On the 22nd December 2002, the music legend Joe Strummer died. It is nearly a year since this event so I want to remember the great man at this time. Joe represented honesty and raw quality ... he was savage, evoking, eventual and diverse ... which is what this website is all about.
It is what my work is all about too ... I love to create, I love to make music, I love to sing and I don't give a shit! I care nothing for genre's or labels or the bigotry, pomposity and hypocrisy of the pop idol/gangster rap/bullshit orientated music industry. Joe Strummer taught me these principles ... from The Clash to The Mescalaros, Joe always stayed true to his roots. The Clash were a real garageband, playing in squats and hovels and garages.
That's how me and Jimmie Bone started - playing in freezing cold basements on guitars with 5 strings, distorted microphones and amps made out of old record players .. but we did it for the love of it. We cared not if we were shit - we learned our instruments and we dreamed our dreams. And we're still here now, lucky enough to be doing what we love - making music, writing lyrics, making art, performing and even teaching as well ... what a true privelege this is.
How many people get to work at what they really love? And to work with brilliant and talented artists and musicians as well ... ( they are all over this website ) ... this is a genuine honour and makes every day an awesome experience. Even the grey days. After all, these days are all part of the movie!
Joe Strummer's final album "Streetcore" came out this year and it is truly inspirational ... Check out this lyric ... "We're going on through yes never to know what is true ... And so the new century came ... and somehow fame had forgotten her name ... We're pushin through ... on this fantastic Ramshackle Day ... This is the Ramshackle Day Parade." So why are we still here, without major fame, without major fortune, without major recognition? Cos this is what we do ... dead simple - We're pushin through and this is what we do - and we fuckin' love it. We are a part of this Ramshackle Day Parade!
And now we have the Internet, we have Mp3's and Midi, we have Cubase, Soundforge, Dreamweaver and Reason ... we can experience an event to inspire us in the morning, write a song about it in the afternoon, record it in the evening and have it playing to the world by midnight ... These are halcyon days indeed!
But most important of all - we have all of you around the world who love our sound, our vision and our art. Those of you who have bought our work, come to our gigs, signed our guestbooks and forums, tuned into our radio broadcasts ... You who are reading this message ... Your love and your support make it all worth it.
Alot of you have asked why the mainstream industry refuses to recognize us, why we don't have a CD at the top of some chart, why we're not on TV every night. Well these maybe valid questions, but fortunately the merits of our work are not dependent on some chart or list or the recognition of the mainstream. The industry is corrupt to the core anyway and so full of fear and cynicism.
Of course, we always want to reach more people with our messages of reality, power and positivity - but luckily, our work speaks for itself. IT IS savage, IT IS evoking, IT IS eventual and IT IS diverse! Our music represents truth. I know alot of you feel it kicks arse and touches the soul as well. With all my heart ... thank you for your belief.
Because of your faith, you can be sure that in 2004 we will attempt to reach new creative heights and also inspire you to find your own creativity ... 'cos this is what it's really all about. We are all artists, we all possess the creative spirit. Let it fly my friends ... let it fly ... without shackles or limits!
Perhaps an appropriate ending to this narrative would be the final chorus of "Need to Breathe" which is on my "Without Limit" CD ... "And do you subscribe, cut it down, watch your back and believe. Be free of this strife don't enter their cave. For light is the future, it blazes your soul as you tear through the trees …. Just living to breathe."
Love, Peace and Respect
Jayl
Christmas 2003
