In the Water

Five-step Programme

Yes, an enlightening interview with yours truly. Disillusioned Kid brings up the important questions of our time, and we prepare for all worst case scenarios with appropriate abandon. Read till the end, especially if you now want me to interview you.

1). As a result of climate change and/or nuclear war its suddenly got incredibly cold. The dire state of the economy reduces you to using your book collection as fuel for a fire. What goes first and what do you hide away?

 Well first I’d probably burn all those Chomsky tomes about how human beings have a choice of whether they want to avoid environmental collapse and nuclear war or not. Also, would there be any point in retaining all that post-apocalyptic fiction? Perhaps it would be useful as a reference, but could be moved to the ‘non-fiction’ category. In any case all my comic books will be hidden away and defended with my life.

2) The dead are rising and devouring the living. Millions have already succumbed and you'll soon be trapped in your home. What's your plan?

I think about this a lot. Given that I live in one of the most densely-populated areas of the world, this would be a tough situation. But on the other hand, because land is so scarce over here, we don’t have that many graveyards, so the initial crop of living dead wouldn’t be too overwhelming. If the situation does get critical, there would be no point in barricading myself in my apartment- I would be totally surrounded and wouldn’t last very long. I would take my cricket bat, put on 20 layers of clothing to guard against bites, and try to make it out to the harbour and the ferry piers. That’s about an hour and half on foot. There I would commandeer a vessel and take it out to one of the tiny outlying islands where the odds are slightly better. Can the living dead swim?

 3) At an action you are far more successful than you had anticipated and find yourself in the midst of the G8 leaders. Unfortunately the only thing within reach is those little pastries they carry round on trays at posh events of this sort. Whatca gonna do?

For a while I would watch the G8 leaders eat those dairy-laden pastries and make snarky comments because as a vegan I have a significantly lower risk of developing cholesterol-related heart problems in my lifetime. Ha ha. Then I would try to organize the tray-carriers so we could hurl pastries and obscenities at them.

 4) Complete this sentence: "Say what you like about him, but at least George W. Bush..."

Has consistently railed against foreign militants in Iraq. I’ve heard there’s at least 150,000 of them from the States alone.

5) In 97 words or less, why haven't we defeated capitalism yet?

Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.

***

Here are the rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions (or leaving them in a comment on your blog). I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Interview with Hoods Up 495

I posted a couple of weeks ago about a compilation CD from Moscow in support of Alem Assefa. Well, here's an interview I did last year with Vova, one of the members of a band called Hoods Up 495, and the brains behind the compilation. Hoods Up 495 is political, anti-fascist hiphop/hardcore from Moscow... in other words, a bunch of very brave guys! Check out the interview, it's got some great information about the situation now and growing up in the Soviet Union...

In The Water: Greetings! Could you tell me something about Hoods Up 495? Like where are you guys from, who are the members, where does the name come from, and how would you describe your music?

Vova: Hey man! Thanx a ton for support and your interest in our band! We started this band in spring 2006. There are two of us in the band - Ispectah Wreck and Daddy Damage (me). The name speaks for itself: HOODS UP means something like get ready, and 495 is a code of Moscow-city. We call our music circle pit hip hop actually its some mix of hip-hop, hardcore-punk, ska, heavy-metal etc with political antifascist lyrics.

Did you guys all play music before this band? I understand you were in some punk bands in Moscow before... how was that experience?

Yeah, we played and still play in some punk bands, those who alive today are Razor Bois (Oi!/ska-punk) and Frank Castle Gonna Break Your Neck! (hardcore in the vein of Heresy, Urban Waste, SS Decontrol, Negative Approach etc). We also were involved in setting up non-profit DIY gigs, doing some zines etc.

What is the punk scene in Moscow like? How has it changed in the past few years?

