So, a few days have passed since the initial news of the former Tom Gabel coming out as transgender. Now she is Laura, and the Rolling Stone piece is an intelligent and insightful look into both her life and the issues as a whole. As I’d mentioned before, I’m sure no one saw this coming. So, having had some time to process, I’d quite like to take a slightly more removed look at what’s happening.

I guess first off, I have an announcement – I’m coming out as a feminist (“WHAT? You mean you think women are better than men/you hate men/you’re a lesbian?”). I jest, but then of course I do still get a weird response when I mention this to some people. The kind of response that clearly doesn’t grasp what feminism is, and therefore the continued need for it. While there are many types of feminism, all you need to be a feminist is a belief that women are equal to men. Not only this, but we have been denied our equal rights for thousands of years, and we’re fucking sick of it. Not only that, but we’re not accepting it, and we need a specific stance against the misogynists of the world. A stance that says “hey, I don’t support your violation of women in a million and one ways. I don’t support the sexualisation, the inequality in the pay gap, the objectification, the abuse and the stereotypes. Not only that, but what I do support is equality in every way.” Because what many people seem to miss is how much guys suffer from all of the above. As the excellent and intelligent Caitlin Moran points out in her excellent and intelligent ‘How To Be A Woman’, (to paraphrase:) ”men have been working hard doing all the work for too long. Let the women have a go, the guys can have a rest and put their feet up while we take over for a change. When that’s done, we’ll have both been out there, creating art, music, architecture, scientific theories etc and it’ll be about time we finally share the load equally!” Boys growing up in our society are given damaging portrayals of what they expect from women, and this is as sucky for them as it is for us, when we find that men expect certain things from us ladies.

Now, I have been accused of getting preachy when it comes to this stuff. Not only do I reject that entirely, because I don’t think anyone espousing equality can overdo it, but even if I felt I did go on a bit I would think that would be a good thing. So, having dealt with that little issue (read: briefly touched on a mountain of problems that a million words could not adequately ‘deal with’) I will get to the point. Is there a point? Let’s see.

I would like to consider Laura Gabel as a new feminist role model. Now, hear me out. Firstly, she would be nestling comfortably between my good friend Emily Morgan, Caitlin Moran (who I wish was a good friend), the ladyfolk who write the excellent blog ‘The Vagenda’, and probably my parents. There are others who deserve a mention, but we’ll speed on for now.

Role models don’t ask to be role models, and they normally don’t do anything other than be themselves to deserve it. Of course, the harder it is to be yourself, the more admirable it is when someone does it. Laura Gabel really has changed the punk scene simply by doing this, and as I said in my previous post, we should be thanking her. Countless fans of her music have been affected by this announcement, myself being one of them.

So of course, when a big news story breaks about a band, you tend to hit play on your MP3 player. And since doing so, I’ve found many Against Me! songs far more relevant than expected. Of course, now we hear these songs in a different way. We know this is something Laura Gabel was dealing with for a very long time, as seen in the ‘The Ocean’ (sample lyric – “and if I could have chosen/I would have been born a woman/my mother once told me/she would have named me Laura”) and ‘Searching For A Former Clarity’ (sample lyric – “confessing childhood secrets/of dressing up in women’s clothes/ compulsions you never knew the reasons to”) as an outward cry. Now, in retrospect, and only in retrospect, is this obvious. However, one Against Me! song that has always struck a self-destructive chord with me is ‘Thrash Unreal’. Have a quick listen and readalong with the lyrics if you’re unfamiliar with it: http://youtu.be/rzJ21OpFnZ0

