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, 17 April 2018 08:57

Bread and Roses Songwriting and Spoken Word Award

Written by Chris Guiton

in Music

The Bread and Roses Songwriting and Spoken Word Award was launched by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Culture Matters in November 2017. It closed in February 2018. The aim of the new Award was to encourage songwriters and spoken word performers to write material meaningful to working class people…

#songwriting #spoken word

Saturday, 31 March 2018 11:06

Paul Robeson: activist, communist and spokesperson for the oppressed of the earth

Written by Jenny Farrell

in Music

On the 120th anniversary of Paul Robeson's birth, Jenny Farrell tells the story of his life. "The artist must take sides. He must elect to fight for freedom or slavery. I have made my choice. I had no alternative." - Paul Robeson at a rally in London’s Albert Hall on…

Peekskill Unity Theatre Pete Seeger Spanish Civil War The Proud Valley

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Wednesday, 28 February 2018 15:17

Joe Solo - Fight the Good Fight!

in Music

Written by Chris Guiton

Joe Solo is an award-winning musician, writer, poet, activist, broadcaster and washing machine engineer from Scarborough. He has a growing reputation as both a performer and political raconteur. Chris Guiton interviews him about his music and his politics. CG. Who are the main musical and poetical influences in your life…

music poetry activism

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Wednesday, 31 January 2018 10:53

Wearing Civil Rights militancy on record sleeves

in Music

Written by Phil Brett

To mark the anniversary of the birthday of Rosa Parks, Phil Brett examines the impact of Civil Rights militancy on the sleeves of soul and funk albums. In Wearing Their Politics on Their Sleeves we looked at how the growing Civil Rights Movement in the USA had influenced the design…

Supremes Marvin Gaye Curtis Mayfield Stevie Wonder Fatback Band Rosa Parks

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 12 January 2018 15:50

Sidney Finkelstein: an appreciation of the great Marxist cultural critic

in Music

Written by Daniel Rosenberg

Dan Rosenberg offers an appreciation of Sidney Finkelstein, who died on 14 January 1974. Out Jumped Sidney The Marxist cultural critic Sidney Finkelstein lived in a suitcase in my mother’s closet. My parents never used the suitcase in question for travel. When I was around 13, in 1966, I asked…

Charlie Parker Lester Young John Coltrane

Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich and Aram Khachaturian

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Thursday, 04 January 2018 10:44

A wave of creativity: music and the Russian Revolution

in Music

Written by Sabby Sagall

Sabby Sagall describes the wave of creativity unleashed by the Russian Revolution, altering the course of twentieth century classical music. The carnage and brutality of World War One had punctured the balloon of late nineteeth-century optimism and established that the industrial and scientific progress of capitalism had not led to…

Proletkult Stravinsky prokofiev Shostakovich

Wednesday, 15 November 2017 09:15

JD Meatyard

Written by Chris Guiton

in Music

Chris Guiton interviews jd meatyard, who describes himself as a left field artist much favoured in his Levellers 5 and Calvin Party days by the late great John Peel, with albums such as ‘Lies Lies & Government’ and songs such as ‘Tell Me About Poverty’. June 2017 saw the release of…

music songwriter

Friday, 10 November 2017 11:27

The Bread and Roses Songwriting and Spoken Word Award

Written by Chris Guiton

in Music

Closing date extended to 23 February 2018 The Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Culture Matters are pleased to announce a new Songwriting and Spoken Word Award. The Award is now open for submissions. The purpose of the new Award is to encourage songwriters and spoken word performers to write material meaningful…

music Songwriting Spoken Word Bread and Roses

Sunday, 29 October 2017 21:57

Lankum

Written by Mike Quille

in Music

Mike Quille interviews Ian Lynch from the four-piece traditional Irish folk group Lankum, formerly known as Lynched, who are currently on tour. Mike: I appreciate you must get asked this all the time, but can you tell us why you changed name, from Lynched to Lankum? Ian: The bottom line…

Tuesday, 17 October 2017 16:03

Singing for Peace and Socialism: Birmingham's Clarion Singers

Written by Graham Stevenson

in Music

Graham Stevenson reports on the recent concert. Birmingham's Clarion Singers, 77 years young this year, recently celebrated with an Autumn Concert with a full programme of songs at All Saints Centre, in Kings Heath, Birmingham. The 25-strong amateur choir – women dressed in red, men in black – led with…

Funeral March Scarecrow John Ball Pete Seeger Song of Peace Ode to Joy