Gifts.

            Well it is that time of the year when people buy presents for friends and family, call it what you will, I like Winter Solstice. Choosing a present can be difficult, so let me help you. A wonderful book to give to your friends, family comrades or for yourself, would by the book by James Kelman and Prof. Noam Chomsky, "Between Thought and Expression Lies a Lifetime, Why Ideas Matter", published by PM Press.

         Apart from seeing this book as an essential read for all left radical thinkers and activists, I have another motive for suggesting it as a wonderful Solstice gift. The authors have kindly stated that the proceeds from the sale of the book go to Spirit of Revolt as a donation. Spirit of Revolt is probably the largest anarchist, libertarian socialist archive in Scotland, we record, preserve and make easily available, your history, your struggles for that better world for all. We rely totally on donations from friends and supporters. we receive no funding from unions, businesses or councils and our team are all unpaid volunteers. See our donation page. All donations, one-off or direct debit, no matter how small are really appreciated.

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info   

Ideas!

       I've just received the new book "Between Thought and Expression Lies a Lifetime, Why Ideas Matter" by Noam Chomsky and James Kelman, PM Press ISBN: 978-1-6296-3880-5. Described by one reviewer as Brilliant, Incisive, Fearless. A quick lick through it and it looks both informative and interesting, but like all books written for and by the radical left, it shouldn't be taken as some sort of sacred gospel. It is the considered opinion of those involved drawn from personal experience, thoughts, discussions and readings and should always be seen a such. No matter the differences you may have, I'm sure you will find something new, interesting and even controversial, but you will come away with some new thoughts and insights, what more can you ask of a book.

      I should add that all the proceeds from the Scottish end of this production will go to support, the Spirit of Revolt Archive. We at Spirit of Revolt are extremely grateful for the authors' support and generosity. You can also help support Spirit of Revolt by purchasing the book and spreading this info far and wide. 

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info  

Event.

 

     An event not to be missed, two great minds come together James Kelman, activist, and famous author from Glasgow and Noam Chomsky, world renowned philosopher to discuss anthropology and social change, "Between Thought and Expression". Presented by PM Press. December 6th.

https://youtu.be/7iR_BMCOZ6A

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info   

New Books.

            In a recent post I publicised the release of two new books by James Kelman, published by PM Press, Between Thought and Expression; Why Ideas Matter is a book of political and philosophical essays by and correspondence between Kelman and Noam Chomsky.
The second is a collection of Kelman's essays on Kurdistan and Black justice called, The State is Your Enemy.
        For those who may not be familiar with James's work, This video will give you a wee sample of the man and his ideas. 

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info  

Kelman.

 Received this from PMPress: 

Greetings!

I'm writing because PM Press is publishing some fantastic and incendiary new books by James Kelman and I was wondering if you'd like to receiving advance copies?

The first: Between Thought and Expression; Why Ideas Matter is a book of political and philosophical essays by and correspondence between Kelman and Noam Chomsky.

The second is a collection of Kelman's essays on Kurdistan and Black justice called The State is Your Enemy.

I would love to send you copies if you're interested--and of course Jim is available for discussions and interviews.

Take care!

Cara

          James Kelman a world famous author and one of Glasgow's own, has been a great friend and supporter of Spirit of Revolt. We have part of his archive in our collection, with more to follow. I consider these books to be important works in their own right. It would be great to return James's support for Spirit of Revolt and many other class struggles he has been involved in throughout his life, by purchasing these new books.

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk  

The Freedom To Think Kurdistan.

     An event to mark in you diary, Thursday, 5th., December. One of Glasgow's literary sons and life time activist James Kelman has a new book being launched on that date. Obviously an event not to be missed.

Details:

   thi wurd presents the launch of James Kelman’s new book ‘The Freedom to Think Kurdistan’ at The Admiral Bar, Glasgow, Thur, 5th December 7-10pm. With James Kelman. Music from Eugene Kelly, The Dirt Roadsters. Fiction from thi wurd. £5 on the door.

Please spread details.

https://twitter.com/thiwurd/status/1195756406428913664

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

"Writers For Miners" Free CD.

