21st Century Britain: A Nation Hungry For Answers

Many families across the UK will have finished their Christmas shopping this week, spending big bucks for no reason (I still find it hard to believe that because Jesus was born, I deserve £300 worth of stuff). However, there will also be families who haven't got their Christmas presents yet.

These people aren't usually leaving it until the last minute, they simply don't have money to buy gifts because surviving is more important. This has led many skint citizens of Britain visiting foodbanks this Christmas to get through the turbulent times of the Winter season.

Yesterday, there was a debate in Parliament about food banks and poverty in the UK in which Labour's appeal to reduce dependency on food banks was defeated by 43 votes. From watching it and reading multiple articles, I realised I am not the only one who is absolutely appalled by this.

Lets think from a non-biased point of view here. Who can honestly say that they think that human beings should have to use food banks? It's demeaning, it's embarrassing, it lowers your reputation and destroys your dignity.

Now, back to politics. According to shadow environment secretary Maria Eagle, 500,000 people in the UK - a third of them being children - have relied on food banks in the past eight months. That is almost 1% of the population. If you live in a town of 40,000 people, around 300-350 people will have relied on one. Put this into figures for London, a city of 8.1m and you have over 80,000 people relying on food banks. Sickening figures.

Yet with these sickening figures, you have greedy politicians. Iain Duncan Smith is shown above giggling during the debate and when called upon to answer questions, he moved the responsibility to his deputy Esther McVey, before leaving early. McVey's speech has been called one of the most disgusting and Labour's Gerald Kaufman described it as the "nastiest" speech he had heard in his 43 years as an MP.

Although most Tories sniggered and snorted at the thought of an alternative, credit has to be given to Conservative MP Laura Sandys who said "Food banks are not the answer. They must be seen as a transitional support mechanism for families in stress at particular moments." Perhaps there is a trace of humanity in the party after all.

What would my solution be? To first of all create jobs so that we don't have a problem with income; then offer support to families who are struggling at this time of year; and finally, to grab energy companies by the balls to make the winter season easier to survive in. Last year my house suffered from no heat for three months and no one done anything useful about it. Kettle baths and extra blankets weren't a fun experience. So I can imagine how people who can't afford to turn their heating on must feel. The only reason I feel that I can live with the heating on is because Scotland isn't as badly hit as the rest of the UK. 

So, if you have time, go down to your local food bank, help out. Volunteer or deliver goods. If you are reading this and think all hope is lost, don't think like that. It can hardly get worse than it already is.

It's Not All Bad...:Holidays Being Well Spent

Since I decided to get a 30 day free trial with LoveFilm yesterday, I've been cramming every minute I have watching films from the "To Do List". I've watched sci-fi action film Looper and comedy 30 Minutes or Less. Looper was brilliant, fun and a good take on a dystopian world. 30 Minutes or Less was less impressive and although some scenes were hilarious, there were some that were quite cheesy. However, I have watched a film (twice now today) which has to go down as one of my favourite films and probably my favourite coming-of-age film. I'm talking about The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This film is evidence that life is worth living. It's basically a film about misfit freshman Charlie who befriends a boy called Patrick in his craftshop class and his step sister Sam. He is accepted into their social circle and faces many problems along the way, including his never-ending love battle as he loves his best friend, Sam. The film deals with many issues which could possibly fling a film for being such huge issues to tackle in a film, yet it's perfect. The music in the film is incredible, with the main characters growing up in the early 90's (as they don't even mention Nirvana) listening to The Smiths and Nick Drake. Of course, there is also the "Tunnel Song" which they later figure out is David Bowie's "Heroes". Music brings Sam and Charlie closer together, which is such a huge factor. 

Then there are more important issues: without giving much away the film deals with mental trauma, sex abuse, sexuality problems, suicide, death of a lost one, bullying, loneliness, drugs and love. Yet, with all these things happening, the honesty of this film works. There's no far fetched scenes and others make you smile uncontrollably. 

This film is for losers. If you have ever felt like you are on the outside looking in, feeling like you don't belong, feeling depressed - get this film. Before watching this, I was pretty much in a downer for two days, just feeling shitty about life in general. Then I watched this and it gave me hope. It made me feel like I wasn't the only one who sometimes felt left out. 

