This week we're honoured and delighted to have radio legend Jacob Edward (Gaydio, Radio 1) on guest hosting duties with a belter of an episode for LGBTQIA+ history month! Jacob dives deep into their own personal LGBTQIA+ history with some tip top queer bops along the way from Dream Wife, Flavia, Bright Light Bright Light, SOPHIE, and Hayley Kiyoko!

You can listen to Jacob's awesome radio show on Gaydio Mon - Fri (4pm - 7pm)
https://www.gaydio.co.uk/on-air/jacob-edward/
Follow them on Twitter! @itsjacobedward
Check out their website! https://jacobedward.org/

Okay, ladies, non-binary folk, and assorted allies – are we ready for round two of celebrating womxn in music?

Okay, honey. Get ready, we’re gonna go back in. We’re gonna go go go…

TRACK ONE: “Pin” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Hiya love! That was “Pin” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs – fronted by the awesome art-punk weirdo Karen O and this is episode #34 of Comics Youth Radio presents Lockdown! at the Disco. I am your host Amy Roberts, beaming in from the ungodly streets of Fairfield and Kensington, and today’s episode is part two of our celebration of women in music.

Like last time, we’re here to blast our fave tunes by wxmen and non-binary musicians from past and present who have smashed barriers, fought for their rightful place within the industry, and left massive influential statements with their work. And as ever, we want to pay particular celebration to women who identify as LGBTQIA+ and to women from the BAME community.

We’re also going to be chatting about women in music and going a little more in depth about some of the artists that we’re playing today and why they’re on the playlist.

As a heads up, we recommend today’s episode be listened to by young people aged 13+. This episode will at times be delving into issues of bodily and sexual autonomy and may not be suitable for younger listeners so parental discretion is advised. Like last week, we’ll also be doing our absolute best to avoid issues and language of a triggering nature though we are discussing some of the barriers faced by marginalised women in society and within the music industry. As a final disclaimer, a couple of songs on today’s playlist do also feature some mature language and themes.

This is obviously a one-off whilst we discuss some deeper subject matter, and our next few episodes should hopefully be more suitable for younger listeners.

Today’s episode has been put together with the awesome help of lthe very talented ocal music writer Megan Walder who has been making some really cool pieces of work for our Safe Spaces Trail here at Comics Youth.

Megan has picked a few songs for today’s episode which you’ll be throughout the show. And this is her first request – which was also requested by Rosa. Of this band, Megan says, “Lead singer Fee Booth is a powerhouse. As a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, she is unapologetically herself. They were the support for the first gig I ever reviewed and I’ve seen them bloom ever since.”

This is “Coke” by Bloxx:

TRACK TWO: “Coke” – Bloxx
TRACK THREE: “Black Dog” – Arlo Parks

That was “Black Dog” by Arlo Parks, and it was also picked by Megan who says that the song is, “A tale of depression that has infiltrated the mainstream. I’m so excited for her debut album and for her gig at the Arts Club in Liverpool, whenever it can happen.”

I think loads of us are currently sitting on gig tickets that were meant to take place last year which are just like hanging in rescheduling limbo at the moment. I have about three left which haven’t been cancelled at this point and which keep getting moved back and back. I think De La Soul have given us about five different rescheduled dates at this point, bless them. We live in hope that the vaccine gets distributed properly by this government and that live music makes a comeback at some point in 2021.

But back to Arlo Parks anyways – Katie Heyes, who is a big part of our Safe Spaces crew, also suggested Arlo Parks to us on Twitter as one of her favourite trailblazing women in music at the moment.

Arlo’s debut album, the beautifully titled Collapsed in Sunbeams was released at the end of last week and it’s gorgeous. Exactly what 2021 ordered to be honest. Galdem published a really wonderful interview with Arlo Parks ahead of the album’s release last week too which I highly recommend you all read – we’ll pop a link in the show notes for yers so you can find it easy – where she talks about her vast cultural influences which include everyone from King Krule to Bright Eyes and My Chemical Romance to Frank Ocean.

She also talks about her love of poetry – citing black feminist and lesbian trailblazers like Pat Parker, Adrienne Rich, and Audre Lorde alongside the beat masters like Ginsberg and Burroughs as art she loved as a teenager which, quote, “felt really human” and “focused on small details”.  

As a bisexual black woman, Arlo provides some fresh representation for queer people of colour, which she told Galdem is important because in terms of such representation for her growing up, QUOTE “There wasn’t really a wide range, especially in alternative music. So it’s amazing to be that for other people.”

One person who doesn’t get nearly enough kudos or celebration for providing this kind of representation within alternative is Skin from Skunk Anansie. On top of being a queer black woman in alternative music – and openly and proudly so – she’s also by far got one of the most commanding voices in musical history.

That’s not hyperbole, it is not exaggeration. Skunk Anansie were a heavy alternative band in the 90s exploring a great deal of issues within their music regarding youth culture, identity, sexuality, and even social issues like addiction. But because of that, I feel that Skin’s talent was just written off because she was a queer black woman making heavy music and that just didn’t fit the role that society tends to want black women to fit into – to be palatable, to be marketable.

Skin didn’t care about any of that. She would charge out there in the most outrageous, beautiful outfits and celebrate herself and her talent and refuse to be ignored and refuse to make herself smaller or more easier for the mainstream to digest.

She remains a one-of-a-kind rock star talent and my goodness, just listen to this voice will yer? There are few voices in music which can stack up to this.

This is the ridiculously named “Charlie Big Potato” by Skunk Anansie. Play it loud…

TRACK FOUR: “Charlie Big Potato” – Skunk Anansie
TRACK FIVE: “16 Psyche” – Chelsea Wolfe

That was my goth wife Chelsea Wolfe with “16 Psyche” from her ridiculously good 2017 album Hiss Spun. Wolfe is one of those witchy women – but like, a good one? Not like Lana De Rey – who is just so talented and who just emanates this incredible ethereal power.

Hiss Spun is much heavier than her usual sound – which is usually quite dark and brooding still but very delicate and thoughtful and atmospheric. She’s a phenomenal songwriter and performer and if you like you’re music a little dark like that, then definitely explore her back catalogue. You’ll be probably be dyeing your hair black by the end of it.

Now, we’re gonna delve back in to celebrating some women in hip hop who have really made massive public statements and occasionally been a little controversial for it too – because you know what folk are like. They don’t like women with opinions – and society especially doesn’t show enough respect for black women with opinions.

This next band I’m gonna play are one of the most influential mainstream hip hop acts of all time and they’re Salt-N-Pepa. Now, what I love about them is that they loved to explore gender dynamics – and were particularly outspoken against double standards and everyday casual sexism and microaggressions in music and within the music scene of the 90s.

But they were also a band who weren’t afraid to explore their sexuality in a very open way and to engage with what that meant as three black women in the public eye. Their approach to openly talking about sex – particularly at a time when the AIDs crisis was at its peak and yet legitimate education was still scarce regarding it – was revolutionary for music that was getting played on mainstream radio.

Salt-N-Pepa had the attitude that not talking about sex was dangerous. Not only in terms of personal health and wellbeing, but on a societal level too. They encouraged conversation and education in order to empower people and to create safer consensual environments for sexuality to be explored within.

This song I’m gonna play here is a phenomenal anthem about sexual and boldily autonomy which challenges ideas regarding double standards within society but also the idea – which we ran a whole campaign about in Safe Spaces last year – that your body and what you do with it is nobody’s business.

So long as you you’re not hurting yourself or anyone else, then your body is yours, honey. Keep your dialogues open, have conversations, discuss consent, and stay safe. This is “None of Your Business” by Salt-N-Pepa and the language gets a little fruity, so err – content disclaimer on this one, but it’s a pure belter.

TRACK SIX: “None of Your Business” – Salt N Pepa
TRACK SEVEN: “Paper Planes” – MIA

That was “Paper Planes” by MIA, another phenomenal woman who is mostly known for being an MC, but all-in-all MIA is first and foremost an activist who uses her music as a platform with which to explore social, political, and philosophical issues.

“Paper Planes” is by far her most well known and beloved track, but she’s got so many better tunes worth digging into as well. But I’m playing that one because it’s still so groundbreaking to me that MIA managed to make an anti-capitalist anthem about the dangers of colonization and the hell that immigrants are unnecessarily forced into such a massive mainstream hit.

Granted, the true meaning of the song was likely lost on a lot of people who probably just loved it for its beats and flow and jagged production style. But over the years since it was released in the early 00s, people did gradually wake up to what Paper Planes actually means and how it continues to relate to how difficult it remains for immigrants to get their papers and their rights to live in a place. And it continues to be a massive fight for immigrants – possibly even worse now than it was back then, which is harrowing.

The song is renowned for how it uses gunshot sound effects as part of its core chorus beat, but it’s also been controversial for it. Speaking to The Daily Beast, MIA stated that she added these in because it’s something she herself is familiar with and stated, QUOTE:

“If you’re an immigrant you left somewhere and most of the time you fled a war. Gun sounds are a part of our culture as an everyday thing. If you’ve been exposed to gunfights and violence and bombs and war then I can use those sounds backing my thoughts, ya know? Look, I’ve been shot at so I’m quite comfortable with gunshot sounds. If you have a problem with it, go and talk to the people who were shooting at me.”

And there’s actually a really terrific documentary about M.I.A that you can watch on Netflix at the moment called Matangi/Maya/M.I.A which I hugely recommend.

Next up we have a band requested by Rosa who says that the first time she heard any of their music she was like, “Whoa, are girls allowed to do this?”

HECK YES! This is Deeply Unlovable by The Empty Page.

TRACK EIGHT: “Deeply Unlovable” – The Empty Page
TRACK NINE: “Mr 10pm Bedtime” – GIRLI vs The Tuts

That was “Mr 10pm Bedtime” by GIRLI vs The Tuts and it was another amazing pick by Megan who says about it:

“Mr 10pm Bedtime is a battle between some of my favourite womxn in the music industry. GIRLI is an advocate of being whoever you want to be, using her TikTok to share amazing womxn and their achievements in a cis-gender male dominated world. 

“The Tuts are a three piece who came to my attention through their Solidarity Not Silence activism campaign and legal defence fund. Along with Petrol Girls, they have poured their profits into fighting a legal battle after being accused of deformation of character when outing a man’s treatment of women within a small musical community.

They have sidelined their career progression to ensure that the world becomes that bit safer for the marginalised voices who come after them.”

Thanks for that, Megan. We touched upon this last episode too, that there is still a lot of work to be done within the music industry concerning issues like this. It happens within grassroots, DIY music communities – like the one that Petrol Girls and The Tuts came out of – and it also happens much higher up to within mainstream music.

And the main messaging that always comes out of this is Believe women. And we’ll add on to that to say, Believe marginalised people. Because the way in which women are often ignored or not believed or are brushed aside when they raises complaints or accusations against men concerning their conduct and behaviour and treatment of women, is something that fits in across the board with how every marginalised person is spoken over and not taken seriously or has their own accusations and complaints just swatted away.

It’s something that we can even see within something like Black Lives Matter – that’s a campaign that was forced to spring up and to maintain life and to get louder and bigger each time because black voices weren’t being listened to and weren’t being taken seriously when complaints and accusations were raised. Even when there was cold, hard evidence that could prove that these accusations were legit.

So, a reminder: Believe women, believe non-binary people, believe marginalised communities. And support them. Look out for one another and raise concerns about behaviour as and when you become aware of it.

We have to all work together to make communities safer and more inclusive.

Now, I’m off my soap box for another day. This next artist is someone that Megan describes as ‘an up and coming artist who will bloom in the next few years” and says that this track is QUOTE “all about perspective and attempting to find your place.”

This is “If I Were You” by Claud.

TRACK TEN: “If I Were You” – Claud
TRACK ELEVEN: “Password Change” – Olivia Dean

That was the well dreamy “Password Change” by Olivia Dean which is the last of Megan’s picks for today’s episode. She says of the song, “Password Change is about an argument the narrator has with her partner. She struggles to find her place in terms of where his priorities are and their journey of learning one another’s love languages, all hidden in the guise of a metaphor.”

And that brings us to the end of another episode! This is our reminder that we’re currently recruiting for this year’s Safe Spaces gang – where you can do all sorts of creative work, get published, and learn new skills within an inclusive and supportive marginalised community! This year we’re gonna be running media campaigns, making issue #2 of our newspaper, working on a bi-monthly zine, developing an art trail. You can find out more info about that by checking out our website comicsyouth.co.uk/safe-spaces-2021.

Crucially, we’re also giving Lockdown! at the Disco a bit of shiny ol’glow up with your help. We’re recruiting a young production team to help me out with podcast production here on the show. So if you’re aged 13 – 25 and would like some experience with any part of the podcast production process – from curating playlists, writing scripts, providing researching for fun nuggets of trivia, or even just recording your own segments for episode – then come get involved!

You can find out more information about that checking out our website comicsyouth.co.uk/discoteam. No experience is necessary cos yours truly will be providing pep talks and training and mentorship the whole way.

Our next episode is a super exciting one and it marks the start of a series of real awesome ones celebrating LGBTQIA+ History Month. We have some extra special treats in store for that, but we’re starting with an episode exploring LGBTQIA+ history in music.

