TEA-BREAK OVER, BACK ON YOUR HEADS
Some quotes about 'But' by people whose work I love:
"This is a deep, wide, long, high jump into what a world of mongrel politics based on deep respect for other humans would feel like. It's also one of the funniest books you could read - the testament of a pretty wild life well-lived and well-thought about." (Brian Eno)
"I just adored it. I felt like I was in another world, of goodness, of intelligence, of funniness, where your good humour, kindness, compassion, clarity, heart, music, and love just sung through every page, and I felt safe, happy, befriended, welcome and beloved. It's a gorgeous book." (Jay Griffiths)
"Just a note to let you know that I just finished reading your latest book and thought it was triumph." (Iain Mackaye)
BUT BOOK TOUR 2025 – DONE & DUSTED (ALMOST)
Thanks to everyone who came along to the book readings and to hear some songs. I thoroughly enjoyed it – although I probably wouldn't do it again! It was all fascinating and absolutely what I needed to do. I loved driving around Britain and all the stopping off to run in various hills, and I'm really glad I was able to visit the US right now as the country goes through its political turmoil. I have so much love and respect for all the people running bookshops, all of whom are clearly doing so because they LOVE BOOKS.
There are a handful of 'BUT' events in my calendar – I'm doing something book-and-songs related at the Idler Festival on 11/12 July in London, and also at Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, on 7th August – then Hartlepool Folk Festival on the 4th October. And that's it for that. For now...
But: Life Isn't Like That, Is It? is available in the USA here.
Click here to order your copy of the record.
Commoners are also working on new songs and ideas including a collaboration with Jeremy Deller and Paraorchestra as part of Bradford 25, a filmed performance with artist SIMONE BENNETT and a large-scale immersive day at Brierfield's Queen Street Mill with the brilliant RICKARD SISTERS.
More details of all these collaborations below.
BRADFORD PROGRESS
Conceived and directed by Jeremy Deller and Charles Hazlewood, this was a large-scale (400 musicians!) project which took place on the weekend of May 17th and 18th. Starting at the Cow & Calf in Ilkley at dawn (yes, 5am!) Paraorchestra briefly played as the sun rose, after which Commoners Choir sang a quiet song celebrating trespassing before leading the audience up onto Ilkley Moor and across in the direction of Bradford.
A day later, and with music all the way being passed from choristers to bands to drummers to classical ensembles, the Bradford Progress arrived in the centre of Bradford for a mass musical event led by Paraorchestra's Charles Hazlewood which was both weird and entertaining – Commoners Choir sandwiched between some religious choristers in cassocks and a traditional Ukrainian band.
THEATRE STUFF
More about the musical here.
JEN REID
I'm doing some work with Lancashire folk balladeer Jennifer Reid, putting some traditional Burnley dialect poems into dirty-synth backings. We'll be making filmed performances of the songs and hopefully these will be shown sometime later in the year.
THIS SLAVERY – A RICKARD SISTERS PROJECT
The Rickard Sisters are incredible graphic artists who, for the last couple of years, have been working hard on producing This Slavery; a graphic adaptation of a novel by Lancashire millworker and best selling novelist Ethel Carnie Holdsworth. I'll be working with the sisters on the launch of this beautiful and powerful book, which will take place in November at the historic Queen Street Mill in Briercliffe.
SIMONE BENNETT – BE STILL, BE SILENT, WE'RE CALLING A TENDER GIANT
What a great name for a project. I'm working with Simone and Commoners on this, which will involve fire, music, noise and a 50-piece choir. Possibly happening towards the end of the year at Salt's Mill in Saltaire. Simone is an amazing artist from the Netherlands who is researching and making work about the late Stephen Cripps, a noise-and-fire-making performance artist who was making a beautiful din back in the 1970s. More details to come.
Later this year I'll be working with artist LUCY BERGMAN and a group of young local people to create an installation for the Museum's outside space, a place to discover and listen and find stuff out.
More on this as it develops.
PASSION KILLERS
I'll be playing bass with Harry & Mave's band Passion Killers at this year's Rebellion Festival. I haven't played bass since PK's stopped playing, which was around 1987. It only has four strings – what can possibly go wrong? I'm hoping it will be FUN. Like being in a band all over again. Rehearsing has been a laugh-a-minute joy!
There's a 'warm-up' gig at Leeds' Wharfe Chambers but that sold out pretty quickly. Actually, I suspect Rebellion festival is sold out, too.
Busking in Paris, 1980