        Spirit of Revolt is anarchist/libertarian-socialist archive dedicated to preserving and making easily accessible to the public at large, Glasgow/Clydeside grass-roots history of struggle. We are not connected to any political party or trade union nor do we receive any funding from any of these organisation. We are a volunteer group who give our time freely, however in a capitalist society funds are a necessary evil to survive and grow. We rely on our various outreach programs to raise funds, and the much appreciated supporters who have signed a direct debit to help sustain this project, to them, a great big thank you.
         In an endeavour to increase our funds and help secure the project, we are, for a limited period offering a CD and booklet, Writers for Miners, to anyone who signs up a direct debit for £5 or more, to Spirit of Revolt. It will be free delivery in the UK, further afield we would have to look at the cost. Have a look at our website https://spiritofrevolt.info, if you like what we are doing and think we are doing a good job, then the price of a couple of coffees a month would be much appreciated.

Details of the CD and booklet:

The Writers for Miners Events, 1984

      In 1984-85 events known as “Writers for Miners” took place on consecutive Saturdays in Glasgow’s 3rd Eye Centre to raise funds for striking coal miners at local pits in one of the most significant industrial disputes in world history.
      With 140,000 out on strike the Thatcher Government planned to break the power of the NUM union, the most well organised group of workers in the country. With 11,291 arrests and lasting 1 year it unleashed massive state repression, brutality and violence. The other unions largely did not show solidarity and the strike failed, opening the door to the destruction of working class communities, job insecurity and privatisation.
      Performers, poets, visual artists and others decided to support the striking miners in Scotland and formed artists-in-Solidarity which organised fundraising for the miners’ families by holding events. This CD is a recording of those events. James Kelman explains, “Radical history is marginalised by the State and events of this nature should be recorded otherwise they are forgotten. The STUC offered to part-fund the project but on this occasion failed to come up with the money. We still went ahead. It was hoped that a selection of songs, poetry and prose-readings might be produced eventually in the form of a couple of albums (all proceeds to the miners’ strike fund). It didn’t happen, for one reason or another…The original project was launched in support of the miners and their families. Those days may have gone but solidarity and comradeship haven’t. All proceeds from the sale of the Writers for Miners album will go toward the Spirit of Revolt (S.O.R.) Archive, in appreciation of the crucial work carried out by the S.O.R. volunteers in the preservation of radical history”.

In 1984, those involved were,

Norman McCaig, Freddy Anderson, Hamish Henderson,

 Duncan Maclean, Kathleen Jamie and Robert Alan Jamieson,

 Donald Saunders, Peter Nardini, Rab Noakes,

Nancy Nicolson, Alasdair Gray, Jeff Torrington, Agnes Owens,
Carl MacDougall, James Kelman, Archie Hind, Donald Saunders,

Tom Leonard, Edwin Morgan, Edward Boyd, Danny Kyle, 

Tom McGrath, Jeff Torrington, Agnes Owens, Archie Hind. 

Where will you get such a fabulous collection of performers on one CD?

         You can contact us at our donate page, https://spiritofrevolt.info/donate/ or at  info@spiritofrevolt.info Set up your Direct debit, send us your address and we will forward the CD and booklet. In anticipation we thank you for your support.

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

Music, Poetry, And Politics In Glasgow.

 

        Well this is Monday 26th. of November, you have just two days to get your diary sorted so that you can attend what will be a wonderful and unique evening of music, singing, poetry and politics, what more could you ask for? This night will bring together some of the best known names in Scotland, paying tribute to Artists in Solidarity, who in 1984 put on a superb event, "Writers for Miners" in support of the striking miners. Lots of those who performed on that evening will be performing on Wednesday 28th. November at Mono's, Glasgow. (the time is 7:00pm, not 7:30 as stated on Mono's page.)

       This event will be the launch of a CD of the original performance in support of the striking miners, for a sneek preview of what to expect, take a look at this list.

After the introductions:

Nancy Nicolson
Aonghas Macneacail
Gerda Stevenson
Liz Lochhead
Rab Noakes

30 minutes interval

Allan Tall
Alan McMunigal of thi wurd will introduce young writers who will read works of those poets who who were at the original event but can't be with us on the night.

Freddy Anderson: (In the Vale of Aberfan) 

Hamish Henderson: Glascune & Drumlochy OR Three poems from 1939
Eddie Boyd: (“The niddeny nottum cherbo”) 

Tom McGrath: (I know a man from Denver called Mr Mac)

Donald Saunders
AnneThomson: (Dream-Songs for Winters/TheAdam'sRib)

Peter Nardini 

Tom Leonard

Ewan McVicar

      The proceeds of the event will go to support Spirit of Revolt, have a wee look at their website. 