If there’s a particular LGBTQIA+ artist you want to hear for that episode who you think contributed in major way to the community and to music then get in touch with me to tell me about them [email protected], or if you’re on our Safe Spaces Discord then you can pop your request into the radio subchannel on there.

But until then, remember: Everything is not cool, but it can be. Stay safe, stay sassy, and my goodness stay cool, kool thing! And let’s continue our attempts at trying to liberate us girls from white male corporate oppression.  

This is “Kool Thing” by Sonic Youth and this is Amy Roberts, singing along and signing off…

Byeeeeeeee!!

TRACK TWELVE: “Kool Thing” – Sonic Youth

This one goes out to all of our women and non-binary listeners – and all of our wonderful allies too. And remember, if your feminism doesn’t include transgender women then you’re not a feminist and you can’t sit with us. Okay, honey?

Let’s rock –

TRACK ONE: “Barracuda” – Heart

That was the almighty “Barracuda” by Heart – a band who, to my mind, remain one of the most under-appreciated rock bands of all time led by the incredible Wilson sisters who can not only shred guitars like total bosses but damn, their voices are also unreal.

And we’re playing that because this is Part One of our Womxn in Music episodes where we’re celebrating trailblazing women in music which means we’re showing some love to the women who paved the way for the crop – particularly at a time when it was even more difficult to prosper in the industry as a woman – but also the women who are currently leading the charge and standing their ground in an industry which continues to be difficult to navigate. Particularly if you’re a woman or non-binary person of a marginalised identity.

Now, this isn’t the history channel, honey. This episode is not supposed to be a thorough in-depth presentation about the history of women in music or the current landscape of the music industry for women, but more a celebration of the artists who give us strength, power, inspiration, motivation, and VIBES every time we listen to them.

We’re paying our respects, and this is the first of many episodes to do so. This episode will also be a little longer than usual because we’ve received such a massive response to this week’s theme that we’re kind of overwhelmed by content! Hence why we’re breaking it up into parts.

We’re also super excited this episode as we have the amazing Ella and Eve from Where Are the Girlbands joining us for an interview and a coupla scoops of ice cold bops, so stay tuned for that cos they’re such a pleasure to listen to about music.

A little content disclaimer on this episode, some of the songs featured on today’s episode may feature language or references to things that might not be appropriate for younger listeners. We’ll be avoiding directly triggering content and keeping this episode as uplifting as ever, but as a heads up we are also going to be touching upon some subjects regarding some difficult struggles that are experienced by marginalised women within music scenes and society itself. 

We’ll be keeping the balance though, people. And Lockdown! at the Disco will always be your haven throughout this current hellscape.

But let’s get into it, shall we? This next track was requested by Autumnsy on Discord who says of the artist, “I didn’t even know I’d been listening to her for as long as I have. She’s set the scene for a lot of younger artists too.” – and how Autumnsy! This is “Boys Wanna Be Her” by one of my all-time fave queer babes, Peaches:

TRACK TWO: “Boys Wanna Be Her” – Peaches
TRACK THREE: “Golden Phone” – Micachu & the Shapes

From one queer babe to the next, that was the incredible Micachy & the Shapes with “Golden Phone” from the band’s debut album Jewellery from 2009. Leading that band was musical maverick Mica Levi who has since gone her own way to enjoy some even bigger successes.

In 2013, she quite notably wrote one of the most phenomenal movie scores of the modern era with her eerie soundtrack to Jonathan Glazer’s horror sci-fi masterpiece Under the Skin. Meanwhile, in 2016 she was nominated for an academy award for her score for Pablo Larrain’s Jackie, making her only the fourth woman in history to have been nominated for such an award, and the first ever gay woman to be nominated for it.

Mica Levi dropped a surprise new album at the end of last year called Ruff Dog which is a lo-fi grunge gem of a joint that really highlights her versatility and playfulness as an artist and damn, I just love her to bits. Massive recommendations that if you haven’t already, then go and seek out any music from Micachu & the Shapes and Mica Levi, because wow wow wow wow WOW!! She’s an absolute avant-garde star star.

And now, we’re gonna pay a couple of respects to some old school women in music who have really laid down the red carpet for a lot of women to follow. First up we have perennial avant garde art folk weirdo Kate Bush – who may be a bad Tory, allegedly, maybe – but damn, she made some jams back in the day.

Moon Vampire shared that Kate Bush is her favourite trailblazing woman in music on our Discord, and told us: “I love her music and she was only 19 when she topped the UK singles Chart for four weeks with her song “Wuthering Heights”. She became the first female artist to achieve a UK number one with a self-written song which I think is so amazing and inspiring as a woman. Her genre revolves around art rock as her songs are quite avant-garde”

Indeed. This is “Hounds of Love” by Kate Bush.

TRACK FOUR: “Hounds of Love” – Kate Bush

TRACK FIVE: “What’s Love Got to Do With It” – Tina Turner

That was my girl Tina Turner with “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and that was requested by Tom on our Discord, who says: “She’s my favourite trailblazing woman in music because not only did she find the courage to break out from an abusive relationship with her husband Ike Turner, but she continued to hit the top of the charts with her blend of rock, pop, and R&B”.

I’ve long been obsessed with Tina Turner myself Tom and have always found so much strength and inspiration from her as an artist and as a woman. She’s remains such a unique performer and in terms of how she blended genres and how she remained loud and tough within a scene that was actually not all that friendly to a woman of a colour reclaiming rock n roll as her own.

It’s worth remembering here, that rock n roll and rock music in general remains an indomitable white boys club and it always has been. Which is especially frustrating when you consider that black women invented rock n roll. In the 1930s and 40’s Sister Rosetta Tharpe would strut out there with her electric guitar and wail, honey.

And every white boy with a guitar who followed was hugely influenced by her without her getting much of the credit. So to then see a black woman like Tina Turner taking rock n roll back for herself in the 70s and 80s and merging it into her own sound is incredible.

We also shouldn’t underplay the dynamics of her relationship with Ike Turner and how that impacted upon her and her career – and how she continued to fight to keep the name she built for herself and the career, too. This is sadly something that we see a lot in the music industry to this day, where abusive, narcissistic and powerful men manipulate and control talented women and often take the credit for – and the profits from – the amazing work that they’ve done.

We saw it in the lawsuit Kesha brought up against producer Dr Luke, artist Alice Glass remains outspoken about the horrendous treatment she received from her ex-partner in Crystal Castles, and more recently we’ve all become more aware of it with #FreeBritney campaign which is centered around the way her father continues to have full legal control over her personal life, career, and – ding ding ding!! – her bank account, based solely upon Britney’s mental health issues.

It’s a problem in music and one which most artists are sadly not able to talk about publicly because of contractual bindings which is super upsetting and hopefully something that changes very soon.

This is “Q.U.E.E.N. feat. Erykah Badu” by Janelle Monae and it was requested by Rowan.

TRACK SIX: “Q.U.E.E.N. feat. Erykah Badu” – Janelle Monae
TRACK SEVEN: “Don’t Cry Big Girls” – MC Lyte

That was the incredible MC Lyte with “Don’t Cry Big Girls” and she’s renowned for being one of Hip Hop’s earliest female MC’s. She’s rightly celebrated for being one of the first women in hip hop during the 80s who spoke out against misogyny and sexism within the industry and on the streets and who reflected on social ills, inequality, and gender dynamics in the rhymes of many of her songs.

MC Lyte is a foundational figure in hip hop, particularly in Brooklyn where so many huge names from the genre sprung up, and she really paved the way for important artists including Lil Kim, Biggie Smalls, Jay Z, and Mos Def. So, show some love to her because she is phenomenal.

This next track is by one of my favourite transgender artists, ANOHNI – who is the artist formerly known as Anthony Hegarty from Anthony and the Johnsons. Funnily enough, the same year that Mica Levi was nominated for an academy award for their score work on Jackie, Anohni became the first openly transgender person nominated for Original Song at the academy awards for her song “Manta Ray” from Racing Extinction.

ANOHNI has one of the most astoundingly wonderful and unique and haunting voices in music and last year she released a couple of beautiful cover songs which really brought some peace and affection to a terrible year.

This is ANOHNI covering the Gloria Gaynor’s classic anthem of resilience, “I Will Survive”.

TRACK EIGHT: “I Will Survive” – ANOHNI
TRACK NINE: “She” – Dodie

That was “She” by Dodie and many of you gave shoutouts to her on our Discord channel as a woman worth of today’s episode. Rosa, Autumnsy, Rowan, and Yaboi all shared how much they adore Dodie and take strength from her for different reasons.

Yaboi said, “Her music’s really cool but she also opened up a lot of dialogue about mental health stuff and about experiencing disassociation, so it was very comforting for a lot of us who experience the same things.”

The group also talked about how helpful it was to see Dodie talking openly about being bisexual as they navigated their own sexualities. And “She” is a really gorgeous song which celebrates the queer female gaze whilst also exploring how society still frames there being something wrong with queer lust and affection and love.

Which as we all know is a load of rubbish because love is love and be as gay as you want, honey! So songs like this which so proudly explore and present this sentiment are always so so appreciated.  

But now, I am sick of the sound of my own voice and I am going to very enthusiastically hand the mic over to Ella and Eve from Where Are the Girl Bands. My co-worker and Safe Spaces co-lead Emily very kindly helped to set up this interview, which is an absolute gem by the way.

Some introductions first, Where Are the Girl Bands can be found on Instagram @wherearethegirlbands and also on Tumblr via wherearethegirlbands.tumblr.com, and it’s a project that not only celebrates women in music but also provides discussions about how to make local music scenes more accessible for everyone.

It’s one of my favourite Instagram profiles and I’m so glad that it exists, so we put together a few questions about women in music and local music scenes for Ella and Eve and had our Emily send them over to them to answer and this is what they had to say about everything…

PLAY: “Ella & Eve interview part 1”

TRACK TEN: “Blurry” – Karman

PLAY: “Ella & Eve interview part 2”

TRACK ELEVEN: “Orange Roses” – Lazygirl

TRACK TWELVE: “Laughing” – Tilly Louise

Thanks so much for chatting with us Ella and Eve and those three tracks we played there, in order, were “Blurry” by Karman, “Orange Roses” by Lazygirl, and “Laughing” by Tilly Louise which was requested by our Emily.

And as a reminder you can find Where Are the Girl Bands on Instagram @wherearethegirlbands and on Tumblr via wherearethegirlbands.tumblr.com

And that brings us to the end of another episode, gang! Next week we’ll be continuing our celebration of women in music with part two of this series, so please continue to send in your thoughts and your song requests and your shoutouts to me about this topic via [email protected].

I’m also thrilled to announce that we’re currently still recruiting a young production team to help me out here with podcast production duties for Lockdown! at the Disco with the potential to expand their skills in developing other shows for Comics Youth Radio as a whole.

For more information on that please check out comicsyouth.co.uk/discoteam and also be sure to check out our current recruitment for the Class of 2021 programme we’re launching at the start of February as part of Safe Spaces. This year we’re doing poetry workshops, making issue #2 of the newspaper, putting together blogs and campaigns and a bi-monthly art zine and blog space as well as an art trail – we’re doing it all.

If you’re aged 13 – 25  and identify as LGBTQIA+, non-binary, or female and like the sounds of that then check out our website comicsyouth.co.uk/safe-spaces-2021 for more information and to get involved and join the boss community we have here and all the ace creative opportunities we provide.

Until next episode remember, everything is not cool but it can be! Stay safe, stay sassy, and my goodness, keep on supporting and celebrating women – especially your LGBTQIA+ and BAME women.

This is Sister Rosetta Tharpe with “Down By the Riverside” and this is Amy Roberts, signing off.

Byeeeeee!

TRACK THIRTEEN: “Down by the Riverside” – Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Hiya folks, and welcome to 2021. As teen drama dreamboat Seth Cohen’s fave band Death Cab For Cutie once said, this is the new year and I don’t feel anything different.

let’s jam…

TRACK ONE: “The New Year” – Death Cab For Cutie

That was “The New Year” by Death Cab For Cutie and you’re listening to episode #32 of Comics Youth Radio presents Lockdown! at the Disco and this is The New Year, New Lockdown Episode – because, yes honey we’re in our third act of lockdown. And I won’t lie, it’s been stressful. 2021 is really giving 2020 a run for its money, and we’re only a few weeks in to it – even though it already feels like we’ve done three months worth already.

In today’s episode we’re going to be talking about the new – how to make a fresh start on things when you feel like change is needed, the grotesque mythology of new year, new you mantras, and why new things are just generally overrated in our culture and society.

As ever, this is our usual weekly disclaimer that whilst every effort is made to keep Lockdown! at the Disco family friendly and free of any content that may not be appropriate for younger listeners, sometimes the odd word or reference may slip through that may be more suitable for older listeners so parental discretion is advised.

But now, let’s dive straight in and attempt to feel shiny and fresh, shall we?

This is “New” by No Doubt

TRACK TWO: “New” – No Doubt
TRACK THREE: “begin again” – Purity Ring

That was “begin again” by Purity Ring. And begin again is perhaps the best phrase for defining how I feel – and maybe you do too – about new year vibes.

There is always so much emphasis every time a new year starts that ‘this is a opportunity to start again’, and to become a better version of yourself than last year. New Year, New You – and all of that nonsense.