In my opinion, Russian punk scene is still weak, but it gets better slowly.
We still dont have enough bands that play real punk rock, most of them are just trying to get easy money, playing some emo or other commercial bullshit. At the same time suckers cant even imitate major emo-bands, their shit sounds even worse. But the real problem is that most of Russian punk still feel OK to deal with Nazis. I dont know any clubs around where the Nazis dont feel comfortable. On the most of the gigs you may see groups of assholes parading around with svastika tattoos, white power bands t-shirts. Nazi assholes often beat up other kids.
At the same time, I can’t get why people go to the venues that allow Nazis to come in.
You also may find in Russia such a phenomenon as nazi-punks. I remember times when I was a lil kid and some punks were trying to attack me because of my antifascist pins and patches. They used to say that all real punks are Nazis. There were lots of nazi-punk bands and bands that feel OK to share the stage and labels with them. There is a huge nazi-label in Russia called KTR. It was formed by some assholes from the nazi-metal band Korrozia Metalla which were extremely popular in this country for a long time. By the way, they got their sorry asses kicked by Napalm Death, when ND was touring Moscow. KTR released lots of nazi bands, white power magazines and other shit. Its a well known fact that they were always sponsored by different right-wing parties Today, many of the bands that were on KTR for years pretend it has never happened. Some of them even try to call themselves antifascist, because they hope to tour some foreign countries and get some money Its ridiculous where was their antifascism when they played on one gig with a pack of Nazis.

How about the hiphop scene?

Unfortunately, I cant say anything good about Russian hip-hop. Most if it is some gangsta-wanna-be pathetic crap or some emotional pseudo-poetical pretences. Lots of those rappers are also always happy to show their love to some patriotic ideas and Christian church. Thats just ridiculous

How did you get the idea to do 'circle pit hip hop'; or mix some parts of punk and hip hop together? Are you into both kinds of music?

Yeah, as I said, weve been into both hardcore and hip hop culture for long and we were going to start such band for a long time.

You are an openly anti-fascist band, and very open about your politics. I heard that the situation in Russia regarding Nazis and fascists skinheads is getting really really terrible these days, with regular beatings and murders of minorities and anti-fascists? Could you please tell me about this situation? 

Youre right, situation is absolutely terrible. The main reasons are strong right-wing government propaganda, very high level of peoples ignorance and spineless position of the rest of the society. Last year there was a huge nazi march in the centre of Moscow approved by the authorities. Its a pretty interesting fact that when some antifascist activists set up a protest meeting on the way of the nazi march they were arrested. Its such a usual situation here, antifascist actions get stopped by the cops and participants get arrested and beaten up, while Nazis, religious radicals, homophobes and other right-wing scum are free to voice their opinion anytime anywhere.

I read about the violence at the recent attempt to have 'Pride day' in Moscow...

Yeah, Love Parade was officially denied by Moscow mayor and his corrupt-ass administration. There were lot of homophobic talking on TV and in papers Both Christian and Muslim leaders were calling their true believers to go out and beat down the perverts. I’m not joking, those were blatant calls for violence, nothing less! As we can see, those religious rivals got so much in common actually. You know, attacks on gay clubs are usual in this country. So on the day of Love Parade all the centre of the city was full of Nazis and riot cops and there were no doubts that they are on the same sideI think that our country showed its ugly fascist face to the whole world. I just hope that nobody has any illusions about Russia now.

Is the situation worse in Moscow, or is it also in other places throughout the country?

It depends on the place. In Moscow and St Petersburg Nazis are more organized, but at the same time in such big cities you may also find active antifascists, while there are some small towns, which are in total control of some nazi organization. You know, there are lots of officilal organizations and political parties here, which are blatantly right-wing. Whose members are spreading white-power propaganda, attacking people etc.

Have you guys been personally affected by this upsurge of the fascist movement in Russia? Do you feel it is dangerous to be an openly anti-fascist band, and do you have problems at your shows or anything?

You know, its dangerous here just to look different from the faceless human mass. If you have a Mohawk, dreadlocks or just a punk-rock t-shirt you may get attacked in the broad-day light as an enemy of the great Russian nation. Our gigs were set up by us, so we had a facecontrol, trying to not let Nazis in.
All our bands we play in are openly anti-fascist, so we got a lot of hatemail, death-threats and shit, we were snitched by some friends for life who decided that it would be more safe for them to change sides Anyway, fuck nazi shitheads and their apolitical whores! They are nothing but a sub-scum and we dont give a fuck about them...

