RED RAG Fortnightly since 1979 23 / 09 / 86 Not 20p but Free! Free!! //////////////// Red Rag Box 79 , 17 Chatham St , Reading Berks . //////////////// Copy deadline is 6pm Sat 4 Oct'86 //////////////// Editorial:Clive 475909,this iss- ues coordinator. //////////////// Please send det- ails for listing sections to Box 79,except film/ video tel 475909 //////////////// - - - HUSBAND WALKS FREE AFTER WIFE IS MURDERED:- On 11 May, at 7.30pm Gurdip Kaur Sandhu was brutally beaten by her brother in law Harbax Singh and her husband Gurbax Singh. At an inquest on 28 August,her death (in hospital) was ascribed by a Home Office pathologist to "heart and lung failure from a fractured larynx" - injuries which are consistent with her having suffered continuous blows to the throat. Witness to this murder was Gurdip's 12 year old son. 17 years of violence... Both her neighbours and the police knew that Gurdip Kaur Sandhu regularly suffered violence at the hands of her husband. In fact, four weeks prior to the murder, she had obtained an injunction against him entering the house! We firmly believe that this vicious act of murder was premeditated, and planned in a pub earlier that afternoon by both her husband & his brother and a friend. On 29 July, the police released Gurbax Singh "for lack of evidence", despite the testimony of Gurdip's 12 year old son. Using the same evidence, however, they have charged Harbax Singh with the murder!! How can the police ignore 17 years of violence inflicted on Gurdip Kaur Sandhu by her husband? How can they ignore her son's evidence and how can they believe her husband, who had broken a court injunction, and illegally entered her house? How can they ignore the motive for the crime? We believe the police should take domestic violence seriously. Domestic violence is a crime!! We Demand: * A public enquiry into the handling of the case by the police. * That Gurbax Singh be re-arrested & charged with the murder of his wife. * That domestic violence be taken seriously by the police, courts, and the community. Domestic violence is a crime!! Gurdip Kaur Campaign We call on all women: To protest against this outrage and show their support for this campaign at a mass picket of the Magistrates Court on 24th September. We wish to bring a private prosecution against Gurbax Singh, and need a lot of money. Planned picket at l0am - check! What you can do: * Come and picket the Court (ring either 54123 or 584531 to find out the time and date). Men are welcome on some pickets. * Sign / circulate the petition. * Write a letter to your MP (House of Commons, London SW1A OAA), to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Home Secretary (30 Queen Anne's Gates London SW1), and to the local press. * Make a donation to the campaign. * Attend the meetings of the campaign. The Gurdip Kaur Campaign c/o 24 Westcote Road Reading... 54123 / 584531... - - - SEVEN YEAR ITCH RED RAG'S BACK! This is the first issue of Red Rag after a long Summer break. During that time there have been several meetings to discuss the sorry situation the Rag had found itself in - not enough money and not enough people writing or producing. Despite much reluctance and resistance, it was decided we would put a cover price on the Rag, at a level to pay our production costs. Hopefully advertising will continue to pull in a few pounds as well. The price on the next few issues will be 20p - based on the cost of printing 300 copies of twelve pages each. This affects distribution: after this issue, the Rag will only be delivered in bundles to the outlets selling it, unless you take out a subscription. £4 will give you the next twelve issues (about six months-worth) delivered to your door, either by hand or second class post. Otherwise you will have to call in at one of the outlets each fortnight. We want more outlets, so if you know of anyone / anywhere that might sell some for us, let us know. While we are at it, we are also changing the production schedules (still fortnightly, though). Copy deadline, 6pm, Saturday Typing & paste-up in time for Printing, Wednesday morning Folding & Distribution, Wednesday evening and Thursday. We have been printing 1600 - 2000 copies of each Rag, but next issue, for which you will have to pay, will only have 300 - 400 copies, So look out for yours, Thursday, 9th October. These are the outlets from which the first 20p edition of Red Rag, due out on Thurs 9 October, can be obtained: * Acorn