But begin again is a much sweeter and more realistic way of approaching a new year. It’s nice to have an opportunity to hit reset and to restart things a little bit – but it’s also nice to acknowledge that maybe you’re fine as you are. That the version of you who ended the previous year might be a little flawed but is also strong enough and capable enough and fabulous enough to begin again without radical reinvention.

Begin again is the perfect new year mantra as it is takes the emphasis and pressure away from a new year requiring a new version of you to inhabit it, and instead put the onus on the old version of you just getting on with things and levelling up as and when you feel ready to.

New beginnings don’t always mean a complete change to the script or to the person living it. New beginnings can simply mean a slightly fresh perspective on things or insight. It can mean that you’ve simply taken the time to reflect on things and want to move forward with or without some of the things from the past.

Whenever people or companies push the idea of New Year, New You it’s with the idea that the old version is somehow utterly flawed and shameful on a deep level that requires a massive overhaul.

When it actuality, all forms of change happen gradually over time. They can’t be demanded and they can’t be wished for. You get there on your own and you certainly don’t get there by feeling ashamed of any part of yourself or by focusing only on your flaws.

For this new year, move forward with pride and focus on the things you love about yourself. If you think some changes are necessary, that’s cool. But those changes will likely naturally come so long as you identify the things that make you awesome first and foremost. We all find ways to adapt and to renew – and we don’t achieve that by hating or unfairly judging ourselves.

And with that in mind, here’s sweet baby boy Jeff Buckley with “New Year’s Prayer”:

TRACK FOUR: “New Year’s Prayer” – Jeff Buckley
TRACK FIVE: “Start Again” – Keeley Forsyth

That was “Start Again” by Keeley Forsyth.

When we’re talking about starting anew and reinvention and transformation, these sorts of things are something that often get unfairly slapped onto people of LGBTQIA+ identity as and when they’re experimenting with who they are – be it finding a label or pronoun that they feel comfortable in using or an aesthetic of gender expression that they want to present to the world.

As and when an LGBTQIA+ person really figures out who they are and they feel safe and comfortable enough to present themselves as they are, there usually tends to be a lot of dialogue about this new version of them.

And don’t get me wrong, coming out is so important and deserves all the celebration in this world. But we also shouldn’t get the semantics of such a great public shift wrong. The ‘newness’ of a person coming out – as gay, transgender, non-binary, queer, or anything else within the LGBTQIA+ spectrum – is only new in terms of the society who see this change and accept it.

In reality, coming out isn’t about a fresh start or unleashing a new identity. Coming out is about presenting an existing identity that has been forced to lay low for one reason or another.

There’s an element of transformation and transition involved in coming out – sure. And there is such incredible power in that. But never forget whether you yourself are coming our or a loved one or acquaintance is, that this quote “new” version of them isn’t actually new for them. It’s the version of them that that has always been there, and that’s the part that deserves all the party poppers and presents and bunting and streamers going.

The opportunity to embrace our true selves and to feel safe and comfortable and loved enough to do so is phenomenal. But just remember, it’s not about starting again. It’s not about releasing a new version of yourself to the world. It’s not even about reinvention or a fresh start. It’s about you telling everyone that this is who you’ve always been – same old, same old – and that you finally get to dress and live and act exactly how you’ve always wanted and deserved to.

So let’s continue this vibe with a classic queer anthem shall we? This is the queen Diana Ross with “I’m Coming Out”:

TRACK SIX: “I’m Coming Out” – Diana Ross
TRACK SEVEN: “Since I Left You” – The Avalanches

That was The Avalanches with “Since I Left You” – a song that offers a bold reminder that fresh starts can sometimes involve figuring out the things that don’t work for you in life, getting absolute rid of that noise, and moving on past it all into a better future.

This could be a person or relationship who you perhaps figured out wasn’t the best for you  in terms of support or wellbeing or mental health, a job that was more grief and stress than the experience or wages was worth, a place that didn’t give you enough space within which to grow as big and as bold as you’d like to, or even just a moment in life that you’re glad to have gotten out of and grown from.

There’s power in identifying these things and finding the strength to leave them behind. That’s not always easy. In fact, there are times when you might find yourselves stuck in situations that are toxic or unpleasant or that simply don’t serve you in the way you need but you won’t realise it until way down the line when you might just wake up one day and go ‘why do I feel so bad?’ and then finally identify why.

But just as that Avalanches song highlights, there is such joy in figuring out things like that and though it can be difficult and stressful and upsetting even to get yourself out and away from these people, jobs, places, or situations that are more of a hinderance to your life than a help, once you get over that initial struggle it’s all love, honey!

Sometimes you have to put yourself first. Particularly because if we don’t prioritise our time and our dreams and our ambitions and health, happiness, and wellbeing then we run the risk of resenting the things and people that have gotten in the way of those things. We all deserve to have access to and achieve the things we want in this life. And heck knows, everything goes so quickly that there’s no time to waste on things that make you unhappy.

So be sure to keep on taking stock of everything in your life. Take the time to stop and to reflect and to process your feelings and your mindset. And damn, honey – never ever lose sight of the things you want or your dreams. Every day is a brand new one and a fresh opportunity to dream big.

So make sure that you take the chance to do so. This is “Brand New Day” by Dizzee Rascal.

TRACK EIGHT: “Brand New Day” – Dizzee Rascal
TRACK NINE: “Dream Baby Dream” – Suicide

That was the sublime “Dream Baby Dream” by Suicide and that brings us to the end of another episode of Lockdown! at the Disco.

A quick announcement, we are changing things up on this podcast and we are currently recruiting for a young production team to help out with things behind the scenes here.

If you’re a young person aged 13 – 25 who would like to get some podcast production experience under their belt this year, then get in touch with me via [email protected]. We’re currently looking for people to dedicate about an hour each week who would like to help with specific jobs such as curating themed playlists, recording weekly segments, script writing, and research for things we can talk about during the episode.

You can find more information about that on our website via comicsyouth.co.uk/discoteam.

On next week’s episode we’re going to be doing a Women in Music special as requested by a couple of our young people in our safe spaces group. As part of that we want your song requests for music by women who think are trailblazers of the music industry and why. And we’ll also be talking about why it’s still so difficult for women to get the respect they deserve within various sectors of the music industry and why that’s the case!

Chat to me in the Safe Spaces Discord channel if you’re a member or email me [email protected].

And that’s it from me for this week! This is “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone and this is Amy Roberts signing off.

Byeeeeee!!

TRACK TEN: “Feeling Good” – Nina Simone

Hiya folks, let’s cut to the chase here: 2020 has been hell on wheels. We all know it. We all lived it. It’s been an absolute horror.  

BUT

while the year has had it’s myriad of challenges – to put it politely – we aren’t going to focus on them as we reflect on the year that’s just passed, and the new one that’s starting. 

Instead, we’re going to look at the things that were good about 2020 – because honestly, the year wasn’t all bad. As individuals, as a community, culturally, and socially, improvements have been made and good things have happened. So let’s get these boss vibes pushed…

TRACK ONE: “Electric Love” – Borns

Hiya! Come on in, blast a party popper or two and prepare to say ADIOS! To 2020 and BONJOURNO to 2021 with me, your friendly neighbourhood podcast host Amy Roberts. 

You’re listening to episode #31 of Comics Youth Radio presents Lockdown! at the Disco and this is our 2020: Year in Review episode where we’re going to be ignoring all the harsh, heavy, difficult, and painful things that happened in 2020, and focusing on the things that happened that were actually kind of good. 

Starting the episode there with a big blast of sparkle joy was Borns (pr: berns) with “Electric Love” and that was requested by Raf. And we’ll be hearing a little more from them in a bit.

In today’s episode we’re gonna be highlighting our favourite books, tv shows, movies, and music that we’re released this year as well as the general culture and hobbies that have been keeping us afloat during some difficult times. 

We’re also going to be reflecting on some personal achievements and celebrating our strength and resilience as individuals and as a community – so get ready to flex those biceps with pride! 

Naturally, this also means that today’s playlist is stacked full of some of the best tracks of 2020 as requested by the Comics Youth community! 

As ever, this is our usual episode disclaimer that whilst every effort is made to keep Lockdown! at the Disco as family friendly and cleancut as possible that there may be some language or content which may not be appropriate for younger listeners so parental discretion is advised! 

 But for now, we’re gonna keep the jams coming with this huge 2020 bop as requested by Comics Youth queer hero Kay Dale – this is “Rain On Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande.

TRACK TWO: “Rain On Me” – Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande
TRACK THREE: “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd

That was “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd which was one of the most streamed songs of this year according to Spotify, so that’s nice for him innit. And that was requested by Tom.

Swinging back to what we said at the start of the episode there, 2020 has been an absolute relentless horror and it has served up a bottomless pit of challenges which have been different for everyone.

But suffice it to say, we’ve made it this far and I reckon all of us should be feeling pretty hecking smug with ourselves for how we’ve handled a greatly uncertain and difficult year and for coming out the other side.

We might not have come out relatively unscathed, but we’re here folks! We’re here. And that’s enough.

I reckon it’s fair to say that 2020 has been a year for learning – and not in the boring academic sense – but in terms of learning about ourselves and discovering some sides to who we are which we maybe never fully realised before. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, when you stare into that abyss for long enough you’re gonna spot some scary things in there – heck knows I have – so not everything we may have discovered might have been positive or good all of the time. But that’s also sound. You can’t be 100% positive 100% of the time – give yourself space to be gloomy and to fail and skulk about life with an attitude, honey!

But I bet that a fair few of you listening to this right now have also managed to discover some hidden skills or maybe some untapped confidence that you never knew you had. Maybe 2020 is the year that forced you to pay better attention to your mental health and to take better care of yourself. 

Or maybe, in all of this chaos and uncertainty, the pandemic and lockdown as a whole gave you new skills in understanding how adaptable you can be when you need to – and that you can leave your comfort zone, embrace unexpected change, and absolutely boss it still!

In a little while we’ll be chatting a bit more about some of the ways that the team here at Comics Youth have been doing that this year but also how our amazing young people have been doing so too.

Before we get to that though, this next song was requested by Cerys, who says of it: “this is by my favourite artist who had a new album out at the start of the year. This song is from it really helped me to stay afloat at my lowest points this year so 12/10 would recommend it – it’s a bop.”

This is Watsky with “Best Friend the Floor”

TRACK FOUR: “Best Friend the Floor” – Watsky (cut before ending)
TRACK FIVE: “Blue & Grey” – BTS

That was “Blue & Grey” by BTS – who also had a totally slammer of a year, extra props go to all the BTS fans who organised some kinda amazing political protests across social media to oppose presidential loser Donald Trump, that’s some next level community fandom power right there!

Both Tom and Raf requested jams from BTS and that’s the one that come through for us, and it’s a bonified bop!

Getting back to what we were chatting before the tunes dropped there, I just want to say how incredibly proud we are of each and every young person here at Comics Youth.

It’s been a tough one, to say the least. But dagnabbit, each and every one of our members have shown such kindness, compassion, talent, and sass throughout it. We’ve all made some amazing things together this year and also supported one another – which is really cool.

I hope all of you who have been part of our sessions and community here at Comics Youth know how much myself and the rest of the team have also appreciated working with all of you this year. You’ve also helped us this year, and it’s been such a treat to have you all in our lives during all of this.

I was really happy to see that a lot of our young people can see just how amazingly they’ve navigated this year too though – and some of the boss things they’ve managed to do too. 

Chatting with our group, a fair few of you shared some things you’ve done or achieved this past year that have made you feel proud of yourselves and I’m gonna share em right now – please imagine celebratory fireworks accompanied by some kind of a giant cake covered in candles and…I don’t know, sparklers? Let’s get some dancing sharks in the background too shall we?

So, Safe Spaces squad 2020 achievements!

Raf told us, “I've enjoyed having more time to practice art and make a style for my self. After a couple of years of saying I would, I finally got around to changing my name on my documents and it makes me feel so much better about myself! 

Which is awesome! Thanks Raf. And it’s also worth noting that throughout this year, Raf has developed and contributed so much phenomenal artwork to our publications – including stepping up as a co-editor of our newspaper Beyond the Margins. I really can’t praise Raf and his work enough – he’s been such an asset to our team this year and we really appreciate him! It’s also been ace

Haribo told us, “This past year I’ve liked collecting things that make me happy, finding new music and discovering RIOTGRRRL as a gateway to finding and becoming punk!! I’ve enjoyed doing more crafts tooooo, my fave movie this year is the half of it or dumplin (on netflix omg wattcchh) i am proud of my mental health improvement, i'm still anxious, sad have panic attacks ect but i feel comfotable with them, i am learning to cope slowly and i just feel – calmer.”

Thank you so much for sharing that Haribo. And I’ve got to admit, on a personal note, this also feels like a year where I’ve enjoyed some mental health improvement too and am learning to cope and be more comfortable with such things, so I share your sense of calm at the moment – and massive congratulations for that too.

Also, huge shout on discovering riot grrrl and becoming punk. Get noisy and get stompin!

And on that note we also have a song here requested by Haribo – it’s not from 2020 but it is a huge – and literal – banger.

Speaking of the why the song has been important to them this year, Haribo says, “its a meggaaa epic song and it has just helped me really express my emotions well, which has in turn helped with my anxiety.”