Details:

7pm. to 10pm.

Wednesday, 28th. November, 2018.

Mono, 12, Kings Court,

Glasgow, G1 5RB.

Tickets at the door.

Visit ann arky's home at radicalglasgow.me.uk

A Letter From The Past.

        New addition to Spirit of Revolt Archive, thanks to auther/writer/political activist, James Kelman, a letter from the past from one of Glasgow's better known anarchists, Bobby Lynn.

 

 Robert (Bobby) Lynn, 1924-1996, was a well know Glasgow anarchist and a character. This month our “Read of the Month” is a letter that has just come into the Spirit of Revolt Archive. It is from Bobby to James Kelman, attempting to raise money to start a social centre in Glasgow. Since then, Glasgow has had several attempts at an autonomous/social centre, but most have been very short lived. The latest one is the Glasgow Autonomous Space, (GAS), let’s wish it luck and hope it has a much longer life than previous attempts.

Read on line,   PDF and other downloads.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Farewell To A Working Class Warrior.

 

      Yesterday, Monday, February 1st., the funeral of Les Foster, 1919-2016, took place at Maryhill Crematorium, approximately 50 family, friends and comrades attended, but I have no doubt, there were many many more there in spirit and thought, Les was a giant in the working class struggle.
     These words by James Kelman give us an insight into the life of Les Foster, a working class warrior.