Let me disclose a little. At a particularly hard time, I played this song constantly, drank a lot of vodka and did things I am not proud of. This is the kind of song you play loud enough that it hurts your ears. It is the kind of song that is really appreciated by someone who is not happy, and was written by someone who is not happy. It is also not the kind of song that is written by a man. I have to say that I have always felt this way – when I was first getting into Against Me!, one of the things I loved and admired about them was Laura Gabel’s writing style. It can be weirdly awkward at times, with erratic rhymes and ill-fitting characters. I say ill-fitting, because I can honestly say I really don’t hear many punk songs about women who are ageing, and painfully so. Gabel has always had a gift with words, but she also has a gift of seeing the perspective of someone who does not tend to have a voice in the music scene. I guess to a certain extent, all good writers and lyricists have this. But there is a reality to this song that doesn’t feel imagined. It doesn’t feel like a character in a Springsteen song, where there’s a romanticism (even in the darkest of his stories á la ‘Nebraska’). The ‘she’ in ‘Thrash Unreal’ always felt the very opposite of unreal. And maybe this is because it is not a character; instead maybe the ‘she’ in this song was written as a projection. Is this what Gabel feared for herself? Perhaps not wholeheartedly. Did she envy the projection as someone, while damaged, ultimately ‘wouldn’t change anything for the world’, simply because she was a woman?

Perhaps I am projecting my own visions of what Gabel had in mind for this song, but hey what are lyrics for if not interpretation? What seems brutally clear though is how Gabel’s own inner voice and feelings scream through on the cries of “they don’t know nothing about redemption/they don’t know nothing about recovery”.

So, having read the Rolling Stone article which has caused all this furore in the first place, what conclusions can we draw? That Heather Gabel is possibly the most amazing person in the world (mad serious crush developing here), and that Laura Gabel is bloody beautiful as herself:  http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3zzo1a3K41qhk8vuo1_400.png .

Am I simplifying? Obviously. But what I would like to really conclude on is why Laura Gabel is, as I mentioned, my new feminist role model. Because even before this was news, before anyone in her own life knew, she was writing fucking amazing songs like ‘Thrash Unreal’. Songs that represent women in pain, who are victims of sexism and their own fucked up society. Women who are ageing and are seen as irrelevant purely because of this. Women who have swapped a career for a drug problem, and women who do not care anymore because they are just too tired of fighting. Now, we see it as unsurprising that this was the case because Laura understood a female perspective more than we could realise, but nevertheless ‘Thrash Unreal’ was written, and went on to become one of Against Me!’s most well-known songs. Now, let’s listen to it again, and hear it a little more this time.

So Tom is now Laura. Firstly, my congratulations and my praise if that is not too patronising, go out to her. The punk scene may be a more accepting one than most, but it has its problems with elitism and separation. Ironically, this is most felt by a band like Against Me! as chief example of “selling out”. (This is bollocks, but also not the point of this piece, so let’s continue).

There were signs, but artistically ambiguous signs. Signs that seem obvious now, with tracks like ‘The Ocean’ and ‘Searching for a Former Clarity’. But this was a shock to everyone, I can’t imagine that it was seen coming by anyone who doesn’t know Laura personally.

There are times in my life when I have felt displaced, when I have felt outside myself because of my actions, because of passing depression or a combination of factors. Hey, unhappiness comes in many forms. And I recognise the feeling that Laura must have been feeling… or at least I recognise the ghost of that feeling. That categorical distaste for oneself is agony if it is even felt for a minute. But to be defined as the wrong gender, because of a few misplaced body parts? Gender is a fluid and debateable definition, yet far too often it seems to be confused with the biological term of ‘sex’. From birth we are not only defined as biologically male or female, but as boy/girl, masculine/feminine. This is destructive to everyone, and a healthy dose of common sense says both sides of the coin are needed. So not only to be seen as biologically male, as Laura has been seen, but to be seen as a man, a masculine being defined by male organs? The shift out of yourself is decided for you far before you even realise you are wrong. Because that is what it is. To be wrong is hard – when you answer a question incorrectly, it feels horrible. But when you are physically incorrect, when yourself, your self, doesn’t match with the physical perception of self? Agony. Constant, unadulterated agony.

If there is any opportunity to open the gates wide for questioning, for debate, for acceptance, it is now. As it has been pointed out on various news sources, this is not the first transgender musician. Good! But Laura Gabel stepping forward is a huge leap for the punk community – a scene known for its liberal attitudes, yet is still led by white men. Where have our mainstream feminists, transvestites, bisexuals, black, Asian punks been? The list could go on but in essence, where are our minorities? Because every minority group has something different, interesting and goddamn punk rock to say. They just need the opportunity.

