Journalist at RFI (ex-DW, BBC, CBC, F24...), writer (on art, music, culture...), I work in radio, podcasting, online, on films.
As a writer, I also contributed to the New Arab, Art UK, Byline Times, the i Paper...
Born in Paris, I was based in Prague, Miami, London, Nairobi (covering East Africa), Bangui, and in Bristol, UK. I also reported from Italy, Germany, Haiti, Tunisia, Liberia, Senegal, India, Mexico, Iraq, South Africa...
This blog is to share my work, news and cultural discoveries.
All the important beautiful forms of expression I love and making sense united together.
Thank you Patti Smith.
And thanks to those who brought me closer to her...
It's been thirty six years he's gone. All my life.
Reading this, feeling like sharing.
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The John Lennon quotes that are still painfully relevant in this troubled world
On 8 December 1980, John Lennon was shot four times in the back outside of his apartment building in New York City. He was 40 years old. Lennon's words still ring just a true today as they did in his own lifetime. Here are The Independent's selection:
"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality."
"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace."
"You either get tired fighting for peace, or you die."
"We all have Hitler in us, but we also have love and peace. So why not give peace a chance for once?"
"We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant.... You've got to keep watering it. You've got to really look after it and nurture it."
"What we’ve got to do is keep hope alive. Because without it we’ll sink."
"If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that's his problem. Love and peace are eternal."
John Lennon with his wife, Yoko Ono, photographed in 1969 (Getty)
"I can't wake you up. You can wake you up. I can't cure you. You can cure you."
“Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we’re being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I’m liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That’s what’s insane about it.”
“Produce your own dream. If you want to save Peru, go save Peru. It’s quite possible to do anything, but not if you put it on the leaders and the parking meters. Don’t expect Carter or Reagan or John Lennon or Yoko Ono or Bob Dylan or Jesus Christ to come and do it for you. You have to do it yourself.”
Music, you know...
Music and places.
Music and encounters.
Music and its lyrics, they can tell so much... So much better. And it's a universal language.
I am such a lucky traveller. Well, apart from the fact that there is no luck. There is just, well, the road.
This is for Northern Ireland.
Thank you, beautiful, soulful place.
Ciaran Lavery & Ryan Vail - 'The Colour Blue'
Ciaran Lavery & Ryan Vail-The Colour Blue For all that you want you never have it all
Lying on my back a-waiting for your call
Images are stacked, the radio is low & my heart is too
Sleeping in your bed I wonder where you go
Walking all your floors, I've tickets to the show See you dancing, hands all glorious & cold in the colour blue
So I put on my suit & I race toward the light
And I chase your shadow from here into the night
If what I want from this world has been pushed out with the tide..
Lundi 5 décembre a eu lieu la présentation du 360- Paris Music Factory, futur complexe entièrement dédié à la musique, et la première pierre du projet a symboliquement été posée.
Le rendez-vous est fixé au FGO Barbara, le centre musical Fleury Goutte d'Or-Barbara, établissement culturel de la Ville de Paris dédié à la diffusion, à l'accompagnement et au développement de projets artistiques pour les musiques actuelles. Une chanteuse fait des vocalises pendant qu'on installe des salades de fruits et méchouia. Acteurs du monde associatif, riverains, représentants de la mairie du 18e ont fait le déplacement pour la présentation de ce futur lieu transverse et innovant.
Saïd ASSADI, le directeur du 360, également fondateur d'Accords croisés, qui œuvre depuis 1997 pour la production et la promotion des grandes voix du monde, explique: "Ce projet est une aventure collective qui s'inscrit dans une économie sociale et solidaire et repose sur un principe de solidarité et d'utilité sociale".
Le bâtiment, prouesse architecturale faite de bois, métal et béton, entièrement ouvert sur l’extérieur, au cœur du quartier Barbès à la Goutte d'or, proposera toutes les activités nécessaires à la conception musicale. Il a pour vocation à devenir un lieu de rencontre pour les acteurs du monde musical, mais aussi pour les Parisiens, en partie grâce de la salle de concert qu’il abritera. Le 360 Paris Music Factory est un lieu multiple qui va vivre au rythme de vie de la création musicale, de la production et la diffusion.
