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Huge Support for Pussy Riot

August 15th, 2012 | Posted by John Powles in Europe | Pussy Riot | World News - (0 Comments)

Support from musicians and singers, as well as from the media and campaigning organisations, for the 3 members of the radical Russian punk group Pussy Riot , imprisoned for daring to protest against Putin’s suppression of freedom of speech and expression. Pussy Riot have been in the news for some months, as reflected on this blog for example – see Pussy Riot Held in Prison and Pussy Riot Song Protest in Red Square.

The three members of the group now on trial (a trial compared by many commentators to the infamous show trials of the Soviet period) face a verdict on Friday 17th August; a global day of protest is being planned for that day, including at 11:00 (an hour before the verdict is delivered) a reading at the Royal Court in London of the testimonies of the three women. Throughout the trial support for the three, and outrage against their persecution, has grown considerably. For example, a letter in the London Times on the 2nd August from performers including Jarvis Cocker, Johnny Marr, Martha Wainwright, Neil Tennant, Pete Townsend, Kate Nash and Corinne Bailey amongst others, expressed concern for the way the members of the group are being treated, and stated that “Dissent is a right in any democracy … .We believe firmly that it is the role of the artist to make legitimate political protest and fight for freedom of speech.” During recent concerts Madonna has joined in the protests, especially at her recent show in Moscow when she appeared on stage wearing a balaclava (as worn by members of Pussy Riot) and with Pussy Riot written on her back whilst telling the audience “I pray for their freedom.”

Amnesty International is writing to the Russian authorities demanding the release of the band members (to add your name text ACTION18 and your full name to 88080). The trial has even been reported in a lengthy feature on the BBC News at Ten on 14th August, although for most of the item the reference was to “a Russian punk group”, with the newsreader seemingly reluctant to actually state the name Pussy Riot!

Pussy Riot Held in Prison

July 24th, 2012 | Posted by John Powles in Europe | Punk | Pussy Riot - (0 Comments)

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 3 members of Pussy Riot, the feminist punk band, will be held in prison until at least March 2013 whilst awaiting trial for performing an anti-Putin punk song in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Pussy Riot have been protesting for many months now against Putin’s crack down on freedom of expression in Russia – for example see my news blog item Pussy Riot Song Protest in Red Square. Their Cathedral protest performance has been condemned by the Orthodox Church, which is urging the government to take strong action against the women.

Springsteen Attacks Bankers in Berlin

June 5th, 2012 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | Europe - (0 Comments)

Playing to a crowd of almost 60,000 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Bruce Springsteen spoke out against bankers and fat cats before singing Jack of All Trades from his album Wrecking Ball. Springsteen told the crowd “In America a lot of people have lost their jobs. But also in Europe and in Berlin, times are tough. This song is for all those who are struggling.” The lyrics include a scathing attack on bankers and speculators, but also a note of hope for the future:

The banker man grows fatter, the working man grows thin
It’s all happened before and it’ll happen again
It’ll happen again, they’ll bet your life
I’m a Jack of all trades and, darling, we’ll be alright

Now sometimes tomorrow comes soaked in treasure and blood
Here we stood the drought, now we’ll stand the flood
There’s a new world coming, I can see the light
I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright

Song Protest in Defiance of Breivik

April 29th, 2012 | Posted by John Powles in Europe - (0 Comments)

Crowds of many thousands flocked to Norwegian city centres on Thursday 26th April to protest against mass murderer and extreme right wing fanatic Anders Breivik and everything he adheres to. The main vehicle of their demonstration was song. In Oslo Norwegian artist Lillebjoern Nilsen led an estimated crowd of 40,000 in singing the 1970s peace song Children of the Revolution;

the song is based on Pete Seeger’s My Rainbow Race;

Pussy Riot Song Protest in Red Square

March 5th, 2012 | Posted by John Powles in Europe | Punk | Pussy Riot - (0 Comments)

Eight members of an anarchic punk band have been arrested in Moscow and charged with public order offences as a result an impromptu performance of an anti-Putin song, prefaced by a chant of “Riot in Russia”. The radical feminist group, Pussy Riot, usually performing in balaclavas, has gained both influence and notoriety following a number of performances over the past few months in a range of venues, including city squares, the Moscow metro and on a bus. One of the group’s members, Garadzha, stated

We are against Putin, against the regime. We wanted to show that this can happen in Russia, that there are girls who are active, who can do things like this.

Staff Halt Performance of Hitler’s Favourite Opera

February 7th, 2012 | Posted by John Powles in Europe | Opera - (0 Comments)

Staff objections have led Berlin’s biggest opera house, the Deutsche Oper, to drop plans to perform Hitler’s favourite opera. The opening night was to be April 20th, Hitler’s birthday. Wagner’s Rienzi (Last of the Tribunes) was said by Hitler to be a major influence on his political thinking. Rienzi is set in Rome and is based on the life of Cola di Rienzi (1313–1354), a medieval Italian populist figure who succeeds in outwitting and then defeating the nobles and their followers and in raising the power of the people.

The actual impact of the opera on Hitler has been widely debated, but certainly there are clear affinities between the plot and Hitler’s actions; one commentator Thomas Grey has very interestingly stated “In every step of Rienzi’s career – from … acclamation as leader of the Volk through military struggle, violent suppression of mutinous factions, betrayal and … final immolation – Hitler would doubtless have found sustenance for his fantasies.”

Man in Suit Fronts Death Metal Group!

November 3rd, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Europe - (0 Comments)

Realising that song can be a powerful weapon in getting a message across, Polish politician Jedrzej Wijasm, has recorded a song with a death metal group in a bid to spread his election campaign message to the young people in Poland. Roughly translated the lyrics go something like:

aaaaaaaargh !!!
enough of stiff talks
enough of stupid wars
secular state
dignified existence
FREEEEEDOOOOM !!
that’s my aim
vote wisely!

Billy Bragg Supports Occupy Dame Street Action

November 1st, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | Billy Bragg | Europe - (0 Comments)

Singer activist Billy Bragg appeared at the Occupy Dame Street (Dublin) action to talk about the power of solidarity. He emphasised that activists today need to remember and take inspiration from the long history of the struggle for the rights of people against oppressive and exploitative forces. His message was strengthened by his rendition of There is Power in a Union, a rousing, inspiring song, written by the great Joe Hill.

Freedom for Yvonne the Runaway Cow!

August 30th, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Animal Rights Campaigns | Europe - (0 Comments)

The world of political song is broad indeed, and covers a huge range of causes and campaigns, for example a German group called Gnadenkapelle have recorded a song, Yvonne, du wide Kua. Accompanied by an amusing video, the song chronicles the escapades of Yvonne, a cow who broke free from her field on May 24th, and who is still apparently a liberated bovine. The lyrics plead

Why don’t you leave Yvonne alone,
She is only a runaway cow …
You wild cow
Do not let them take your Freedom.

Belarus Authorities Ban Tsoi Song

August 1st, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Europe - (0 Comments)

Government controlled broadcasting media in Belarus appear to be censoring protest songs, including Viktor Tsoi’s song from 1986 Pereman (Change), which includes lines such as:

Our hearts require the changes,
Our eyes require the changes,
Into our laugh and our tears,
And into pulse of veins
Changes!
We are waiting for changes.

For some months now, and in the face of censorship by the authorities, opposition activist in Belarus have increasingly used social netoworking sites to organise demonstration which include hand clapping or setting off the alarms on their cellphones.