Aside from the band, how do you, and how can you, confront this rise in fascist shit?

I think that the main and, maybe, the only way to stop fascist disease is to boycott everything and everybody who has anything in common with nazi crap. Just dont go to the clubs that allow Nazis to come in and parade around with svastika tattoos, dont buy anything from right-wing fucks, dont deal with labels that release white-power bands, dont fucking shake hands with so called right-wing persons. When Nazis see that they are accepted by community, they want more and more. Today you let them come to your gig, tomorrow they start beatin up kids and tell you what you should play and what shouldnt. We need just to cut their air, make em get back to the underground and suffocate there.

Your song 'FenceWalking ScumFuck' is about punks and other people who still hang out with nazis and go to shows that they organize and buy their music. Is this really what people do? Do people just say 'oh i'm not political' and then hang out with nazis??
Oh, man! There is a countless number of excuses those people are comin with. They say ‘I’m not into politics’, they say ‘he’s an old friend of mine’, they say ‘I don’t care that the gig is organized by nazi friendly businessmen, I just need to see my fav band and relax after a hard day.’ Bitches got lots of excuses. If even punk rock kids say this crap, you may imagine what other people say. I wonder if they can tell this shit to the parents of people, killed or crippled by their nazi friends.

I can’t believe that they are too stupid not to understand that their apolitical position is nothing but a support of the hate crimes and they got some big blood spots on their hands. They understand it clearly, but just dont care. If your friend is a nazi, why dont you try to help him to get out of that crap. The fact that a person is your friend doesnt make him/her better than others and doesnt allow him/her to spread ideas of hate and destroy others’ lives. I had to quit any relations with some people who I knew for really long. That shit wasnt easy, but I don’t see any other ways. If you cope with nazi scum, you are not any better than them or even worse, cause they are the enemies and you’re the traitor and backstabber!

Generally how does the punk scene in Moscow respond to your ideas? Is there a lot of support against the fascists? Are there other anti-fascist bands too?

Yeah, there are people who resist nazi bullshit, who fight Nazis on the streets, who spread the flyers and other propaganda. But those people are the minority. There is a lot of shit comin from apolitical persons. Like ‘fuck those antifa kids, cause they fought Nazis last time, and this time Nazis came and kicked our ass, though we’re apolitical.’ Its unbelievable, but that’s true And the majority of people who understand at least something accuse antifascists of using the same methods that the Nazis use! But these people never come with any ideas or something. They just bluff around. Its OK to be nazi here, its not OK to be an antifascist! 

Of course it is not just skinheads that is the problem, right? Surely there are more powerful people and political parties who benefit from this violence and the anti-foreigner ideas? I heard about parties like Rodina that have very similar ideas?

Yeah as I’ve said before, there are lots of official organizations, which are blatantly fascist. But government does nothing about them politicians are always extremely interested in those right-wing fools and support them here and there.

What about the situation in Russia under the Soviet Union? Were there no fascist skinheads, or were they just kept 'under the carpet'? Was there a punk scene in Soviet Union?

There were no nazi skinheads, but there were patriotic organizations, like PAMYAT, who actually were blatant nationalist anti-Semitic fuckers. They got serious support from the Soviet authorities, because anti-Semitism was almost official in USSR. There were also some youth subcultures like Lyubera they consisted of some suburban jocks, organized by Komsomol (communist youth organization) to attack the first rock gigs and beat down hippies, punks and everybody who looked anti-Soviet.

How do you feel life in Russia is different now than under Soviet Union? I know it is hard to say, but do you feel now that its better, worse, or just another, different kind of authoritarian and fascist situation?

