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Bête Noire release their latest single ‘Piss on Putin’

London quintet Bête Noire has released its latest single Piss on Putin as a free download. It is available now from the band’s official Soundcloud page.

Piss On PutinTHE SINGLE, inspired by the poster above, seen at a demonstration against the homophobia faced by LGBT people in Russia before the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, infuses striking guitars with deep bass lines, along with dark yet distinctive vocals.

Bête Noire is David Hargreaves, Danny Defalco, Billy Bloom, Andrew G and James Whitfield and collectively they create spiky, edgy, sultry and infectious music. With just two singles under their belt, they’ve already received support from the likes of NME, Clash Magazine and Xfm.

David Hargreaves, a self-identified queer cisgendered male, saw the poster at a demonstration held outside Downing Street in London prior to the Winter Olympics.

He said: “Seeing these posters had a powerful impact on me considering the severe hatred shown towards all things LGBT by the Russian Government at the time, such as Russia’s Sports Minister confirming that athletes who engaged in ‘propaganda’ of their homosexuality could be arrested!”

He continued: “I tend to steer away from politically charged musical statements but I really felt so strongly about the current political climate in relation to how thousands of people were being treated over in Russia – drilling home the insanity of the homophobic laws in place in today’s society. I felt that I needed to contribute and stand up in my own little way, which resulted in this song.”

Bête Noire plan to release a series of singles followed by an EP in early 2015, before moving on to work on their debut album.

To listen to the track, click here:

For more information, click here:

 

Sussex Beacon offers alcohol abuse support for people living with HIV

The Sussex Beacon is offering a mindfulness-based group programme for people living with HIV who want to gain a greater understanding of their relationship with alcohol.

Sussex Beacon

THE COURSE, which starts on Thursday, January 29 at 7-9 p.m., will run for eight weeks and will take place at The Sussex Beacon centre, 10 Bevendean Road, Brighton.

The Alcohol Support Service combines mindfulness practices with cognitive behavioural strategies to help people prevent or manage problematic patterns of alcohol use.

The course will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about and practise:

• Increased awareness of triggers and habits

• Changing our reactions to discomfort

• Noticing and managing cravings and urges

• Alternative coping skills

• Building a lifestyle that supports health and wellbeing

To register for the course, email: Catherine Jones.

Or telephone: 01273 645695

For more information, click here:

 

 

LGBT Domestic Violence helpline faces closure

Broken Rainbow, a lifeline for thousands of LGBT people experiencing domestic violence and abuse, comes to the end of its main funding stream in March and has had no clear confirmation from the Home Office whether funding will be extended for another year.

Broken Rainbow

IF THEIR funding is not to be renewed or replaced, this will result in the helpline being closed down.

Wendy Wilde
Wendy Wilde

Wendy Wilde, Service Delivery Manager, said: “We’ve supported over five thousand people this year and if we were to close there are very few other services for them to go to, and not one that offers national support in the way we do.” 

Broken Rainbow has been in existence since 2004; in that time, it estimates that it has supported tens of thousands of people. The service offers support not only to LGBT victims but also perpetrators of domestic abuse.

They worked closely with Eastenders, the BBC soap, on its same-sex domestic violence storyline last year; they say that since then, their services have been under more demand that ever before.

Jo Harvey Barringer
Jo Harvey Barringer

Broken Rainbow’s Managing Director, Jo Harvey Barringer, said: “Government cuts on domestic violence services have a huge part to play.”

“Our service is comparatively expensive to run, as our calls can take a long time due to us offering case work rather than simply a signposting service. Currently almost as many calls meet an engaged tone as a helpline worker because we only have enough funding for one person to answer calls at any time.

“Often callers are disclosing their abuse for the first time and the reality is that there is often nowhere to signpost people to.

“Decisions, like the one by Hammersmith and Fulham to close the men’s refuge, are a prime example. The money is just not there to support the demand.”

She continued: “Other funding options are limited and, though we have been luckily enough to bring in some smaller grants, it hasn’t been enough to cover the cost of the helpline. Also, an opportunity we had from a corporate body didn’t meet its expectations.

“Whilst we are incredibly grateful for the support we receive from Comic Relief and Allen Lane, among others, these are grants that cover specific projects and, like many other organisations, finding core funding is extremely difficult.

