RED RAG 20p Red Rag, Box 79, 17 Chatham Street, Reading, Berks:- Next Issue: Coordinator tel 665332 Copy Deadline 6pm Sat Jan 10 Typed copy to 8cm width & single spaced. Published by the Red Rag Collective, printed by Acorn Bookshop. Advertising Rates £3 for 10 by 6 cm £6 for 10 by 12cm 'Small ADS' are still free. 4 ads in consecutive issues are £2:50/£5 each. For more details: Simon on Reading 666354. Red Rag Outlets: * Acorn Bookshop * Blue- Moon Arts & Crafts (Emporium) * Reading Univ. SU (Ken's Shop) * Bulmershe S.U. * Harvest Wholefoods (Traders) * Pan Bookshop (Butts Centre) * Pop Records (Yield Hall Place) * UB Cycles (London Street) - - - CLAIMANTS ADVISERS: WOLVES IN SHEEPS CLOTHING The latest addition to Reading dole offices "hassle the unemployed" squad are currently in training, and aim to start their vile work in the New Year. Two "Claimants Advisers" are to work for the Wessex House U.B.O., to force selected unemployed people to sign off... and so reduce the registered unemployed figures in the runup to the election. Earning about £17,000 a year, these friendly-sounding officials each have a target of forcing at least 30 claimants to sign off... not quite the friendly helping hand featured in Jobcentre TV ads!! Claimants Advisers will be paying particular attention to identified groups in the unemployed population - people with a trade, young people (especially school leavers) - and anyone whose attitude to actively seeking work is suspect according to the Jobcentre. That last category includes people who have had to fill in an "availability for work test". At the moment, new claimants get it after 6 weeks, but it could be extended. And in any case, it's likely that the Claimants Advisers will ask their interviewees pretty similar questions. The "wrong" answers could lead to your benefit being stopped straight away. The "availability test" was the subject of a recent Red Rag article. If you missed it or lost it or ate it whilst waiting for the DHSS to pay you some money, then contact the Unemployed Workers Group at the East St. Unemployment Centre, to find out the gruesome details and the right answers to the "availability test". A particularly nasty area of work the Claimants Advisers relish is grilling people referred from Restart interviews. These interviews are compulsory for anyone who has been signing on for a year or more. If you don't go your benefit is stopped. You are asked about how hard you're looking for work, what you want to do, and you are offered deadend options like YTS, Community Programme and Jobclub. Now, Jobcentre staff doing Restart interviews are way behind schedule:- so sending interviewees to Claimants Advisers becomes an attractive way of coping with a huge workload. It's more likely that you will be sent to the Claimants Adviser if what you say at a Restart interview "Casts doubt on your availability for work"... e.g. you do want a job but the wages you tell them you are after are "unrealistic"... or if you're not looking hard enough. Refuse to see the Claimants Adviser if you have any choice in the matter. Never say anything to any official which limits your availability for work... 6 day a week availability, anywhere, doing anything. If you get a letter asking you to a Restart interview, you have to go, or your benefit will be stopped. But talk to a Welfare Rights Adviser first if you are in any doubt. The East St. Unemployment Centre is very helpful (596639). Same if you get into the clutches of a Claimants Adviser. Time is very important... you need to be aware of what is happening and could happen very quickly. Go safe!! They're after you again!! xx Billy Whizz... - - - DIRECT ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS USAF Upper Heyford is a base for the Fl-ll nuclear bombers and the EF1-11 radar jamming planes which were used in the American bombings against Libya in April. On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day there will be a New Year's Resolution action to publicise the base and to show our opposition to it. Come along to take direct action against the base or to show support for others. Direct Action is an effective type of protest seeking to bring about change ourselves rather than expecting others to... Non-violent Direct Action (NVDA) involves creating alternatives to the violence of this world. It has many forms: striking, squatting, blockading boycott etc. Most of the actions will take place on Dec 31 and individuals or affinity groups will be very welcome. Over the years, people have been arrested on a number of actions at Upper Heyford, mainly for obstruction, criminal damage and breach of the peace. Fines have been varied, but mostly in the region of £25-£50. Upper Heyford received little publicity in the press, until the Libyan Bombing. Hopefully, the New Year's action will help to build contacts for a NVDA event on April 15 next year to mark the anniversary. For those arriving on New Year's Eve there will be plenty of room to pitch tents along Portway, the bridleway on which the camp stands. There will also be some communal space in benders and a Wimmin's Area in a separate space. An information point will be set up for legal support at one of the peace camp caravans. The Peace Camp is at Upper Heyford, just off the main A423 between Banbury and Oxford and can be reached by bus from Bicester, Banbury or Oxford. Bring warm clothing, food and wood if possible. Contact address: Upper Heyford Peace Camp, Portway, Camp Rd, Upper Heyford Oxon. - - - Cosmic Inc Presents MILITARY SURPLUS Rubber Rubber Vortex + guests Sat 20th Dec On door price £2:50 At the Paradise Club - - - EVENTS Thurs 18: * Red Rag Collective Meeting If you read the Rag then get involved. Red Rag is desperately short of people. Come and find out what makes the Rag happen (and has made it happen for the last seven