Its definitely better, because the USSR was a total hell, while in Russia you at least got a chance. Soviet people couldnt leave the country for most it was impossible, today the borders are open, though in some countries they still dont wanna see us. (I don’t blame them, they got their reasons). In the Soviet Union you may get into concentration camp for telling a funny story about some government leader. Even in the end of the Soviet Era people didn't have the right of free speech. And dont forget the hunger, total poverty, awful conditions of life. Actually, the USSR was nothing but a huge concentration camp, which was trying to threaten his neighbors. So I can’t keep myself from laughing when I see some punk-rockers sporting soviet symbols. What are they trying to say? That they praise one of the most bloody authoritarian regimes of all time, blatant nationalism, homophobia (according to the Soviet law gay people went straight to jail) and total destruction of anybody who dares to have a brain? And its a shame to see those commie-kids here in Russia, where their grandparents were exploited, thrown in jails and killed by the sick soviet criminals.

Are you hopeful about the future and about stopping the fascist trend in Russia right now? There seems to be a lot of hard work to do...

Man, I don’t know. The only way is an all-over propaganda. Like when the antifascist message will become widely spread so that the people who dont care (the majority of our population) will just follow another trend and will hate Nazis. But that can be reached only if nazi culture is abolished in every sphere of every day life. Like when you turn on your TV you see some antifascist propaganda, you read some trendy authors book and you also see it, and finally when Mr P himself will says: I hate Nazis- make them bleed! But I Dont see anything like that coming in the nearest future Patriotism is the hottest trend of modern Russia and it seems like it gonna stay this way for pretty long time.

So how can we get in touch with punks in Russia contact them and buy their music? How about if someone from Hong Kong or other places in Asiawants to play shows in Russia?

I guess, only via internet because for most of Russian punks its still very hard to get out of this country. But look out for fencewalking suckers and especially bands who were/was on KTR and Neuro-Empire those are the main nazi-friendly businessmen here. Fuck them!

Anything we can do outside to support the anti-fascist struggle in Russia?

Send us Jackie Chan so he will kick mr Putin in the stomach!

Bash the Rich

Another new section, another self-explanatory category name. I've been in Malaysia for the past few days, and was suprised to see two pieces of graffitti in central Kuala Lumpur: 'Stop War, Start Class War' and 'Class War'. So, like some Pavlovian dog, I am now linking this great review by DK of Bash the Rich: True-Life Confessions of an Anarchist in the UK. Pavlovian because the book is by one of the founders of the UK anarchist group Class War (ring!), and DK provides a bit of history and context about the group to go along with the review... definitely looks like it's worth a read, and perhaps an eventual translation into Chinese...?

dizzidenza 2007: Queen's Pier

dizzidenza , the annual commemoration of the June 4, 1989 actions by citizens in Beijing, is appropriately going to be held at Queen's Pier this year. Starting after the return of HK to China in 1997, dizzidenza tries to remember the spirit of peoples' actions by taking over and holding an area of public space, rather than simply mourning the massacre that took place in 1989.

In previous years the action has been held on the waterfront in Kowloon, but with the recent struggles of the Local Action Group in occupying and using Queen's Pier as a public space, there is surely no better place in HK to hold the action this year. The Local Action Group has put a lot of effort, energy, and heart into the struggle to prevent Queen's Pier and other areas of the city from being demolished, and have even been followed and harassed by police as a result. Hopefully this year's dizzidenza can be yet another use of the space that people's efforts have created, so at 8:09pm on June 3, go down, show your support, and show your strength!

Details of the action below... also see dizzidenza and InMedia for more information.

dizzidenza 2007

please forward and propagate

dizzidenza (echoes from tinanman)

19890604
thinking beyond patriotic.
wanting true democracy.
making people's movement.
love, hate and sadness, echoes on.
20070604
wanting to trek the paths again.
Lovers and comrades.
to the square we go.
death or life, together we will be.

Since '97 (the return of hong kong to the mainland), dizzidenza has been an annual music gathering at the area in front of the "the soaring frenchman" sculpture in front of the tsimshatsui cultural centre which echoes the independent dissents raised during june 4th, 1989.