Hell, even aside from the transgender leap – where are our punk rock women? It takes gender reassignment for a mainstream punk rock band to have a frontwoman rather than frontman? Sure, there are a few female musicians out there, but there are only a few. Going to the excellent AntiFest last week, I noticed the disparity once more. Of all the bands that played, there was one woman: Marcia from The Skints. This cannot be seen as equality, and it must change. Laura Gabel doing what she has done takes courage beyond imagination. To be who you truly are is one thing, but it is another thing entirely when society tells you that you’re wrong about who you truly are. However, the more people who refuse to accept these dated definitions of gender, the more the definitions will cease to exist. More than anything, rather than congratulating Laura Gabel, we should be thanking her.

Recently, I read an article about how a woman in Basra was beaten to death by her father and brothers because of her affection for a British Christian man. They are proud of their actions, and have been encouraged by the police force. Her heartbroken mother is now receiving death threats from family members for abandoning their family and grieving her daughter. Her father is quoted as saying that he would have killed her at birth had he known what she would do.

Perhaps a reaction to this is thinking how lucky we are. How lucky in this English society that sexism is only about pay, only about sexist comments on the street. Only about casual sexual harassment; as if any harassment could be casual. But no – every woman I know has been harassed in some way, including myself. Not long ago I had one of the worst harassment experiences I have ever had – a terrifying encounter when a man tried to touch my face, and I had to physically hit him away. The nature of my job is a strange one, when I am employed to talk to people on the street, initiate encounters with total strangers, and day to day I tend to encounter some strange characters. A mixture of mental and physical disabilities, faiths, beliefs, thoughts, angry comments, moods. So yes, I am used to having to be on guard for people (read: men) who overstep the mark. But the week of that particular meeting was past anything I have ever experienced. Having upwards of 30 encounters that have scared me in one week was too much to bear, and the final straw of a man looming towards me, threateningly trying to grab at me while physically having to defend myself sent me into hysterical tears and a lack of being able to breath.

This is one encounter. I have not been raped or mugged. I haven’t a pay discrepancy, a sexually advancing boss. I was never abused as a child, I have not been sent to work to earn the family wage, I haven’t had to forego an education because my duty is to bear children. I do not know what female genital mutilation would feel like, and I cannot imagine being forced into a life of prostitution or sex trafficking.

I am a 22 year old woman, in what is considered one of the most advanced societies in the world, and I am frequently confronted with overwhelming sexism. Sexism severe enough to dent my faith in my identity as a woman.

How do women survive? They adapt by becoming like men in all the ‘best’ ways – a sense of humour, a casual attitude to sex, a lack of respect for their own gender. They have to pretend they don’t have feelings, they have to pretend in so many ways that they are not real people. For god’sake – I have had numerous conversations with men who believe they are forward thinking and liberal, clearly stating that women don’t poo. WOMEN POO. This ‘hilarious’ joke is not funny, and it is sexism. Grow up – if women didn’t poo, we’d have a much bigger mess on our hands (probably literally). I am sick of little jokes like this being acceptable – they are the gateway drugs to assaults. I flicked channels yesterday at a horrifically inopportune moment to hear Rhod Gilbert say clearly and smugly that ‘you would lie, you’re a woman’. I will say this as clearly and slowly as possible: FUCK. OFF.

Would he have said “you would (insert racial stereotype here), you’re Asian”. No. I do not believe that would happen. Or perhaps you are thinking, lighten up, it was just a joke. Can’t you take a joke? No, I can’t anymore. Not at the expense of millions of talented, interesting and beautiful women who are being slowly crushed. I pride myself on having a good sense of humour and an openness to debate, as well as an openness to crude or un-PC humour. But this is too fucking much. I am losing my sense of humour as well as my faith in liberal society. It is seen as shameful to admit you are a feminist. It is seen as humourless to stand stony-faced as a man tells a dumb-blonde joke. It is seen as positive to be ‘one of the lads’, making jokes at the expense of your own gender. I know, I have been there.