However, the pinnacle of this film is the quotes. They are life quotes. My favourite being "But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there."

So, today I will go to bed knowing that my life feels that much better from watching a film. The film ends on a beautiful quote which will stick in my mind for the rest of my life.

"We are infinite".

What Music Culture?: Are the Newgen a good gen?

"Remember when rock was popular and actually good?"
"Who do we have nowadays that are anything near as good as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles?"
"Music is dead."

All three of these statements have their faults: they are the words of the ignorant. The kind of people that wish that they grew up in 1960s.

Except there are no iPods, the internet is the webbing in swimming shorts and you wouldn't be able to read this blog - you lucky bastards. Adding to that is the lack of civil rights back then. Oh, so you are gay and you want to live in the 60s just to grow up listening to the Stones? You are an ethnic minority likely to grow up in a world of hate and segregation, but you want to be part of Beatlemania?

Grow up guys. The 21st century isn't all bad.

So getting back to my main point, the opening statements are complete bull and I'll tell you why.

Tackling the first sentence, yes rock music was popular and was incredible back in the day, however, why is this statement wrong? It may not be a popular genre - in terms of charts - however, the quality has not dropped.

You still have so many artists who are fantastic, yet they are ignored by many; thrown onto the scrapheap because they simply can't make a living. Take London band Tribes who recently split. Fair enough, their second album was disappointing, but their debut was a great listen, yet, only two people I know, know of the band. First lesson is to give all sorts of music a chance before labelling it "crap". Arguably, the best music you hear these days involves a little searching.

The second sentence, how can we compare The Rolling Stones and The Beatles to say, Arctic Monkeys or Muse? It's ridiculous.

The Rolling Stones and The Beatles were pioneers. They were the first to do something very obvious and since the 2000s I can only think of one genre of music that has emerged as new and that is dubstep. Everyone always thinks first is best, but sometimes the progress of music is better. I honestly think that The Clash were a million times better than The Sex Pistols, yet the Pistols were the first to really popularise punk music. Arctic Monkeys and Muse have both pushed the barriers moving into hip-hop and dubstep-influenced rock.

In saying that, Kanye West has the potential (if not already is) the greatest hip-hop artist of all time. Before I get smacked in the face with Biggie Smalls' lyrics or threatened with a Tupac chorus, think about it. Did Biggie or Tupac completely change hip-hop multiple times the way Yeezy is today?

Of course not.

Artists such as Frank Ocean, Drake, Chance the Rapper and The Weeknd all owe so much to Kanye due to his change in hip-hop in his album "808's and Heartbreaks". This popularised slow hip-hop and has only grown since Ocean's debut "channel ORANGE". Recently West has also been the first to mix heavy electro beats and tribal music into his album "Yeezus" which is a confusing album, yet it's a work of art.

So again, don't think that everything is rubbish just because it is modern. Music is ever-growing and we have to give everyone a chance.

And finally "Music Is Dead". No it is not.

People became very familiar with this phrase from the day that crap music dominated the charts (see 80s onwards). However, is it really?

You would have to be an idiot to say yes.

Although, the critically acclaimed are usually kept underground and anonymous to most, doesn't mean that you can't still see them live; buy their albums; or sing their songs. Only when these artists no longer exist, will there be an argument that music is dead. The newgen are hugely exciting.

In the past few years we have had many bands and artists breaking through: Miles Kane, Haim, Peace, Palma Violets, Django Django, The Vaccines, Two Door Cinema Club, Merchandise, Earl Sweatshirt, Parquet Courts, Swim Deep, Chvrches, Iceage, Disclosure, Jagwar Ma, Drenge, Chance the Rapper, Kendrick Lamar, ASAP Rocky, Radkey, Baby Strange, The Orwells, King Krule, Lorde, Jake Bugg, Spector...to name a few.

He have already seen the likes of Haim, Lorde and The Vaccines becoming big on the radio and around the UK and the other bands mentioned have great potential. I would say that music is, if anything, stronger these days because you can find it anywhere and you can become noticed easy. So, yes I would say that the newgen are indeed, a good gen. There's nothing better than finding as many influences in music as you can, and these new kids can use that to their advantage.

Have I missed any new bands/artists that you feel have done well in the last few years? Do you agree with me on the three statements? Leave a comment and tell me your thoughts.