Interestingly, they also revealed that this particular artist has helped to break down some barriers to help them get into heavier music – which can often be a super masculine, macho arena. Haribo added, “I was never a massive fan of metal or rock but this band are a big help in getting me in to more metal music.”

Put on your cutest goth Lolita kawaii outfit and come and get heavy with us, this is “Head Banger” by Babymetal!

TRACK SIX: “Head Bangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!” – BABYMETAL
TRACK EIGHT: “The Spell of Mathematics” – Deftones 

That was “The Spell of Mathematics” by Deftones taken from their 2020 album Ohms. And that album serves a great reminder about paying attention to music and returning to it. My partner has this thing where he makes sure he listens to every new album three times to make sure he hears all of it and he doesn’t write it off automatically – because sometimes an album can be a bit of a grower and can take multiple listens to sink in. 

And that Deftones album, for me, on first listen I hated it. And I was so excited for this album. But I let it breathe for a month and then I got back to it and it started to sink in a little better and now I adore it and I think it’s one of my favourite albums of the year. So, there’s another lesson learned in 2020: be patient and don’t be hasty with your judgements. Give everything that deserves it multiple chances or you could miss out on something special.

Now, with so many of us being locked up at home for much of this year, I think all of us have really appreciated culture and media on a new level. Be it reading a lot more books and maybe different kinds of books or binge watching TV shows, getting into a new genre of films or discovering new filmmakers or maybe even just playing a lot more video games.

I know loads of y’all have been enjoying grassing each other up and lying through your teeth on Among Us – and there’s certainly been a rise in games that we can play online with our buds who we maybe can’t see in real life at the moment.

Our Art Director Ste started a Comics Youth twitch channel for a little bit during lockdown and it’s meant that he can start his own personal Twitch to stream gameplay on too, which has been boss to see. Because Ste has been playing so many games, I thought who better to ask for their opinion on what the best games of this year have been.

5.

Carrion

I’m not one for horror games, but when I get to be the monster I’m a little more willing to give them a go. Carrion is a metroidvania game where you control a deadly blob, growing in power as you devour the humans trying to stop you. Completely nails the feeling of making you feel like a deadly creature while offering some excellent Metroid like exploration.

4.

Miles morales spider-man

I can’t believe we’re lucky enough to get the best super hero movie all about this character, and also a great game and worthy spin off to the excellent Spider-Man PS4. Miles is just plain cool and offers enough diversity in play style to stand on his own as Spider-Man.
3.

Hades

A rouge-like with a compelling story who’s character interactions make failing ok. I haven’t been able to put this down since i bought it, and after 60+ runs it still offers new twists on gameplay.
2.

Animal crossing

2020 was the perfect year for Animal Crossing- helping to escape to my own little island as well as keep in contact with the young people we work with. Plus i got Marshall to move in.

1.

Spiritfarer

A game about death, but in a way thats different to most video games. As Stella, you take over from Charon, the ferryman of the river Styx, helping spirits find closure, form bonds, and come to terms with the end of your own passing. I cried many times. Great game. Many tears.

Thanks so much for that Ste! 2020 has definitely been a huge gaming year for me and has been the year that I’ve rediscovered gaming too and developed a lot more confidence in myself because of it too – and wow, Animal Crossing really arrive at the exact right time in March of this year and saved a whole lot of us, didn’t it?

I also chatted to our Anna in the office here to find out what her fave media and culture bits from 2020 have been too and she told us:

Book - A beautifully foolish endeavour by Hank Green. It’s a sequel to An absolutely remarkable thing, it’s a sort of sci-fi mystery about evil corporations, business social media influencers and giant robot-alien-monkeys.

I also enjoyed Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol from 2018 but I read it this year about a girl going to Russian summer camp.

My most anticipated thing of the summer was the Hamilton musical on Disney +.

Hopefully more musicals will be filmed like this so more people can see them. I’ve been a bit obsessed with the sound track since last year. 

Also mostly just animal crossing! Meeting with pals and doing cute stuff has been fun.

Meanwhile my Safe Spaces  co-lead Emily shared that her book of this year has been “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig, it’s basically about how you’re in control of your own life and it’s so magic !!!

I’m looking forward to reflecting on this year a little more and making some lists of my faves and I recommend you do the same – it’s a nice way to organise and to look back on things in a really positive way.

But now, another track from one of the best albums of the year and one of my absolute favourites of 2020 which has seriously helped me through. This is my absolute goddess, my queen, my soul-soother Fiona Apple with “I Want You To Love Me” taken from Fetch the Bolt Cutters.

TRACK EIGHT: “I Want You To Love Me” – Fiona Apple

TRACK NINE: “Ready Now” – Dodie 

That was “Ready Now” by Dodie which was one of Rosa’s fave tracks of 2020 and she told us that it was the top song in her Spotify Wrapper list this year and when she tweeted about it, Dodie liked it. Which is always a huge lovely vibe on Twitter, innit.

Before we start wrapping up I want to really celebrate all the hard work of the Comics Youth team in doing so much this year and for working so hard, but also everything that each and every one of our young people has done and achieved during this difficult year too.

In facing the hardships of the pandemic and of lockdown, we’ve all maintained a really lovely online community which transferred so well offline too for the people who maybe didn’t want to use the internet to keep in touch or who wanted to wait until we were back to physical sessions before they could engage again. 

This past year, everyone at Comics Youth – young people and us oldies in the office – have kept sessions like safe spaces, activism, dungeons and dragons, marginal, the safe spaces trail, and the newspaper absolutely buzzing and afloat with creativity and enthusiasm.

We’ve managed to create and deliver almost 2000 stay safe club care and wellbeing packs to children and adolescents across the Liverpool city region and we made an entire 52 page newspaper called Beyond the Margins.

We’ve continued to work on some amazing publications – many of which will hopefully be published in 2021 – and all of that is thanks to all of you.

So from the entire team here at Comics Youth to you dear listener – however you know us, whether you’re simply a supporter or a young person who works with us – thank you for being our friend in 2020 and for helping us through this difficult year and for coming out the other side with us a little wiser and stronger and maybe a little bit weirder and crazier but we’re good. We all stepped up, and we’re good.  

This is “Long Road Home” by the wonderful Oneohtrix Point Never.

TRACK TEN: “Long Road Home” - Oneohtrix Point Never

TRACK ELEVEN: “Darkseid” – Grimes

That was “Darkseid” by Grimes and though I’ve put Grimes in the cancel bin for her Elon Musk related crimes, I’m keeping her music because I love it so.

And that’s it for another episode and for another year!  

Our next episode and our first one for 2021 will be about The New. Why new things are nice, how to start afresh, and ways to set realistic goals for the year ahead.

Until then, remember: Everything is not cool, but it can be. Stay safe, stay sassy, and say a sweet, sweet farewell to 2020. Here’s hoping 2021 is a little bit better for everyone.

This is “Gospel For a New Century” by Yves Tumour and this is Amy Roberts finally putting her feet up and enjoying a snooze and signing off…. 

Byeeeeeeee!

TRACK TWELVE: “Gospel For a New Century” - Yves Tumour

TRACK ONE: “It Feels Like Christmas” – A Muppets Christmas Carol OST

Ho ho ho, honeys! It’s your friendly neighbourhood podcast host Amy Roberts here slipping down the chimney, getting covered in Christmas dust and normal dust and maybe some anti-vandal paint to deliver you this – episode #30 of Lockdown! at the Disco and this is The Festive, Holiday Special!

Opening the show there were pals and yours, the muppets with “It Feels Like Christmas” from A Muppets Christmas Carol which is the unofficial Christmas film of Comics Youth and that song is a personal fave of mine too. And the sentiment is spot on.

A lot of us are probably feeling the pinch financially and might be a little worried this year about what Santa will be able to deliver what with the pandemic and all. I hear the north pole is currently experiencing a few minor delays and hiccups but rest assured, I’ve got a letter from Father Christmas right here and he wants me to reassure all of our listeners that he’ll still be delivering some festive magic to every home this xmas.

He also wanted me to play “It Feels Like Christmas” to remind everyone that your pals and your family and the feelings you have them and that they have for you is the bestest gift. Which I think is his way of saying that I’m not getting a PS5 this year *scrunches up paper and throws it away*

Anyway, as usual this is our standard disclaimer that while every effort is made to keep Lockdown! at the Disco a family friendly, wholesome convivial affair that the occasional word or idea might slip through which might not be appropriate for the ears of younger listeners so parental discretion is advised. If you’re an older person listening who would simply like some attention, then feel free to give an older family member a call to double check that you’re allowed to listen to this.

And I’m sure your Aunt Lorraine or your Uncle Steve or your mum will be like, “Please, stop calling me about this every week. I don’t know what a podcast is. And while we’re at it please return my slow cooker” – and other such quandaries.

Other final, minor note – this episode isn’t just about celebrating xmas. This is all about being festive as part of a variety of faiths or the folk who simply get festive for the sake of it – for the party! You’re all valid and beautiful and we’re gonna blow party poppers and eat various selection boxes in celebration with and for all of you on today’s episode.

This next one goes out to my favourite limousine driver from one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made. This is “Christmas in Hollis” by RUN-DMC and you can hear it in Die Hard – a movie which I’m very much looking forward to watching with my family again this year as we do each and every year.

TRACK TWO: “Christmas in Hollis” – RUN-DMC
TRACK THREE: “Christmas Is Going To The Dogs” – Eels

That was “Christmas Is Going To The Dogs” by Eels, and that’s a song that I can’t help but think of the legendary Chrissmukah episodes of The O.C. every time I hear it.

Those episodes were always interesting because they dealt really well with exploring inter-faith celebrations but also the dilemma of how to feel festive when you live in the perennial sunshine trap of California where Winter – or any other season but Summer for that matter – exists. 

Which has gotten me to thinking about what actually is a festive vibe and how do we set one? In the past couple of weeks there’s been a few moments that have left me feeling seriously festive and I’ve been trying to keep a little note of what these moments are.

And I’ve been very scientific with it, I must say. And the conclusions that I’ve come to are that I feel festive when I’m eating a lot – almost grotesque, unnecessary volumes of fairly unhealthy food tbh – but also when I feel cosy and when I feel love.  

There are specific foods and ways to eat them that give you a feeling of festive. It’s not just eating special meals that makes it – it’s eating special meals with special people and sometimes at specific times too, which makes you feel festive.

Likewise, drinking a cup of tea in the evening isn’t necessarily festive. But drinking a slightly spiced cup of tea in the evening while some lights twinkle in the background and a mince pie winks at you from a plate is very, very festive.

And lastly, and potentially the most important of all festive ingredients, is love. And this comes in so many forms. Even just being nice to the people currently serving you in shops is a form of love at the moment and can make you feel festive. But crucially, this can be a difficult time of year for many people and for a lot of reasons and showing some extra love to the people in your life is about as festive as things get.

Naturally, this means showing love to your pals and your family and any romantic partners you might have. But it also extends beyond that to the people you maybe don’t know quite as well or have such a tight relationship with or understanding of. 

Showing some extra kindness to all the people you cross paths with – your neighbours, delivery drivers, postmen, retail workers, baristas, and whomever else is about as festive as you can get.

So remember: If you want to set a Christmas vibe, be kind. Show some love. And also don’t forget to get extra cosy and to enjoy all of your favourite foods – and hopefully with some of the people that you love. Show them how much you appreciate them. 

Which brings me to my final point on this: Lockdown is making this year extra tough for people to see all their loved ones, and to do so in a way that feels safe for everyone involved.

Remember that festive magic doesn’t need to be shared within the same room to exist and to be potent and to be valid. If you love someone, they will feel it and they will share that festive magic with you still from afar.

This is “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love

TRACK FOUR: “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” – Darlene Love
TRACK FIVE: “Christmas Time Is Here” – Vince Guaraldi

That was the wonderful “Christmas Time Is Here” by Vince Guaraldi taken from A Charlie Brown Christmas and it’s by far my favourite Christmas album of all time and probably always will be.

The second it’s December 1st, I slam that album on and I don’t stop listening to it until the decorations come down, to be honest. It’s a tradition I stick to unconsciously, I reckon. But it’s a tradition, nonetheless.

Festive, holiday traditions are so fascinating too in this way. Like, everyone has different ways to celebrate and different things that they do each and every year that become part of their celebrations.

In our family, we watch It’s a Wonderful Life and Die Hard. And on a personal note, I always end the year by watching Gene Wilder’s The Apartment on New Years Eve and have done consistently for about a decade now.

Last year with my partner we watched Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfather’s which is a beautiful Christmas anime about a trio of homeless people who stumble upon an abandoned newborn baby on the streets of Tokyo and try to figure out a way to return it safely to its parents.  It’s one for older listeners though for sure but it’s an absolute gem.

It also features a really great transgender character as one of the leads. Which is especially wonderful considering that it came out in 2003 – which was not a progressive time, let me tell you. But we watched that together last year and it’s now become a new tradition for me to watch it each Christmas.

Traditions are such an important part of how we celebrate, you know? And I think there’s definitely something to be said about how we show ourselves and the people we love some affection and reflection every year that we return to the same tradition.

Christmas – as much as new years eve – is very much a time for reflection in this way. As we return to doing the same special things we did in so many years past, we re-experience them from a new perspective having grown that little bit more since last time we enjoyed it.