Bookshop, 17 Chatham St, Reading. * Blue Moon Arts and Crafts, upstairs at the Emporium, Merchants Place (off Friar St), Reading. * Communication and Liaison Office, Students Union, Reading Univ. * Eurofoods, Crown Colonnade, Cemetery Junction, Reading. * Harvest Wholefoods, Harris Arcade (off Friar St), Reading. * Pan Bookshop, upstairs in the Butts Shopping Centre, Reading. * UB Cycles, London St. Reading. Or come along to the Paradise Club, 112 London St, on Monday 29 September, where there is a "Welcome Back Red Rag" party, put on with the help of the Conspiracy. Namoza (do they really sound like Talking Heads?), Chocolate Teapot, and The Mere Mortals (large, informal percussion group) are playing from 9.30pm-12.30am. Admission on the door... see you there? - - - RED RAG POSTIES Fill in the form below, enclose £4 and we will send you the next twelve issues of Red Rag fortnightly, reminding you when your money runs out. Please send me six months subscription to Red Rag. I enclose £4 Name: Address: Cheques payable to Red Rag. Send to Box 79,17 Chatham St, Reading - - - SMALL ADS * Wanted: Bookshelves, cupboards, typewriters and office bits for new Womens Information Centre. Also women volunteers for range of things. Please ring Karen 482237 or Lynette 661275. * To let: cosy room in shared house... about £30 a week + share bills (negotiable). central heating, nice living room. Phone 665332. * For Sale: small folder of six 25th anniversary Baden-Powell commemorative Scout Jamboree postage stamps. £30.00 * Wanted: wood burning stove, cheaply! Contact Chris, Twyford 345836. * Wanted: carpets and paint. Will collect. Simon 666354. * Small van available, suitable for transporting people / small removals. Simon 666354. Payment in chocolate and Angel Delight please... * Happy Birthday to Acorn Books (27 September 1986)... love from the Filey Road posse. * Third veggie to share house in Cemetery Junction. No riff-raff! £90 a month plus bills. Phone 666354 * Wanted: someone who wants to do a folk music listing for t'Rag. Box 79, 17 Chatham Street. - - - RED RAG GOES WALKABOUT At Bulmershe College Freshers Fayre (Friday 26th September, from 3-6pm), and at the University on Thursday 2nd October...see you there!!! - - - THE CREEPERS On Wednesday 29th October, the Conspiracy will be promoting The Creepers at the Paradise Club, London St. The band have been together three years and are now one of the most popular live attractions in the country. Fronted by Marc Riley who was an important member of The Fall for five years, their music is fast hard-hitting and danceable with a slightly Northern humourous edge. Influences include Iggy and the Stooges, T.Rex, and of course The Fall. Support for this gig is well known Reading band The Heartthrobs who have been building quite a following with their recent gigs. Tickets are available from Acorn Bookshop priced at £2. Admission on the night will be £2.50. See you there, X The Conspiracy - - - UTTERANCE Now out in Acorn for a mere 30p... Utterance 13, the latest edition of Phil Broadhurst's fanzine, which this time includes... a very good piece on Radio 210, and what it thinks its role is: (based on the thoughts of Programme Controller Mr.Mann)... and gig reviews, records, interviews & a fairly staunch anti "drugs" stance, portraying anyone who smokes the odd joint as a zombie... check it out... Mark R. - - - ORIGINAL ROCKERS! One Love to each and every one in the area...this is Original Rockers, the best guide to soul and reggae in the Thames valley.....settle!!! Best dance of the week is definitely On Fri 26 Sept when Unity Hi-Power, best in Britain meet Java Hi-Power at the East St. Unemployed Centre... both sounds have brand new music from Ja so make it a date and don't be late! Also on the 26th Countryman Sound and Reading's Raiders Hi-Power play a session at High Wycombe Multi Racial Centre. Sat 27 Sept - Birmingham reggae band Arize play with Sir Graphics sound from Reading, at the Paradise Club. Fri 3 Oct we get David Rodigan & Chris Forbes playing lightweights & out of dates at High Wycombe Multi Racial... soul-less soul rules, OK? Same night in Reading we have a Caribbean Focus benefit at the Central Club 36/42 London St, with Hot Tempa (soul/funk), Hurricane Force (steel band) and Aqua Levi (Reading Supa). Wed 8 Oct gives us another dose of "soul" at the Majestic, Caversham Rd, and as if that is not too much, there's an LWR soul roadshow at Slough