In popular culture, women like Rihanna and Lady Gaga stand tall and strong for women’s rights. Rihanna making videos about sexual assault resulting in the shooting of the man who did it. Artistic and intelligent, this video was of course criticised for violent themes and controversial viewpoints. The controversial view that women are abused daily or that a man may get some comeuppance? Who knows. Meanwhile, Gaga sets up a media circus about her impressive gender questioning. We have no better cultural role model than this woman. Intelligent, committed to her art and music, and TOTALLY FUCKING WEIRD. She experiments with image, sexuality, dark and horrific imagery and most importantly she questions everything. She may make top 40 songs, but her music is 100% for the losers, the misfits and the trodden upon. She has played a man, Jo Calderone, she has filmed a number of videos in which she is almost or totally nude, but you know what? When she says it is all for her, and all for the fans, she is telling the truth. The sexuality of her music and videos is grotesque, sometimes cartoonish, yes – sometimes sexy, but in a true sense of the word. She is not selling herself – if she is naked it is because that image represents something in her art.

And yet… pictures of her without make up are seen as newsworthy gold dust. Women sigh with relief that “Gaga can be ugly too”, while men cringe at the idea of a real woman with dark shadows under her eyes. The idea of Gaga is not a real person – she is a character within her own art, so to publish these pictures as the woman herself is ridiculous. Let us keep the mystery, while being able to admit that yes, there is a real person behind that beautiful mask.

If sex is currency, then it is a woman’s foremost tool. But if this is the case, then there is no wonder that like everything in this world, many people think it is possible to get something for nothing. Which normally results in a lack of respect or something far worse for a woman. Beatings, rapes, murders terrify every woman on this planet daily – if it happened to us, what would we do? If it happened to our mother, our daughter, our sister or our friend, how could we comfort them, and how could we cope? It is powerlessness encapsulated in an act. I am certainly not dismissing the way in which men can be similarly mistreated. But the amount of women who are raped has always far surpassed the amount of men, and this can only be explained by the way in which on the whole, women are still seen as second class citizens. It is impossible to explain to someone who has never felt this feeling, what it is like to always be scared I will be raped or worse on the way home when it is dark. I am not alone for feeling this way, and most if not all women will have felt this far too often. In itself, this feeling shows that women are not equal. If we were, we would feel safe, or at least as safe as most men would feel.

And yes, most of us will never actually have this experience. But it will never be ok that one week I broke down crying because my gender caused 30+ incidences of harassment. My story is not unusual, my experiences are not isolated, and sexism is not stamped out. Every person on this planet should be a strident feminist, and there are absolutely no exceptions. Maybe then, a father would not be proud to kill his daughter, and if he were to, he would be branded a psychopath and a criminal by his society.

So after months of waiting, the Revival Tour finally came to town. A who’s-who of influential musicians in the punk rock scene, Revival boasts a changing line up of solo and group performances of folk-inspired songs, and this year’s first ever UK tour involved Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), the man we have to thank for creating Revival, along with Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio), Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem) and Dave Hause (The Loved Ones).

Before any of the acts did their solo sets, we were treated to a group welcome from the four musicians, along with Jon Gaunt on fiddle and Joe Ginsberg on upright bass. A rousing few songs including Dave Hause’s excellent ‘Prague (Revive Me)’ conjured a feeling of community and camaraderie that ruled the night.

Dave Hause was up first – playing tracks from his solo record ‘Resolutions’, along with acoustic versions of some of the best Loved Ones tracks. Highlights included the masterfully arranged ‘Pretty Good Year’ and the upbeat ‘C’mon Kid’. While there seemed to be no hierarchy in terms of the order in which the four musicians played, Dave Hause started the night off enthusiastically with a solid set of well played songs.

Next came Revival-authority Chuck Ragan with his commanding stage presence. A set of mostly newer songs, ‘Covering Ground’ tracks ‘Nothing Left To Prove’ and ‘Meet You In The Middle’ captured the spirit of Revival Tour with folksy charm and punk rock spirit. Older song ‘California Burritos’ was energetic with Jon Gaunt’s fiddle-playing really shining through – the only negative point to Ragan’s set was that with a huge collection of material, there just wasn’t enough time for him to play all his well-loved songs.

Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio came next with a solo offering well worth a listen. I’ve always been struck by how Alkaline Trio’s dual vocals of Andriano and Matt Skiba show off both vocalists’ talents perfectly – it was illuminating to hear Dan Andriano as a solo artist in his own right. While the songs had a similar sound, each had a poignant depth of lyricism and musicianship. With a few Alkaline Trio tracks thrown in for good measure, Dan Andriano’s velvety voice and soulful renditions of tracks were perhaps the least Revival-sounding of the night, but a wonderful variation.

The final act was Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon. A master of banter, Brian joked and fooled with the crowd, making quick quips between songs, and then slowed down the pace for bluesy Horrible Crowes’ tracks with bandmate Ian Perkins. ‘Cherry Blossoms’ was haunting while ‘Ladykiller’ had the singer’s vocals stretched to their husky best. Gaslight Anthem tracks were plenty – highlights included a rousing acoustic ‘Old White Lincoln’, while ‘1930’ slowed it down further with a different kind of warmth to the energised ‘Sink Or Swim’ version.

Finally, the whole crowd reunited for the Revival Theme, sung acapella and with a spine-tingling beauty; the group show how much they care about the music they write, and the people they perform it with. Revival Tour was something special, and it was an honour to witness four of punk rock’s finest musicians on stage together. What was impressive was how little an audience needed to know about the musicians or their bands – you didn’t have to know everyone, or indeed any one of the acts to appreciate Revival’s charm. Each of the acts joined the others on stage for versions of their own and others’ songs, including past-Revival player Tom Gabel’s excellent ‘Harsh Realms’, performed by Ragan and Fallon. Everyone showed humility and appreciation, ready to step up and take their turn and ready to bow to the next player. In fact, it’s difficult to separate each act into their own separate bubble, when the whole show felt like an ongoing experience. Chuck Ragan’s words in his own set summed this up perfectly – these are not just musicians that fell together into a tour: the punk rock scene is made up of friends who want to play music together, and this is what makes The Revival Tour one of a kind.

Also on Midnight Mixtape: http://midnightmixtape.co.uk/2011/10/17/the-revival-tour-2011/

Arriving around halfway through an unknown band, OK Pilot, I had a chance to grab a beer and enjoy some energetic punk rock in the same vein as The Flatliners that certainly didn’t disappoint. An Exeter-based group, OK Pilot were a model support act; having the perfect level of modesty, energy and enthusiasm for what they do. Whetting the crowd’s appetite for the next acts, the passion they had in spades was just a small taste of what was to come.

Next up, Welsh punk rock act The Arteries were pitch-perfect. A strong set of sometimes brutal punk rock and calmer break downs is certainly not a rare sound, but when you approach it with this much vigour, it electrifies. Again, a model support act from a band who deserve to be headlining bigger and better tours for their increasing talent.

Ready and waiting at the front of the crowd, the excitement was palpable. Taking to the stage, The Flatliners took the impressive energy of the former bands and turned it into a raging behemoth of a show. From the start, it was chaotic and this didn’t let up until the band put down their instruments. Opener ‘Filthy Habits’ began a ‘Cavalcade’-focused set, but old favourites like ‘This Respirator’ and ‘Fred’s Got Slacks’ showed the wealth of gold in The Flatliners’ back catalogue, the former being a brief moment of respite for the flailing sweat-drenched crowd. Staying just the right side of aggressive, the energy was perfectly balanced without tipping into the violence that can sometimes occur at punk rock gigs. ‘There’s A Problem’ was another highlight of blisteringly passionate punk rock, while ‘Count Your Bruises’ showed their strength of songwriting in penning songs that unite a crowd in singalong. Easily one of the best modern punk rock groups, their skill, passion and drive shows a level of professionalism far surpassing the average band. The Flatliners are rightfully developing a strong following of die-hard fans, and with a cathartic live show like this, they’re on the road to something incredible.

A run of solo dates for Frank Turner in smaller venues was an interesting experience – as he gets more and more popular, these small shows are a rare treat. Fortunately, everyone’s favourite folk-punk troubadour didn’t disappoint.