years). Short answer: people. All welcome 56, Hamilton Road 8pm xxxxx Fri 19 Dec: * Reading's Cay Collective meeting 8pm. For venue and agenda phone 484120 Sat 20: * Anarchist Stuff Xmas Party!!! Freedom Bookshop 84B Whitechapel High St., London (down the alley next to the Kentucky). Bring a bottle and a disguise! Sun 21: * Reading National Trust Volunteers: People needed for conservation work at Simon's Wood. Info: Roy Lewis 68220 * Rambling 2pm Higham Park 6 miles. Meet on the green by Bladebone pub. Mon 22: * Special Monday shopping at Acorn! Rare occasion, not to be missed! Only three days to Xmas and not a strand of tinsel nor nodding pixie in sight! Remarkable. Tues 23: * Sloppy Joe's Gay disco 9pm £1:50 (opp station) . Wed 24: * Special Stop Press edition of... Veggie Dining. Details have still to be released. All I am permitted to say is that extra information will be available at a price (say £2:50/£2) from Acorn Bookshop (to anyone carrying a copy of Red Rag under their left arm). Thurs 25: nothing Fri 26: * Reading National Trust Volunteers - hard at work working off the hangovers at Clivedon. Info: 663109 * Ramblers Association: 5 mile ramble near Henley. Info: Norman on 663958. * Huntsabbing, but they haven't told us where. Find out from the huntsab grapevine...? Sun 28: * People will be rambling in Crowthorne Woods this Sunday. 4 miles starting at 10am, meet at car park at Caesar's Camp, Nine Mile Ride. Wed 31; * Action at Upper Heyford Peace Camp (see article) or phone Chris on Pangbourne 5275 for details. * On Dec. 31st light a candle for peace, put it in the window... then call the Fire Brigade. Isn't it disturbing the number of these 'right-on' people who still feel constrained by things like religious holidays, too much eating, drinking and smoking and well... enjoying themselves. I don't know, not even another Rag for weeks. Bah Humbug! Snicker snicker .. scrungby drobnik Thurs 1 Jan: * 51 years since Spanish Civil War, 101 years since Haymarket, 61 since the General Strike, 11 since 'punk'... phew! * Nat Trust Volunteers ramble on... call Andy Barker on 474996 but watch your phone bill. Sat 3 Jan: * Proposed date for Campaign against Police Repression demonstration and *** March Against The Police Bill*** Meet at noon, Clock Tower Place, London N7 (around the corner from Caledonian Road tube station). Sun 4 Jan: * Steam powered passenger carrying Model Railway at Prospect Park (Bath Rd/Liebenrood corner)... I rode on it and survived 2-5pm Tues 6 Jan: * Berkshire Anti-nuclear campaign AGM Friend's Meeting House 8pm plus Cruisewatch video. Wed 7 Jan: Woodley Peace Group Meeting at 36, Hazel drive, Woodley 3pm. That's it!!! compiled by Erik The Vandal Send events etc. to Events Guide, Box 79, Acorn, 17,Chatham St, Reading or they just won't happen. - - - FILM & VIDEO After a short breather the guide is back. As RFT takes a break, most of the best films are either on TV or at SHP. The TV fare seems much as usual although the premiere of 'Dumbo' may be worth a watch. See you in 1987 with lots of good films on the way and more screenings and courses. If you'd like to listed or have some info on film, video or photography ring Clive on 475909. Fri 19 - Sun 21 Dec: * Purple Haze (18) SHP 7.45 (Fri and Sat 10.30 also) US 1986 dir. David Harris 97 min. 60's soundtrack makes this a must for ageing hippies. Tues 23 Dec: * Reading Camera Club Sale 7.30 Abbey Gateway. Photographic equipment and other bits. Mon 29 - Sun 4 Jan: The Black Cauldron (U) SHP 2pm & 7pm U.S. 1986 80 min. Walt Dismal. Nuff said! Mon 5 - Wed 7: * Death In A French Garden (18) SHP 7.45. Fr. 1985 dir. Michelle Deville Sub/t. A young man Is hired to give guitar lessons to a young girl. The sexual overtures come from her mother. Add a sinister husband, talkative neighbour and melancholy hit-man to give a 'classy' film. Thurs 8: * Educating Rita (15) SHP 7.45 Br. 1983 dir. Lewis Gilbert 110min Julie Walters as the working class woman determined to learn, Michael Calne as the alcoholic, cynical middle-class lecturer, a classic British film. FRI 9 - WED IS: * Aliens (18) SHP 7.45 (Sat 10.30) U.S. 1986 dir James Cameron. The original was superb suspense, this one has too many grizzly aliens. If you're a sci-fi buff, the special effects may be enough to keep your attention. *** Red Rag Festive Film Quiz *** How many of the films reviewed by Red Rag's completely illegible, totally irregular and obviously intoxicated Film and Video hack, has he actually seen? (Watch films? Don't you think I've got enough to bloody do...) - - - ORIGINAL ROCKERS Greetings!! One love to each and every one in the area, back in tune to the heavyweight sounds like Original Rockers, the best and the rest of soul and reggae music in the Thames Valley area. Give thanks in this time for the man like Freddie McGregor... did you catch him in Reading then?? If not, you only have yourself to blame.... We did tell you! Special request to the man like Roger and his spar at the PA controls seen? Nuff man a talk about unity and niceness, dem jus' hypocrites and hooligan... Freddie and the Studio One band were a hard sound to heat. Good to see Freddie on the Tube on television recently, also man like Sly and Robbie and the Taxi Gang... Bad! "No baldhead cannot sat upon the / Natty Dread / Bandwagon" says Prince Jazzho, and he should know... Settle (unless some big sound from London City come fe fire up the dancehall, it'll, be a cold Christmas in Reading). Friday 19 Dec there's a 210 party at the Central Club (36/42 London St), with 1234 yes four Reading sounds inna dub-clash... Raiders Hi-tec, Studio Magic, Sir Graphics, and the Stalingrad Music Machine. Also plenty singers from the Track One Massive-special request to Aqua Levi, seen. Also on the bill... football, netball, karate, and rugby awards to the best black sportsmen and