Un lieu multiple et transversal
Au rez-de-chaussée, un studio de répétition et d'enregistrement permettra d'accompagner le travail de création et de formation artistique dans sa globalité.Au premier étage, un restaurant, lieu de convivialité et d’échange, avec une grande baie vitrée, sera ouvert sur la rue. Il proposera des plats donnant la priorité au circuit court de production alimentaire et permettra l'insertion professionnelle de jeunes Parisiens.Au cœur du bâtiment, une salle de spectacle d'une capacité de 150 à 300 places, les gradins étant rétractables. permettra une grande proximité entre les artistes et les spectateurs.
Un incubateur d'entreprise est prévu, avec un espace de co-working, qui aidera à pérenniser l'activité des start-up en résidence. Au 4e étage, des bureaux partagés, où se trouveront, entre autres, Vox Populi Label, feront office d'espaces de mutualisation des compétences, rassemblant tous les maillons de la chaîne de la filière musicale, générant une synergie entre elles.
Au 5e et dernier étage, une résidence d’artistes, hébergera jusqu'à 8 artistes nationaux et internationaux pendant le temps de création et production, ce qui leur permettra de réduire leur coût et de travailler dans des conditions optimales.Enfin, sur le toit, un potager géré par Topager alimentera en produits frais le restaurant. Les déchets de ce dernier étant eux-mêmes réutilisables pour le potager.
Un lieu au cœur d'un système de valorisation des quartiers
Saïd ASSADI, insiste sur "le rôle important de l’œuvre culturelle". Il clôt son discours avec ces mots: "le 360 est l'objet transculturel dont la société a besoin, véhiculant des valeurs de solidarité et ayant une réelle utilité sociale et qui permettra aussi de lutter contre l'uniformisation de la musique, car ce sont aux petites entreprises de défendre la diversité des identités musicales".
Le 360 s’inscrira de plus au cœur d’un Nord-Est parisien riche en lieux d’innovation culturelle, comme le 104 ou le Mila, dans la façon novatrice que Paris souhaite adopter pour concevoir de nouveaux équipements. Il participe de la vitalité des quartiers populaires. vise à devenir un lieu de rencontre pour les acteurs du monde musical, mais aussi des Parisiens, au travers de la salle de concert qu’il abritera.
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Voir la présentation vidéo :
Le 360 - Paris Music Factory
Naissance du projet 360 - Paris Music Factory. Découvrez la vidéo de présentation de ce futur lieu qui servira à promouvoir toute la diversité culturelle d’un monde en mouvement à travers un espace de création multifonctionnel.
Les grandes voix du monde au cœur de Paris. Pour s’y faire entendre, bien sûr ; et surtout pour s’y construire.
Le 360 propose aux entreprises de la musique et du spectacle vivant, le meilleur de la technologie, un espace de mutualisation pour s’adapter au rythme de vie de la création, de la production et de la diffusion.
Ce projet a trouvé un premier soutien auprès de la Ville de Paris et de la Région Ile de France.
Ma passion est de donner la possibilité d’entendre et de voir une large variété d’artistes miroir de la diversité culturelle d’un monde en mouvement.
Avec Accords Croisés, l’entreprise que j’ai fondée il y a vingt ans pour développer les carrières d’artistes venus de tous les continents, je suis témoin de cette richesse. Le festival
Au Fil Des Voix, initié il y a dix ans, apporte une visibilité aux nouvelles créations, dans la double optique d’une représentativité des cultures et d’une démarche artistique contemporaine.
Pendant ces années, j’ai observé aussi les mutations et contraintes économiques du secteur culturel et plus particulièrement celui de la musique dite « indépendante ». Et je suis convaincu aujourd’hui de la nécessité à rester créatif et innovant pour permettre aux petites et moyennes structures de continuer à faire vivre leurs projets. Cette créativité ouvre un dialogue entre économie et culture.
Il manquait donc un modèle économique innovant soutenant les artistes dans la transmission d’un patrimoine culturel et dans leur refus de l’uniformité ; permettant aux artistes d’enrichir et de renouveler leur créativité par la rencontre et le dialogue avec d’autres cultures, et avec le public. Il fallait un lieu avec un incubateur d’entreprises pour les métiers de la musique.
Le 360 est donc ce lieu de création et de production transculturelle.
Au-delà de cet outil professionnel, c’est avant tout une aventure collective, une initiative privée qui s’inscrit dans l’économie sociale et solidaire, un lieu qui, à l’encontre du repli sur soi, promeut le vivre-ensemble.