And that’s really special.

When you reflect on things this year, remember to go easy on yourself, to live in the moment, and to focus on the joy.

This is Fiona Apple singing “Frosty the Snowman” and it was requested by Comics Youth head honcho Rhiannon:

TRACK SIX: “Frosty the Snowman” – Fiona Apple
TRACK SEVEN: “Krampus (In Love)” – Sad13

That was Sad13 with “Krampus in Love” – a wonderfully sombre Christmas song about the misanthropic folklore figure of Krampus finding love at Christmas.

Since we’re all such goths at heart here at Comics Youth, it only makes sense that we take a moment to pay tribute to the figure of Krampus who is one of the more interesting festive figures, let’s be honest.

Before we go on ahead I’d like to reassure all of our youngest listeners that Krampus isn’t real and Father Christmas actually reassured me about this in his letter to me. He said to say, QUOTE, ‘Krampus is a silly creature I made up to help encourage children to behave themselves and be nice to each other all year round ho ho ho, ho ho ho, -  ho”

I have a feeling Santa might have been on the festive juice when he wrote that, to be perfectly honest.

Anyway, Krampus is a horned goat-like creature from European folklore. Part of the story of Krampus is that the figure punishes children who have misbehaved whilst Saint Nicholas rewards kids who have been good as gold.

Parts of Europe celebrate The Feast of St. Nicholas on 6th December. But, it’s the evening of the 5th where things get super fun with what is known as Krampus night wherein Krampus visits the streets and businesses of various European towns and cities.

And if you do a quick google of some of the wonderful costumes that people create and wear during Krampus night, you’ll discover so many wonderful representations and expressions of Krampus worth enjoying. And it’s also interesting to note that the depiction of Krampus – and the folklore and traditions surrounding the character - can vary depending on the region.

I strongly recommend a good ol’fashioned YouTube bunny hole dive into exploring some of the mythology of Krampys and celebrations involving him if you’re so inclined for such things, because it truly is fascinating.

And now, we have Fall Out Boy with “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” – get it, Yule, like Yuletide? Yeah, there ya go – and this was requested by Cheesecake.

TRACK EIGHT: “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” – Fall Out Boy
TRACK NINE: Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” – DMX

That delightful monstrosity right there was legendary hip hop artist DMX performing “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer”. Originally he performed the song just off the cuff as a bit of a joke during a live radio show – because he doesn’t exactly have the voice for a sweet, yuletide anthem – and as the internet is so wanton to do, it quickly went viral and then Spotify eventually persuaded him to lay down the track officially at their studios. And there we have it.

It’s truly the gift that nobody knew they wanted or needed!

Which brings us to this important topic: Buying gifts for the people you love.

Every year, I get super stressed out about buying presents for all my faves. I usually end up overspending and getting too much for people. So this year, I’m trying to exercise a little more restraint and I’ve been trying to think harder about getting gifts that show a person what they mean to me – rather than just wasting money on something mundane or disposable.

It’s an easy trap to fall into, isn’t it? Especially when we’re all as busy as we are. And as stressed as we are. But there are definitely some things to keep in mind when buying gifts for people at any time of the year.

And I was recently reminded about this very well when I spent the other week hanging out with my partner for xmas – since we won’t be able to see each other during actual xmas time – and he got me a lot of really lovely gifts.  

I won’t go into detail about each and every one of them, but suffice it to say they all made me realise how much he pays attention to what I say and what I do. And there was one gift in particular that he got for me, and it was this really cute mug with a gorgeous illustration of some sharks on it.

And I was obviously wild about it – but when he gave it to me he said, “I saw it in the shop and I just thought of you immediately because you love sharks and you’re always talking about them”

When he said that, I thought – Do I really go on about sharks that much? And do I really love them that much? And it’s not something that I’d really realised about myself, but he had done. And as I was contemplating this about myself, I looked down and I realised that I was wearing a pair of socks with sharks on them.

Which is my long-road way of saying that the best gifts aren’t the most expensive thing or simply a thing that is nice – although let’s face it, any and every gift is a lovely to receive off someone you care about – the best gifts are the ones that show that you see someone completely. Sometimes so well that you know them better than they know themselves.

Keep that in mind next time you’re gift shopping, won’t ya? This is “Just Like Christmas” by Low.

TRACK TEN: “Just Like Christmas” – Low
TRACK ELEVEN: “Is This Christmas?” – The Wombats 

That was “Is This Christmas?” by The Wombats and it was requested by Rosa. And that’s a fairly strong question many of us find ourselves asking year-in, and year-out when we’re faced with the endless queues of people lined up to buy things for other people.

Or when we see crowds of people on the news fighting over a highly coveted games console or toy, or those lethal older couples who fight over the last pack of brussel sprouts in the supermarket.

And it can get you down a little, can’t it? Like, is this Christmas? For real? Are the holidays nothing more than a hideously oversized, squeaking cog in the mecha belly of the capitalist robot?!

I mean, maybe? But also, I think we all know that while consumerism is bad, and the true meaning of Christmas is something to do with love and a lot to do with eating five days worth of food in three hours. But also, having things and giving things is real nice. We like our things. And there’s something extremely validating about giving, receiving, and surrounding yourself with the people and the things which make you and your loved ones feel valued and understood.

And with that in mind, here’s two tracks celebrating how great it is have things. Yay, mass consumerism! Please remember to shop local where you can, folks. This is “All the Way” by Chance the Rapper & Jeremiah feat. My boy Hannibal Burress.

TRACK TWELVE: “All the Way” – Chance the Rapper & Jeremiah feat. Hannibal Burress
TRACK THIRTEEN: “8 Days of Christmas” – Destiny’s Child

That was “8 Days of Christmas” by Destiny’s Child and this is the end of our festive, holiday special! As ever, thank you so much for listening and for hanging out with me here today – please be sure to share us with your pals and subscribe to us on Spotify and iTunes and follow us on MixCloud.

Our next episode is going to be a 2020: Year in Review special where we’re only going to be focusing on the good things that have happened this year – because honestly? There’s a been a lot of bad, I know – but there’s been a lot of good worth celebrating from this year, too. We’re recording that episode way in advance so by the time you hear this it’ll already be finished! What a treat.

I wish each and every one of you a very, very happy holidays from all of us here at Comics Youth. We love you, we believe in you, we’d let you eat the last cocktail sausage from the buffet, and give you the last chocolate from the box of Celebrations any day of the week.

Until next time, remember: Everything is not cool, but it can be. Stay safe, stay sassy, and have a very happy holiday.

As requested by Tom, this is Mariah Carey singing the unofficial official theme of xmas every single year and this is Amy Roberts climbing back up the chimney and signing off.

Byeeeeeee!

TRACK FOURTEEN: “All I Want For Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey

Ooh, it’s cold, honey! 

TRACK ONE: California Dreamin’ – The Mamas & The Papas

Hiya! Get your cold little butts in here and shut that door will yer? You’re letting all the hot air out! You’re listening to episode #29 of Comics Youth Radio presents Lockdown! at the Disco and I am your chilly jack frost of a host – Amy Roberts.

Opening the show there was the unparalleled California Dreamin’ by The Mama & The Papas and we’re playing it because that’s one of the finest songs about winter ever recorded and this is the Winter episode, where we’re gonna be chatting about our fave things that make us feel wintery, why some songs have that crisp winter vibe, and also playing our fave winter jams!

As per usual, this is our weekly content disclaimer that while effort is made to keep Lockdown! at the Disco a cleancut, family friendly affair that sometimes the odd word or idea might slip through within the script or the songs that we play which might be fully appropriate for younger listeners so parental discretion is advised.

Now - Winter gets a bit of a bad reputation, all things considered. Especially when compared to other seasons. And, don’t get me wrong – Winter comes with a lot of challenges. It’s a season that can really badly affect a lot of people’s physical and mental health and it’s also a season that can feel extremely dark and cold and endless and relentless.

And you’re probably sat there at this point listening to me here and being like, Well damn Amy – why even do an episode about it if it’s all doom and gloom? I’ll tell ya!

Winter has its challenges, sure. But it also has a lot of great things going for it too. It’s a season full of care and romance. It’s a season that can force us to take stock and take care, and it’s a season that can remind us of our resilience and our strength in the face of challenge.

It’s also a season that reminds us that change sometimes requires a little bit of struggle – some difficult conditions and experiences, perhaps – but that the payoff is major. So, come snuggle up around the piano here – distanced, of course – because we have two gorgeous Winter songs here which talk very wonderful about such things.

Starting with “December” by Regina Spektor.

TRACK TWO: December – Regina Spektor
TRACK THREE: Winter – Tori Amos

That was “Winter” by Tori Amos, and it’s a song basically about growing up and how scary it is to make decisions for yourself in choosing the pathways of your life. The things you do and love, the people you spend time with, and the person you want to become – not to mention the harsh ways that we can sometimes treat ourselves when making these decisions and choosing these paths.

We can blame ourselves for missed opportunities or for not doing something the way that we would have liked to. But we grow and we learn and we change. And that process is almost seasonal.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Amos discussed the song and in particular zoned in on the line about the white horses that are still in your bed, and she said (QUOTE): “The ‘White Horses’ are your dreams … Opportunities? Roads that you thought you would go down and haven’t experienced, and all these potential experiences are gone now. Those doors are closed. And [it’s about] imagination – the belief that your imagination can take you to places.

The magical world having gone from your world, which to me there’s nothing more painful than that – when you can’t access your magical world. There was a moment when I thought I was too young to not be able to access that anymore.

But I’ve noticed over the years that a lot of teenagers feel locked out of that world. They don’t know how to get back anymore because in trying to become an adult you feel like you have to circumcise the magical world.” (END QUOTE)

Tori Amos is off her head and I love her. But what she’s saying there is also pretty much true. It’s like that thing that Ally Sheedy says in The Breakfast Club where she goes, ‘When you grow up, your heart dies’. Which is melodramatic, of course. But it can also be true if you choose to grow up in such a way in which you do abandon that magic of your youth, and close your heart off to it.  

And of all the seasons, Winter is by far the most magical. But that’s only true if you continue to allow it to be so. If you lose your sense of magic then the Winter can be little more than a harsh, relentless season of cold and darkness and everything that comes with those things.

But if you keep your heart open to magic then Winter can be such a glowing, vibrant season. It has a unique sense of warmth too it amidst the chilliness and though in nature, Winter is typically a season of death – where things crumble and wither – there’s also something very beautiful about seeing that process of the natural world heading into hibernation and that blank slate as it readies itself for rebirth and round two.

For many of us as we grow up, we can become so jaded by the world and only see the negatives. Winter is a great reminder to root out the positives and even the briefest or weakest of glimmers in the darkness. There is always magic and beauty and wonder in everything if you choose to keep yourself open to it.

And now, we have a track requested by Tom. This is “Hazy Shade of Winter” by The Bangles.

TRACK FOUR: Hazy Shade of Winter – The Bangles
TRACK FIVE: The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead – Owen Pallett

That was “The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead” by the magnificent Owen Pallett and while that song has no direct connection or reference to Winter, it just has a winter vibe to it. Like, it feels so icy and sombre and romantic, and those are all vibes that I tend to associate with Winter which can be super chilly, and sad, but also comes with that certain sense of romance to it as well.  

We’ve been chatting about songs that feel wintery in our Safe Spaces group and the conversation turned in general to songs that simple feel seasonal.

Our resident self-proclaimed Hozier lesbian Rosa made the great point that Hozier’s back catalogue of songs is actually extremely seasonal and that his albums and songs really strongly evoke and represent particular seasons.  

Rosa elaborated on her theory and told us, QUOTE:

“wasteland, baby!” is a winter song for sure, just like “take me to church” is. They have very similar vibes to “Holocene” by bon iver which is also a winter song. like there is no way they were written when it wasn’t snowing.

BUT “from eden” is absolutely a summer song, it reminds me of sunshine shining through my big massive window in my room (because although i DO live in a mouldy council house, the windows take up almost a whole wall in width and it’s amazing).

“Cherry wine” is autumn and reminds me of sleepy cottages that are candle lit while it rains all over the crunchy leaves outside, and makes them all soggy. “Someone new” is somewhere between spring and summer (and is my favourite ever) so it’s probably like midnight on the last day of spring.  

you know that time when it’s too hot to sleep and ur just straight vibing because u can’t sleep but the knowledge that in the morning, you’ll see the sun and the trees and that forces you to be happy because nature. END QUOTE! 

And I absolutely agree with that wholeheartedly. I think we all have certain songs or albums or artists that we associate with a particular season or weather pattern. Sometimes those vibes can we quite subjective and the seasons that we feel and hear in a piece of music might not be the same one that someone else experiences when they listen to it.

But even before Rosa was talking about Hozier in context to winter tunes and how he writes seasonal songs, I’d already added this next track to this week’s playlist because it really does carry the vibe of being sat in a cold, drafty, and uncomfortable room. It feels like winter. And – this could be my synesthesia talking – but there are days when this song wafts through my speakers and it almost smells like when someone comes in from the outside and they have that icy smell of cold and damp and frost on them when they take their coat off.