Ben Marwood was up first, and it’s easy to see why Frank Turner himself is such a huge fan. He was charming from the offset, and with only a guitar and microphone for company there wasn’t a chance to hide behind anyone else, which meant we got the rawest of experiences. With intelligent and acutely-observational lyrics, Ben has a way with words. Simple acoustic guitar meant the words took centre stage, and there was even room for a singalong in the aptly named ‘Singalong’, with ironic and tongue in cheek lyrics. Ben Marwood is a talented artist and a fantastic support act.

Next was Franz Nicolay. While on record, Franz is extraordinarily talented, his songs came alive in a totally different way when played live, with a captivating and hugely engaging performance. Charismatic, he had an electric stage persona and there was something classic about his set that conjured a sense of Americana that you don’t see often enough. There was the appeal of his suit, hat and accordion that hit the aesthetic of it, but more than that, there was an intangible old-school quality to his songs. Franz Nicolay’s voice was perfection, and with a likeable stage presence, he was another brilliant support act to warm the crowd up.

Finally, Frank Turner took to the stage. The strongest impression was that his set was dramatically different without a band. The energy was more reserved, more internal; so even the energetic songs weren’t as outwardly cathartic as usual. In fact, the highlights were those that benefitted from the more subdued performance. ‘Worse Things Happen At Sea’ was haunting, while new song ‘Peggy Sang The Blues’ was poignant and hopeful. Frank Turner is engaging, intelligent and an all round brilliant performer, and these solo shows have given him a chance to go back to an older style of performance that he seems to have progressed from since. Another highlight was the amazing cover of Springsteen’s ‘Thunder Road’, while another cover of The Postal Service’s ‘District Sleeps Alone Tonight’ was performed emotively by both Frank Turner and Ben Marwood. There was a real sense of camaraderie from the three performers, and numerous mentions and jokes between them made the whole thing very familial. With a few tasters from Frank’s upcoming album, the new tracks sound promising, and it’s only a couple of short weeks till we get our hands on the new album ‘England Keep My Bones’. The finale of the night was a crowd-sung ‘The Ballad Of Me And My Friends’, lending a DIY edge to the proceedings and giving us the most personal of endings. Another excellent gig from a seemingly faultless musician.

Recently, a night of musical reminiscing turned me back on to some of the stuff I listened to when I was a teenager. My Chemical Romance, The Used, The Academy Is…, Taking Back Sunday, that kind of thing. When I did a ‘but where are they now?’ search that night, I unearthed an absolute gem.

http://theanimalupstairs.bandcamp.com/

First off, it’s up as a free download, so take advantage. Second, the link leads to the newest project from The Butcher, a.k.a. Andy Mrotek, called The Animal Upstairs.

For those who don’t know, Andy is the drummer in The Academy Is…, but that’s certainly not all he does. This guy is seriously talented. He’s also an artist, and a great one at that. Designing tour artwork, completing his own artistic projects, a great voice, designing custom drum kits, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter… and the list goes on. And don’t let his day job fool you, The Animal Upstairs sounds nothing like The Academy Is…. Instead, the album ‘Is Anybody Upstairs?’ is a dreamy, ethereal and glorious ride through the mind of a man who has too many inspirational thoughts to contain in one band. Nine tracks that each have a very different feel but manage to thread together seamlessly. It’s tough to describe the exact style of music; ambient but gritty, catchy but understated, it’s a sea of contradictions, but it does what the best music does – it captures moments in time, crystallised and perfectly preserved in melody and lyrical observation. It has sincerity and heart, but it’s not conceited. And like any solo project that captures one person’s thoughts, loves and inspirations, it’s sharply focused. This is wholly Andy Mrotek’s work (aside from a few guest appearances from friends), and you can tell. The album goes hand in hand with Andy’s artwork as part of a larger project, and his artistic influence is recognisable in the conscious arrangement of the tracks.

It’s the ideal soundtrack to lazy summer afternoons, and there’s more on the way. Download The Animal Upstairs’ first album and be ready for the second. This is someone creating art because they love it, and because they’re damn good at it. Let’s get him over to England for a tour!