sportswomen in Reading... a celebration of Reading's talent. Same night in a thunderous style, King of the Zulu Tribe Jah Shaka a go Chant Down Babylon. Make it a date and don't be late... Peckham High Street is the place to be on Fridays. "Me seh look out look out, the soldier a come / look out look out, the soldier a come / them a look fe the bad boy who a fire item gun / an' if you no run, them a shoot you to the ground..." Christmas Eve, well what a choice... Studio Magic and a soul sound at Central but Wycombe is where the crowds dem a bubble... at the Roundhouse Luton sound Gemini come play against Fatman hi-fi, whilst just down the road at Wycombe Multiracial London youthman sound Volcano Express entertain. Will there be a roadblock in Wycombe tonight?? Boxing Day in Reading could be cold and miserable... steel band regulars Hurricane Force are at the Paradise 112 London Street. But perhaps Volcano Express and Luton sound Sovereign will nice up the area... maybe Saxon Studio International too??? But dance of the evening is definitely at the Moonshot Club, Pagnell St, New Cross. Unity Hi-Power, dear and expensive, the big people's sound, with Operator Ribs at the controls, come fe mash up the dance with Sir Coxsone Outernational, featuring the return of the Number One Selector Festos, plus Blacka Dread and the SCOM massive, plus Exodus Hi-Power, with Senator D at the Control. Hold up your hand if you're a Unity Fan! In a one love style, gate price 5 nuggets also make it a date and don't be late, nuff respect to the man on the gate! Saturday 27 Dec at the Paradise there is Eastern Variation, a reggae/soca band from Leicester. Otherwise all is boring until... New Years Eve when king champion sound Unity, with Ribs at the Controls, fire up in Wycombe, with MCs like Ruddy Ranking, Demon Rockers, Kenny Knots, Specky Ranks, Flinty Ranks and the Unity Crew. In the blue corner, Reading bubblers Raiders Hi-Tec... keep on dubbing... meanwhile you can give greetings to 87 in Reading either at the Paradise (Hot Temps, soul/funk), or at the Central, where Sir Graphics and Solid Soul play a benefit dance for the Sickle Cell Anaemia Campaign. Forward and away forward into the month of Naptali with Jah Shaka, The Warrior, revealing the Commandments of Dub in St Albans. St Albans??? A true, on New Year's Day, and no better greeting. When will Shaka play Boom-Shaka-Laka in Reading again? Friday 2 January at Central we have the total opposite of Shaka, deadstock business from David Rodigan. Will he escape alive?? Also on the bill are sounds like Stalingrad, and Macka B from Coventry - the best in the Midlands. And there ends the last Original Rockers of 86, the year of the ragamuffin and digital robotic reggaematical style... What will 87 bring??... well, check out Papa Levi from long time back... "When me weak them say that me strong, When me right them say that me wrong- True, me check no politician, No care who win the election....." Love And Unity. PS: Don't forget to tune in to The Rankin Miss P, Radio One llpm-midnight every Sunday, also Tony Williams, 1-3 pm Sundays on Radio London... - - - ACORN BOOKSHOP Reading's radical community bookshop. Huge range of books, magazines, cards, pamphlets, posters. Also secondhand. Books ordered, bookstalls supplied. Printing, photocopying, electrostencils, badgemaking, free noticeboard. Opening times Tues-Sat 10-6 17, Chatham St under the carpark Tel: 584425 - - - MUSIC FOR FOLK The festive season is upon us. A week of Xmas Parties, then nothing, then a pretence at normality, whatever that is. What are these strange rituals? Thurs 18: Maidenhead Folk Club's X.P. at The Hose, King St, M'head. Fri 19: Comrades Club (Above BSM? Oxford Rd) will this be festive too? Sat 20: Bracknell (South Hill Park's Cellar Bar) X.P. with Spring Chickens, a wacky trio of a woman & 2 men, guitar, percussion and vocals. Oxfolk Ceilidh (at West Oxford Community Centre, Binsey Lane, Oxford), with the Dorset style Mellstook Band. Also punch and mince pies. Sun 21: More mince pies! Free ones, & some of these will be vegan, right? To be found at the George Hotel, Back Bar, along with, a disreputable bunch referred to as "Mark T and Friends". The musical menu may include bazouki and vocals and assorted percussion and clarinet and bombarde and saxophone and maybe pipes? melodeon? dulcimer? who knows? Free to Readifolk Club members. Mon 22: Nettlebed (at the Bull, High St, N'bed) X.P. with Nettlebed Mummers. Tues 23: Turk's Bottom at the Bistro, London Rd. Or will they be overcome with festivities? Will we? Wed 24: Eversley Folk Club's X.P.. (at the Toad & Stumps, Beversley Cross). ...Days (and days) of quaint folk rituals like watching the richest woman in the world on telly and pulling bits of paper apart and eating more than some people ever imagine (would they want to?), or even doing nice things to counteract seasonal cynicism... The action seems to start again with Sat 3 Jan: Bracknell: a "Come-all-ye", a round the room sing with Bracknell folk club. Sun 4: Readifolk (at the George, Broad St) with Bent Penny, stylish local duo Farnham Maltings: The Kipper Family (no, not the Copper family, it's a skit, see?). Traditional singing "at its most suspect". From Trunch. With Rory McLeod, footstomping harmonica/voice/guitar and songs of power and passion. The maltings isn't hard to find and it could be an <> night out. 8pm. Mon 5: Nettlebed: Bob & Gill Berry (Trad harmony duo) Tues 6: Fleet (Fox & Hounds, Crookham Rd, Fleet) a Night of "Rough Music" ("when anything goes") Oh yeah? Turks Bottom at the Bistro. Wed 7: Eversley Cross but I dunno what. Your compiler admits defeat in contacting Fleet and Eversley for the time being. Tel (95/516408 and 933/33193 respectively. Thurs 8: Maidenhead Singers' night. The return of the Pressgang Club at the Cap & Gown, Kings Rd. They'll