Un-Conventional Women

Location, Date and Time:

The Great Hall: Manchester Town Hall, Sunday 4th March, 2012, (11am - 6pm).

The Panel discussion:

'Punk, politicisation and the DIY ethic'
(17.00 - 17.45)

This panel includes:

Tracey Moberly (moderator)
Gee Vaucher (Crass)
Viv Albertine (Slits)
Jayne Casey (Big in Japan, Creme nightclub)
Zel Kaute
Kara Leckenby (SJM rep & musician) (tbc)

Blurb for Panel:

Punk, politicisation and the DIY ethic

Patti Smith, Aretha Franklin, Bikini Kill, Queen Latifah and Monie Love, The Slits, Le Tigre, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, MC5s Bob Dylan, Sex Pistols, The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers, X-Ray Specs, Billy Bragg, The Redskins, Dead Kennedys, Henry Rollins and hundreds of others. Popular music is littered with musicians for who music and politics where intertwined. Whether this was reflected through their music or more by their vocal support for political causes, there has been an acceptance that this was one of the primary roles of musicians - to question and change society.

New Labour made a point of cozying up to musicians and 'cool creatives' with the promise of a changing British society for the better. As we now know, this was a false promise. As a result, certainly in Britain and arguably across the world, there has been a distinct lack of musicians actively singing about or getting involved in political issues. Now facing years of Tory and Lib Dem rule will this change? Is it up to musicians to challenge and inspire political change? Does anyone give a damn anymore?

We believe people do. We believe that music is not all about being rich and famous or selling millions of records and making media conglomerates more money than is possibly needed. When commerce is the only consideration, we believe the cultural, social, intellectual and artistic life of the citizenry suffers.