Au coeur de ce quartier vivant et attachant de la Goutte d’Or, il apporte des perspectives d’éducation musicale et transculturelle, et s’affirme parmi les extraordinaires atouts multiculturels de Paris et de la France.
"Si Bristol m'était contée"... Joli titre pour la chronique de mon livre dans le Trax Magazine n°198 qui sort aujourd'hui. Un immense merci à Olivier Pernot qui a vraiment compris ma démarche et ma passion ! En kiosque jusque début janvier.
Readers here know my passion for bees and any reference to honey and beehives...
So here is the song of the day, brought back by waves of electronic sharing...
The Jesus And Mary Chain - 'Just Like Honey'
Listen to the girl As she takes on half the world Moving up and so alive In her honey dripping beehive Beehive It's good, so good, it's so good So good
Walking back to you Is the hardest thing that I can do That I can do for you For you
I'll be your plastic toy I'll be your plastic toy For you
Eating up the scum Is the hardest thing for Me to do
Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey Just like honey
Comme chaque année en décembre, Transfuge met entre parenthèses les oeuvres et chef-d'oeuvres contemporains pour sonder les classiques. Le Père Noël 2016 n'est pas une ordure, il nous apporte Jerry Lewis, Jon Voight, Charles Dantzig, Simon Liberati et de nombreuses autres perles à mettre sous le sapin.
- LÉAUD DE 5 À 7
La Mort de Louis XIV met en lumière la présence incroyable d'un des plus grands acteurs de l'histoire du cinéma français. Jean- Pierre Léaud. Portrait Par Mélissa Chemam
- MACADAM COWBOY, DÉLIVRANCE, LE RETOUR :
rien que pour ces trois films l'acteur Jon Voight mérite le qualificatif de mythique. Transfuge l'a interviewé au Four Seasons de Beverly Hills. Introduction et propos recueillis par Jean-Paul Chaillet
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Jean-Pierre et Albert Serra à L'avant-première de La Mort de Louis XIV,
Where Do You Draw The Line? An amazing documentary on the risks that is facing the Ecuadorian forest is launched online this Friday.
Written and produced by young enthusiastic first-time filmmakers from Bristol, known as WordSmith Production, the film is a courageous exploration of the situation of a very wild and well-preserved region of South America, having to deal with the cruel rules of oil exploitation. I've met with one of the filmmakers when in Bristol and the least I can say is that this team is committed and talented. They release this film for free and use the means of films for a great cause, it's a necessity to watch this film! Especially in this context. Watch the trailer:
More details on the film:
AMAZONIAN COMMUNITY UNITED AGAINST OIL FACES MASSIVE ATTACK
Narration by Daddy G of Massive Attack, including his own music composed exclusively for the film.
This documentary was filmed in Sani Isla and Ecuador’s capital city, Quito. It gives voice to an indigenous community in the Ecuadorian Amazon. To break the bond with the forest that has sustained their people for generations would be the death of their culture and community. Their resolve is tested in the face of corruption, bribery and greed as well as oil companies and the military threatening to take over the land by force.
At first glance it might appear that the community is just another victim of big oil’s need to feed ‘our’ collective habit. But a more complex story emerges: China taking over the role of the IMF and World Bank funding overseas development in return for oil; well-meaning but under resourced and ultimately failing, local government and worldwide initiatives; the international community turning a blind eye; blatant denial of indigenous rights; as well
as the desires of the community themselves, to develop in line with modern expectations.
Biologists classify this region as one of the most bio-diverse regions on the planet. To extract oil in what we all know as ‘the lungs of the earth’ for 8 days worth of oil (at current rates of world consumption) would bring this particular ecosystem to the brink of collapse. In a globalised world of mass consumption run on fossil fuels, could we all play in a part in the destruction of this pristine rainforest? If so, 'Where do you draw the line?'
The film features:
- Academics who explain the government’s push for oil in order to fund development;
- Leading researchers who demonstrate the unique species and rich biodiversity existing within the region;
- Community members explaining their long history in the area, and their plans for a sustainable future based on eco-tourism for future generations, as well as the lengths they will go to in order to protect their community;
- A government minister who was part of a now cancelled initiative which could have saved the region entirely.
- Covertly captured footage of an oil production platform guarded by the military (many camera crews have tried and failed to gain access)
- Footage of an oil slick which flowed down through Ecuador into Peru and The Amazon itself.