be having 4 pre-booked floorsingers to kick off each gig, then 2 main acts from about 9.30. £1 before 9pm, £1:50 after. Bar extension till one, music probably stops around 11.15pm. This week they've got Andy Hepburn of the soppy love songs, Ministry of Humour, lyrical, left and up-to-the-minute, and themselves. Sensitive eardrums beware. Fri 9: Comrades Club? Why not. Sat 10: Bracknell: Maggies Holland & Dave Parry (which South Hill Park can't spell). Dynamic isn't in it; lots of energy, varied songs and nifty instrumental work.. I'm still not quite sure about this particular set-up, but their harmonies are just brilliant. Get them to do the Lazarus song if you go and you'll see what I mean. Sun 11: Readifolk Singers' night. Sat 10: Backtrack a minute; there's also Eddie Walker doing country blues and ragtime at the Eldon Arms in Eldon Terrace. Sun 11: Out of town snippet time; Whippersnapper are playing at Bourne End. Details 0327/61785/61570. Mon 12: Nettlebed: Bill Zorn of the Arizona Smoke Revue. Guitar and banjo. Something of a mega-star, they tell me. Tues 13: Activity at the Turks Bottom and Fleet. Wed 14: Ditto at Eversley. Thurs 15: Maidenhead: Jones & co. Pressgang: Terry Clark (what a voice, eh?) and someone as yet unconfirmed. Sat 17: Bracknell: Now this really isn't my end of things, so I'll just quote South Hill Park's blurb, OK? Mrs Ackroyd & Les Barker... "if you like an evening of hilariously funny poems and having your ankles bitten this is for you. The best six-legged duo in the business!" (The only...???) There's a dog fits into this somewhere. Don't ask me. Another out of town snippet. "The Hottest ceilidh in town" (ie London) with the Oystser Band And Tiger Moth, augmented by Mustaphas and Mekons and a very special surprise guest who's probably Billy Bragg at my guess but I could be wrong (it does happen). At the Town & Country Club, 9-17 Highgate Rd, Kentish Town, London NW5 7.30 to very late. Tickets from FMS PO BOX 73 Farnham Surrey for £5 + SAE. All profits are going to Anti-Apartheid. Sun 18: Readifolk. This time they will turn up! Another go at having The Oyster Band in town (they'll be knackered, mind; see above). They are good, tho'. Funky folk, worthwhile songs, polish, verve, shall I use up more of my new adjectives? I mean nouns. Anyway, go early. Can I stop now please? Those amongst you with extra special taste will mourn with me the temporary abeyance, I mean non-happening, of the Oxford acoustic music club. Building repairs or some such. News will be relayed as & when. Forthcomings include Blowzabella at Bracknell Jan 31 (Except they're also listed as playing somewhere else that night so hang in there, the truth will out for next ish). Solstice greetings to all. It must be obvious that I do this for fun, but I hope, humbly, that you enjoy the results. And the music. Info, feedback, to the Folksy bit, Box (Not PO Box) 79, 17, Chatham St, or ring Liz 53437 - - - LIVE & DIRECT Right, here we go on a whizz round the live and direct delights of Yuletide Reading 86 style. First off, an important message from local gig venue the Cap & Gown (252 Kings Rd). They are wanting to put jazz on as a regular Monday night event; so, they would be very interested in hearing from any jazz musicians/bands who would like to play. Phone Reading 586006 and ask for Eddie!! Thurs 18 Dec: * Red Rag Collective Meeting 8pm, 56 Hamilton Rd. Open to anyone interested in The Rag. Look, The Rag desperately needs new people. Why don't You (yes, you) take a more, active part?? This is not the bloody Sun, to be leisurely consumed. * Cap & Gown - Shush. 2am bar. £1:50 before 10.30, members only / £2 after. * SHP - surf/pop Xmas party with the Surfin Lungs, 8-llpm, 75p/£1:50 if waged * Jericho Tavern, Oxford - Hondo, reggae. Friday 19 Dec: * Paradise - Namoza (rhythmic and percussive, danceable and sometimes frantic) and Home & Abroad (sound like De Smiffs) 9pm, main band at 11.30. £2 on the gate. * Cap & Gown - Jonah Reece. 2am bar. See info key. Saturday 20 Dec: * Paradise - Military Surplus (roots and creation reggae inna Hungerford style) Rubber Rubber Vortex (Modern)and Mystery Guests. The promoter has pointed out to me that the entry in the last Rag which described this gig as a benefit for the Planet Earth Project was wrong. This gig is not a Planet Earth benefit and: the promoter wanted to make it clear that he has no links with the Planet Earth Project. ta. * Cap & Gown - Rock Orb. See info key. Sunday 21 Dec: * Majestic - crappy "alternative" disco. * Paradise - soul show. * Basingstoke - The Plot are putting on a gig but no details at the moment. * Cap & Gown - Folk Club. See info key. Monday 22 Dec: Cap & Gown - Namoza. 0ne of the few bands who are worth seeing. See key for details. Phone venue to check it's on. Tuesday 23 Dec: Turks Head - jazz, without all the students. Free from 9ish. * Paradise - The Complaints (legendary... once described as psychedelic pop) & the Brothers Grimm, put on by the Schiz - art organisation, which is on the Enterprise Allowance promoting performance in Reading. * London /Heaven, Tile Arches, Villiers St. The White Xmas Party, trendy gay club. Weds 24 Dec: * Cap & Gown - Xmas Eve Tamla /rare soul disco. See key for info. * Set traps for dere Santa... Friday 26 Dec: * Cap & Gown - Boxing Day disco. * Paradise - Hurricane Force steel band. Sat 27 Dec: * Cap & Gown - suggestions that Funktion at the Junktion are playing (soul/funk and a little reggae). Phone venue to check. * Bracknell - Langley Hal... The Aquarium a party/gig going on til 4am, with The Charles (Damned meets Bauhaus, gothic) * Crypt - Deptford High Street - The Magic Mushroom Band (Bracknell space rock) Sunday 28 Dec: * Paradise - soul disco. * ??? Monday 29 Dec: * ??? Tuesday 30 Dec: * Well... * Turks Head - Pete James jazz band, free 9pm * Out Of Town