November 2022

The social media where “A Cat Can Look At A King” (a.k.a. Twitter) currently deteriorates with unethical uncertainty (the Muskrat effect) - Radio X will need a John Kennedy hotline for artists!!!

Now is a perfect time to focus on whatever the alternative future holds under the radar, musically.

(1) Zeenagers. The Expo. Inspirations:

2022: Pandemica, Climate Emergency Armageddon, Recession,  Brexshit Babylon, Hate Apocalypse.

2023: Joyzine. Holistic, interdependent newer wave adventures in DIY arts. The Musical. 2 decades!

2024: TheZineUK documented the resulting Fertile Environment, #MusicPeopleParty, for 1 decade.

As our Events Department, I’ll work out how we can collate the above into another Expo, with our Editor (an actor and theatre director, which is handy). So many talented people to shout and connect! Zeenagers!

(2) Wait. What? #DarkLife!

If reading this, you may be in this tapestry of golden hearted threads and immense talent that rivals every decade of the rock n roll years so far and comes round, full circle, to the influence of Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Young, Gifted and

On Friday 4th November, Zeenagers attended the first BAFA (Black Association For Arts) symposium ‘Be Seen Be Heard: The Reason’ One conversation between our bringing of sunshine, Jean Genie and a workshop host, Mica Seifa, raised the point of alternative rock (Black Music).

On Friday 11th November, the MOBO Awards nominations included the alternative rock category that Nova Twins had raised at the end of 2020. We included their open letter in our documenting, at the time. This is all vital to the art punky newer wave’s refreshment pulse.

(3) Let’s Dance

If all humans are unique then we are born being queer to each other anyway. We are only normal to our own self. If people do no harm, let them charm so that we can get on with helping our organic globe creator; our home world. We are made of music. Zeenagers are a “live/love and let live/love” spectrum.

If feeling this, generation tremorists (children of all ages) empower the Earthling civilisation that unites through Uniqulture. Our social media loves watching Tom A Smith, Pint-Sized Punk and more, grow like the new angels who our friends have brought to the Planet Water dimension since this tale began in 2014. Creative youth are not narrow minded ageists like, well, some of the aged of unsocial media. They got big things happening in life.

Can’t afford Blur tickets? Try The Chase (phone audio of audience powered fun from This Feeling’s ReWired Festival in August), or Noah and the Loners, or MOSES, or Gen and the Degenerates or many more of our faves for star-shaped stage strutting to massive tuneage with audience as part of the show. The 21st Century rivals the 20th century with ease, actually. I’ve lived and gigged long enough to have that self opinion.

It’s October 2022, twelve year old Nandi Bushell drops ‘Shadows’. This decayed decade rivals ANY in music for exciting talent. Investigate the video and the story behind it.

(4) Threads. Weaving.

This is a skint but gatecrashing, whimsical situationist tale of under the radar, over the rainbow lives, succeeding and failing, ebbing and flowing but always going forward to create new futures. We have got this far mostly with friendship as finance and fun as the connector. Last month I met Nico of Transylvania (because her dress was so lovely) at a Stanley Donwood art opening for ‘Modern Landscapes’. She is the founder of Forests Without Frontiers (more, below) and let me film her a little. In the video clip, a glimpse of the lovely Ed O Brien (Radiohead) whose album, ‘Earth’, flavoured 2020 and is another branch of the planet’s spiritual wavelength.

Last decade I met the previously mentioned Bowie Bolan offspring teen, Dizzy Spell at a Patrick Jones gig. By the end of 2017 TheZineUK was working class women of backgrounds despised by tories (yay!). Doctor Dizzy, musician, stage style and editor is a quiet but kind friend of the inspiring kind. One half of Weather Underground who have just DIY created the Byrds flavoured psyche art pop of Scar Spangled Banner.

Additionally, quite a few contributors to TheZineUK are now recorded and released - Astrologer, Writer Monefa Walker (via Anita Maj’s Lil Minx label), promoter, radio presenter, DJ Jean Genie (and also a member of Alex and the Wonderland) and film director/author John Clay included. Allies at shows are now official band crew like Jane Pirate who we met with her Pirate Treasures jewellery (which Nova Twins, Mourning Birds and Lucie Barat wore at ArtBeat) now tour manager adventuring with Trampolene.

