Hard to know where to start, but suffice to say Glastonbury 2017 was 33 hours of the most incredible music, friendship and solidarity and I will remember it as long as I live.

Whether it was the company of my comrade and friend Tony ‘3Ts’ Wright; the truly amazing family that is the Leftfield Stage team; the soaring performances I witnessed; the electricity that crackled in the air as Jeremy Corbyn walked on stage; the new friends I made; the old friends who came along to the gig or sent messages of support from back home…..or maybe a combination of all of these, and more, I don’t know; but I loved every second and Leftfield is branded on my heart.

The gig itself was 90 minutes of pure joy as Billy Bragg, Louise Distras, myself and Oh Pep! sang in the round, and the staggering quality of the performances around me gave me such a lift I could hardly fail. Just beautiful. Such an inspiring set to have been a part of, and in an atmosphere unique to Leftfield, something approaching perfect.

There were many highlights- trading songs with Paddy Nash, Diane Greer and Zoe West around the campfire on Saturday night; talking 7″ singles with Billy Bragg and Daniel Rachel on the Sunday morning (Note to self: Get ‘Tumbling Dice’ on vinyl and play the B-Side loud…..a Bragg recommendation); meeting John McDonnell backstage; becoming Rhoda Dakar‘s official ‘Sleeping Bag Roadie’; saying hello to Phill Jupitus PROPERLY instead of walking into him as I rushed offstage post- ‘Tom Paine’s Bones’ at The Adelphi in Hull two years ago and being so confused I lost my tongue……all of this was ace, but four moments stand out.

Firstly, Beans on Toast was absolutely incredible. Jay was on fire. I have never seen so much love and joy fly off the stage (literally toward the end) and come back at a performer a hundredfold. Beans was made for Glastonbury, and Glastonbury for Beans. A perfect match.

Secondly, the legend that is Ralph McTell, whose version of ‘Streets Of London’ was so moving there was hardly a dry eye in the house. He introduced it as having a new poignancy in the aftermath of Grenfell Tower, and it has. Absolutely stunning. Ralph’s voice, weathered to perfection by the years, delivered his masterpiece with an ache of longing that reinvented a now folk standard, and we were swept away by it. As it neared the conclusion and he had the audience sing the chorus, he paused to ask if only the ladies could sing. Any other song, and any other artist, and this would have been a cheesy slice of seaside showbiz, but at once the somewhat rowdy singalong morphed into a choir of angels, a fitting and deeply moving tribute to those who lost their lives just a few days ago. Incredible stuff.

Thirdly, the atmosphere in the Leftfield tent as, packed to the rafters, the crowd waited for Jeremy Corbyn. The air crackled with expectation and the Labour leader did not fail. He blew the roof off. The now trademark ‘Oh Jeremy Corbyn’ song rang out around Glastonbury whenever there was silence, and it is hard not so see him now as a Prime Minister in waiting, such is the love for the man. This would go to the head of someone younger, whose ego might run away with them, but Corbyn warns at every juncture that this movement, this tidal wave, is not about him it’s about US and what WE can bring- the ideas, the energy, the vitality- and of course, that just makes everyone love him more. Last year the result of the EU Referendum was announced at Leftfield and the atmosphere was darkened, stunned; so much has changed over the last few weeks that the most worn t-shirt was not a Radiohead, or a Foo Fighters, or an Ed Sheeran– it was Jeremy Corbyn. As Billy said, last year Leftfield was a corner of Glastonbury, this year Glastonbury WAS Leftfield. The times are indeed a-changin’.

Lastly, a moment I will treasure forever. During our set, Louise, Oh Pep! and myself shared something very special as, after singing all weekend, poor Billy Bragg‘s voice finally gave up and he managed to gasp out the words…..”I wrote this 30 years ago, but you’re going to have to help me with it.”……and he began to play ‘A New England’. The audience sang it as Billy strummed. Every last word. Including the Kirsty MacColl verse.

 

So that was my Glastonbury. I loved it. Every last second. And I cannot thank everyone who got me there enough, from Tony and Billy, to Sarah and the Leftfield Team; to Grant and everyone on sound and security; to Paul and Catherine for sending sugar and caffeine backstage; to Vicky and Craig and Colin and Angela and Lisa and all my other Facebook friends who came along to the gig when there was so much going on around the site; and to all of those at home who sent messages of good will which almost set my phone alight on Sunday. You all rule.

I have no management, no agent, no record company, no PR guru…..none of the machinery that gets people places in the music industry. When I get to play a gig like this it is because of the amazing people who speak up on my behalf, who share and who comment and who turn up at gigs on wet winter Wednesdays and then tell all their friends. In short, I was on that stage because you lot lifted me up there and I will never forget that.