Community Centre on Sat 11 Oct. Also on the 11th, Hot Tempa play a benefit for mentally handicapped people; this is at the Paradise Club 112 London St, Reading. Reading sounds are all fairly quiet at the moment. I man come fe nice up the area... get set for the return of Bonny Prince Charlie; the best pirate reggae radio. Will Joseph (who used to do Black Expression for 210) be at the controls too? Wait and see... Coming soon... Jah Shaka, The Warrior King of the Zulu Tribe... remember where you read it first... love and unity. - - - GUIDE BOOK OF SHAME The new edition of the independent guide to Reading, Reading Between the Lines, will appear on October 1st. It is the only guide to tell you where to find the former accordion champion of all Ireland. Last year the Reading Chronicle greeted its appearance with a banner headline 'Reading's Guide of Shame'. The world waits breathless for their reaction this time. You can get a sneak preview by coming to the collation and stapling on Sunday 28th, at the Centre for the Unemployed from 11 am. It will be available from all the usual outlets, and probably some others. Even W.H.Smiths sold forty last year. Organisations which want to have some to sell get one third of the cover price. Inflation means that the contents will be much expanded this year, and the price will be expanded accordingly, probably to £1.20. Please send in criticisms and corrections as soon as possible, so we can put out an update list. Reading Between the Lines, c/o Box 200, 17 Chatham Street, Reading. - - - (paid ad) happy 10th birthday to acorn love from the filey rd posse Most commercial bookshops will only stock books from large publishers. ACORN BOOKSHOP Reading's Alternative Bookshop, stock a vast range of publications offering both the necessary variety for course related reading and the opportunity to buy less well publicised work. This will be particularly useful to those studying Third World, Politics, English, Philosophy, Food Science, Media, Psychology and History. However we can order almost any British or American book in print. We are open Tue-Sat 10am - 6pm. Acorn Bookshop 17 Chatham St. (under the multi-storey car park) Tel: 584425 - - - PAID ADVERTS are jolly good value at £7 for 1/4 page and £12 for 1/2 page. They must meet the general copy deadline and go through the editorial process. - - - LIVE MUSIC If you are in a band and have gigs coming up, or if you are a promoter who wants free publicity, then send details of your event to the Going Out Gig Guide, Red Rag Box 79, 17 Chatham Street, Reading, to meet the copy deadlines which apply to the rest of the Rag. This listing does not even pretend to be comprehensive... the Rag needs someone to do a folk music listing... And for up to date info on soul and reggae in the Thames Valley area, then check out our "Original Rockers" section. Wed 24 Sept: * Majestic-XS, Nobody's Heroes & Shush; local bands. £2 advance / £2:50 door. Thurs 25 Sept: * Cap & Gown - Romany (an Abba soundalike?) £1.50 (UB40 discount) 2am bar. * SHP - Subway Club presents The Skrews & disco, 8-11, 75p UB40/ £1:50. Fri 26 Sept: * Unemployment Centre - Unity / Java - see Original Rockers. * Cap & Gown - Vagabond (rock) £l / £1:50 2am Sat 27 Sept: * Hex - Red Beans And Rice. free, 12.15. Jazz blues. * Cap & Gown - Strangers 2am bar £1:50. * Co-op Radio 210 infiltrate the shoppers from 9.30 (ouch!) til about noon. Steal their equipment and set up a pirate one. Sun 28 Sept: * Radio 210 Off The Wall with Jonothan Richards... local bands, gig info and demo tapes. 7pm-8pm Mon 29 Sept: * Paradise - Red Rag Hello Again party with Namoza (very exciting band, sound a bit like Talking Heads), Chocolate Teapot (spacey reggae/rock) and The Mere Mortals (large improvised percussion group). 9.30-12.30 + late bar. Admission on the door. A Conspiracy evening. * Cap & Gown - In Berlin, £1:50, 2am bar. * Flares Night at the Rose & Thistle, on Argyle Rd. Horrendous but then I don't like 70's "rock". * The Bull, Nettlebed - folk with Bob & Gill Berry, 8pm £l. Tues 30 Sept: * Cap & Gown- After The Rain ("popular rock"? 