Drink it in, friends. This is “Take Me To Church” by Hozier:

TRACK SIX: Take Me To Church – Hozier
TRACK SEVEN: This December – Ricky Montgomery

That was “This December” by Ricky Montgomery and it was also requested by Rosa who asked for it for herself and fellow Safe Spaces member Haribo. Rosa says of the artist,

“ricky montgomery kills me because i got into his music when i was 13, which was just after they came out and i was having a terrible time and so naturally i now sob every time i hear mr loverman (which thanks to tiktok is now a lot)”

And Ricky Montgomery came up in conversation because myself, my wonderful pal and co-worker Emily, and Haribo inadvertently got onto chatting about Rosa’s theory that every lesbian gets to pick one man who, in her words, “makes music with an acoustic guitar and sticks with him”.

She elaborated, QUOTE, “Mine is Hozier but Emily’s is 100% Harry Styles, meanwhile my girlfriend has gone with the more niche choice of being a ‘Twilight Soundtrack’ lesbian  which, although those albums are not only men with acoustic guitars, it is mostly so.” END QUOTE.  

Haribo also added that they have two of these guys – the aforementioned Ricky Montgomery AND Tom Rosenthal. Ain’t nothing wrong with it! The more the merrier. Take as many acoustic guitar playing men and add them to your troupe.

And I will keep all of my noise making men as part of my posse. And on that note, this is the delectably noisy Animal Collective with a big, wholesome bowl of dream soup with this track called “Winters Love”:

TRACK EIGHT: Winters Love – Animal Collective
TRACK NINE: Danny Says – Ramones

That was “Danny Says” by Ramones, which is a rare love ballad written by Joey Ramone to his girlfriend during a California Winter where he speaks about how much he misses her, but you know – he’s got a job to do being a Ramone and all and his manager – Danny Fields – won’t let him just drop everything to see her.

And that’s a very Winter vibe I think. There’s something about Winter that makes all of us very sentimental and full of feeling. There’s certainly something about this season which makes us re-evaluate our priorities – you know, our work life balance, maybe? Or the relationships we have with family, friends, or romantic pals.

Maybe it’s because so many of us hunker down and hibernate a little in Winter that makes us pause and reflect on our lives and the directions we’re headed. But all of it makes us feel a whole bunch about ourselves and others.

I hope this is also the case for you but I’m very much someone who has to pull the positives out of everything. And as and when I do reflect on things in the winter, I don’t dwell on anything sad or disappointing – I take what I can learn and I route around inside it to pull out the good. Because even in the most harrowing, awful, and challenging experiences and situations, there is always good to be found. And it’s important to dig deep for that good when you reflect.

And Winter is very much a reflection of that idea: it’s the ultimate season of extreme light and extreme dark. And that’s the balance of everyday life that every person experiences. Take it with both hands and only keep the things that serve ya!

And with that in mind, we had a chat in out Safe Spaces group about what our fave things about Winter are. And these are all things which – when the day feels extra chilly and biting and difficult – can really help you to just feel good and nice about things.

So, Tom told us that his fave thing about Winter is getting to wear nice, warm clothes. And as a recent convert to the joys of a beautiful, thick sweater, I’m very much inclined to agree on that one. There’s something beautiful about heading out into a super cold day and being completely wrapped up and snug for it.

Emily agreed and stated that she loves wearing lots of layers and her trusty winter boots. And she also loves how the outside makes her feel so awake because the cold air is like a fresh mint!

Which is an awesome point. I can get a little groggy when I’m feeling burnt out and can experience migraines and that cold air is so soothing and therapeutic for when I’m feeling like that, so I completely agree on that one too.

Haribo stated that their fave thing is ‘the small chocolate you chomp everyday’ – in reference, I assume, to the joys of a December advent calendar. We’ve all got one at the moment in the Comics Youth office courtesy of our lovely boss and it’s such a treat to open up a new window every day and to enjoy a nice sweet treat.

I especially love the days when I haven’t been in the office for a little bit and I get to open multiple windows and eat multiple chocolates!

My favourite thing about Winter is getting enjoy really hearty meals. Especially in the evening – I love enjoying a nice spiced warm drink, a hearty meal, and wrap all my blankets around myself while I watch something on TV with a nice cosy ambience on the go.

I don’t know if we’re down for any snow or not this winter, but there’s definitely something to be said about being the first one to walk in a fresh sheet of snow in the morning, too. Ooh, that’s a vibe! I’m imagining the crunch beneath my boot and it’s making me feel GOOOD.

Please dream of playtime in the snow with my sweet boy Elliott Smith here and “Angel in the Snow”:

TRACK TEN: Angel in the Snow – Elliott Smith
TRACK ELEVEN: Cold – The Cure

That was the ever cheerful The Cure with “Cold” because – Winter. That’s how we roll! And it is very, very cold today, folks! I feel like I need to start wearing some gloves indoors. It’s gotten to that stage of winter already and I am aghast at it!

And that’s it for another week! Lockdown! at the Disco will now be taking a two week break – I’m taking some annual leave next week to go and be festive with my fave and after that we’re going to be busy putting together The Stay Safe Club box #2 so it can be sent out and delivered to you all as soon as possible.

Our next episode after that will be available to listen to on Spotify, iTunes, and Mixcloud on Tuesday 22nd December and it’s going to be our holiday special! So we want requests for your fave festive feelgood tunes – and remember, we’re here to celebrate any and all end of the year festivities, whatever your beliefs!

And we also want some festive shoutouts! What do you recommend we eat, watch, listen to, read, or play during the xmas break? Let us know via [email protected] and we’ll try our darndest to give you a holla.

Our episode after that will be all about new beginnings and a 2020 year in review where we’re gonna ignore all the bad stuff that’s happened this year, and celebrate the good! Tell us what you’ve enjoyed about this year – what’s kept you going and made you happy? Email me! Share it in the Discord channel if you’re part of our Safe Spaces group! 

Don’t let this lonely broad do it alone!

Until then, remember: Everything is not cool, but it can be: Stay safe, stay sassy, and stay warm out there! This is a wild cover of “Winter Wonderland” by Cap’n Jazz and this is Amy Roberts signing off…byeeeeeeeeee…

TRACK TWELVE: Winter Wonderland – Cap’n Jazz

However you’re feeling right now, find your beat – and just shake those feelings down into it, honey…

TRACK ONE: “Dance, Dance, Dance” – Lykke Li

Hiya folks! And welcome to another episode of Comics Youth Radio presents Lockdown! at the Disco. This is episode #28 of this show, which is a terrifying number to be perfectly honest, and I am your host Amy Roberts – and I’m a terrifying woman, if I’m being perfectly honest - especially when I’m busting a move on the dancefloor!

And I say that because this is The Shake it Off Episode where we’re going to be celebrating the cathartic qualities of having a good boogie! We’ll also be playing a bunch of tushy-shake worthy bops all about dancing. Opening the show there was “Dance, Dance, Dance” by Lykke Li from her gorgeous 2008 debut album Youth Novels.

And this theme has been a long time coming, truth to be told. Dancing is one of my natural states – and one of my fave things to do for just helping me vibe to my emotions. Whether they be good or bad, up or down, celebratory or sad as heck – I love and have always loved to just strut those feelings out.

Over the past One Hundred Years of Solitude – which is my new name for lockdown – I’ve really been reminded of how therapeutic dancing is and how good it is not just for your body but also for the mind.

When we talk about dancing, it’s usually within the context of a group activity – that it’s a non-verbal communication you do to music and often with a community that you feel comfortable and included within. And that’s awesome and dancing within this kind of structure can be life affirming and beautiful – some of my favourite memories come from times where I’ve found my people whilst dancing to a few good tunes – but dancing can also be something to be enjoyed solo too.

In fact, I greatly encourage you all to do so! I’ve been dancing a lot on my own in my little one bedroom flat throughout lockdown and it always leaves me feeling wonderful. When I dance to a song that I’m really vibing with, I feel connected to that tune and I feel as though I’m in direct communication with the song too. Like my body is moving in conversation with the music. 

On my absolute worst days – and we’ve all had them over the past year – dancing has simultaneously given me a vacation from myself and also given me the space to get myself together and organise my head a little. I shake it off and shake it out.

And if you’re alone and fancy a raucous boogie, then I highly recommend you attempt all of this to this next track right now. This is The Rapture with “Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks”- don’t forget to shake it, honey…

TRACK TWO: “Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks” – The Rapture
TRACK THREE: “Heads Will Roll” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

That was “Heads Will Roll” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and it’s a huge butt shaker of a tune, obviously, but some of the lyrics are also evocative of that weird historic social phenomena of dance mania. It’s one of my fave weird tales and though it’s been widely explored by various smart folk who should be able to get to bottom of such a mystery, it remains an unexplained phenomena – and a deeply fascinating one at that! 

So, dancing mania – also known as the dancing plague – was a phenomenon that primarily happened in mainland Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries and it involved groups of people dancing almost unconsciously and erratically en-masse, sometimes thousands at a time, until people collapsed from exhaustion.  

These episodes of mass hysteria tended to take place during times of great hardship, and there remains debate as to whether these occurrences were spontaneous or organised in some way.

The mania was poorly understood and nobody really knew how to remedy it beyond guesswork. Sometimes musicians even accompanied the dancers due to a belief that music could treat the mania – which sounds a little like the Tory approach to solving issues by pouring petrol onto a roaring fire – and obviously this tactic sometimes backfired because it just encouraged more people to join in.

To this day scholars still aren’t sure as to what the cause of dancing mania was, but several theories postulate that people may have danced to relieve themselves of stress concerning the poverty of the time. Other theories speculate that dance mania may have been a mass psychogenic illness – which basically means a sickness with no physical symptoms which affects a group of people based on social influence. 

Please be sure to update your 2020 bingo cards with ‘dancing plague’ because who knows what this year has left in store for us! And I think we can all agree that some mass dancing would probably be the best-case scenario weird event for this year to end on.

It is really interesting that this phenomenon happened during times of crisis and hardship, because there is something extremely cathartic and unifying about dancing – and we’ll be getting more into the psychological benefits of dance a little later – but there’s also something extremely significant about the power of music during times like this too.

When everything is hard, sometimes you just have to turn your jams up real loud and move your body to it however you need to. As this next song says, Nothing else matters when I turn it up loud. This is “Speakers Push the Air” by Pretty Girls Make Graves.

TRACK FOUR: “Speakers Push the Air” – Pretty Girls Make Graves
TRACK FIVE: “Dance Steps” – The Natural History

That was “Dance Steps” by The Natural History which uses the metaphor of dancing and of learning and practicing dance steps for a major event as a great metaphor for preparing yourself for big things in life.

This is kind of something we talk about a lot at Comics Youth – the idea that all of us are constantly creating and improving as we continue to create. I think all of us, no matter what our craft or hobbies are, set unrealistic expectations for ourselves to be brilliant at it right away and to not make many mistakes as we go.

We can expect perfection from ourselves every time we make something, and when we don’t measure up to those expectations we place on ourselves – or maybe the work and people we unfairly compare ourselves and our work to – it can make us feel like giving up.

So this is just our routine reminder that the process is just as important as the outcome. This is important not just for creating art or writing or crafts or whatever else your hobby may be, but also for life as well. Growth requires missteps and mistakes. It demands failure and for us to acknowledge and learn from that failure in order to level up a little more and do better next time around.  

Learning your dance steps and practicing them is just as, if not more important, than how you eventually perform them for whatever important event you’re building them up to. 

Never stop practicing. And never let those missteps ruin your groove. This is the classic “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn.

TRACK SIX: “Dancing On My Own” – Robyn
TRACK SEVEN: “D.A.N.C.E” – Justice

That was D.A.N.C.E by Justice. I once see these guys perform live at a music festival in Belgium a million years ago now and I remember being super disappointed by them. It was one of those shows where you keep waiting for the beat to finally drop and for things to really kick off so you can throw your shapes out fully – and it just didn’t arrive. It felt like they only really played three songs the whole set and all three would just build up and build up, hit a brief climax and then move on to the next build up.

I just remember standing there with my mates and we were all doing – and the whole crowd was to be honest – this awkward kind of shuffle dance to all the build up. And we just never really stopped, we wanted to go big. But the music just wasn’t allowing it. 

But anyway, that songs an absolute jam. And “We Are Your Friends” by them and Simian is also a huge tune which we’ll probably play at some point real soon.

Speaking of awkward shuffles, I wanted to celebrate the art of bad dancing. Because something I hear all the time from several friends – usually, and I mean no shade here, my cis-gender, hetero male friends – is that they can’t dance so they usually sit out and abstain from dancing on nights out.

And that makes me super sad because everyone can dance. There’s this weird misconception that you have to have rhythm and timing and grace to earn your place on a dancefloor and that’s just nonsense. There’s nothing I love more on a dancefloor than seeing somebody who maybe doesn’t have great rhythm or timing or grace – heck knows, grace is in short supply in this house -  still going for it on a dancefloor and just losing themselves to a song that they love, with people they feel a vibe with.

There’s something really beautiful about not being the standard or doing the default, and just owning that and celebrating it and doing it anyways. The greatest thing you will ever learn is to simply not care what people think about you with things like this: If it brings you even the slightest bit of happiness to do, then do it. Let loose. Life is too short and other people’s judgements – or, as is usually the case, your perception of other people’s judgement of you – are so insignificant in the broad scheme of things.