       Leslie was born in Maryhill 1919. His father and grandfather came from Leith, had a blacksmith’s shop at the corner of Bilsland Drive. They held the contract for shoeing soldiers’ horses at Maryhill Barracks, circus horses at the Kelvin Hall Zoo. His grandpa was over 6 feet tall, “a believer in physical force.” He once caught a burglar in his house and dropped him out the window.
     Leslie’s mother’s people were Munros from Brora. This coastal region in Sutherland is where thousands ended up waiting to be shipped to Canada, cleared off the land by the worst of landowner aristocracy. Some stayed and tried scratching a living off the shore and the sea. Grandpa Munro was a stonemason; he moved to Glasgow and found work at Maryhill Barracks.
     Les and brother Archie attended Garrioch Primary then Allan Glen’s. “We saw the light of day inside a two-storey tenement house at 970 Maryhill Road... The Kitchen window looked down on the blacksmith’s shop ...” Archie was seven years older and a bit of hero to the young Leslie. Not only did he go to Glasgow University he was a hustler at snooker, learned at Johnnie May’s billiard saloon which was just along the road, in that one-storey building next to the garage. Les didnt have much time for school, nor its “history books...‘Gung Ho’ propaganda tracts” he called them, “heavily laced with Rule Britannia. Our tiny feet marching to the strains of Onward Christian Soldiers.”
      He went his own way; left school early. “Sometimes I feel like throwing up when I hear pundits talking about the Dignity of Labour. One Monday morning I sold my dignity to a company called the Saracen Foundry, by the time Friday came round I asked for it back...I began to study the moulders’ physique...a complexion of ashen grey, sunken cheeks, backs permanently bent, old before their time...sparks flying all over the place, odd bits of burning ingot dropped onto the floor. I asked the Gaffer for my cards - and got them.” Later he entered the building trade as a plasterer’s labourer, reading voraciously, keeping his eyes and ears open”
      His own family moved to Milngavie but his heart was in Maryhill. He was a fund of local knowledge, from cinemas and backstreet singers to the political agitations. George Millar stabbed to death by a blackleg during the 1833 printers’ strike at Dawsholm, buried at Duart Street. Keir Hardie’s remains? Right here in Maryhill. A Memorial stone to Donald Macrae, the Alness Martyr? Right here, where they buried him. What about the Chartist leader Arthur O’Neil leading off the Maryhill contingent from Gilshochill, led by an Orange flute band, probably from the same Lodge that stares back at ye to this day, when ye look up the hill at Sandbank Street.
      Les laughed at that. At the same he could be touchy on certain subjects and in conversation ye had to tread cautiously. But he was always interested in people themselves. His first questions were on your family and his interest was absolutely genuine.
       He was a passionate man. Completely non-sectarian. In football his position was along the lines of: I’m not biased, I dont care who beats Rangers and Celtic. What a memory! Rhyming off the great players of the past. Never mind Hibs’ Famous Five what about the 1950s Third Lanark team, or the Ansell Babes of Motherwell.
      The professional game nowadays left him cold. But he still loved football. Nothing gave him more pleasure than watching Maryhill Juniors at Lochburn Park. It was getting out to watch the ‘Hill that helped him through the worst period of his life, the dark time following the death of his beloved Gracie, almost 20 years ago. Her family were the James’s and McLeans from Lambhill. Gracie made her home in Milngavie and was well-known there - far better than Les, and he enjoyed that.
      He was 18 when his dad died. Him and his mother flitted to Garnethill. She was politicised, came to political meetings: a friend of Johnny Muir of the Clyde Workers’ Committee. When Les got involved she encouraged him. He became Secretary of the City Branch of the Communist Party in his early twenties, met with Jimmy Mclaren, later Hugh Savage. The three were close pals. Until tragically Jimmy McLaren died of TB at the age of 28.
      Like many young Glasgow Communists Les and Hughie were taught to be wary of Harry McShane. He had a reputation for ‘awkward individualism’. He said what he thought, and acted accordingly, and it didnt go down too well with Party chiefs. But the ability to think for yourself went down well with Les and Hughie; avid readers, avid thinkers; activist to the core. They had the utmost respect for McShane and were close friends to the end.
      “The Grand Hotel at Charing Cross was used as a club by the American Army during the War. Later it stood empty - a must for potential squatters. So Harry McShane, Bill McCulloch, Bob Saunders and myself broke in through a side door taking in tow a fair number of families. Crowds gathered, the Police arrived, sirens blazing. Several Party Leaders stood there without lifting a hand to help. When the Assistant Chief Constable saw Harry McShane come out the front door he said, I might have known...”
      Les was a Shop Steward; a leader of the Merrylee Housing struggle of 1951 along with his comrade Ned Donaldson. The Tory Council wanted to sell off 622 council houses at a time when 100,000 people were on the waiting list in Glasgow. “In those days workers did not get pestered by the absurd rigmarole of postal ballots. Decisions were made at the point of production. After discussion and debate a vote was taken. Those in favour one side...those against the other. The strike lasted ten days.” Guy Aldred’s Strickland Press printed 30,000 leaflets for the strike and when told the committee were skint Guy [said] forget it, it’s a worthwhile cause.” The Tories lost that one but in the aftermath Les was sacked; him and Ned, blacklisted. Les joined British Rail and stayed until retiral.
       In 1953 he, Hugh Savage and Bill McCulloch resigned from the CP alongside Harry McShane and took to spreading the message; chalking pavements, publishing The New Commune, the Socialist Revolt. “Lenin’s Last Will and Testament had been suppressed by the Soviet Communist Party. The British Party made sure it never saw the time of day. In the Will, Lenin, after making a number of serious criticisms said that Stalin was dangerous and unfit to don the mantle of Leader. We procured the text and published.”
      One night Les, Hughie, Harry and Matt McGinn were up in Bill McCulloch’s house planning stuff. A chap at the door. Gerry Healy of the WRP, the Workers Revolutionary Party, up from London on a recruiting mission. He was wasting his time. They had had enough of Vanguards. “Our aim was to go it alone, no pretensions or ambitions...we thought there was a great need for Socialist Propaganda, and nothing more than that.... We took to the Soap Box holding regular open air meetings at the corner of Drury Street. Controversy was encouraged, questions never fudged.” At one such meeting in bleak November two hundred people turned up on the anniversary of John Maclean’s death.
     “Sometime after the Hungarian events the Socialist Workers Federation ran into hard times. We ran out of cash...our paper The Socialist Revolt was put to sleep. Alas only three of us soldiered on, Hugh Savage, Harry McShane and myself - we still remained Revolutionary Socialists.”
       Meantime Les continued in British Rail, always working on his own research and writing projects, contributed to the Glasgow Labour History Project; wrote on the 1911 Clydebank Singer Strike and the crucial role of women there, the SLP and the Wobblies. He did a history of the NUR, did the Introduction for McShane’s 3 Days That Shook Edinburgh. He and Hughie published a life of the forgotten 19th Century Marxist, Willie Nairn who influenced a generation of working class activists, including John Maclean, Arthur McManus, Willie Paul, Neil Maclean and Tom Bell.
       In the 1980s Les, Hughie and Ned came out of ‘political retirement’ and were in at the early stages of Workers City, with Janette McGinn, Freddie and Isobel Anderson, Farquhar McLay and other friends and comrades. Les wrote a couple of pieces for that scurrilous rag of fond memory, The Keelie! Les even found time to write his autobiography and left unpublished articles. At the very end he was talking football, politics, music, and memories. Plus he was reading Kropotkin’s The Conquest of Bread. At 96!
      He had been in hospital since August; in a Maryhill nursing home since early December, a stone's throw from the old Bilsland Drive smiddy. He was making the best of it. But a few days ago that was him transferred to the Royal, back with the breathing mask and still with the tubes. Purgatory. He was fed up with it all. Plus the knowledge once recovered it was back to the nursing home. No, it wasn’t for him.
       His generation spoke about ‘contributions’. The big compliment to pay a comrade? What a contribution! To the Labour movement and to the Socialist movement, a lifetime’s commitment. Leslie Forster - what a contribution!

