Gigs and stuff

Seeing as I've not performed any of my very short but nonetheless meaningful poetry type stuff for a while, here's your chance to ask me to do so, I don't ask for a rider or money or sexual favours or even booze, all I ask is that people maybe listen to something a little different, so if you ever need any one to introduce your bands and fill a bit of space in between sets then drop me a line.

Ta

New Poem

Written 'On the Fly' just now so I'll call it 'No Room'

There is no room for racism

There is no room for hatred

There is no room for bigotry

In my corner of the world

There is no room for xenophobes

There is no room for homophobes

There is no room for violence

In my corner of the world

There is plenty of room for equality

There is plenty of room for acceptance

There is plenty of room for diversity

In my corner of the world

So please make room in yours

Long time no update !

Well,well,well,what have I been up to in the almost two years since I wrote anything on here ?

Bringing up our wonderful son Dylan, that's what, yep being a Punk Rock dad has taken up an awful lot of my time and to be honest it's been wonderful,we now have an amazing little man so full of attitude it scares the shit outta me sometimes, he is developing a fine taste in music, he loves my old band AFS,enjoys his daddy's new favourite band The Vox Dolomites and is quite partial to a bit of The Skints too - RESULT !!

Spring Update

So life as a Punk Rock Dad is treating me well and young Dylan is doing fine.

Well I'm pleased to announce that I've managed to bag Myself a spot on the TNS stage at Strummercamp this year,looks as though I'll be reading some poetry in between the bands and doing some comparing too.

Looks like yet another strong line up for what is one of the best independent festivals in the UK,tickets this year are very limited so get over to www.strummercamp.co.uk and get yours now !

And come and have a listen to an Old Punk waxing lyrical about the shit that pisses him off these days and check out some of the best Punk/Ska bands in the UK.

Strummercamp 2010

Jukebox Head

Mentally press select

Unconsciously choose a song

Lyrics buzzing round my head

As I march against the throng

So many lyrics so many tunes

My synapses are confused

Why did that one appear now

Not the one I hoped to choose

Halfway through the first verse

I've no idea what comes next

Halfway through the middle eight

It all comes flooding back

My setlist seems a waste of time

Cos my lyrics I didn't bring

I thought they were all locked inside

I an't a clue what to sing

A moment later clear as mud

Spurred on by a bass drum thud

Everything comes rushing back

The gigs no longer out of whack

Jukebox Head what's going on

Deep inside my brain

Jukebox Head what's going on

I'm singing the wrong verse again

This One's for Joe

I was never much one for heroes

Putting folk up on a pedestal

I was never much one for icons

But one day in my life would see change

I jumped in a car with Dave and his dad

And headed from Norwich to London

A dark cold night in October '81

We were on our way to the Lyceum

The Clash were playing

Seven Nights in a row

We saved pocket money for tickets

And decided to go

Two Young Punks

With fire in our hearts

Joe and the boys

Blew us away from the start

A set based heavily on Sandinista

Sorry Joe,we were too young,we missed ya

When you played close by out in the sticks

In those hot summer days of '76

So we stood and watched the show

Mick,Paul,Topper and electric leg Joe

We finally got to see The Clash

Worth every penny of hard saved cash

This one's for Joe

And if I dare say so

On that cold night 29 years ago

Joe you became a hero

Three Fingernails

Complicit implicit in torture

Human rights abused excuses used

Kept in cages appalling conditions

Under the cover you call rendition

Your cloak and dagger policies

Dark,wrapped up in secrecy

Your constant lies,your denial

Locked away without a trial

What better way to force confession

Electricity,pliers,mind transgression

Tied,strapped to a waterboard

A fear of drowning,rest assured

Maybe there's a better way

To treat those accused of heinous crimes

I can't see that abuse and torture

Has any place in modern times

Three fingernails

Pulled one by one

Three fingernails

Our work is done

Fallen Hero

We shipped them out in their thousands

To the deep cold South Atlantic

The deaths and pain on both sides

Pointless,wasteful and frantic

We searched far and wide

For weapons of mass destruction

But it soon transpired

They were never under construction

Tony and George launched the war on terror

The special relationship's biggest error

Lives wasted buried in dust

Just who were we supposed to trust

We battle on in unjust war

I question what we are fighting for

For oil for wealth we'll never know

Or is it a case of 'We told you so'

