in the arts. Thanks in part to Corbyn, the left has seen a militant resurgence which…

Lawrence Dunn

Saturday, 20 November 2021 11:25

La Musica Sandinista

Written by Ben Lunn

in Music

On the 7th November, the Nicaraguan people went to the polls. Though met by the outcry of ‘sham’ and other nonsensical accusations, the Nicaraguan people returned Daniel Ortega to office, continuing the renewed Sandinista Government’s rule. Since then, Britain, Canada, and other lackeys of the US have stamped up their…

Thursday, 21 October 2021 08:54

Revolutionary hip-hop from RIP Lux

Written by RIP Lux

in Music

Masquerade Shadows in Vienna

Wednesday, 15 September 2021 08:54

The dedicated life and music of Mikis Theodorakis

Written by Ben Lunn

in Music

Mikis Theodorakis (1925-2021) has left the mortal plane, and one can only imagine he is flying the red flag in the heavenly realm – agitating alongside the great working-class heroes of history. He has been remembered warmly by the socialist world, by his own Greek party (KKE) and almost every…