Fuck, synthesizers can breed? Learn the shocking truth of London’s new dancing AIDS craze. We came across this report while prowling around Pearse St archive last week. Interesting to note just how carbon copy a lot of this form of journalism is. England snorts a line and Dublin catches the headlines. The similarities with reporting on the head shop chaos springs immediately to mind. Written by Ces Cassady, it’s … Read More
Selma James To Speak In UCD Tomorrow
Selma James is a cult icon for many with an interest in the history of the thinking left. She was one of the co-authors of The Power of Women and the Subversion of the Community with Mariarosa Dalla Costa. They argued that women’s unpaid labor was a central plank in holding up the market economy. The documentary linked to above looks at some of these ideas through conversations with a … Read More
Unearthed MLK Footage.
It’s Oscar season. We’ve neglected it here at rabble. Democracy Now on the other hand haven’t. They’ve unearthed unseen footage from Ely Landau’s Academy Award nominatd King: A Filmed Record… Montgomery to Memphis. The 3-hour documentary is a melange of newsreel footage of events during the Civil Righs Movement. It premiered as a special “one-time-only event” on March 24, 1970 in over 600 theaters throughout the United States. A shorter version … Read More
Ballroom of No Dance.
The 1935 Dancehall Act was passed in the atmosphere of racism and media hysteria which surrounded jazz. Originally intended to target this salacious newcomer it had a serious detrimental effect on the practice of traditional music in the countryside. Justin Cans takes a look at how it has had serious repercussions ever since. My first introduction to this bedevilment of the Irish Statue Book came around the year 2008, when … Read More
Under The Influence
Since 1833, legislation on intoxicating liquor and associated socialising has always come at the behest of special interest groups such as the Church, the Vintners, Dev or the supermarkets. Simon Price looks at what we’re up against. The last ten years have seen government legislate NAMA and bank bailouts to the ruination of the country while any moves to alter the status quo surrounding Irish nightlife have met fierce resistance … Read More
German fascism – a warning from history
The photograph above captures last night’s event when 10,000 anti-fascists formed a symbolic cordon around the city of Dresden on the eve of the anniversary of the WWII bombing. Dresden was firebombed by British forces from 13 – 15 Feb 1945. Almost 4000 tons of high-explosive and incendiary bombs created a firestorm that incinerated 15 sq miles and 25,000 people. The neo-nazis have tried in recent years to hijack the … Read More
LGBT History Month And Walking Tour.
It really is a year of commemorations. While 1913 is dominating most of the discussions we’re party to, there’s a few more historical moments worthy of attention too. 2013 marks the 30th anniversary of Dublin Pride parades, and it’s also the 20th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality here. Yes, that’s right folks 1993…Jaysus. That’s a date that would shock you, were we not all left recently grappling with the … Read More
Pirate Powered.
Before downloads and smartphones, back when club culture looked forward and the Celtic Tiger was roaring drunk after a rugby match in Temple Bar, you had to get your musical fix by tuning into stations like Power Fm. This short profile is taken from Sampler, a short lived (but loved) sort of counter-cultural collage show on Bog 2. It gained some notoriety for broadcasting footage from the RTS riots. And … Read More
rabbleReels: A Short Film About Chilling
Nice work if you can get it… 1990 documentary about dance music culture, particularly that happening in Ibiza in and around Cafe Del Mar. A snapshot of the Balearic Ibiza clubbing and chilling scene before it exploded into the mainstream. A Short Film About Chilling is a documentary first screened on Channel 4 to coincide with Ibiza 90. The documentary provides a great insight to the Balearic music and nightlife … Read More
Raids Against London Clubs
Shit, look at them go. This went unnoticed here, but the Met raided raided 2,487 venues in London on December 7th alone in a crack down on licensing laws. A club called 93 Feet East was at the centre of the raids, a specialist in electronic music, 175 officers were involved in arresting ten people. As the Stool Pigeon put it: To clarify: that’s 20 officers and 1/9th of a … Read More