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Production notes:
Produced by three recent uni-graduate friends, all 3 from Bristol and who went off to Ecuador on a self-funded whim having saved up for a year after reading a newspaper article in The Guardian.
They had no experience of film making and learned everything along the way.
Looking through the footage it became clear that they had captured a snapshot of a global issue with lasting implications for us all.
Friends of Daddy G suggested he might be interested in helping raise awareness.
Recognising the importance of the subject matter, he recorded his voiceover in between tours having become committed to the project.
Released with the intention of raising awareness and educating, this film is not expected to generate any profit.
As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you're so clever and class less and free
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
There's room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
Music
"Working Class Hero (2010 - Remaster)" by John Lennon
Europe is lost, America lost, London is lost, Still we are clamouring victory. All that is meaningless rules, And we have learned nothing from history.
People are dead in their lifetimes, Dazed in the shine of the streets. But look how the traffic keeps moving. The system’s too slick to stop working. Business is good. And there’s bands every night in the pubs, And there’s two for one drinks in the clubs.
We scrubbed up well We washed off the work and the stress Now all we want’s some excess Better yet; A night to remember that we’ll soon forget.
All of the blood that was shed for these cities to grow, All of the bodies that fell. The roots that were dug from the ground So these games could be played I see it tonight in the stains on my hands.
The buildings are screaming I cant ask for help though, nobody knows me, Hostile and worried and lonely. We move in our packs and these are the rites we were born to Working and working so we can be all that we want Then dancing the drudgery off But even the drugs have got boring. Well, sex is still good when you get it.
To sleep, to dream, to keep the dream in reach To each a dream, Don’t weep, don’t scream, Just keep it in, Keep sleeping in What am I gonna do to wake up?
I feel the cost of it pushing my body Like I push my hands into pockets And softly I walk and I see it, it’s all we deserve The wrongs of our past have resurfaced Despite all we did to vanquish the traces My very language is tainted With all that we stole to replace it with this, I am quiet, Feeling the onset of riot. But riots are tiny though, Systems are huge, The traffic keeps moving, proving there’s nothing to do.
It’s big business baby and its smile is hideous. Top down violence, structural viciousness. Your kids are doped up on medical sedatives. But don’t worry bout that. Worry bout terrorists.
The water levels rising! The water levels rising! The animals, the polarbears, the elephants are dying! Stop crying. Start buying. But what about the oil spill? Shh. No one likes a party pooping spoil sport.
Massacres massacres massacres/new shoes Ghettoised children murdered in broad daylight by those employed to protect them. Live porn streamed to your pre-teens bedrooms. Glass ceiling, no headroom. Half a generation live beneath the breadline.
Oh but it's happy hour on the high street, Friday night at last lads, my treat! All went fine till that kid got glassed in the last bar, Place went nuts, you can ask our Lou, It was madness, the road ran red, pure claret. And about them immigrants? I cant stand them. Mostly, I mind my own business. But they’re only coming over here to get rich. It’s a sickness. England! England! Patriotism!
And you wonder why kids want to die for religion?
Work all your life for a pittance, Maybe you’ll make it to manager, Pray for a raise Cross the beige days off on your beach babe calendar.
Anarchists desperate for something to smash Scandalous pictures of glamorous rappers in fashionable magazines Who’s dating who? Politico cash in an envelope Caught sniffing lines off a prostitutes prosthetic tits, And it's back to the house of lords with slapped wrists They abduct kids and fuck the heads of dead pigs But him in a hoodie with a couple of spliffs – Jail him, he’s the criminal
It's the BoredOfItAll generation The product of product placement and manipulation, Shoot em up, brutal, duty of care, Come on, new shoes. Beautiful hair.
Bullshit saccharine ballads And selfies And selfies
And selfies And here’s me outside the palace of ME!
Construct a self and psyhcosis And meanwhile the people are dead in their droves But nobody noticed, Well actually, some of them noticed, You could tell by the emoji they posted.
Sleep like a gloved hand covers our eyes The lights are so nice and bright and lets dream But some of us are stuck like stones in a slipstream What am I gonna do wake up?
We are lost We are lost We are lost And still nothing Will stop Nothing pauses
We have ambitions and friends and our courtships to think of Divorces to drink off the thought of
The money The money The oil
The planet is shaking and spoiled Life is a plaything A garment to soil The toil the toil. I cant see an ending at all. Only the end.
How is this something to cherish? When the tribesmen are dead in their deserts To make room for alien structures, Develop Develop