2am bar, £1:50 * Majestic - Tygers of Pan Tang (How big is my willy evening...) and Miller, £3 / £3:50. * Turks Head - jazz, free... full of sloane students by now, I suppose. Weds 1 Oct: *Paradise - some sort of punky evening but they weren't sure when the guide went to press. * University - Freshers Ball with Mari Wilson (yawneroonie) and someone else. * Cap & Gown - Lyxx 2am bar. £1:50. Thurs 2 Oct: *University - Barn Dance. £1 Good practice for all those students who claim to come from rich rural backgrounds. *Cap & Gown - Midnight Sun (Rock, gosh how dreary) 2am bar £1:50 * SHP - Hook Line & Silverfish 8-ll, 75p / £1:50 if you happen to be waged. Fri 3 Oct: * Reading Centre for the Unemployed - Reading's Gay Collective disco 8pm please bring a bottle. * Cap & Gown - Burma (Not even the bleedin' promoters seem to know who or what half these bands are). 2am bar £1:50 * Paradise - the Jive Dive - friendly club with The Cuban Heel (resident 60's soul/hiphop DJ), with films too. Lots of fun, only £2. From 8-2am. Sat 4 Oct: * Bulmershe College - The Gathering (local guitar/new rock band with mini LP out this week) and Erasure (Vince Clarke, ex-Yazoo and Depeche Mode) * Paradise - Military Surplus (White roots reggae/poetry in dub) and Magic Mushroom Band (eek, I say no more) 9-12.30 with late bar. * Cap & Gown - Blues Cruise. A blues band! 2am bar, which is what counts after all. * Langley Hall, Ring Rd, Bracknell - The Aquarium Alternative Party, with The Skrews and The Family Vault (well gothic) plus loads'pon loads of good music. 10 til 3am. 12 midnight last entry. £1:50 / £2.00 on the door. * Staying In - Red Rag copy deadline Sun 5 Oct: * Stay in and tune in to... - The Conspiracy on Radio 210 - the Fence 7-8pm - Ranking Miss P, Radio 1, 11-12, for the best reggae on radio. * HEX - Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk, and George Melly. 8pm. Costly. Mon 6 Oct: * Cap & Gown - By Design. I thought that was the name of a company up the Oxford Rd. Maybe I'm just stupid. * Flares night at the Rose & Thistle. Tues 7 Oct: * Majestic - The Shop Assistants (fuzz-tone punky pop, good fun), the Desperado's, and The Heart-thobs. * University - Half Man Half Biscuit tickets from the Students Union. A wonderful set of songs and lyrics, but when I saw them at Glastonbury (does that make me a "hippie"?) you couldn't make out what they were on about. Trust in the Lord, and who knows... as the band said... "God gave us life....and he also gave us Una Stubbs... and he also gave us Lionel Blair!" * Cap & Gown - Push To Enter. Another band * Sloane Jazz at the Turks Head . Weds 8 Oct: * Cap & Gown - Jonah Rees. No whale jokes thank you, we're all far too radical to make that sort of slip. Thurs 9 Oct: * SHP Giant Algae Magnet (wowwwww far out name!), evidently a band in the same vein as the Smiths. 8-11. 75p or £1:50. * Cap & Gown - Turin. Souper. Fri 10 Oct: * Paradise - The Jive Dive - films, fun, 60's soul and hip hop from The Cuban Heel. £2. 8-2am. * Cap & Gown - Antz Avenue. With people who used to play with Rick Wakeman. Played what? * HEX - 5 Star - Good single, but it does cost £6:50 to see 'em. 7.30 Sat 11 Oct: * Paradise - Hot Tempa (good funk/soul band with some very sexist lyrics, however) & disco. Benefit night. * Riot - meet in front of our house when it's getting a bit dark. In church hall if wet, see press for further details. * HEX - Back Beat Band - large soul / bluesy brassy band. 12.15. Free * HEX - Klaus bleedin' Wunderlich. Well, Radio 2 did do a roadshow from Reading last year... SUN 12 OCT: * Stay in and listen to the radio, do your washing, or see how the social revolution is going on... Info: * Paradise: Paradise Club 112 London St Reading, Tel 576847. Disabled access good except for 2 steps down into the bar. * Majestic: Majestic, Caversham Rd, Reading. Tel 586093. Be careful of the door staff. Loony dress restrictions at times. * Cap & Gown: King's Road, Reading, tel 586006. Gigs are downstairs, which makes access for disabled people very bad. * SHP: South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell; tel 0344 484123. Gigs are in the Cellar Bar, so disabled access is not good. But there may be a side entrance. * University: Students Union, tel 860222, ask for Ents Office for info. Good disabled access as there is a ramp from one level to the next. Can town people get in? * HEX: Hexagon Theatre, Queen's Walk Reading. Tel 591591. Disabled access is bloody awful - lots of stairs. And the gigs start unnaturally early. - - - ARK-HIVE CASSETTES for live Conspiracy recordings. Currently available, at Acorn Bookshop, 17 Chatham St. Reading. Military Surplus - 25/3/86 - C60 Military Surplus - 5/4/86 - C60 Military Surplus - 8/9/86 - C46 Frank Chickens - 18/8/86 - C46 Robyn Hitchcock - 2/6/86 - C60 Jo Jo Namoza - 2/6/86 - C46 John Cooper Clarke / Lost Week-end - 5/4/86 - C60 3 John - 14/4/86 - C60 Ozric Tentacles - 15/4/86 - C90 Ozric Tentacles - 21/12/85 - C90 Here & Now - 1/10/83 - C90 Here & Now - 12/5/84 - C90 Here & Now - 22/11/84 - C90 All at £2:00 each Quality tape copying service is also available from 75p inclusive of cassette. Telephone Rdg 788358 for instant quote. - - - New in: designer jewellery from The Body Decorators BLUE MOON Abi's & Gabby's Art & Craft Gallery Original modern paintings, silk screen prints, photographs, original cartoons, postcards, wooden toys, puzzles and stools, jewellery (including make-your-own earrings), and other crafts. The Emporium 1A Merchants Place Friar St, Reading: phone 590290 Open: Mon-Sat 10-5.30 - - - POP RECORDS 6 Yield Hall Place and 172 King's Road Reading's only shop for second-hand records. We buy albums for about £1 and sell them at between £2 and £2:90 unless they are really crap ones. We've also got thousands of singles from 10p-90p each. About 15,000 discs to look through. Open Mon-Sat 9 - 5 pm. Jazz - Rock - Soul - New Wave - R&B etc - - - LABOUR ONLY ONE YEAR BEHIND ANARCHISTS! In the Spring of last year anarchists occupied the old Unemployment Benefit Office for two weeks and turned it into a venue for local bands, artists and a theatre group. In the Summer over a thousand people attended a three day open air Free Festival organised by anarchists on land adjacent to Kings Meadow. On the front page of the Reading Standard Labour Councillor explained his ideas 'to make Reading buzz' by - wait for it - turning the old Dole Office into a venue for bands. What is more he wants to use parks for open air concert! What an amazing man! Where does he get all these original ideas? Zed Feecher Reading Anarchists commemorative sticker which upset the "Cleaner Reading Campaign" so much is now available from Acorn . - - - ANTI APARTHEID ACTION Well, here we are over a year into the Reading Anti-Apartheid Campaign(RAAC) and I think the six of us have done pretty well. More than six of us like the fundraising benefits and turn out for a good night. But come the Saturday morning I see the five familiar faces. What am I talking about? Pickets that should be well organised (who said that) demonstrations. Where? Outside Barclays, Tesco's, Sainsburys or anywhere selling South African goods. Why? To give publicity to the Anti-Apartheid Campaign and to inform people of the support they are actually giving to the S.A. regime when they buy S.A. goods or bank with Barclays. Not everyone is convinced! Response from 'confused of Reading' on being handed a boycott Barclays leaflet, "I can't, I've got an account here." Come to the next picket. At the same time as we are arguing for people not to buy S.A. goods, we have also been arguing that those goods should not be in the shops or the workplace. We don't want S.A. goods being unloaded at the docks or transported by road or rail. Neither do we want to make goods or provide services to help prop up the apartheid state. Things like computer software, communications equipment and manacles. We must fight for and support workers action as the only way to achieve effective sanctions against the racist S.A. regime. Black workers in S.A. have asked that we take such action. The only allies the black S.A. workers and unemployed workers have in this country is the working class. But we will only be giving support when we take action. We need to build locally for this. Support the Campaign. Future Events Sat 27th Sept. 10am to noon: picket Picket Barclays, Friar St, Reading Wed 24th Sept 8pm Campaign Meeting, Paradise Club. Mon 20th Oct 8pm, Paradise Club: Public meeting on workers Action. Main speaker Bill Morris, Deputy General Secretary, TGWU M. Mills, on behalf RAAC - - - SILVER STREET WOMEN'S CENTRE TAKES SHAPE Well, it's all happening now! Building work has started on 6, Silver Street - the new Women's Information Centre - with Nacro workers busy in stalling fire doors, plasterboarding a and so on. Hopefully it will be ready soon & then we can move in & start running a service & having fun! The new centre will house the office of the Well-Woman Association, as well as providing space for other groups, and there will be room for meetings, counselling, and just sitting around. There will also be a drop-in area where women can come in or ring up to find things out or have a cup of tea. We are building up a Women's information