Club, Padworth - rock (kerranng) Wednesday 31 Dec: * At Last... Cap & Gown special with The Back Beat Band (Brassy and soulful) See info key for more details. * Paradise - Hot Tempa... Funk/soul with sexist lyrics. Thursday 1 Jan: * ... * SHP - closed for the festive season. Friday 2 Jan: * Cap & Gown - Jonah Reece. See key for more info on the venue. * Paradise - Probably reggae sound systems. Sat 3 Jan: * Cap & Gown - Bow Street runners, an r'n'b band; see info key. * Paradise - Soul night with Fashion show. Sunday 4 Jan: * ??? Monday 5 Jan: * Nowt Tuesday 6 Jan: * Rock night at the Out Of Town Club, Padworth. Drivel. * Turks Head - Pete James Jubillee Jazzband Weds 7 Jan: * Cap & Gown - Tamla /rare soul disco Thursday 8 Jan: * Cap & Gown: The Pressgang Club... sort of folk club. * SHP Friday 9 Jan: Cap & Gown - Hook, Line & Silverfish (danceable pop) and The Larkina (Rock and Roll cover versions, good fun) Monday 10 Jan: Cap & Gown - Blues Cruise... a blues band! Unemployed Centre, East St: Readings Gay Collective disco, 9pm-2am. Acorn Books for info. Sunday 11 Jan: * ??? Monday 12 Jan: Tuesday 13 Jan: * University - Ents New Year Ball. Town people must either be signed in on the night or have got advance tickets from the Students Union Ents Office. * SHP - Jazz in the Cellar Bar with Anthony Davis' Episteme... virtuouso piano improviser, in a wide variety of styles. Hang on it's not in the Cellar, it's in the Wilde Theatre. £4/3 concessions. Starts at 8pm. * Majestic - still no sign of a gig... maybe next week... * Turks Head & Out Of Town... as usual. Wednesday 14 Jan: * Cap & Gown - Tamla/soul disco. Thursday 15 Jan: * SHP * Cap & Gown - Pressgang Club, club with a difference. Friday 16 Jan: * Paradise - no-one knows. Least of all me. * Cap & Gown - Beyond The River. Blues. Saturday 17 Jan: * Cap & Gown - Push To Enter. * Red Rag Copy Deadline 6pm at Acorn Sunday 18 Jan: * $$$ * Red Arg typing. Monday 19 Jan: * Cap & Gown - Cracking the Pain. Rock/pop. * Red Arghrhhhh paste-up. Tuesday 20 Jan: * University - Womens disco. Tickets in advance from S.U. Ents office or you'll need to get signed in on the gate. * SHP - Jazz in the Cellar Bar: Lennie Best Quartet with sax genius Kathy Stobart. Vibes'n'sax: 8pm £2:50 or £1:50 with concessions. * Domestic: Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians + Jo Jo Namoza £3:50/£3 adv * Red Rag Pasteup. Again. Help or else. * Turks Head Jazz / Out of town "Rock" Weds 21 Jan: * Cap & Gown: tamla / soul disco. * Red Rag out... . Thurs 22 Jan: * Cap & Gown - Pressgang Club... folk club. Friday 23 Jan: * Cap & Gown - Vagabond. A Rock Band. Cap & Gown - 252 Kings Rd, tel 586006. Stairs to basement venue but the pub staff are very helpful. Smart dress please. Members only after 10.30pm, but membership is free. All you have to do is go along to the pub and ask to speak to Eddie (entertainments manager) or Barry (bar manager). Right. This very thin listing was very boring to compile and even less fascinating to type. That it's hopelessly incomplete is obvious. This is largely due to various promoters not getting their act together about gigs after Christmas. If anyone out there can be bothered to organise anything far enough in advance to meet the Rag copy deadlines, then perhaps you could be gracious enough to drop details into "Live & Direct", Box 79, 17 Chatham Street, Reading, The World. - - - SMALL ADS ARE FREE! * First Prize this week... goes to Stewart who wins one small ad Room in shared house in West Reading. Central heating, £110/month + share of bills. Available from 21/12/86. * Single or couple to share house. For details phone Iain on Reading 667085. * Homes wanted for: Large back-to-front spider plant and undemanding peperomias. Blue suitcase if you got them suitcase blues. Two vaguely trendy pseudo-oriental bamhooesque window blinds. Wee white wardrobe. Set of car speakers. Small curtains, mainly beige. Ring Liz on 53437. I need the room! - - - READING CALENDAR 1987 On sale - £1:50 Acorn Books Chatham St. Blue Moon & Backnumbers - The Emporium Rural Crafts, But is it Art, Books & More - The Butts Centre. Hobbies & Handicraft, Pop Records, Harvest Wholefoods - Traders Arcade. Friar St. Bookshop. Town Booksellers London St. Bookshop etc etc etc... - - - COLD COMFORT II Supplementary Benefit Heating Additions Hundreds of people on Supplementary Benefit are missing out on valuable weekly additions to their giros by not claiming for extra heating needs. Usually you can only get money under one heading; if you qualify under several only the highest sum is paid. The range of additions includes: 1. Extra Heating for Health Reasons: eg. Anaemia, Rheumatism, Arthritis. Your GP is legally obliged to give you a free certificate to support a DHSS claim. This entitles you to £2:20 per week and is the only heating addition available if you're not classed as a householder by the DHSS - eg. if you're living with your family. 2. Extra Heating for Age: £2:20 per week if you or anyone in you your household is under 5 or over 65. 3. Extra Heating Because Your Home is Hard to Heat: Eg. Because it's damp, draughty, has big rooms or is exposed. If you can claim under Heading 1. Health Reasons as well as this one you get £5:50 per week otherwise it's £2.20. As with 2, only open to 'householders'. 4. Extra Heating for Central Heating: If your home is heated by a system working from a central point (including night storage heaters), you could get more money. To claim you have to have been living at and claiming from your present address before 5th August 1985 and have had central heating then too! This entitles you to £2:20 /week for 1-4 rooms (excluding WC, bathroom and hall) or £4:40 for more than 5 rooms. 5. Extra Heating for Long-Term Disablement: £5:50 per week per disabled person. 