Who said nobody wants political music anymore?

Within 20 minutes of opening the doors, we had to shut them again. We were full!!!

Thanks to everyone who came and supported us.

I’m keen for feedback on the night. Everyone who got in seemed to have a ball, but I’d like to hear from everyone who came along. Just click here and drop me a line.

In the meantime, here are some vids of the night.

Bury Me Beneath The Willow

Smugglers

El Fusilado

Union Maid

Farewell – The Leaving of Liverpool

A reminder that the launch of my Woody Guthrie Folk Club is this forthcoming Thursday – February 25th.

Some have asked if it’s a night of Woody covers. Not at all.

Rather the club will seek to be a place full of Woody’s spirit of humour and rebellion.

So if you like your folk music fun, exciting and a bit dangerous too – come along and savour the atmosphere at the club’s launch on Thursday.

Doors open at 7.30pm and the music starts at 8pm.

Musicians and singers welcome for what will be a rousing family party style singaround (2 songs each). £3 entry or FREE for singers/players.

The club is at the fabulous real ale haven The Ship and Mitre in Dale Street.

More info and directions at www.woodyfolk.co.uk

This isn’t one of my gigs but I’m posting anyhow as it’s certainly worthy of your support, and a cracking bill musically too.

Pete Wylie, John Head, and Peter Hooton feature at The Zanzibar, Seel Street on Friday (Feb 12) in support of Mojo – the miscarriages of justice organisation.

It all kicks off at 7.45 and is just £10 entry.

Also present are Paddy Hill of the Birmingham Six, and Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four.

Tickets are available from

• RMT North West, 29 Hope Street, Liverpool (above The Casa)
• Probe Records, 9 Slater Street, Liverpool
• Zanzibar, Seel Street, Liverpool
• Ye Cracke Public House, Rice Street, Liverpool

I’m told that the Love Haiti gig raised over £1,000. Donations for the gig are still possible online by clicking here. Thanks to Clair Chapman for organising the night.

Bandinabox TV produced this excellent short film on the night which features an interview with me.

Those who saw the original will notice that this version has been cleaned up. My new song has some naughty words in!! So the video that featured that has gone and been replaced with a different clip from the same song.

The lyrics of the chorus are: “Piss on pity, shit on their charity, slay the rich and spread their wealth” and pretty much sums up my feelings of disgust that people in such deep need have to rely on charity.

Do any of your remember the big charity bashes that we had this time last year to save the banks? No nor do I. Round the world, governments put their hand in their pocket and paid for that without hesitation.

Anyone remember the big charity benefits to raise money to pay for the Iraq War? No nor me. The government thought that important too, so once more they paid up with no quibbles.

We weren’t expected to scuttle around trying to fill the gap with charity events that time.

But a human catastrophe on such devastating proportions and it’s charity gigs all round to try and provide what the powers that be don’t care about providing.

Makes you think. So whenever you see ordinary folk doing their best by organising charity events, you can be pretty sure that it’s something that our rulers just don’t give a toss about.

If they did, they’d have already sorted it and wouldn’t be leaving it to us.

It’s never paying for bombs that they leave to chance, and it’s never bankers. It’s always us and people like us.

Why do the people of Haiti have to wait on us raising £1,000 here and there when they need massive help now?

Before I go, there is a meeting at The Casa on Thursday 4th February to build solidarity with the trade unions in Haiti.

It starts at 7pm and features speakers from the Cuban Solidarity Campaign and the Fire Brigades Union.