Fallen Hero

Your glory days are over

Fallen Hero

Nobody recognises you

Just another face in the crowd

Define Punk Rock

Define Punk Rock

And I'll buy you a beer

For over 30 years I've wondered

What Punk rock is all about

For over 30 years I've wondered

Is it all about the scream and shout

Maybe Elvis and Bill Hailey

Kicked off Punk Rock

Maybe Bob Marley and Lee Perry

Kicked off Punk Rock

Maybe Afrika Bambaata

Was pure Punk Rock

Maybe the Clash and the Pistols

Were never Punk Rock

Maybe the back of a Guttermouth tshirt

Has defined Punk Rock

'A loud,fast and deliberately offensive form of Rock music'

It says in all it's screenprint glory

I think defining Punk Rock is an ongoing story

So I'm off to buy myself a beer

Pre Chrimbo Update

Well having just spent 10 weeks writing and rehearsing and a fast and furious 4 days recording with my band AFS,we have finished our 4th album,Trash Vegas.

Went over to Halifax last night with Carl to be interviewed on the Punk and Disorderly show on Phoenix FM,took along 'Musings and Mumblings' and Steve played 'Mr Policeman' and 'Our Vietnam', yep,Jonny Maveriq on the radio !

Well hopefully we'll go over again sometime in the new year to do an acoustic AFS session and a bunch of my poems too.

Two days to go til TNS/Bomb Ibiza Punk Rock Karaoke at the Retro Bar in Manchester,it appears I may have talked my self into singing White Riot !

Laters Punkers

Punk Rock Double Header !

Ok folks,get ya butts over to the First Chop Pub in Ramsbottom on Thursday 19th November for a night of Punk Rock - Jonny Maveriq will be musing and mumbling through some Punk Rock poetry and UkePunk will be blasting out some old faves on his Ukelele.

The whole thing kicks off around 9.30pm so BE THERE !

Another Update !

Well the recording of my 13 track demo went really well over at Voltage Studios in Bradford,big thanks to Tim Walker,so I've been busy printing and cutting sleeves and burning cd's which I'll be giving away free at gigs(when I get some!) and at various venues I attend in Manchester.

News Update !

Well latest news in the world of Jonny Maveriq is that I've booked myself into Voltage Studiios in Bradford Mid October to lay down some of these Musings and Mumblings

JUST A NUMBER

So,I reached thirteen
Thought Me and Punk Rock
Were gonna change the world
I realised I knew nothing

So, I reached sixteen
Left school to be an engineer
Spent two years on the dole
I didn't know anything

So,I reached eighteen
And now I'm supposed to be a man
Wandered round in a ganja mist haze
Thought I ought to know something

The inbetween years
We pretty much ok
I bumbled along fron day to day
Not really caring about a thing

So,I reached thirty
Full Fucking Stop. !
That was it, My life was over
Still I knew very lttle

So,I reached forty
Anothjer decade passes by
It's said that now life begins
I'm almost understanding everything

So,now I reached forty four and three quarters
I have more than I could have imagined
I know that life must be lived to the full
I guess now that I know something

Retro Bar 2nd August 2009

Well it was with great trepidation that I swigged my beer and stepped up to the mic at 7.25pm,curious as to what kind of reception this Old Punk was gonna recieve from the mostly young crowd.

I need not have worried,the cheering and clapping followed each poem and I left the stage absolutely buzzing !

Can't wait to do it all again soon,bigs thanks to Andy and Bev and the rest of the TNS crew for giving me the opportunity to cut my teeth along with some of the excellent local Punk Rock bands they support.

Gratuitous Plug for My band AFS !!

TNS Night at Retro Bar Manchester Sunday 2nd August 2009

Debut Poetry Reading !

Well folks I will be making my debut as Jonny Maveriq - Punk Rock Poet at the Retro Bar on Sackville Street in Manchester on Sunday 2nd August,I'm on first so I expect that'll be fairly early,doors around 6pm I think