6. Extra Heating because your Estate has been Designated as having High Heating Costs: None at present in the Reading/Bracknell area. These additions can be backdated for up to 52 weeks if you're successful. This could mean appealing against an initial refusal of the addition by the DHSS - don't let that stop you! For more info and advice - on entitlement, appeals, the chances of getting additions etc. - contact the Unemployment Centre Welfare Rights Team (Rdg. 596639). P.S. Although there is a space for 'Extra Requirements' at the end your Bl (Supplementary Benefit application form), the DHSS aren't into advertising your possible entitlement to heating additions or anything else - is that suprising7 Billy Whizz - - - Majestic Caversham Rd, Reading (0734) 586093 Big Brute Presents ROBYN HITCHCOCK AND THE EGYPTIANS + Jo Jo Namoza Tuesday 20th January Doors open 8.30pm Tkts £3 adv Listen & Majestic £3:50 on door - - - Presenting The Conspiracy THE TAPE Selected recordings Live at the Paradise Club The Story So Far... from 10 months in the life of the Conspiracy Collective... 22 tracks recorded live at the Paradise Club, Reading Only £2:75 available at Conspiracy gigs or from Acorn Bookshop, Chatham Street, Reading - - - VOTE LABOUR... AND STILL DIE HORRIBLY Dear Rag, Last week the Labour Party revealed its patriotic 'defence' plans, in which, as a sop to the CNDers, it half heartedly opposed nuclear NATO warmongering and called for lots more 'conventional' NATO warmongering instead. Nuclear weapons are a no no but 'conventional' ways of killing people are OK. The party's special TV broadcast began by telling us British servicemen were the finest in the world... They proved how 'fine' they were at Bloody Sunday, for instance, when they gunned down 13 unarmed civilians during a civil rights march, but of course that is precisely the point! Because the £10 billion that Labour doesn't want to spend on Trident and that they might have spent on welfare isn't going to be spent by Labour on tanks, armoured cars and lead bullets for nothing. Don't be fooled into thinking all this £10 billion of new hardware will be hanging around idle in the West German countryside, waiting for the Russians to invade (they won't). It will be hanging around here available for use against pickets, demonstrators and rioters on the streets of our towns and cities, backing up the war of brutalisation against us already being conducted right now by the police (and Labour wants more police too!). The likes of CND (Changing Nothing for Decades) have lead people into a trap by convincing them that 'nuclear disarmament' in isolation is the issue, when in fact on its own it is a virtual non-issue: a lead bullet can kill you just as dead as an atom bomb. There are enough lead bullets in the world to kill us all and unlike nuclear weapons, they are actually being used to kill people everyday around the world in Northern Ireland, in Nicaragua, in South Africa and so on. There isn't going to be a nuclear war; it is simply not in the economic interests of either superpower to have one! It would cause too much damage to the land, capital and resources they would seek to gain control of. We should not allow the fear of a doomsday, which is nothing but bluff, demoralise us into accepting sacrifices and suffering any government may want to impose (welfare cutbacks, restrictions on freedom, conventional war etc.) because "at least they are more bearable than a nuclear inferno". Depressing ourselves worrying about a nuclear nightmare that isn't going to happen distracts us from the real material struggles going on everyday: fighting the Police State, fighting inequality and discrimination etc. If it is a choice between spending £10 billion on Trident which won't be used and £10 billion on repression equipment; guns, bullets, truncheons, gas... which is being used against us everyday I would rather they wasted the money on Trident. Paul * Petard Thames Valley Anarchists - - - PROSPECT PARK HOSPITAL SALE The West Berkshire Health Authority has proposed that when the present geriatric patients are transferred from Prospect Park Hospital in Autumn 1987, that the hospital be closed and the site, with the exception of the staff residential accommodation be sold with the proceeds used to support the Health Authority's capital developments programme. In September 1985 the Community Health Council agreed to the transfer of geriatric patient services from Prospect Park to Battle Hospital. However, the CHC also stressed the importance of retaining the Prospect Park site for use by elderly mentally infirm patients from Fairmile Hospital. Prospect Park is an outstanding site with excellent physical surroundings and good access to all facilities including transport. The sale of Prospect Park would incur the massive cost of replacing such a site for future health service developments, bearing in mind the congestion of both the Royal Berks and Battle Hospitals. The Health Authority originally agreed that the site should be retained for the elderly mentally infirm, but the Regional Health Authority was intent on selling it. Fairmile Hospital is also scheduled for closure and its services to be transferred before 1994. However, the Health Authority considers it cannot justify replacing Fairmile with the Prospect Park site since this would mean the latter remaining empty for some years. The need to replace Fairmile is not considered sufficiently important to displace other projects and consequently Prospect Park is to be sold. The Community Health Council have been invited to comment on the proposal by 25 February 1987. The CNC will be holding a public meeting at 7.30 om on Tuesday, 20 Jan 1987 in the CHC offices at 10 Gun St. For further information or a copy of the official consultation paper: contact: CKH, 10 Gun Street, Reading. Telephone: 59567S - - - PUBLIC ORDER BILL 'If you keep off