resource which will include general info, books & literature. We will continue to provide free pregnancy testing, newsletter etc. In addition, counselling will be available at certain times. The cost of the building work will hopefully be covered by a grant we have received from the Borough Council - although this won't cover rent, rates, heating, stationery and other running costs. So if you're planning to make a donation, we still need it! Help! We still need women to get involved in the project in a variety of ways, these include staffing the centre (making women welcome, answering the phone and so on) & generally being around when the centre's open, working on the information library (updating, networking,etc), or just adding enthusiasm! We will also need women to help decorate fairly soon. If you have some time you're bound to enjoy yourself! We've had lots of offers of furniture (thanks everyone) but we still badly need shelves and cupboards - so if you know where to find any... In fact any items would be welcome since we're planning a huge & cheap auction of everything that we can't take with us to the new centre - so if we can't use it we'll sell it! Also needed are typewriters and other office equipment & bits & pieces. If you can help in any way, or would like to know more, please ring Karen, 482237 or Lynette, 661275 - - - WOMEN'S CENTRE CASH BOOST With the help of the Conspiracy, Reading Women's Centre Collective put on The Frank Chickens at the Paradise Club, to raise money for the running costs of their new Silver Street home. The pointed lyrics, funny jokes wacky dances and electrofunky music created by these two Japanese women attracted an audience of about 200 people, many of them women who heard about the evening through the Women's Centre mailing. With the support of a performance piece by Alex, Johnny and Ian, everyone had a jolly good evening and lots of money was raised: £100 for the Women's Centre, (who gave the Conspiracy £20 for their help - ta!!), and a collection by Karen and Michelle made £35 for the Gurdip Kaur campaign (see elsewhere in this Rag), and £37:50 for the Ulster Holidays Project(ditto). Wonderful!! Thanks to all the men and women who supported the evening in any way. Mark. - - - WANTED An interesting(!) rundown of what's on at theatres in the area - can you help? Contact Box 79, 17 Chatham St. - - - ULSTER HOLIDAYS PROJECT - REPORT On 16th August, four families from Northern Ireland - two protestant, two catholic, with a total of ten children, came to Wokingham for a much-needed holiday. All the families are on low incomes, either from "work" or from benefits, and so money needed to be found to pay for this - and so the Ulster Holidays Project started. Dr. Barnado's allowed the families to stay far free at their cottages in Wokingham. They then appealed to local firms, along with Wokingham Youth & Community Service, for financial help - they got very little response, so a group of individuals in Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell got together to raise money off their own bat. On 8th August, Veggie Dining, (a 3 course, collectively-cooked vegan nosheroonie), made its return at the Reading Centre for the Unemployed, after a break of several months. The meal, with Irish Music from Arda Berkshire, was a splendid do, (sold out well in advance too), and it made about £50 for the Project. Two days after the families arrived, a collection at the Women's Centre benefit at the Paradise, (the Frank Chickens), raised £37:50. And there were other contributions which brought the total to over £100, which was passed on to the families, to help with fares and spending money. Everyone involved in the Project was well pleased with the amount raised in so short a time, although it was a shame that more couldn't be got together. Thanks to everyone who helped in any way! Mark - - - EVENTS Wednesdays at RCU from Oct 1 Womens courses Counselling & communication l-3pm Pottery 10-12am Video Workshop 10-12am Women & food 2pm Modern dance & exercise 10-12am Fridays: London Anarchist Forum begins its weekly meetings with speaker and discussion at 8pm, Mary Ward Centre, 42, Queen Sq., London Wed 24 Sept: * Anti-apartheid Group meet 8pm Paradise Club Thurs 25 Sept: * Windsor & Maidenhead Cay Group Pub evening at "Noah's Ark", Arthur Road, Windsor 9pm. Info: Victor on Slough 823790 Sat 27 Sept: * Anti-Apartheid Group picket Barclays 10-12 noon * CAPR