Pauline Murray

Phew! It’s been what could best be described as “A bit of a week!”

Things at work are still fairly frantic but we’ve managed to get a press release out to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, noting the irony of the latest round of massive cuts to local mental health organisations – including our own – at a time when mental health has never had a higher public profile. We seem to be generating some interest!!

I’ve been busy giving presentations too. A relatively low-key one on ‘Austerity, Adversity and Welfare Reform’ to the local Unite branch on Monday evening, a rather more formal seminar on the same topic at The University of Liverpool on Wednesday evening, and another seminar – this time on ‘Women, Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System’ – at Merseyside Police HQ on Tuesday.

Last night I was at the Naked Lunch café for another ‘listening party’ for the ‘Finding Some Way Through: A City of the Mind’ sound installation which I blipped about back in January  www.blipfoto.com/entry/2268006398883266841 - which was our contribution to the ongoing ‘Writing on the Wall’ festival.

And, tonight, I attended another ‘Writing on the Wall’ event – but, this time, purely as an over-excited punter!

‘Punk Survivors’ brought together several of my youthful inspirations in conversation about the past, present and future.

Today's Blip subject, Pauline Murray, is the lead singer in County Durham’s finest punk band, Penetration. Formed in 1976 and back in active service today. When not playing with the band or doing solo gigs, she also runs rehearsal studios in Newcastle and she retains her youthful passion and distrust of the system and the music business. She's great!

Don Letts was a mover and shaker on the early London punk scene, running the clothing shop ‘Acme Attractions’ which was the only serious rival to Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s shops, ‘Let it Rock’ and ‘Sex’ (from whence emerged the Sex Pistols). Don was a close confidante of The Clash, directing some of their videos, DJ-ing at iconic punk club The Roxy and managing The Slits (www.blipfoto.com/entry/4446664 ). When Mick Jones parted company with The Clash, he and Don formed Big Audio Dynamite and, more recently, Don has become a fixture on BBC Radio 6Music with his ‘Culture Clash’ show, as well as continuing to make films.

Steve Ignorant was the lead singer with Crass. The Sex Pistols may have sung about Anarchy in the U.K., but Crass were the real deal. And despite many a young punk’s cry of ‘Never trust a hippie!’, the commune-dwelling Crass members really were, to all intents and purposes, short-haired hippies. Since leaving the band, Steve has moved to Norfolk, run a puppet show and become a member of his local lifeboat crew.

After their discussion with Roger Hill (BBC Radio Merseyside's answer to John Peel), the second half of the event featured Roger in conversation with Cosey Fanni Tutti, best known as a member of Throbbing Gristle (bizarrely, the second time I've mentioned that band in two Blips!) but also a notable visual artist, with work in the Tate to prove it! She's currently touring to promote her autobiography, 'Art Sex Music', and, by crikey, she's had a fascinating life! You can hear more about it here https://m.mixcloud.com/the_Quietus/the-quietus-hour-show-35-coum-transmissions-special-in-hull-with-cosey-fanni-tutti/

I've posted more photos of Pauline, Cosey, Don and Steve at https://flickr.com/photos/129535142@N04/sets/72157683757191775 if you fancy a look!

Today's song is, of course, Penetration's classic, 'Don't Dictate' www.youtube.com/watch?v=znKexePN7JE