18 years have gone by..................people's voices are still being controlled, voices of dissent are still being neglected and marginalised. We believe that people's independent voices of dissent should be mutually honoured and facilitated. We also noticed the 'return the harbour (hong kong) to the people' movement raised by the 'local action network' which is a gathering of people from various groups concerned about the building of local communities and cultural development. their movement started from the preservation of the star ferry and queen's pier and developed into people's participation in community and societal planning and their vision of 'our home, we plan' are deeply rooted in the nurturing of community autonomy and the fertilizing of the growth towards a truly democratic society. moved we are, therefore we would like to move our gathering this year to the frontline of struggle to express and voice our support and solidarity.

therefore, we send out here an open call to hold this year's gathering at the 'queen's pier', the people's square cultivated by the steadfast struggling by the 'local action network'. we hope those who get the message shall bring along their own equipments of amplification; performance or display to gather at the 'queen's pier' at 8:09 p.m. on june 3rd to realize an cultural square of the voices of the independent dissents and the freedom to action.

in a square of openness, any voice must certainly be honoured. if any discord should happens, accord should be made with proactive mutual care of the involved participants to achieve a just co-ordination and arrangement.

furthermore, we think that a people's square is of the people and for the people, any uninvited interruption by any governing parties are un-necessary and is actually a repressive act to suppress the people's freedom of expression and action. therefore, this gathering of cultural action will not submit any application or notification to any governing bodies. thus, the participants might have to face and react to interruptions by the governing parties. since we called this gathering a square of the people, the mutual care and support between people to face up to and resolve any pressing problem will be of utmost importance.

if you should have any question, please email to dizzidenza@mail.com
or visit www.dizzidenza.blogspot.com/

dizzidenza
from southeast of mainland china

異議聲音二零零七 dizzidenza 2007

異議聲音二零零七

(please scroll down for the english version)

請廣為轉傳發播

異議聲音(天安門迴響)

一九八九六四
想超越愛國
要真正民主
做人的運動
愛恨哀怨 迴響不絕
二零零七六四
要再上路
愛人同志
到廣場去
死生相隨

異議聲音為一個由九七回歸開始，迴響八九六四人民自主提出異議

，於尖沙咀文化中心外「翱翔的法國人」雕塑前的空地舉行的年度文化演展聚匯。

但十八年後的今天‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧‧人民的自主性仍然被監控，異議的聲音依然被茫視及邊緣化。我們心信人民自主的異議聲音必須互相確認及鼓動，亦留意到半年以來，由不同關注本土社區及文化建設的朋友匯聚而成的「本土行動網絡」所持續推展，由保衛天星皇后出發，直指社區以至整體規劃參與的「還港於民」運動所提出的，我們的家園、人民的規劃，實為深耕社區自主及建設真正民主社會的運動。所以我們希望今年的匯聚走進抗爭現場以表達我們的聲援及及結連。

因此我們呼籲本年度的異議聲音匯聚在由「本土行動網絡」堅守而開拓出的人民自主廣場「皇后碼頭」舉行。希望接收到此訊息的朋友，帶同自己的發聲、演展、播放器具，於六月三日晚上八時九分匯聚「皇后碼頭」，共構一個自主發聲、自由起動的文化廣場。

誠然，在一個開放的廣場上，任何一個聲音都應被尊重，當中如出現任何不協調之情況，亦期望各參與的朋友本著互相關顧的原則作出積極協調及安排。

另 外，我們認為人民的廣場本就屬於人民，任何規管者於未被要求的情況下之干預，實為不必要及壓縮人民自主表達的空間的行為。故此，此次的文化廣場匯聚，將不 會向任何規管機構發出實為不必要的申請或知會。所以，期間各參與朋友將可能需要面對規管者的干預及作出回應。當然，既稱人民匯聚廣場，人民之間，互相關顧、支援，以至共同面對及化解任何眼前的困難，將會是其中極為重要的一環。

如有任何疑問，請電郵至dizzidenza@mail.com
或瀏覽www.dizzidenza.blogspot.com/

異議丹剎
中國大陸東南

Support Alem Assefa

So here's the first post in a brand new category for this blog, Music! (the '!' is because Typepad apparently thinks already have a category by that name).

After a kind of forced-exile I've started playing much more music again over the past couple of years, and have always been interested in how music can both reflect larger issues in a community or the world, can be a cohesive force between people, and also a means of action. So blah, blah, blah, expect to see some more pieces on music, musicians, and interesting political/music mutations in the near future.