Awayday Weekender: Subversives Stroll round State Surveillance Sites 10 mile walk round some of the less publicised 'sites' (sic) of London. Meet outside Imperial War Museum 12am * West Forest RSPB guided walks at Dinton Pastures Country Park, Hurst. Info: Twyford 342016 * Berks Conservation Volunteers Wetland Management at Fleet Pond. Info: 874034 / 473160 Sun 28 Sept: * CAPR (Part II) Conference on Public Order Bill 12-4pm Conway Hall, Red Lion Sq., London (Holborn Tube) * Conservation Volunteers see 27th * RSPB see 27th Wed 1 Oct: * Roll on the October Revolution! Sat 4 Oct: * Red Rag copy deadline 6pm * CND National Action Info: 0436-820901. Mass Trespass Coulport: Minibus from Reading. Info: Duncan 476196 Sun 5 Oct: * Berks Conservation Volunteers. Woodland Thinning Curti3 Wood, Calcot. Info: see Sept 27th * The Conspiracy speak! Interview and music on The Fence 7pm. Radio 210. Check it out! Wed 8 Oct: * Red Rag Folding Party. Info: see front cover * PPU meet for action info: 588462 Thurs 9 Oct: * SWP public meeting Central Club "Labour & socialism: the way forward?" Sat 11 Oct: * "Birth and Beyond" Reading Birth Centre's Autumn Conference speakers inc. Michel Odent & Janet Balaskas £10/£5 unwaged for weekend South Reading Community Centre. Info: (0734) 58419 / 65648 Sun 12 Oct: * "Birth & Beyond" see 11th * Red Rag collective meeting 6pm. Come on down! Info: see cover. Coming Soon: Oct 14: * BANC public meeting 8pm. Speaker on Nuclear Free Zones Friends Meeting House, Church St. Oct 15: * Nicaragua Must Survive. Public meeting with speaker 8pm. Palmer Building G09, University * Bruce Kent in Bracknell. Info: Sue Jessop on Bracknell 57296 - - - WANTED Someone to produce a fortnightly Events Guide, like this only better. Can you help??? - - - HARVEST WHOLEFOODS Friendly, helpful service. Competitive prices. Free delivery in Reading area. Phone orders accepted. Extensive range of wholefoods, organic vegetables, etc. 3, Harris Arcade, Reading Tel:- 580649 Mon - Sat: 9.00-5.30. - - - FILM / VIDEO Welcome to the new film and video section of Red Rag. If you have anything you'd like to include in this section please phone Clive on 475909 with details. Info: * Reading Film Theatre(RFT)is in the Palmer Building, Whiteknights Park. Adm. £1:90,(members, senior citizens, UB40s £1:20). * South Hill Park cinema (SHP) is in Bracknell. Prices vary. Substantial discounts for UB40s etc. * ABC Reading: tel 53931 for details. * Odeon Reading: tel 507887 does bargain shows for 4.55 screening - all seats £1:40. Fri 26 Sept: * Trip To Bountiful (SHP) until Weds 1st. 7.45pm. US 1985 dir. Peter Masterton. Geraldine Page's Oscar winning portrayal of an old woman escaping an unhappy life with her son and daughter in law. Sat 27 Sept: * Trip To Bountiful (SHP) 7.45 & 10.30 Sun 28 Sept: * Trip To Bountiful(SHP) 7.45 Mon 29 Sept: * Trip To Bountiful (SHP) 7.45 Tues 30 Sept: * TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL (SHP) 7.45 * Basic Video Course: Turnpike Activity Centre, Newbury. Weds 1 Oct: * Womens Video Course: Reading Centre for the Unemployed, 4/6 East St, 10-12 noon. free. * WEA COURSE: Language of film and TV. Waingel's Copse school Woodley 7.30-9.30 pm; practical investigation of film, TV and video. Thurs 2 Oct: * Kiss Of The Spiderwoman (15) (RFT) at 8pm. Brazil 1985, dir Hector Babenco. 2 prisoners share a cell in Latin America. William Hurt plays a homosexual sharing with Raul Julia as a political detainee. Fri 3 Oct: * The Stuff (15) (SHP) 7.45 US 1985 dir Larry Cohen. Surreal comedy about addicts to some white globs that spring out of the ground... it sez 'ere... * The Kiss Of The Spiderwoman (RFT) 8pm Sat 4 Oct: * The Stuff(SHP) 7.45 and 10.30. * SHP Basic Video Course. Also tomorrow. 10-5. £35. Sun 5 Oct: * The Stuff (SHP) 7.45 * SHP Basic Video Course continued. Mon 6 Oct: * The Stuff (SHP) Tues 7 Oct: * The Stuff (SHP) lot of it about. Weds 8 Oct: * My Beautiful Launderette (15) (RFT) at 8pm. G8 1985 dir Stephen Frears. Pakistani youth Omar and ex-NF supporter and old school, friend Johnny set up a stylish launderette. Quite simply, brilliant. * Womens Video & WEA course - as 1st Thurs 9 Oct: * My Beautiful Launderette (RFT) as 7th * Bayan-Ko (15) (SHP) 7.45 Phillipines & France. 