“We cannot capture the large corporate funding streams like Stonewall and engaging corporate funders is often incredibly hard due to the nature of the work we do. It’s much easier for them to support LGBT organisations that aren’t confronting something unpalatable within our own community. As a result we’ve had to be creative and engage more volunteers to help us run additional services to meet the increased demand for us.

“However, our helpline is still our main service and the lack of certainty around its future is worrying.” 

Caroline Lucas MP for Brighton Pavilion
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: “If Broken Rainbow is forced to close its services as a result of Government cuts, it will mean the loss of a unique service which has made a real difference to the lives of tens of thousands of people. To see it close just at the time when its services are under greatest demand would be perverse and counterproductive, putting more people at risk, and undermining the excellent work it has done to date. I urge the Government to think again.”

Broken Rainbow depends on donations and the goodwill of its supporters.

To make a donation, click here:

 

 

REVIEW: ‘Right Here, Right Now’, Moroder/Minogue

Right Here, Right Now: The Collaboration of a Career: Giorgio Moroder’s first album of original material for 30 years, featuring Kylie Minogue.

Moroda-Kylie

…………YES HE of legendary 1970s true symphonic disco, composer and producer of the 12-minute dance-floor ode to the orgasm Love To Love You Baby, that launched the career of Donna Summer (some three years prior to I Feel Love), could well be about to save the flagging sales of another gay hip-wiggling favourite Miss Kylie Minogue.

As Moroder prepares to release his first album of original material in more than 30 years, hot on the heels of his recent Daft Punk collaboration, the influential producer most commercially remembered for I Feel Love, Call Me (with Blondie) and Together in Electric Dreams has dropped his Minogue led floor-filler online this week.

Right Here, Right Now certainly borrows its score from the Daft Punk school of electronic burps and trills, but the unmistakable vocals of our adopted antipodean ramp up both the track and her own (surprising) range, not merely by a notch, but through the studio roof.

In a similar vein to the new Madonna material, the Moroder/Minogue partnership shoves our Kylie back into the recording spotlight with a track that knocks the wind out of anything and everything she’s released since the 2000s Your Disco Needs You, itself a pink favourite album track not scheduled for a single release in the UK, as the British record company considered it too gay. A true story. It’s even better than the perhaps-overrated Can’t Get You Out Of My Head. And about time too.

After the disappointing performance and indeed quality of Kylie’s recent Kiss Me Once album, Moroder demonstrates an ability to push an artist in a direction that frankly shames Pharrell. Perhaps their latest collaborations will nudge both Minogue and Ciccone alike to reflect upon ‘the Williams years’ with a critical eye in future. (Minogue most notably ignored I Was Gonna Cancel on her recent tour, one in the nuts for Pharrell and her Madge-sty would be wise to consider doing the same.)

Right Here, Right Now will have homosexual men — and possibly other music fans, but unlikely — slapping their heads whilst yelling “but of course, Moroder and Minogue, why didn’t we think of it sooner”.

It’s definitely worth the wait and with material featuring Sia and Britney right around the corner, at the exuberantly youthful age of 74, 2015 could well be Moroder’s year. In the words of the late and forgiven Donna Summer; “it’s so good, it’s so good, it’s so good, it’s so good, it’s SO good”.

No Carnival for Kemp Town in 2015

The directors of the Kemp Town Carnival (KTC) Association have cancelled this years party, scheduled for June, and have announced they are going to have a “sabbatical” for a year to give them the opportunity to fully explore a more sustainable business model for the future.

Kemp Town Carnival 2014
Kemp Town Carnival 2014

IN THE present economic climate, with many community events experiencing tough financial conditions, the directors have decided to take time out to put into place a plan that will “ensure that the popular Carnival can move forward on a self-financing basis in the future”.

Despite going into the 2014 event carrying forward an historic loss of £12,000, the directors of KTC managed to turn that into a £3,000 profit after the event.

However, with cuts from central government about to impact on Brighton and Hove, costs that have previously been waived or reduced each year by Brighton and Hove City Council, for example £7,800 of parking bay suspensions, will no longer be subsidised.

Combined with community funding from the council being reduced to “next to nothing”, and other sources of funding becoming even more unpredictable, the directors feel the risks are just too great to confidently go forward with an event this year.

Mat CookCarnival director Mat Cook said: “We are very disappointed that the Carnival won’t be taking place in 2015, but we feel it is of vital importance that we do not risk putting the Carnival into more debt and that we put a plan into place that is less reliant on grants and funding, where we are literally in a lottery as to whether or not our bids are successful.”