Thank you x

Photographs by Peter Dunwell, Vicky Blake, Tony Wright, Paddy Nash, Hayley Neil, me and if I’ve missed anyone I massively apologise.

I would like to wish all Labour Party candidates the best of luck as Britain goes to the polls. The campaign has been inspirational, certainly the finest in living memory, and I truly believe the manifesto to be the most exciting political document of my lifetime.

The incredible work-rate of Jeremy Corbyn is unsurpassed in modern times, and having sung at these events and attended others as a member of the crowd, I can honestly say the atmosphere has been electric as people rise like lions from their slumber and are reminded how to roar.

Pablo Neruda once wrote:

“They can cut all the flowers, but they can’t stop the Spring.”

And it is my belief that, whatever the result tomorrow, something has changed in Britain and we are witnessing the beginning of the end of the neo-liberal stranglehold that has choked our communities for far too long. I think the energy and inspiration Mr Corbyn has taken out into the country has planted seeds that will continue to grow. I believe this will be his legacy; that all those miles, all those speeches, will inspire hundreds of thousands of young people who go on to change the world; and I believe he will be remembered by the Labour Movement as the greatest of them all.

He has taken politics from the Westminster elite and given it back to The People.

I have loved playing a small part in this campaign from the songs and the gigs and the internet posts to the simple act of handing out stickers in town. Every last second has been a joy and I have met so many incredible people whose passion and commitment has in turn driven me to work harder and shout louder.

This is the Britain we can build. One where each inspires the other and we work together for the many and not the few.

Speaking of which….

and lastly…..

I would ask you PLEASE go out and vote tomorrow. Whatever the weather; whatever your mates say; whatever lies the papers have told you; whatever the propaganda on the telly says; PLEASE put your cross in that box and #VoteLabour.

This is a turning point in history.

The future needs us now.

I’m backing Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party in the forthcoming General Election.

That won’t come as much of a surprise I know, but it needs saying publicly and I’ll be fighting for a Labour victory every last waking second between now and June 8th.

I believe the #LabourManifesto is the single most important political document in my lifetime; a blueprint for a better future for ALL of us; and I believe that is something worth fighting for.

So much is at stake here, but the difference between the two major parties could not be more marked- one is offering hope, and the other despair; and having spent the last seven years singing for dozens of causes all helping to ease the suffering of those at the sharp end of Tory policy, to finally have the opportunity to get rid of austerity once and for all at the ballot box, is a chance too good to miss.

PLEASE if you are not already registered to vote, do so. It takes two minutes and could help change the course of history.

Click on this link:

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

You have until midnight on May 22nd.

After that your voice will fall silent, and other people will decide your future for you.

Make sure they don’t.

I’ll be joining the #StandUp4Labour tour for two dates- Saltburn and Carlisle- so if you can get to either please do. I’ve also been singing at local party events helping to raise a fighting fund for leaflets and posters. There are some amazing and energetic people out there right now fighting for change, and I tip my hat to them all.

Like my latest album says, the future needs us now.

Please help fight for it.

Be there on June 8th and VOTE LABOUR!

Very pleased to confirm I will be appearing at this year’s Glastonbury Festival as part of the line-up on Billy Bragg’s Left Field stage.

I’ll be onstage with Billy, Oh Pep! and my old mate Louise Distras as part of the Radical Round-up on Sunday 25th June from 3pm, so anyone looking for a nice quiet come-down on the last day is in for a bit of a shock.

It would be great to see some of you there supporting us.

I have to say a big thank you to Billy, to the amazing people at Hope Not Hate, and to my comrade Tony Wright for his determination to get me on that bill. I promised myself back in 1988 that I would never go to Glastonbury unless I was playing, and after all these years I thought the chance had passed me by. Yet here we are. Incredible.

I have battled on at this for 30 years, and still there are new adventures to be had, and long may that be so.

We Shall Overcome celebrates its 2nd Birthday today.

Two years have seen us take the movement​ from an idea on a Facebook thread to an international anti-austerity campaign fighting for communities everywhere.

We have run upwards of 550 events now, in 135 different towns and cities across nine countries on three continents and the estimated £225,000 worth of food, cash, clothing, bedding and furniture raised has helped change lives up and down this country, it has got the homeless off the streets, it has rehoused young children living in slums and it has forged long-term bonds between musicians, poets, organisers and activists which have led to the movement changing, evolving and making the leap from protest/benefit gigs to feet on the ground 24/7 working in tandem with dozens of other campaigns to help the poorest and most vulnerable at the point of need.

