This year I decided to take a several-day pre-Christmas trip to Athens. My goal was not the ancient monuments, but the district of Exarchia. This part of Athens is well known for its alternative and anarchist spirit. And perhaps by coincidence, it was exactly the weekend when the annual protests against police violence take place,…
I headed to this event sometime earlier this year. At first, I hesitated a bit. A punk musical? Dominion Theatre in the West End with velvet seats? A capacity of 2,000 seated? But as soon as I saw the crowd trickling in—many of them familiar faces from the 100 Club or Camden gigs—my doubts gradually…
Problematic Youth It was 1987. In the Soviet Union, a political and economic reform programme called “Perestroika” had been underway for two years, aiming to liberalise the rigid socialist system in a desperate attempt to save its bare existence. The Soviets, who had previously controlled everything, suddenly stopped dictating to their satellite states and, to…
When I launched this blog, my head was full of questions. Would anyone care? Does the written word still have power? Can we even pause for text in the age of TikTok, podcasts, and YouTubers? Five months in, I have my answer: YES. And that’s thanks to YOU! Your reactions, shares, and quiet presence have…
