There’s no way I’d be able to give voice or proper tribute to what happened in Orlando last week. The mass shooting of a lone gunman targeting the LGBT community seemed to highlight different issues for everyone. From the state of the media, to gun laws, to tolerance, to the spiral America is falling in to – the list is long and varied. I can’t talk for the LGBT community, but for those friends of mine who are a part of it I can only imagine how intense and tragic it’s been for them.
And for Paul, this meant dealing with it through what he does, through music. Read the words, listen to the music, and remember Love Is Love.
via Paul Ackroyd aka Kamikaze
As you’ll no doubt be aware, last weekend 49 people were shot dead and another 50-odd injured by Omar Mateen, a Florida resident who opened fire at a Latinx queer night at Pulse in Orlando. All killed or injured because of their sexuality or their gender identity.
In the papers over the following days the reaction of some of the media was questionable to say the least. Refusal to acknowledge, in some quarters, that it was a specific attack on the LGBTQI community for starters. Or from others quarters, step up the Daily fucking Mail, the idea that this wasn’t even front page news, with the undertone that they had it coming or something along those lines. Instead they opted for a fearmongering story about Turks invading our land if they join the EU. And then there’s that fucking Westboro Baptist Church lot who have been out in force campaigning in their unique anti-gay way at the funerals of the deceased. Or Donald fucking Trump, the orange cunt, trying to jump on the tragedy for political gain. And then later in the week dropping the ‘ask the gays’ bombshell.
So I got distracted from my usual radio prep for the week, felt too much sadness about the above. And needed to do something to help process that.
So step up #LoveIsLove – 90 minutes of LGBTQIetc artists for Reel Rebels Radio this week. There were piles and piles of records in contention for this one – way too many for a measley hour and a half. And sadly, with the intention of keeping the energy up, it’s the more experimental artists that missed out. So no Harry Partch, no Pauline Oliveros, no Annea Lockwood, no John Cage (nor accompanying 4m33s of silence for the deceased), no Wendy Carlos and no Karel Goeyvaerts. So I’ll perhaps return to those next week on NTS for a lil gay electroacoustic segue. We’ll see…
But the things that actually made the cut? Check it out here, tracklist and download below, and not an Elton in sight.
LoveIsLove xx
Matmos – Steam and Sequins for Larry Levan [matador]
Grace Jones – Feel Up (Larry Levan mix) [Universal]
Mighty Duke – More Women [Cultures Of Soul]
Cobra Killer – Six Secs [DHR]
Labi Siffre – I Got The… [EMI]
Marlene Dietrich – The Boys In The Backroom [Decca]
Arca – Vanity [Mute]
THEESatisfaction – EarthEE [Sub Pop]
Le1f – Grace Alek Naomi [Terrible]
Angel Haze – Impossible [Self-released]
Cakes Da Killa – Keep It Coochie [Mishka]
Lady Sovereign – A Little Bit Of Shhh! [Chocolate Industries]
Lady Sovereign – The Battle (ft Frost P, Shystie, Zuz Rock) [Chocolate Industries]
Throbbing Gristle – United [Industrial]
The Velvet Underground & Nico – European Son [Verve]
Heatsick – Vom Anderen Ufer [Pan]
William S Burroughs – Present Time Express [Sub Rosa]
Matmos – Rag for William S Burroughs [Matador]