For now I'm going to plug a project that some friends of mine in Moscow have put together. These guys are in an antifascist hip-hop/punk group called Hoods Up 495, and have been very bravely standing up to the increasing swell of fascist activity on the streets and in the boardrooms of their city. They recently put together an international compilation CD to benefit Alem Assefa, one of their friends who was beaten into a coma by neo-Nazi skinheads on the Moscow metro.

Definitely check out more about the band and the charity, as well as the situation in Russia, in the links above. In the mean time, here's the official text on Alem's story and the CD's release...

Planet Of Friends Compilation

PLANET OF FRIENDS is an international antifascist punk/hardcore compilation, put out to support a guy named Alem Assefa, who was attacked and badly crippled by nazi boneheads in Moscow just because his skin was black. Alem got very serious brain traumas, he spent a very long time in coma and couldn't even talk and move by himself. It's a shame, but that white power crap is extremely huge in Russia today and there are lot of subhumans around, who think that they may take away your right to live, just because of the color of your skin. Nazis here feel absolutely free to cripple and even kill people of "different" race, nationality, sex and antifascist activists in the broad day light, while the authorities don't seem to care even a little about it. Now Alem is slowly getting better and doctors say he even has chances to get back to normal life. But he needs a very expensive medical treatment, while his family isn't rich at all. All money from this comp will go to support Alem and his family. The comp was released by Russian DIY label Boycott The Fencewalkers Records, but it would never see the light without huge help and support of our friends from all over the globe. This CD is a result of common work of people from 12 countries. BANDS - The compilation has 43 songs (more than hour of music - hardcore, thrash, crust, OI!, street-punk, hip-hop etc) from 27 bands : VITAMIN X, A.N.S., BLACK S.S., COMMON ENEMY, LxExAxRxNx, ENDSTAND, SUCK STUFF, KNOCKAROUNDS, NANAHARA SHUYA, EYES OF HATE, THE 4 SIVITS, CxAxP, RAZOR BOIS, THE ANSWER LIES, MASSACRE, F.C.G.B.Y.N! DYSNEYLAND, JUST WENT BLACK, HOODS UP 495, SUCK STUFF, REBEL SPELL,DEAN DIRG, ALARME, SATANAIZ, ALTERNATE SYSTEM, MIGRA VIOLENTA, THE TANGLED LINES GOALS - Releasing this compilation, we try not only to collect money for Alem, but also goin' to - show Alem that he's not alone. There are lots of people around the whole world who are eager to help him since they heard about his tragedy. - demonstrate that we're not gonna let fascist scum grind us down. Fascism, nationalism, bigotry and ignorance are not just problems of the victims. It is our common problem. Because tomorrow everybody, incuding us, our friends and relatives may become another victim. Fascism and hate knows no race, color, sex etc. We all must stand shoulder to shoulder and show boneheads that they can't do shit to nobody of us. Not on this planet, motherfuckers!! HOW IT WORKS - All profits from this compliation are being transferred to the charity organisation POMOGI.ORG, who are helping to collect money for Alem and lots of other people who really need help. This is a really great organistion that can be trusted, NO BULLSHIT! If you'd like to know more about them visit their page: http://en.pomogi.org/ Here's the section of the site, dedicated to Alem: http://en.pomogi.org/help/alem/ HOW TO BUY AND SUPPORT - CHECK THE BLOG TO LEARN ABOUT HOW TO BUY THE COMP AND THE OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT ALEM!

Insert water-related cliche here...

It's been almost a year since my last post, but I've been convinced/inspired to start writing this blog again thanks to some friends. All the posts from the past couple of years are still around, but you'll have to check them out in the archives... I wanted to clear this main page to avoid confusing myself, and to purge the main page of the comment-spammers that have descended like an army of robotic weeds upon this neglected blog.

Anyway, it's been a long, crazy year. Short story is that I'm moving out of HK within the next two months. There's going to be a lot to talk about in that time, and I guess it's good to have this thing up and running so I can document all that.

If you want the long version you can write me an email. It feels good to sneak back into this blog world, much like this spring roll sneaking into the picture below... yes, more soon!