In our Safe Spaces group this week I asked everyone what tunes give them the uncontrollable urge to dance and Rosa told us Kiwi by Harry Styles is one of her main jams for such a thing while Bell told us that Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and Dexy’s “Come On Eileen” always make them feel like they simply have to dance which for them, “is usually just jumping up and down” or nodding their head.

It’s still a groove, my friend! And those are all undeniable dance mania tunes! This next one was requested by Tom, and it’s another one of those songs which has the irresistible power of making the listener want to boogie.

This is “1, 2 Step” by Ciara and Missy Elliott.

TRACK EIGHT: “1, 2 Step” – Ciara, Missy Elliott
TRACK NINE: “Ready For The Floor” – Hot Chip 

That was the sublime “Ready For The Floor” by Hot Chip, which I’ve long embraced as being a queer disco anthem because of that line in it where he sings, “You’re my number one guy” – so imagine my crushing disappointing when I discovered Hot Chip are all straight boys. Ah well. I refuse to relinquish its queer disco trophy!

Before we start wrapping up today, I wanted to talk about the incredible psychological benefits of dance. There have been a lot of studies done into the neuroscience of dancing which have uncovered evidence that dancing can have incredible benefits for the parts of your brain that deal with cognitive and emotional function.

In 2018, for example, one study from the University of Helsinki made the discovery that the brain of a professional dancer differs from that of the average layperson and even well-trained musicians, with them able to better synchronise the sort of memory and emotion processes that are central to interpersonal interaction and self-understanding.  

When dancing as part of a group – which admittedly is something we still might not be able to do freely for a little while yet, but it’s coming folks! Hang tight! – done on a regular basis as part of a group, dance can actually change the way we think and interact with one another.

The leader of that particular study Hanna Poikonen wrote in a 2017 article, QUOTE: “In dance, the basic elements of humanity combine in a natural way. It combines creative art, fine-tuned movement and collaboration, much like playing music. The movement involves the whole body, like in sports … studies on producing music and movement show how during cooperation, the brains of two people become attuned to the same frequency. This is apparent in how the low-frequency brain waves of the participants become synchronised.

Brain Synchronisation enables seamless cooperation, and is necessary for creating both harmonic music and movement. The ability to become attuned to another person’s brain frequency is essential for the function of an empathetic community.” END QUOTE. 

Poikenen is also optimistic that due to the growing evidence of neurological benefits of dance, that dancing could be used as a holistic form of therapy to lessen the symptoms of mood disorders and neurodiversity issues.

 So, until we can all dance together again – at least give yourself the time and space to dance on your own. It might just help you to feel a little better.

And now, this is Lucy Dacus with her gorgeous cover of Bruce Springstein’s “Dancing In The Dark”.

TRACK TEN: “Dancing in the Dark” – Lucy Dacus
TRACK ELEVEN: “Just You and Me Dancing” – Moloko

That was Moloko bringing us to the end of our episode with “Just You and Me Dancing”. Thanks ever so much for hanging out with this lonely broad and I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode and maybe busted a couple of sick moves along the way with me. Be sure to tell your pals to pop by and listen to me sometime, eh?

Our next episode is gonna see us waving a firm goodbye to the Autumn and saying hello to Winter with The Winter Episode. For that I want all of your fave winter tunes – not xmas ones tho, no festive tunes just yet – just your crispy, cool cosy songs about winter please.

I also want to know what your fave things to eat and do in the winter are! What makes you feel wintery and nice? Let me know via [email protected], or alternately if you’re part of our Safe Spaces Discord channel then feel free to holla at your girl in there instead and tell me all about it.

Until next time pals, remember: Everything is not cool, but it can be. Stay safe, stay sassy, and stay dancing. This is David Bowie with “Let’s Dance” and this is Amy Roberts signing off.

Byeeeeee!

TRACK TWELVE: “Let’s Dance” – David Bowie

Hiya folks, as you might be able to tell from that delightful noise in the background, today we’re recording from the ocean. So, come step aboard the good ship Lockdown! at the Disco, pop on your wetsuit or mermaid fin, and bring along all your fave thingamabobs and let’s dive in, shall we?

TRACK ONE: “Under the Sea” – Samuel E. Wright

Greetings water dwellers! And welcome to episode #27 of Comics Youth Radio presents Lockdown! at the Disco. I am your host Amy Roberts and today we’re splishing and splashing in the great vast waters of the world because this is The Ocean Episode where we’re gonna be chatting about all kinds of sea and ocean related things and playing some awesome tracks about the sea, the ocean, the animals that live in it, the barriers caused by it, the yearning for it, the sailing upon it – everything!

Starting the show there was – what else?! – “Under the Sea” by Samuel. E Wright taken from The Little Mermaid and that was requested by Tom – and quite rightly so! I hope you all enjoyed a little butt shake to that one because I know I did! I also can’t hear that song anymore without hearing The Simpsons parody of it – where Homer goes under the sea and proceeds to eat everything in it – ‘there’ll be explanations just friendly crustaceans, under the seeeeaaaaaaa…!’ 

This is our usual episode disclaimer that whilst every effort is made to keep Lockdown! at the Disco for the kids - as Wu-Tang Clan would say – that sometimes some language or content could slip in that may not be appropriate for younger listeners so parental discretion is advised.

But now, I want you all to really vibe like a gnarly pirate on this next one. I swear you can taste the salt rising from the surf on this one. This is “March Into the Sea” by Modest Mouse.

TRACK TWO: “March Into the Sea” – Modest Mouse
TRACK THREE: “Ocean Man” – Ween 

That was “Ocean Man” by Ween and ooh golly, do we have a lot to say about it! First and foremost, I’ve got a whole lotta love for Ween. I’ve only properly been getting into them this past year as I incorrectly wrote them off as being kind of a lame dad band – no offence to all the dads listening, by the way. Big love for the dads! – but they’re actually a super interesting group.

They write extremely weird and wonderful music that defies genre – every album and song is different. They’re also wildly hilarious. Their content can be a little on the mature side though so I recommend that only older listeners delve into their back catalogue, but my goodness – it’s a treasure trove once you’re in it.

One of their albums, The Mollusck, is an ocean themed one that was released in 1997 and it actually provided the inspiration for Spongebob Squarepants. Sponegbob creator Stephen Hillenburg – who sadly passed away in 2018 – made the beloved show based on his love for the album.

Ween provided a few songs to various Spongebob soundtracks and following Hillenburg’s death in 2018, they paid tribute to him by playing these songs at a live show. During the performance they had this to say about their connection to him and to the show and they shared this anecdote about him. Quote:

I got a call a long time ago from a marine biologist that said he wanted to start a cartoon inspired by Ween’s album The Mollusk. His name was Steve Hillenburg and his idea was to create a Bugs Bunny type cartoon on the bottom of the ocean floor.

Ween had been on tour for a long year and we ended up recording and writing the song “Loop De Loop” for Spongebob in one night at Greg Frey‘s studio. It was to teach kids how to tie their shoes and we wrote it really fast and mailed it back on X-mas eve and for once they said “don’t change anything about it, it’s perfect.”

It remains one of our proudest legacies and we went on to do a lot of work together with SpongeBob, and the show went on to be the best cartoon of two generations. 

End quote - It certainly did. We have a lot of love for Spongebob here at Comics Youth and it continually warms our heart to see just how much younger generations continue to adore that show. Whenever we do our Saturday junior art sessions, Spongebob is a character that many of our young people continue to draw pictures of and to talk about with great enthusiasm.

This week at Comics Youth we’ve started work on the digital version of our Safe Spaces Trail celebrating all of our favourite locations across Liverpool City Centre – and particularly the ones that make us feel included, safe, valued, and peaceful. These places can be hard to find and identify when you’re part of the LGBTQIA+ community or neurodiverse or simply on the weirder scale of things – and my fellow goths and punks know exactly what I mean by that, we can’t help that we have mad style, can we?  - so we decided it was time to start mapping out these locations for other young people to know about and to enjoy and take ownership of.

We’ve had some amazing pieces of work back already from the community working on this with me at the moment, and it’s been really lovely. And coincidentally, one of the pieces that got made this week was by Memelie who did a gorgeous piece about the World Museum. I asked everyone to include a playlist of five songs on this piece of work for whatever location they wanted to identify and celebrate, and Memelie chose “Ocean Man” by Ween as one of those songs, because, quote: “This wild, alternative song is about freedom and exploring, and it feels like you’re exploring the world when visiting the museum.”

I do love a good coincidence at the moment and when things come full circle like this? Beautiful! We have a song coming up in just a moment which also explores the joy of freedom and exploration – and we’ll be talking a little more about these things in just a moment – but first, a song about feeling like a shipwreck – of feeling fearful of the world and a little unsure of your place within it. Of getting a little seasick and being brought back to land and to safety by a kind-hearted soul. This is “Gonna Be Sick” by The Do (DOO).

TRACK FOUR: “Gonna Be Sick” – The Do
TRACK FIVE: “Cross Oceans” – First Aid Kit

That was the gorgeous “Cross Oceans” by First Aid Kit and it’s a particular favourite of mine because it’s just such a sweet, excited song about exploring the vastness of the world, and of life. It’s a song about how daunting new opportunities can be in this life and how sometimes we don’t take them up because we’re scared to. But ultimately, sometimes we have to take the leap – we have to cross that ocean and take the risk – and just dive in in order to live the life we want to.

This is something that I reckon everyone can relate to. We all have something that we maybe wish we had more courage to do and it can take a little while to build ourselves up to the point where we can say, You know what? I’m scared of this and I’m unsure of how I’ll feel while I’m doing it or what will happen during it or after it, but I’m gonna go for it and do it anyway because I might regret it if I don’t.

And let me tell you, facing that fear and doing that thing? It can be the most rewarding experience you may ever have. 

There are countless stories based in and around the ocean which focus on exploration and adventure which use this idea as a central theme. Stories of adventure and exploration provide great metaphors about facing the unknown – and the vast rewards that can come with embracing your fear of that and just charging forward.

Those rewards are often very literal in these stories and take the form of a buried treasure, but I think we all know that in real life such treasure comes in the form of friendships, self-improvement, confidence, romance, knowledge, or even life and career prospects.

For the past few months I’ve been having the time of my life reading the classic pirate manga One Piece by (Odaeechiro) and it’s really been keeping me going. It’s so much fun and absolutely hilarious, but it’s also wonderfully emotional and has made me sob my heart on many an occasion.

It’s basically a story about a gang of young pirates who pick up various other outcasts and misfts to join their merry crew along the way as they explore the world and try to find treasure – but ultimately, the main driving force of their adventures is them overcoming their own personal demons and barriers – sometimes literal ones – in order to become the best version of themselves possible and help themselves, and their friends, to achieve their dreams.

In this super difficult year where everything can feel so out of our control and our reach I want to remind you all that nothing is beyond you. Don’t stop working towards or fighting for your dreams. Help each other out, support one another, lift each other up. And don’t be afraid to cross those metaphorical or literal oceans.

And now that my TedTalk is over, let’s do a silly song shall we? Get ready to shake your body like a salmon floating upstream with “The Salmon Dance” by The Chemical Brothers.

TRACK SIX: “The Salmon Dance” – The Chemical Brothers
TRACK SEVEN: “Surfin’ USA” – The Beach Boys

That was “Surfin’ USA” by The Beach Boys and it was requested by Tom. Tom has really come through with some amazing ocean facts and trivia for us this week in our Safe Spaces group which I’m gonna share for you all now.

First fun fact: Did you know that killer whales are actually related to dolphins? Killer whales, otherwise known as Orcas, are marine mammals who belong to the sub-order of toothed whales – but they’re also the largest member of the dolphin family.

I bet their family get-togethers are an absolute blast!

Another fun fact: As Tom told us, QUOTE: “Octopuses are really intelligent but trying telling THAT to Greek philosopher Aristotle who once said, ‘the octopus is a stupid creature … it will approach a man’s hand if it be lowered in water.” END QUOTE

Aristotle there coming through with some major trust issues. Like, is it not humanity who’s at fault there for trying to scran every animal it can? And not the octopus who probably just wants a little bit of love? You know what I mean? Chill yourself out, Aristotle.

And finally, In Ancient Greece a dolphin supposedly saved a poet from drowning! The poet was called Arion and he was also a skilled singer and musician – we do love a multi-hyphenate in this house – while Arion was sailing to Italy, he was attacked by pirates and jumped ship where a dolphin came along and saved him.

Thanks for the killer facts, Tom! These were awesome.

Rosa also shared a fun fact with us – a deeply personal one, but it comes with a grave warning for the world which I think we should all pay attention to – her fact is that she’s terrified of dolphins. As she told it to us, QUOTE:

“They’re scary, why does everyone love them? They’re too smart and they’ll take over the world and some idiots taught them how to use guns so once they learn to walk then it’s over for us. There’ll be a dolphin uprising!

Plus, they murder porpoise because they look too similar to them and threaten their chances of mating. Which is just sly because porpoise are just the innocent, stupider cousin of the dolphin. I relate to porpoise because I’m not a murderer like dolphins.”

So there you go. Be sure to stick ‘Dolphin Uprising’ on your 2020 bingo card , folks! We’ve still got a few weeks of the year left yet and as Rosa tells it we’re probably gonna be living in some dolphin dystopia in no time. It’ll be like Terminator 2 but with dolphins instead of robots and Rosa as Sarah Connor, doing chin-ups and trying to save the world from the uprising.