Like I said before on hearing of his death, a brick has fallen from our wall of resistance, will we find one strong enough to fill the gap, let's work towards that.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Glasgow's Own R.I.B.

RiB on FACEBOOK

...supporting small press publishers and independent producers...circulating radical reading materials and information...
RADICAL INDEPENDENT BOOK FAIR Project

-----------------------------------
Fri 18th / Sat 19th / Sun 20th OCT
CCA
350 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow
G2 3JD
Back at Document film festival... a range of new titles and another new set up. Hope to see ya there .... times below. This year we are on the first floor gallery corridor (above the bar), not out of sight or mind!
Friday 18th - 16.00 - 22.00
Saturday19th - 10.00 - 22.00
Sunday 20th - 12.00 - 22.00

RiB midi stall
free entry to stall
-----------------------------------
Sat 26th OCT
The Glad Cafe
1006a Pollokshaws Road
Glasgow
G41 2HG
Performance along with book and CD launch marking the publication of Songs of Freedom - the James Connolly Songbook by Mat Callahan.

entry £8 / £5 concession
No tickets so come early to avoid missing out.
RiB mini stall
-----------------------------------
     “These are our lives and we need to grab them. Independence of thought, deed and expression. Roll on, RIB, roll on.”
James Kelman, writer

       “Through these long dark years of reaction and retrenchment, RIB has been a stalwart wee island of inspiration, providing a unique and invaluable facility to the movement with imagination, generosity and resolve.”
Tam Dean Burn, actor

     "As hip authors everywhere adjust to the idea that the majority of their output will be read on electronic devices, books, magazines and pamphlets take on a new significance. And, as the world falls further into the thrall of neoliberal ideology, books, magazines and pamphlets that offer other ways of thinking and organising assume a particular urgency. It is just such publications that can be found at the occasional and compelling Radical Independent Book Fair. Catch it while you can, consume its content voraciously and do what you can to act upon the information you find there..."
Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt, reader / writer
---------------------- ----------------------  ----------------------
     For details on every event - small or large check out the facebook page - it gets updated more regularly than the website (which is still to be revamped!)
RiB on FACEBOOK

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

 

CRISIS IN THE COMMUNITY.

Sunday
        Due to various things (COC). This event will now be held at Plantation Productions, at the Portal, Govan road. Not the Pearce Institute. Don't worry if other people don't get this The portal is two minutes away, about two blocks down from the Pearce Institute. Someone will be at the PI to direct people and there will be a direction notice on the PI door. Sorry about that.

http://citystrolls.com/reshuffle12/crisis.html

THE CRISIS OF COMMUNITY and the Opportunity for Change, Sunday 17th 1:00pm.
       On the Sunday James Kelman, will lead a discussion geared towards mobilisation and solidarity in dealing with the issues across the city of the councils process of stopping DIY community activities in favour of. "You can have community things but we will do them for you with private partners". There has recently been a growing ground swell of ordinary people feeling the urge and the necessity to do something. Such as. Maryhill Park clean ups, despite council objections. Making Councillors accountable campaigns. Community run dinner nights at the Pearce Institute and places like Kinningpark Complex are creating activities and bringing groups together, presenting local people with a platform to voice their concerns and also their ideas. I mention a few but there are many others across the city. Some are known about but many are invisible to people as well as to each other.
-- www.citystrolls.com

 ann arky's home.