“We have been very successful in our fundraising efforts to date, raising over £120,000 in the last 4 years to maintain the Carnival. This has only been possible with the brilliant support from BHCC, National Lottery Awards For All, Arts Council England, sponsors, local businesses, and residents of Kemp Town and beyond. However the competition to access funding from these and other sources is becoming more and more problematic. By removing the pressure of delivering an event this year, we will be able to fully explore a more sustainable model for the Kemp Town Carnival and see the event flourish in the future.”

“We will be looking to hold a public meeting in a few months to share our ideas and discuss plans for 2016.”

Volunteers needed for new Hove community action team

Residents in Goldsmid, Hove, have been invited to help develop a community action team for the area.

Cllr Ruth Buckley

LOCAL WARD councillor Ruth Buckley, along with local police community support officers (PCSOs) and the deputy chair of the Goldsmid Action Team, are calling for local residents interested in community issues to help shape and run the group.

Meetings will look at community issues and events, policing enquiries, planning matters, community safety, health, local environment, schools and much more.

Anyone interested in participating is invited to the first agenda planning meeting on Tuesday February 10, 6.30 p.m.

Email:  for venue details.

Councillor Ruth Buckley, Goldsmid ward councillor, said: “There are a huge range of things going on in the local area. A community action team will give residents the chance to get involved in shaping major decisions that affect local people.”

Cllr Buckley is chairing the first meeting, to get matters moving, but is happy for anyone who comes forward to chair the process.

 

University of Nottingham to celebrate LGBT History Month

The University of Nottingham is marking LGBT History Month with a series of events celebrating its LGBT staff and research.

University of Nottingham

THE EVENTS programme is a collaboration between the University’s Human Resources (HR) and Professional Development departments, the LGBTQ Staff Network, and schools and departments across the institution.

Film screenings, music, spoken word, panel discussions and public lectures will explore the diverse aspects of LGBT culture and history — from local musicians and poets to debates on the public image of bisexuality and participation by trans people in sport at a grassroots, national and international level.

Some of the key events throughout the month include:

•        Thursday 12 February: Call Me Kuchu at the New Art Exchange.  A screening of this documentary examining the lives of LGBT men and women, or ‘kuchus’, in Uganda, in the shadow of the country’s strict anti-homosexuality laws. The screening will be followed by a talk by Bisi Alimi, a Nigerian gay rights activist and HIV/LGBT advocate, and the first man to publicly come out as gay on Nigerian TV.

•        Monday 16 February: Bambi, Nottingham Lakeside Arts. University of Nottingham history academics Dr Karen Adler and Dr Onni Gust introduce and discuss a screening of the documentary Bambi. The film profiles Marie-Pierre Pruvot, an Algerian-born trans woman who had a long career as a dancer and showgirl in Paris in the 1950s and 60s.

•       Saturday 21 February: Read Hear at Nottingham Central Library. A collection of short performances from LGBT musicians and poets, aimed at the whole family.

•        Wednesday 25 February: The Enigma Problem: Alan Turing and the British Establishment, Jubilee Campus. Dr Max Biddulph, Chair of the LGBTQ Staff Network and Associate Professor in the School of Education, and Professor David Brailsford of the School of Computer Science examine the life and work of Alan Turing in this public lecture.

Dr Max Biddulph
Dr Max Biddulph

Dr Max Biddulph said: “LGBT History Month is a great opportunity for the University to celebrate and highlight both our LGBT staff and our research. We hope to give people a chance to learn more about LGBT issues, culture and history, to challenge and debate their current thinking, and to be entertained.”

The full events programme is available on the University’s LGBT History Month blog.(http://blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/lgbthistorymonth) which will be updated regularly throughout February with more detail about events, and with blog posts from staff whose research touches LGBT culture, history, politics and health.

Many of the events will also have live Twitter feeds @UoNresearch.

The majority of events taking place, both on campus and in the city and county, will be free and open to all unless otherwise stated.

PREVIEW: Fat Gay Vegan hosts LGBT social at VegfestUK Brighton!

Meet Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Vegans at VegfestUK Brighton on Sunday, March 29 at 1pm at Brighton Centre.

WEB.600

EVER WONDERED where all the other LGBT vegans are in this world? Join blogger and event planner Fat Gay Vegan at one of Europe’s biggest vegan festivals VegfestUK, at the nation’s gay and veggie capital Brighton, for a jumbo LGBT get-together featuring music, games and a chance to make a whole lot of new friends.