You heard it here first, folks!

And now, we’re gonna chill things right out because I reckon that final bit of trivia has likely gotten us all in a bit of a flap. So let this next song soothe your soul, this is Low with “Sea”:

TRACK EIGHT: “Sea” – Low
TRACK NINE: “Bathysphere” – Smog

That was “Bathysphere” by Smog, and I just wanna say that I’m a 34 year old woman who still dreams of living in a bathysphere. Or at the very least, a bath tub. Dunno how I’ve gotten to this age and I’ve wound up in a one bedroom without a bath tub, but here we are folks. Never let go of your dreams.

As we wrap things up here, it makes sense I think to briefly touch upon the therapeutic nature of water. Who knows why this is the case – I’m sure there have been scientific studies done about it but ya girl here ain’t got the time to be fishing for em – but water provides such a calming influence.

Whether you’re gazing at the Mersey, dipping your toes into the surf at the beach, enjoying a nice bath or shower, or watching one of those little mini-fountains you can get for your home, water is just the chilliest vibes.

Maybe there’s a certain cleansing quality to it? Whether we’re simply watching water or enjoying being in water, there’s a certain vibe that comes with it as though the water is purifying our troubles and our negativity and it’s just washing it away.

Comics Youth head honcho Rhiannon does probably my favourite bit of water therapy when she’s feeling a bit – or a lot – stressed where she goes to the beach by hers and screams at the sea. I asked her about this a little earlier and she told me, QUOTE:

“Screaming at the sea makes me feel like a goth Moana and helps me release all the negative things I keep inside but feel afraid to share. Might seem quite cheesy – and I know it is – but having a good scream at the sea lets me picture my worries ebbing away with the waves.”

Gorgeous.

We don’t have a beach or a sea here in Kenny where I live, so I’m going to continue making do with screaming in the shower instead. Hey, whatever works!

This is “Weird Fishes” by Radiohead.

TRACK TEN: “Weird Fishes / Arpeggi” – Radiohead
TRACK ELEVEN: “Ocean” – Lou Reed

That was “Ocean” by Lou Reed and that brings us to the end of another episode. I hope you’ve all enjoyed hanging out here with me today and thanks so much for listening. Please be sure to like and subscribe and to share this show with all of your friends and family who appreciate the wild ramblings of a husky scouse girl like myself.  

Next week’s episode is going to be The Shake It Off special where we’re going to be talking about dancing – why dancing is good for the soul, great for the body, and annoying for your neighbours probably – and blasting our favourite songs about dancing.

So for that, I want to know your song requests for tunes about dancing, where your fave places to dance are, and I wanna know what songs you love to dance to, or what your dance move of choice is.

For example, for years I used to ironically break out the ol’Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club while out and about at the indie disco on a Friday night and then it just kind of stuck and became one of my dances. I still love it. Still do it to this day!

Drop me a line via [email protected] or if you’re part of the Safe Spaces Discord channel at Comics Youth then come and chat to me there!

Until next time remember, Everything is not cool – but it can be! Stay safe, stay sassy, and keep exploring those oceans and everything beyond them. This is “Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin” and this is Amy Roberts signing off.

Byeeeeeee!!

TRACK TWELVE: “Beyond the Sea” – Bobby Darin

Folks, I’m absolutely shattered…

TRACK #1: “Insomnia” – Faithless

Hello gang! And welcome to episode #26 of Comics Youth Radio presents Lockdown! at the Disco – the show that just keeps on keeping on in this sleepy, timeless span of endless desert that we call life at the moment.

I am your eternally tired host Amy Roberts, and opening the show there was classic dance track “Insomnia” by Faithless and we’re playing it for a good reason! On today’s episode I’m delivering sleepy dispatches from the elbows of my consciousness because this is The Always Tired Episode and we’re gonna be playing some tunes and having a chat about how and why we’re all so tired all the hecking time at the moment.

Please expect many verbal goofs and that I’ll be tripping over my words and band names even more so than usual this week because on top of being tired I’ve also been fighting this bottomless migraine on and off for the past week. And it’s one of them where I’m just like, is the migraine a direct cause of this tiredness? Or am I tired because the migraine has infiltrated the sleep department and put up some snooze blockades? I don’t know.

But I am tired.

Before we get into it all properly, this is our usual episode disclaimer that while every effort is made to keep Lockdown! at the Disco family friendly and free of naughty words and other such salty content, that occasionally the odd word or concept could slip in that may not be appropriate for younger listeners so parental discretion is advised!

But let’s get some more tunes lined up shall we? And maybe I’ll fix a cheeky coffee for myself in the meantime. This is Fugazi with the appropriately titled “I’m So Tired”.

TRACK #2: “I’m So Tired” – Fugazi
TRACK #3: “I Go to Sleep” – Anika

That was Anika with her cover of “I Go To Sleep” by The Kinks. And I love how far away and dreamy and sleepy that cover is. It almost sounds like a haunted lullaby, you know? If you’ve seen the phenomenal Russian Doll on Netflix – which to my mind is one of the best Netflix Original shows that’s popped up on there tbh – then you’ll likely remember that song from a really sad party sequence that adds some great depth to Natasha Lyonne’s main character.

If you’re over 16 and haven’t seen Russian Doll yet then I heartily recommend that you check it out because it’s just such a treat and it has some really poignant things to say about mental health and acknowledging unhealthy cycles and figuring out methods with which to break them.

Which kinda us brings us to an important thing to talk about when it comes to addressing how tired we all are. And that’s being to acknowledge unhealthy cycles or patterns when it comes to how we sleep and when. Particularly during lockdown. There’s been a lot of studies done in the past year concerning how this lockdown has affected people’s sleep due to the low-level constant stress that every person is currently under within this pandemic.

And sometimes, even if you’re going to bed a reasonable time and it feels like you’re sleeping through the night even, you may still wake up feeling exhausted and groggy and disoriented.

The official medical term for feeling like this is sleep inertia, and it’s used to describe when people wake feeling dazed and confused and unsteady instead of well rested. It can be caused by illness, a general lack of quality sleep, but also by stress and anxiety. It’s no surprise so few of us are getting low quality sleep when our bodies may feel constantly on high alert. Fight or flight is not a snugly sleep friend!

But there are methods to creating conditions and healthy patterns that might help for you to wake up feeling a little fresher and better rested. They’re boring as heck – so prepare yourself for that – but they’re also helpful.

first and foremost, try and swerve caffeine and anything high in sugar for at least 4 or 5 hours before bedtime – anything that could stimulate your brain or potentially agitate anything bad that might be rolling around in there.

And then it’s all about routine, baby baby – a good one! Give yourself a proper bedtime each night and stick to it. It doesn’t have to be the time you go asleep, but give yourself a time where you get into bed, put all screens to one side – anything bright and loud or that will give you access to social media and all the bad vibes that can come with it – and do things that relax you.

For me, that means getting into bed at 10pm each night. I fix myself some fresh water. I meditate for 10 mins. I write my diary entry for that day. And I read. Sometimes I’ll fall asleep while I’m reading – other times I’ll be up until midnight or 1am or later, just reading or chatting to my fella about what I’m reading.  The important thing isn’t what time I go asleep, it’s that my brain and my body and my eyes are put into a state where they feel ready to rest and capable of achieving it.

So keep that in mind. I still wake up feeling groggy and half-rested a lot of the time, I’ll be honest. But it’s an improvement! And I still feel pretty good for it.

This next song is kind of all about waking up and having that feeling of being groggy and unsteady and unsure of yourself, and it’s a total bop. This is “Pretty Pimpin’” by Kurt Vile.

TRACK #4: “Pretty Pimpin’” – Kurt Vile
TRACK #5: “Venus In Furs” – The Velvet Underground

That was “Venus in Furs” by The Velvet Underground, which to me always sounds like that state of sleep right before you drift off where everything is still vaguely lucid but also dreamy. And where sometimes when you become aware that you’re drifting off, the excitement of realising you might be falling asleep can actually wake you up.

And that’s what “Venus in Furs” sounds like, friends. And as Lou Reed states in that song, I am tired, I am weary and lemme tell ya – I could genuinely sleep for a thousand years.

In our Safe Spaces group we’ve been talking about the daftest things we’ve done recently because we’ve been tired and Rosa pointed out a thing which I think is a universal struggle that many people can relate to right now, and she was saying that she keeps trying to drink water with her face mask still on, covering the whole of her mouth of course.

And I’ve done this more times than I think I’m comfortable admitting to, if I’m being honest? I’ve to drink coffee in my face mask, I’ve tried to eat a donut in my face mask. Last month – the last time I saw my fella – we were sat watching a film together in the cinema and I tried to give his hand a little kiss – cos I’m a romantic like that, alright? I know how to woo a person – and I just ended up kind of wiping his hand on my face mask instead of smooching him because – yeah, I completely forgot.

I also remembered that the other day when I was getting into my comfy clothes for the night that a monster munch just gracefully slipped out of my bra when I took it off. And I thought, Ah Amy – you absolute scruff. This was about 8pm by the way, and I’d eaten a bag of monster munch at about 12pm, so I must have been so tired that I didn’t feel an entire monster munch in my boobs for the entire day.

And you know, they’re a crunchy crisp. Textured! It’s a whole claw. And I just didn’t notice.

Rosa also shared with us that the mask situation – wherein we’re all forgetting that we’re wearing a mask now – that that whole thing is so bad that she actually spilled half a bottle of water down herself the other day because she just didn’t notice the mask. That’s tiredness, folks! Right there.

And now we’re gonna play an absolute banger that was requested by Rosa – this is “Sleep” by Citizen.

TRACK #6: “Sleep” – Citizen
TRACK #7: “The Glow, Pt. 2” – Microphones

That was “The Glow, Pt. 2” by The Microphones and this song has had a consistent place on my playlists for the past couple of months. It’s a spectacular song about growth and re-evaluation, and it was actually written by Phil Elverum in response to his 11 minute song “The Glow” from his previous album.

It’s a song about losing your way and kind of forgetting what your former creative work was about and what it meant to you at a certain place and time. In an interview, Elverum has said of “The Glow, Pt. 2”, quote:

“I was more dramatic back then. ‘I faced death’ is kind of a ridiculous line, considering that I was talking about having my feelings hurt. The idea with the song is that sometimes it is annoying to have to admit to yourself that you are still alive when you’d rather curl up in a ball and be sad and dark. Being annoyed at your heart for still beating. Not that I [wanted to die] or anything. I totally [didn’t]. Just a regular old relationship-not-working-out. No big whoop.”

This year, Elverum released his first album in 17 years under the guise of Microphones with the album Microphones in 2020. It’s a single 44 minute track comprised of a stunning stream of consciousness wherein Everum reflects on the music he made back in the day – particularly The Glow and The Glow, Pt. 2 – while also reflecting on the chaos, struggles, and grief that can underpin so much of everyday lives. The ebbs and flows of existence. The things that are inevitable and the things that are uncertain.

It’s probably one of my favourite albums of 2020 – in fact, I’d go as far as to call it a masterpiece. And I’m talking about it today, and of the back catalogue of work that Microphones have, because they’ve Phil Elverum’s music has really helped me to get myself together and to wake up in the mornings.

I listen to a lot of Microphones albums – and his work as Mount Eerie – on my long walks into work and back, and I find myself just drifting between the chords and the beats, I navigate the lyrics like a map. I find my way back to myself and I slowly wake up.

“The Glow, PT. 2” especially resonates with me when I’m in that still waking up state because of how it fixates on how alien the body can sometimes feel – and of those wandering existential questions that can shake our little brains when we’re not quite awake enough to keep them out.

So yeah, I’m a big fan. And I recommend them.

Now, let’s carry on those sleepy, wandering vibes with Frank Ocean. This is the ultra dreamy “White Ferrari” – and it sounds like a love song performed from slumber.

TRACK #8: “White Ferrari” – Frank Ocean
TRACK #9: “Tired Of Sleeping” – Suzanne Vega

That was “Tired of Sleeping” by Suzanne Vega and it was requested by Tom! Ta for that Tom! I can officially state that I am not tired of sleeping in the slightest and good grief, I’d like to invite more sleep to enter my life. I don’t think I’ve had a decent sleep in since 2010.  

Anyways, that brings us to the end of another episode! Thanks for listening and for hanging out with this sleepy sloop of a woman.

Our next episode is going to be our Ocean episode where we’ll be chatting about how much we buzz off the water, why screaming at the sea is good for the soul, and chatting about the Spongebob movie – cos dang, folks! What a treat!

So for that we want your song requests for tunes about the ocean or the sea! And we’re also interested in knowing your favourite facts about the ocean or the sea and the creatures that live in it! Get in touch via [email protected] and lemme know what you reckon and what you want to be hearing!

And that’s all folks! We’re done for another week. Until next time, remember: Everything is not cool, but it can be! Stay safe, stay sassy, and my goodness catch up on some sleep will ya?

This is Nirvana covering Leadbelly’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” – which incidentally is a question everyone has heard while suffering through the sore neck of having accidentally slept on a couch for a whole night – and this is Amy Roberts signing off…

BYEEEEEEEEE!! *snore noises, snore noises*

TRACK #10: “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” – Nirvana (MTV Unplugged)