the streets in London and behave yourself you won't have the SPG to worry about,' (Sir David McNee - former Metropolitan Police Commissioner). From the beginning of next year the Public Order Bill will become law. The new laws will make demonstrating without police permission a criminal offence subject to a £400 fine or three months in prison. The march against the public order bill will start at 12 am from Clock Tower Place, London N7 (Caledonian Rd tube) on 3 January 1987. If there is one demonstration you go on next year make it this one. - - - WHY SHOULD I HELP STOP IT? "A huge campaign against shoplifting in Reading is driving teams of thieves out of the town, it was revealed this week" This appeared in an article by the Reading Chronicle on Friday. It seems unlikely that the campaign will be greatly affecting the 'shoplifting gangs'. After all, they have the experience, the people and the resources to find a way around the new measures. Besides, large scale theft is rarely committed at the point of sale. What the campaign will do, and doubtless was intended to do is to catch individuals. All sorts of people shoplift. How many people can claim to have never even considered it? The frustration of seeing goods that one cannot possibly afford. The anger of having to buy something that's price cannot really be justified. Shoplifting is an escape (albeit short-term) from poverty and, for many people, from the boredom and feeling of inadequacy of unemployment. Yet how often are we told that 'the poor can still retain their self-respect' and need not steal? If you are poor it is because you have been ripped off somewhere along the line. We are ripped off every day off our lives, tax, fines etc., yet any attempt to equalise the score is an offence; not just made poor, but a criminal to boot. But, then isn't that precisely what they want? "Most people feel upset when they witness theft from stores - deep down, we know that theft from stores is morally wrong - and that it's a crime too." Morality? Since when has morality entered into capitalism? You go for what you can get. If you can make more money raising prices, you raise prices. If you can raise your profits by reducing theft then you clamp down on shoplifting. The hypocrisy is revolting. What is more insidious is that paying customers, consumers are expected to become their own police force. We are asked to report 'suspicious behaviour' to the relevant authorities, ie. the management. "Theft from a store today... could mean theft from our car or our home tomorrow." Are they trying to tell us that if you leave a shop without paying for something, you are just as likely to nip round the corner and burgle somebody's house? Again they are talking about organised crime, but then they wouldn't admit that most shoplifters are just ordinary people. "Virtually every shop in the town has become involved in the campaign" ... but only the ones that matter like WH Smiths, Woolworths, Marks & Spencers, BHS etc. "It is the co-operation of the general public, which the firms see as vital to stem their losses - all of which eventually result in higher prices to the customer." Are we to be convinced that if shoplifting were to cease then prices would go down? That the money "might otherwise be spent on improving services and facilities". Nothing is going to be spent that doesn't provide a good financial return. The leaflet would have one believe that the Chamber of Commerce are some kind of charitable organisation! So, what do 'conscientious 'members of the public have to gain. Well... "If you wish to volunteer your personal details however, the Stop IT campaign organisers will write to tell you how useful your help, as a responsible citizen, has been." ...And why does this make us so 'responsible'... "Apart from the moral issue of upholding the law, there are other far-reaching effects of theft from shops." Like the need for security guards, mirrors, cameras, alarms etc. As the shops point out, it's a lot cheaper for them if they can persuade you to act as unpaid security staff. Very few first time shoplifting offences incur a heavy fine, there is often less stigma than with political offences. All-in-all shoplifting can make good financial sense. Rip it off - don't let them do it to you! love, Brian Damage. Alternative stickers are available from Box 19, 17 Chatham Street. "If ya got somethin' it's cause you're good. If ya got nothin' it's cause you're bad... Ask Santa Claus" - - - BLUE MOON Arts Craft Beads - make your own jewellery Paintings Photos Wooden toys Badges Ceramics and more... Upstairs in the Emporium - - - SUBSCRIPTIONS 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 including postage I enclose £4 Name: Adress: Cheques payable to Red Rag. Send to Box 79,17 Chatham St, Reading - - - JOBCLUB Get A Job Or Else The Nazis used to say 'Albeit macht frei'... Work makes you free. There's little difference between this and the 'JobClub' - one of the eight options for people who have been signing on for a year or more. These options are forced on you by the Job Centre when you go there for a compulsory Restart interview. Oh, there is a 9th option - the one the government wants you to take - and that's not turning up. Your benefit will then be suspended immediately. Yep, no money. So, Jobclub - and the seven other options aren't really choices. Jobclub is especially dodgy: * It offers free phones, office equipment, stationery and stamps to 'members', which they use to chase up ten job leads per day. * There's no room in it for people who don't really want 40 hour/week wage slavery as a way of life. * It uses crude but powerful group pressure to make you feel useless if you don't get a job when someone else in your Jobclub does, lucky winners get 3 foot by 2 foot congratulations notices about them on the wall. * You're expected