Some of our fave DJs / Hosts / Presenters woven into the avove are also increasingly making a name for themselves. Small gigs are ideas and talents conventions for some awesome daydreamers. More attention as Deux Furieuses, Big Joanie and Asylums release cinema screen sized albums in this month alone. Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something coming up next.

In the 20th century people recognised music paper writers from their column heading pic. Now they recognise faces (artists and allies) via gig posters and online sites at all levels - including our pages. It’s like living low budget, high calibre, rock star lives in DIY chic. Glamour is interwoven - it’s all showbiz, after all from an award winning Bugeye video (‘Summer In The City’ by Laura Jean Marsh) recently, to international screens:

Existing this decade is exhausting. The arts arent’ taken seriously unless considered elite. Mental Health is frail in the gas-lit age, so thank you all who inspire, support, invite, interact - whatever at DIY level. That’s why It’s All Happening: The biggest story. The smallest spaces. See it. Say it. Sorted.

(4) 2022+ Positivity:

See our timelines https://linktr.ee/thezineuk for more, but including Decolonise Fest, Cro Cro Land/As The Cro Cro Flies, This Feeling, Kick Out The Jams, End Of The Trail Creative, Eugene Ankomah, Cool Thing Records, The Pandamonium of Fierce Panda and back of the net beautiful games of Soccer Six. If ya like it, then you should put Primordial Rings on it. Top scouts and connectors, communicating. It’s Working Class led so a spectrum of diversity is standard and ongoing to consistent change. Gateways not gatekeepers.

We aim/dream high:

Our cast and crew cross breed on the GMV (Grassroot Music Venues) trail. Story development owes much to Music Venue Trust and the Independent Venue Community).

A #musictourism focus on Preston Ferret, Sheffield Leadmill and Manchester Night and Day would be timely and underline the industrious community’s effectiveness. Holistic inclusion of politics, literature, self care, clothing, visualising and FUN. (while proof reading this, an update on that already! Get in touch to participate)

(5) Technology is key beyond communication.

Flare Audio raised 100% of their new IndieGoGo campaign within four hours! A multi award winning, home grown global success. Take another look at our Fertile Environment network for potential to revive reputation, social collusion and the economy. Kindly.

Climate/(r)Evolution permitting, this is all stepping up in 2023 alongside celebrating the 20th anniversary of an alt artist supportive multi tasking media, Joyzine and the 10th anniversary of the star breaker circuit celebrating Independent Venue Week!

(6) Ridicule is nothing to be scared of.

#Peacemas runs (on the Planet Water dimension) from 21st September (International Day Of Peace/Autumn Equinox) to 21st December (Winter Solstice). What happens from December creates a prologue for the expo. Yes, there will be something zine-Zingy during Independent Venue Week in 2023. This year, ArtBeat was unofficial (but super!) with a sparkling performance by Anna Wolf. Can. Not. Unsee a brilliant night.

(7) Joy to the world

When Spring 2020s lockdown finally began officially, Joyzine had assembled a supergroup of media/promoter/independent allies to broadcast the first Balcony Festivals event, within 24 hours.

The incredible stars began directing mini TV clips for each stage while the event evolved over six live streams. Co-operation and collaboration is a great platform and circuit in it’s own right. This is what non-corporate passion and drive is capable of. Look to these (still inventing) sites and their individual further contacts for your professional creative/talent scouting needs. Their reps, in person, join artists across Britain/Ireland.

(8) Zeenagers, then…

Teenagers, Floodliners (SE13 Records), being filmed for TryLife TV, at the Amersham Arms, is the last page of TheZineUK Chapter 1. That issue was photographed and designed by Rupert Hitchcox who is now part of the multi tasking Joyzine team (and much more, Hard Rock Cafe etc). More teen bands - Noah and the Loners and The Molotovs - have played All Ages shows at the same space. Finally got to catch the latter in September. The queen had just died. They opened with the most timely rendition of ‘God Save The Queen’ that I’ve ever heard. Makes me think of The Sex Patels at Jubilee Weekend in June, too.

