General secretary Matt Wrack, given at the recent FBU benefit gig held in memory of The Clash guitarist and supporter of the FBU, the late Joe Strummer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vf-d_1YB9s 

Paul Embery, covering the current strikes on pensions, cuts to the London Fire Brigade and the government's austerity agenda.(scroll to 14 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZMNeQEjXrM&feature=youtu.be

contributors

Roll of Honour - Raffle and Auction Donors

• Sony Music Europe
• The Coronet Theatre
• Nobby Clarke
• Terrys Cafe MEal for 2 
• Brighton Boutique Hotel - 4 night stay
• Nando's for 2 x2- Elephant and Castle
• Iceland - Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre
• Taurus Trakker
• Phil Horsley
• Shereen Lincoln
• Madame M

TT sez- Performing this with Mick was a big honour. We were organising a memorial gig for Joe in Ladbroke Grove. We asked Mick if he wanted to do something for it- I nearly passed out when he gave me a list of Clash songs for the band to learn. Broadway was a tricky one, especially without any keyboards, but I'm really proud of our version, I think Joe would have liked it- maybe he was listening- who knows?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX1ZB1hcjiU

Mick Jones+Taurus Trakker- Broadway Mick Jones performs Broadway (from Sandinista) with Taurus Trakker as a tribute to Joe...21/12/07..I...

Dec 13th Pension Update with Matt Wrack

Hear the facts on what I would describe as age descrimination towards staff and breech of contract...its like telling all who I owe....'oh I dont wanna pay that loan rate anymore, I'm ripping up that agreement and you'll just have to accept what I wanna pay, when and to who'.  

Funny thing too is that while pension-protected senior staff say suck it up and focus on the future there seems to be an eerie silence about a 1/4 of new recruits who now opt out of their scheme for being an over priced, under-performing  pension plan. Whats the strategy gonna be for the growing decline in 'investors' then?

Respect to MAtt for his composure against the unjust. Some memorable photographs to come soon I hope, Matt and Joe!

Steve White and The Protest Family now added to this noble list of artistes raising cash for firefighter protesting against unfair pension and employment changes.
Firefighter Benefit at the Coronet, Elephant SE1

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201183456490263&set=a.1088300769502.2014770.1285925349&type=1&theater and Castle SE1

blood fire licks from Taurus Trakker and Mike Jones Tribute to Joe Strummer,Dec 21st 2007  Inn on the Green, Ladbroke Grove, WLondon, UK.

2013, 6 years to the day and TT join Musicians4firefighters@ The Coronet SE1 to honour Joe and to continue the legacy of support for UK fire service personnel in employment and subsequent financial strife. Special appearances expected - Keep up to speed latest announcements on facebook and of course here!

Music of the era...
Armagideon Time, Joe/Clash days 1979 - I was 15 then, bouncing around sound systems and the mountain speaker boxes

HAnds UP! 'WHO CAN RELATE to Angie Le Mar during th 70s - 80s UK reggae scene  eh hem!

20th Nov13Petition against fire brigade cuts nearly reaches 10,000 signature target. The public petition against the proposed cuts for the London Fire Brigade has nearly reached its 10,000 signature target, adding to the increasing pressure on Boris Johnson to make amendments to the cuts. Over 9,500 people have currently signed the online petition. The current proposals will see ten fire stations closed, including Knightsbridge station, as well and over 550 fire fighter posts across London. These are part of the austerity measures that will hit the whole country, part of The London Fire Authority’s £45m savings. According to critics, the savings equate to just £5 extra per house hold in council tax, and will only provide a quick windfall. As well as this, the closure of Westminster will put increasing pressure on stations at Lambeth. It is also the station for the tourist sites such Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey....(As if there wasnt enough pressure on Lambeth as it is!!!)

The Pretenders - Back on the Chain Gang, live in London

Point made

The Pretenders : Message Of Love (Live L.A.)

Or then again Dec21st 2013Anthem#2??

Tom Petty - I Won't Back Down - June 18th 2012 - Royal Albert Hall Londo...

Whats gonna be our ANTHEM? gets my vote!
Or how about a Billy Bragg Track?

Earliest cutting Joan Armatrading I know...

http://youtu.be/wvfo9ilxp4M

heres Daryl Davis melting hearts and klu klux klan's masks in Maryland...
http://guardianlv.com/2013/11/kkk-member-walks-up-to-black-musician-in-bar-but-its-not-a-joke-and-what-happens-next-will-astound-you/
Rock against racism, 2013 style?!

JOE STRUMMER & MICK JONES LIVE 2002

A very special moment at Acton Fire Station benefit - 2002

Louise Distras - Bullets @ Rebellion 2012 Blackpool, UK 5th August 2012 ...

Louise Distras feat. Jenny Woo - Stand Strong Together (Official Video)

Relevant and real!

The Bermondsey Joyriders - Sonic Lobotomy

Their Dads worked in the docks back in the day -

Born Running by Glen Matlock & the Philistines

Delighted to be involved in this important project. Anyone wanting to get the blood pumping in advance of this timely show at the Coronet should check out Al Miles movie - The Last Night London Burned - which we put together alongide George Binette's excellent book to celebrate that landmark occasion at Acton Town Hall and the life and work of Joe Strummer. You can catch it in four slices on You Tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyrLZ89qCVs Plenty of people regretted missing out on that night eleven years ago - don't miss this one!

Eriko, Martin+Allison (Taurus Trakker), Phil, Shereen

Benefit for Firefighter Hardship Fund in memory of Joe Strummer : The Start

Benefit for Firefighter Hardship Fund in memory of Joe Strummer : The Start: Is it our embryonic familiarity with keeping a beat that returns us to rhythm, again and again, to  feel better about living in this world? Music making people matter is here ...

The Start

In the 70s and 80s I remember many musicians and producers uniting to change racist attitudes and policies, to feed the starving in Africa, to put food on the table of striking miners and firefighters to name a few - Joe Strummer took up the baton 11 years ago playing at Acton Fire Station in London to support striking firefighters; its a proud tradition to follow. In honour of him and the firefighters currently in hardship for standing up against unfair changes to employment and pensions, musicians and supporters unite again on December 21st to raise money and awareness of positive social action .  To all those putting the pressure, Taurus Trakker, Phil Horsley, Dez Lewis,  Louise Holden, Sam + Marcus at The Coronet, Geoff Martin, Joe Williams, Matt Wrack and myself say..

"And so now I'd like to say - people can change anything they want to. 
And that means everything in the world. People are running about following their 
little tracks - I am one of them. But we've all got to stop just following our own little 
mouse trail. People can do anything - this is something that I'm beginning to 
learn. People are out there doing bad things to each other. That's because 
they've been dehumanised. It's time to take the humanity back into the center 
of the ring and follow that for a time. Greed, it ain't going anywhere. They 
should have that in a big billboard across Times Square. Without people  
you're nothing. That's my spiel.” ― Joe Strummer