to make applications until you do get a job: for someone with few qualifications this means phoning up anyone who wants a toilet attendant until you're hired as such at a crappy wage. * Many of the much advertised resources - free stamps, stationery, help with applications are available through the weekly 'drop-in' sessions attached to the one-week 'Restart' course (one of the eight options). If you do want this sort of help, it's available in a much less fascist, much less guilt-tripping format. If you go on Jobclub and get a job - bully for you - if that's what you want. But every 'success' for Jobclub boosts the statistics and makes it more likely that more Jobclubs - Group Therapy by Thatcherite careerists - will be set up. Indeed, last week the TVS 'employment action line' revealed that the target is 1000 Jobclubs by June 1987 ie. by the General Election... The more successful Jobclub is seen to be, the more it will feature in the second phase of measures to hassle the long-term unemployed (perhaps including people who have been signing on for a mere 6 months). This means that April 1987 could see thousands of people being put through weeks of he'll on a Jobclub, desperately applying for jobs which just are not there in our present economic state. So, they either take shit jobs which pay less than the dole, or they stand a fair chance of feeling completely worthless by the end of it. Sounds awful? Sounds just like what the Manpower Services Commission, Jobcentres and Government want from Jobclub and similar measures. Refuse Jobclub. If you want dole, not work, at the Restart interview say you're fully available for work but need to make a few decisions. Insist on going on the Restart Course (only one week long) Billy Whizz - - - HOUSING CO-OP As a result of an article in Red Rag a few weeks ago, the 9th December saw the inaugural meeting of a prospective Housing Co-operative. We began the meeting by discussing our present housing situations, the problems, and also how we would like to live... sharing housing in the Reading area but with more control and security than rented accommodation. The lack of these elements is part of the problem of living in someone else's investment. Due to the temporary feeling of rented accommodation it is often hard to find the motivation to spend time, effort and money decorating or improving the property. Any incentive to make life more comfortable is tinged by the frustration of knowing that any work put into present abodes is merely benefiting the landladies/lords. Besides who can help but feel insecure when they might want you out; their financial investment, but your home. So, after discussing why we wanted a housing Co-op we went on to discuss what we wanted from one. We talked about details such as the degree of communality we desired, whether we wanted a garden (yes!), and wanting a house which would be suitable for children. Members of the co-op would all live in the property and pay rent, this money could be used to provide communal resources that could not be afforded individually. Greenhouses, workshops, fireplaces(!) and a communal car were some of the ideas that sparked our enthusiasm . Potential problems of such shared housing were introduced and the importance of understanding the implications of shared responsibility. But then it's only living with other people and if we can't manage that then... Lurking in the back of our minds was the realisation that money could be put to a far better use than lining the pockets of landlords/ladies. The next meeting will be held on 7 Jan 1987 (that's a Wednesday) at 8pm, 75, Filey Road. Anyone interested is of course welcome. Meanwhile, we'll be exploring useful contacts - perhaps we'll invite someone involved in co-op a co-op to come to a meeting. Highly recommended is 'The Collective Housing Handbook' by Sarah Eno and Dave Treanor. (We have one copy available for loan) - - - HOUSING CO-OPERATIVES Any group of people can get together to form a co-op which will provide housing for its members. They need to discuss the aims and objects of the group: whether they want a specific type of property in a particular area, who would be eligible for membership, etc. It is possible for co-ops which start out simply running a few houses on short-life licences to progress to permanent housing, but it will take a few years and is getting harder. How Co-ops Work Co-ops are non-profit making organisations run by and for their members. Houses are bought on behalf of all the members, so no individual can sell their home for personal gain. Co-ops get various grants and subsidies for both permanent and short-life properties. Drawbacks Forming a housing co-op does not solve immediate housing problems. It is a long laborious process and needs a lot of work, commitment and hassling bureaucracy. Co-ops can face problems from bureaucracy, which may force them to charge higher rents than they want-to and interfere in the way their money is spent. People in co-ops can not only organise their own housing, but also through collective action fight against a system which creates homelessness and slums as a permanent feature. Neither housing associations nor co-ops will solve any immediate housing problems. They can take years to set up. LIVE MUSIC AT THE CAP & GOWN Thurs 18 Dec: Shush Fri 19 Dec: Jonah Reece Sat 20 Dec: Rock Orb Mon 22 Dec: Jo Jo Namoza Tues 23 Dec: Larkins Wed 24 Dec: Soul Disco Fri 26 Dec: Soul Disco Sat 27 Dec: Funktion At The Junktion 1987 Fri 2 Jan: Jonah Reece Sat 3 Jan: Bow Street Runners Wed 7 Jan: Soul Disco Thurs 8 Jan: Pressgang Fri 9 Jan: Hockline & Silverfish Sat 10 Jan: Blues Cruise Wed 14 Jan: Soul Disco Thurs 15 Jan: Pressgang Fri 16 Jan: Beyond The River Sat 17 Jan: Push To Enter - - - $Id: //info.ravenbrook.com/user/ndl/readings-only-newspaper/issue/1986/1986-12-16.txt#3 $