Join in the rapid speed-meeting game for a chance to win prizes and meet like-minded people.

Go along to the LGBT Social and realise you are not the only LGBT vegan in the village.

VegfestUK organisers, said: “The city of Brighton and FGV are just a marriage made in heaven for an LGBT social, and we’re delighted to have FGV on board to help us create this fun, social and safe space for LGBT vegans at our Brighton stint which is shaping up to be the best show ever! We’re confident that the LGBT folks will love what FGV has planned for his 1 hour social.”

Music and prizes at the social will be announced soon at www.brighton.vegfest.co.uk/lgbt

The LGBT social adds to an illustrious list of activities at VegfestUK Brighton, which will take place on March 28 & 29 at the Brighton Centre where an estimated 10,000 visitors are expected over 2 days.

The show will include over 160 stalls, a Food Village with 15 caterers, the UK’s first Vegan Comedy Festival, a Party Political Conference, a Global Food Sustainability Conference, a Hemp Expo, a New Product Showcase, a LifeWell Hub, a Kids Area, a Speed Dating Session, a Massage Area, a Cinema, plus dozens of talks and cookery demos on vegan lifestyles. All exhibits are 100% vegan-friendly.

Advance tickets to the whole VegfestUK Brighton are £5 a day and £8 for the whole weekend.

To book online, click here:

There are currently BUY ONE GET ONE FREE offers running until February 28, followed by BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE offers running till March 21.

Tickets on the gate are £8 for adults and £4 for students / claimants / OAP’s.

Kids under 16 get free entry.

VegfestUK Brighton is sponsored by: Lifefood, Dee’s Wholefoods, A Well-Fed World, Suma Wholefoods, Animal Aid, JASON, Nutiva, Plamil Foods, GOOD Hemp, Koko Dairy Free, Bute Island Foods, Vegfund, Yaoh and Out of Hand.

MUSIC REVIEW: T’Pau – ‘Nowhere’

An epic return for Mistress Decker and the boys!

Carol Decker

TO THE uninitiated Carol Decker and T’Pau are remembered for a smattering of hits most notably China In Your Hand and Heart & Soul. The stylistic gulf between those two international smashes should be a reasonable indication of the versatility of a band who at the time were not always afforded the critical appraisal they deserved.

New track Nowhere should blast any lack of appreciation out of the water. Alongside the epic tradition of some of their lesser known album tracks Nowhere packs an emotional punch and consistently leading from the front are Carol Decker’s unmistakable vocals.

In a similar vein to 1989’s Only The Lonely, Nowhere teases its listener to take a paddle in the quiet musical mill pond before drenching you in the unexpected surf of its central message – the apparent destructive force that is a failing relationship. By the time Miss Decker hammers you in the face with I die a little bit every day and I can’t live this way you will feel as though your heart has been ripped from its rib-cage, torn up and thrown to the sharks. In short, it’s a corker.

Local Credit Union introduces reduced interest rate for month of January.

East Sussex Credit Union (ESCU), a locally based not-for-profit savings and loans co-operative, has launched ‘New Year, New You’ a month long campaign that will reduce the cost of larger loans by a full 1.00% AER – throughout January 2015.

East Sussex Credit Union

THE CAMPAIGN aims to help tackle the issue of post-Christmas spending and debt, helping individuals and families by providing an ethical alternative to expensive credit card borrowing, high interest or payday lenders.

Ann Hickey, General Manager at ESCU, says: “January is generally a time of financial reckoning for most people as they look to balance the books and plan ahead for major items of expenditure. We want to help people with this challenge by offering even more affordable loans and at the same time keeping them from the clutches of predatory, high interest lenders”.

The scheme does not charge any arrangement fees and all loans include a mandatory savings element, meaning that come the end of the loan period there is a cash sum that can help create a buffer in the event of unexpected future bills.

The reduced rate loans can be used for consolidating existing loans so that payments become more affordable. Alternatively they can offer a competitive option for those looking to fund future home and family projects.

The ‘New Year, New You’ reduced rate offer is exclusively available for loans agreed from 1st-31st January 2015 for new and existing members of East Sussex Credit Union and for loan values from £4,000 up to £15,000 net.

Anyone can join as long as they either live or work in East Sussex or Brighton and Hove, or are a member of the UNITE union in the South East of England. Membership is also available to unemployed people and people without a clean credit history.

To find out more, click here:

Or call the loan-line on: 01273 234 858.

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