Sadly though, if anything, we are needed now more than ever and it is in this spirit that I appeal to you all to rise again and start planting your red stars on our map.

We are running all year now, but the main focus of our work is the weekend of Friday 6th to Sunday 8th October. If you can bring your town to the party that would be fantastic.

Remember, We Shall Overcome is not about me or our committee or any individual in this group; We Shall Overcome is about us, ALL of us, and what can be achieved when we all pull together and add our single gigs into one massive festival. It is a celebration of community solidarity, and a demonstration of how incredible it is when a few thousand people all decide together they will be that someone somewhere who does something about it.

Please message me on joesolomusic@hotmail.co.uk or tag me in a post or comment on this thread if you are willing to come back for more or have confirmed dates we don’t yet know about. It’s vital we are able to paint some kind of picture as to what we have out there. We know only too well some of you will have changed circumstances and won’t be able to join us; we also know some of you who were there in 2015 couldn’t make last year but will return full on for #WSO2017. Old friends and new friends are all welcome here.

Come on folks. Roll up.

The world won’t change itself.

Bring it on.

I have released a download-only single to coincide with the General Election campaign.

‘Let’s Kick Out The Tories (For Once & For All)’ is available via Bandcamp on this link:

https://joesolomusic.bandcamp.com/album/lets-kick-out-the-tories-for-once-for-all-2

With a video here:

and here:

The single is set to ‘Name Your Price’ meaning you can type 0.00 and get it for nowt, or if you are feeling flush you can put in an extravagant total and feel proper generous.

Seriously though, all money raised from downloads will go straight to Pauline Town over in Ashton-under-Lyne to help fund her daily struggle to find food and shelter for those struggling under austerity cuts and forced to sleep on the streets.

You all know my politics so I’ll say no more, but June 8th is our last chance to stop them. We lose and Labour will be lost forever. We win and we might just save the NHS, the Welfare State and this country from itself.

In the grand scheme of things a song means nothing.

But sing it loud anyway.

You never know.

May Day Festival of Solidarity 2017 was just incredible. Not just the music and the poetry and the speeches, but the spirit you all brought to the party which went on all weekend and lifted all involved. Here’s the story in pictures brought to you by Ferocious Photography, Paul & Lindsay Rutland, Pete Yen, John Lomas, Bob Oram and anyone I’ve missed forgive me….it has been a whirlwind.

To our speakers: Sean Mcgowan for RMT; Joe Rollin for Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign; Nic Fitzpatrick for NUT; Pete Deakin for Barnsley Save Our NHS; Dave Gibson for Barnsley Trades Council; George Arthur for Freedom Riders; Fran Postlethwaite for Stand Up To Racism; and Pauline Town for WE SHALL OVERCOME …THANK YOU! You each brought your various struggles to life each giving us the REAL truth behind the headlies.

To Simon Ibbotson for top DJ skills; to our INCREDIBLE comperes who were the glue which held it all together- Jethro Platts, Matt Abbott, Sarah Courtney and John Baine; and to a gargantuan task performed with skills of the highest order on the sound desk- Marcus and Andy. THANK YOU!!!

And lastly to all you good people who came along and clapped and cheered and sang and hollered and smiled and laughed and showed us the kind of solidarity an event like this needs. The spirit in that room throughout the whole weekend was an example to all on what can be achieved when we ALL play our part in something and we all pull together for the common good. Exactly what our festival is all about. You were ace, and we couldn’t have done it without you.

There will be more photos and commentary over the coming days, and in the background Tony and myself will be working out plans for the future, but suffice to say May Day Festival of Solidarity will definitely return in 2018.

Perhaps the spirit of the festival is best summed up by this photograph. This is Scott, he is currently homeless and was brought along by Pauline Town to give him a day away from his plight. I love this shot, and I’m just so glad to be a part of a movement that can help put that smile on the face of a young man suffering more than most.

See you next year x

May Day Festival of Solidarity returns this weekend with a stellar bill of music, poetry and speeches to celebrate International Worker’s Day.

The event was started last year by Hurriers-frontman Tony Wright and myself, and has been etched in my memory as one of the most fantastic days of music and camaraderie I have ever known. This year we have doubled in size, though we hope to maintain the spirit of togetherness which defined 2016’s event and forge new bonds for the fights ahead.

The venue is The Old School House in Barnsley and doors open at 1.30pm with music soon after and wall-to-wall til late. We still have tickets available on the door for both days so please pop along and join us.

I mean, just look at that bill!

See you there x