I’ve just had a bust up with The Joe Strummer Foundation for
New Music and it’s been quite upsetting.
If you go on their Facebook page you can check out all the
arguments, including mine. It’s connected with the page advertising their gala
fundraising night at Canary Wharf last night.
I’m not a fan of charity – most things should be done by the
State with the money coming from those most able to pay through their taxes.
The problem with charity is that it’s usually those with the
least money who contribute most.
However, I supported Strummerville and intended to do more;
they provide seed money to organisations that support youngsters getting into
music, usually when they are in difficult situations or places. Some of the
bands reviewed on my Blog have been financed this way.
It was also to commemorate the astonishing life and times of
Joe Strummer of The Clash; a dyed in the wool punkrocker who was carried to his
rest on the back of a fire engine after playing his last concert as a benefit
for striking firefighters.
How inappropriate is this, then;
Date: 19/03/2015 Time: 6:30 pm - 2:00 am
Address: Cabot Place, London, United Kingdom
Spring Dinner in aid of The Joe Strummer Foundation
We are very pleased to announce a fundraising Gala Spring
Dinner at the prestigious Boisdale of Canary Wharf. This is a high-ticket event
and we know that some people will be out-priced to attend the event but the
objective of this Gala Dinner to raise much needed funds for the Joe Strummer
Foundation – we’ll be posting the auction items soon, and you can help us by
spreading the word and sharing this post, thank you!
Alongside great performances from MIKE D’ABO singing Handbags
and Gladrags and after dinner JOOLS HOLLAND & HIS BOOGIE WOOGIE SHOW with
Axel Zwingenberger and Ben Waters the highlight of evening will be The Great
Rock’n’Roll Memorabilia Auction and after the auction as a special treat there
will be guest star appearances from MICK JONES • SUGGS • CHRISSIE HYNDE
Auction contributions from:
Coldplay, Elton John, Chelsea Football Club, One Direction,
Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, Tracey Emin, The Vaccines, Glastonbury, Pam Hogg,
Peter Blake, Mumford & Sons, Shepard Fairey, Bentley, Fender Telecaster,
Manfred Mann, Richard Young, Death Spray, Bob Gruen, Burberry, Stephen Webster,
Belstaff, Josh Cheuse, Kate Simon, Denis O’Regan, Gavin Turk, Jim Lambie and
many more to come…
Ticket Types:
*Please note table sizes for this event are 14+ if you are
not buying an entire table you will be seated with other guests.
VIP tickets: The best view of the stage & Piper-Heidsieck
Rare Millésime 2002 £500
Premium tickets: Very
good view of the stage & Piper-Heidsieck Rare Millésime 2002 £375
Standard tickets: View
of the stage £250 SOLD OUT
If I’d been well enough and rich enough to go, you wouldn’t have been seen me dead there.
Don’t get me wrong – it is a tragedy perpetrated by nice
people. Their argument is that to do the good work the charity wants to do
costs money. They say this is the best way of raising the money quickly enough.
The background to all this is that about 18 months ago the
charity foolishly put on a very expensive new three day festival in the midst
of a very fully booked summer season. It lost a packet of money when it should
have been raising funds.
The end result is that the name ‘Strummerville’ disappeared
to be replaced by ‘The Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music’, with a whole new
set of trustees as well.
More worryingly, the foundation was stripped of its
charitable status in January 2014, for failing to file its accounts in time. I
don’t think that’s much of a problem; as long as they get them filed soon
enough they will be reinstated. It is, however, a sign that not everything is
going well.
So the Champagne fuelled party at Canary Wharf is meant to
sort out all the charity’s financial woes.
The problem is that in doing so (rather like the £250
tickets) it has sold out.
It sold out the memory of Joe Strummer.
A lovely man and a rebel from the top of his head to the
soles of his cowboy boots. All us old dead punks can give countless examples of
his generosity to those who needed it and his uncompromising hatred of those
who didn’t.
The Event last night?
A load of Balls – another charity ball for the rich and
famous to feel smug about.
Just another date on the social calendar of wealthy party
goers, aristocratic wastrels, the celebrity circuit and a few right bankers
too.
I wasn’t there and they wouldn’t have let me in anyway.
And while I’m at it: What the F#%K is Piper-Heidsieck Rare
Millésime 2002 anyway?
Joe Strummer;
“Oh no, you think it’s funny
Turnin’ rebellion into money”
White man in the Hammersmith Palais.
It's not what he or any of us stood for.
It's not what he or any of us stood for.
So I’m feeling a bit sad for a number of reasons.
Neil Harris
(a don’t stop till you drop production)
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
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