1984. Dir Lino Brocka. A denunciation of the Marcos regime set in Manilia. Fri 10 Oct: * Lady Jane (PG) (SHP) 7.45 GB 1985 dir Trevor Nunn. Historical costume drama based on a few months in ye lyfe of Ladye Jane Gray. Until 15th. Sat 11 Oct: * Lady Jane (SHP) 7.45 & 10.30 * Pop Promo Video Course 10-6 £40 Also tomorrow. Sun 12 Oct: .? * Pop Promo and Lady Jane at SHP. - - - Cosmic Inc Presents The MAGIC MUSHROOM BAND & Military Surplus & Primitive Song The Paradise Club Oct 4th (Sat) 9-1.30 Late Bar £2:50 on door - - - FREE THE AIRWAVES "Unused frequency space represents a form of blight that we should tolerate no more than hoarded-up houses in an area with a waiting list" (Whose Media 1979) Despite deregulation in other countries, the closest the British have come to free radio are the Independent Local Radio stations such as 210. The ILR stations, despite the their name can lay little claim to being independent .They are tied to the IEA in content (broadcasts must lie 'inoffensive', politically impartial and not likely to 'incite violence or riot'). Not inclusive of their IBA transmitter rental fee they require at least £30,000 to attain the legally required broadcast quality. Not least they are tied to the investors and advertisers needed to provide this much money. These restrictions afford them little degree of specialisation, with the result that one ILR sounds pretty much like another. The blandness and complete inadequacy of legal radio has provoked the reaction which is pirate radio Free Radio is a novel, cheap and effective means of communication. As such it has always been a thorn in the side of government. Not long after the first sea-based pirates started transmitting their death-warrant was signed in the form of the Marine Offences Act. However the final tactic as ever was recuperation and Radio One was launched in an attempt to remove the pirate's raison d'etre. The 1980s saw a new burst of smaller land-based stations and soon the legislation had been introduced to match it in the shape of the 1984 Telecommunications Act. Predictably, the next step for the government was to try and dampen the reaction to the Act's suppression of illegal broadcasting. Plans to introduce community radio stations were an incentive for pirates to be less radical in their output and created rivalry between stations vying for a limited number of licenses. However, the prospect of any degree of derestriction was to frightening for those in power and the plans were shelved a few months later. It is evident that the governments primary concerns are to restrict access to radio to stations that are a) controllable b) viable providers of revenue c) completely innocuous. In the words of Geoffrey Pattie, Tory MP and head of the DTI, "It isn't a question of popularity, it's a question of regulations and breaking the law. The legitimate stations have gone into business through the procedures. The law and the regulations have got to be observed." Free radio is a threat in itself. The body concerned with the suppression of free radio, the Department of Trade and Industry, usually works with the police and is able to track stations in a matter of minutes. It has access to search warrants and the power to confiscate illegal equipment. Pirates tactics range from broadcasting taped programmes from tower-block roofs to live broadcasts using microwave links between studio and transmitter. Reading has been called the 'pirates graveyard'; few attempts at free radio have lasted, though rumour has it that ,Bonny Prince Charlie will soon be playing out of Coley again. There is certainly space for a free radio station in Reading and somewhere out there must be the people to make it happen. We need help - people with experience, skills or just enthusiasm. People who could provide material like local interest groups who otherwise wouldn't be heard. We haven't got much money so there's a benefit at the Paradise Club on Wed 22 Oct by the Conspiracy with Blyth Power (anarchist trainspotters) and Thatcher on Acid. See you there! Free Radio has enormous potential, let's use it. Free the airwaves! For more info, contact Box 101, Acorn. - - - READING CENTRE FOR THE UNEMPLOYED 4-6 East Street, Reading RG1 4QL Telephone: Reading (0734) 586639 Educational / Recreational Courses Games Women's Activities Cheap Food and Drinks Resource Library Sports Screen Printing Free, confidential advice on Social Security, Housing, Unemployment Benefit and Welfare Rights Photography / Darkroom Free Creche Opening Times : Mon.-Thurs. 9.30-4.30 Fri. 12.00-4.30 - - - $Id: //info.ravenbrook.com/user/ndl/readings-only-newspaper/issue/1986/1986-09-23.txt#3 $