Speech given by Steve Hillage at an Anti-Criminal Justice Bill Rally on October 19th 1994 :-
Abolition of the right of silence.
Return of the suss law.
Criminalisation of squatters.
Criminal trespass - an attack on the traveller community.
Stringent controls outlawing parties and gatherings where the music is"characterised by repetitive beats".
Massive restrictions on the free right to protest.
Together with groups concerned with this overall attack on civl rights, heretoday we are a coalition of minorities under attack.
Squatters, travellers, ravers, people of alternative lifestyles in general.
I don't believe the Tories really care about what these people do - but they cynicallysee votes in oppressing these minorities and being seen to oppress.
Like East European facists oppressing gypsies.
This is a Balkan Bill, an act of cultural cleansing. We cannot allow the virus offacism to spread to this country.
Together with a large number of others from the music community and in particularthe dance music community, we are specifically trying to raise public awarenessabout the Repetitive Beats sentence in the bill clause 58, that actually seeks to define a certain type of music that the bill seeks to restrict.
Can you imagine a team of "Yes Minister" civil servants sitting in numerous commitees to try to come up with a legal definition of techno music! It wouldbe hilarous if it wasn't so frightening.
The fact is they've done it! It's in the bill! And you have to ask -is thisCensorship or what! I understand that the last time any government law specificallytargeted music was in the time of Oliver Cromwell.
It's estimated that up to a million people regularily go to dance events at the weekend, most of them to perfectly legal events -but everyone feels under threat when they see the music they love defined as someting subversive in an oppressivegovernment law. Although I must add that if this music is regarded as subversiveit must be doing something right.
A record is coming out titled simply Repetitive Beats which aims to bringthis outrage to everyone's attention.
I would like to thank Dave Watts of Fundamental, The Drum Club, Miquette of System 7, Youth of Killing Joke, Primal Scream, Andrew Weatherall, Adrian Sherwood,Bim Sherman and On U Sound, Kris Needs, and Nina Walsh for coming together to createRepetitive Beats.
The record aims to mobilise people involved with music on this particular issue, and to spread awareness of the bill in general.
Together with "taking Liberties" album all proceeds from these records will raise money for the various action groups fighting the bill.
We are not politicians. We are musicians and DJs.
We are standing full on with all of you and I think we are all going to go through some pretty tough situations together before this political insanity finally withers away.
We must be strong we must be united, and wherever possible we must usepeaceful means.
I'd like to just finish with the words of Bob Marley - you can probably guess what they're gonna be - here they come!
Get up stand up - stand up for your rights.
To communicate with us: :-) s777@a-wave.com.