Punk rock gave me hope!

Dublin's Hope Collective have just released their latest benefit book - a collection of stories from Punks and their friends worldwide about what records and gigs make them do what they do.  It all started with  Syrian people being displaced from their homes and 2 punks in DUblion looking on, wondering what they could do. So they reached out to their contacts and anyone they could access on Social Media and asked them to write about their favourite gig.  In Concert was the first release with a whos who of the Irish punk scene sharing their recollections.  The Radiators, The Undertones, Paranoid Visions, Stiff Little Fingers, The Blades, Toxic Waste, DJ RepoMan were among over 100 contributors

Then came Covid and the 2 punks felt isolated but still had letters and emails so again reached out.  Great Gig Memories was born with an international feel as people from bands like UK Subs, Black Flag, The Ruts, Paranoid Visions, Fugazi, Crass, Gang of Four, The Cure, SLF, Rollins Band, Stano, Shudder To Think, DOA, Hagar The Womb, Crass, Vice Squad and The Vulpynes agreed to pen some words about their Favourite gig.  The 2 Dublin punks were blown away by the reaction from people as this book went into a second run of 1,000.  2,000 sales from a bedroom in a wholly DIY endeavour.  

We asked the people to contribute, we collated the responses, we asked our friend Russ Bestley to lay it out which he did, we organised the printing and we sold the books. All completely diy as we worked to try and raise awareness.

Then the War came to Ukraine and we reached out once more. Punks Listen was our biggest venture.  290 contributors: all happy to put some time into raising some money for the Red Cross.  We asked people, they overwhelmingly said yes. We were blown away by the response - it was like our record collection speaking to us Amanda Palmer, Suggs (Madness), Roddy Doyle (The Commitments), Mike Scott (The Waterboys), Gaye Black (The Adverts), Henry Rollins, Andy Cairns (Therapy?), Mike Watt (Minutemen), Josephine Wiggs (The Breeders), Kevin Godley (10cc),Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), Manda Rin (Bis), Justin Sullivan (New Model Army), Hugo Burnham (Gang of Four), Stephen Rapid (The Radiators, Trouble Pilgrims), John Robb (Membranes), Andy Moor (The Ex), Tav Falco, Franz Nicolay (The Hold Steady), Roger Miller (Mission of Burma), Dick Lucas (Subhumans/Citizen Fish/Culture Shock), Marshall Keith (The Slickee Boys), Joolz Denby, Jon Langford (The Mekons, The Three Johns), Dave Smalley (Dag nasty/DYS/All/Down By Law), Stan Erraught (Stars of heaven), Dunstan Bruce (Chumbawamba/Interrobang), Gaye Black (The Adverts), Attila The Stockbroker, Vic Goddar (Subway Sect), Thor Harris (Swans), Rob Moss (Artificial Peace/Government Issue), Jerry A. Lang (Poison Idea), Ivor Hanson (SOA, Faith, Embrace), Jeff Pezatti (Naked Raygun), Nicole Thomas(Fire Party), Sinéad Gleeson, Rónán Hession, Aidan Gillen, Brendan Canty (Fugazi, Rites of Spring, the Messthetics), David Gedge (The Wedding Present), Josephine Wiggs (The Breeders), Shawna Potter (War on Women), Andy Cairns (Therapy?), Suzi Moon and so many more.  

This talk is about how 2 people reaching out looking to get help from our music community got answers.  It is a story of punk, rock, diy and how people are ready to do good things, that mean something.  From Dublin's Hope Collective to the World Punks Listen is out now