Recently, a meeting with music tech space vixen, Kat Five of Feral Five. One of our HQs (Leicestershire being the other). That tardis back bar of Amersham Arms is where TheZineUK was born (at ArtBeat). One of Floodliners, Georgia South, is now half of Nova Twins. SE13 is the postcode of Lewisham, part of London Borough of Culture 2022. Next year’s borough is totally Cro Cro! Ha ha, how some snooty toffs fumed across the River Thames when both South London locations were announced. Good. Not everybody in the capital derides the north. That division bollocks hold us back, conquered. Music. Rise up and look after each other. Joy is a battery charge. See Enjoyable Listens (who I first experienced during lockdown at this same venue) for evidence of Joy power.

Talking of which… Alongside festivals and other live events, broadcasts and reporting, Joyzine really does Share The Joy (Events Department mantra). The original, daily free downloads advent calendar was invented by Joyzine. Interact via https://joyzine.org/contact/ for inclusion in the December 2022 compilation.

(9) Clips, so far.

2014-2015 Proilogue: ‘Expo Beats’

Soundtracked by Little Death Machine (now the almighty Birthmarks) https://youtu.be/AXw1oUyqCCI - our #No3Expo at the Ministry of Fluff n Dreams (Menace & McNaughty adventures) featured 42 stalls (including the bar and a live stage starring The Homosexuals, Nova Twins, Little Death Machine and Cat Bear Tree). Our picture diary front pages cheekily featured Amy Love of Nova Twins and Claudia Mansaray, now of Lufe Tempo (photographed by Polstar) when lazy 2015 “festival bookers” couldn’t find female musicians for their bills!

2014-2017 “The #MusicPeopleParty Begins”

Slideshow 01 of #TheZineUK doc’s 2021 Cast and Crew: https://youtu.be/5R5vCOQGtJU (first image is of Editor, Paul Joyzine with Cecile Ruhe and Jean Genie!). The Music People Party began December 2017 (Hawley Arms, Camden) with Northern Exposure braving the snow to travel down South, Heather Minx organising the venue, Dizzy Spell heading TheZineUK, Katie Owen as DJ host. Playing live, Pink Cigar, The Kavaliers and The Velvet Hands attracted the new music industrious to a gathering that reshaped things to come. It moved to Camden Monarch (RIP) hosted in December 2018 by Louise Schofield and in 2019 by Monefa Walker).

TheZineUK has repped on a stage at music festivals since inception, in some form or other, so the Music People Party swings on.

2018-2022 WTF tho

2018-2019 OMG, the times they are, at last a changing. Loved being part of End Of The Trail and Kick Out The Jams stages at The Great Escape amidst much else. Big up music journalist, Susan Hansen (interview, 2018)

Didn’t realise that 2020Vision wasn’t gonna continue that progression. 2020 reality was changing for the worse, daily through the white mirror looking glass to whatever this is on the Planet Earth dimension into surreality. The best part of 2020, though, is that as 2022 winds down, an essential book for us “music lifers” from the cradle up, exists. ‘Pandamonium - How Not To Run A Record Label’ by living legend, Simon Williams is, in fact, how to run a Fertile Environment. At time of writing this sentence I’m next having some mash potato, ready to yet again catch a Fierce Panda talent on a stage!

Dystopia can stick Brexshit up it’s Austerity Hole. Because Planet Water rolls on. The artists perform and create., Their audiences appreciate. Despite everything! We keep dropping clips on TheZineUK social media. Short sharp excerpts of moments. Proof that Grassroots Music Venues are variations of The Cavern, circa 1960s, x thousands of locations.

Slideshow 02 of #TheZineUK doc’s 2023 Cast and Crew will encompass the above in performance art, exhibition and recorded documentation. Situationism will build the multi arts Expo: ‘Zeenagers’.

‘Something Must Grow’ (Patrick Jones)

Loud Women Fest, Amersham Arms, New Cross Inn, The Birds Nest (still excited by Birthmarks at Nestival this Autumn), and more. It’s all here in Blang Records No.6 interview via Paul Maps, editor of Joyzine - an integral multi tasking media and music collective of the 21st century’s alternative scenes/anti scenes. Hear how taking the yellow brick road of music weaves a life tapestry….

Notes by Caffy, Events Dept.

Zeenagers: Seeking Go Go Dancers who like classic guitar pop. Also, for info, £2 = 1 tree at https://www.instagram.com/forestswithoutfrontiers/ fits nicely with Soccer Six’s environmental action.

All the above are knotted branches of a musical forest.