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I USED to think Russell Brand was a bit of a fool – actually I was a stroppy northerner myself at the time, still am, so maybe I was a bit of a fool too and that coloured my views. Definitely.

I felt as if he was making it all up as he went along, from the vantage point of lifelong half listening and half caring, consequently getting it wrong. Especially when he suggested we didn’t bother voting back in 2015.

I felt that he didn’t know what each political party stood for, through lack of knowledge, and was spouting that populist-individualist anarchist guff that cursed the 90s. As if learning properly was too much effort.

He has since made it clear that he changed his mind and found Jeremy Corbyn to be a man of honesty and compassion worth voting for. Labour had a good manifesto at the last election, Russell discovered.

Maybe he has fully realised left wing and green politics, even if it carries human egos and corruption, is based on a desire for social justice and love for all. Either way, I started to like him when he was confident enough to publically change his mind.

For me, it’s a true and obvious contrast to the daily propaganda of marketed mass self interest, privilege and elitist power bases. Hello Russell- I think – welcome to the club. You caught up.

Now with his new “religious nut” phrase he has absolutely excelled himself. Yes it’s part of his earning a living – something we all have to do – but it’s also a means by which to help people with their lives with kindness and good humour. He has started to expouse the benefits of living our lives as a service to others.

He’s also started to teach others how to meditate, deep breath and connect with each other on a deeper level. A set of practical techniques which will change your physiology and potentially your mental state permanently.

And he’s more funny, likeable and definitely more successful than your average grumpy northern, jealous musician on his kitchen laptop.

I am happy to be a fan and a follower. Check him out https://www.russellbrand.com/ my favourite though is his YouTubes feeling lonely this might help – russell brand

Lonely musicians and lonely anybodies

I’ve had 2 months now of pretending that playing with a livestream dirge-sound, on your own to an invisible audience with no pay is somehow cool and offers any satisfaction.

The idealistic notion that we can all get jobs as delivery drivers or fruit pickers may have satisfied the judgemental busy bodies. The reality is nothing like as practical. I’m still on driver waiting lists but it’s early days.

None of us though, as human beings and musicians, will be enjoying the lack of personal contact we miss. No audience, no band mates, and only students to teach online.

So what to do?

I recommend Russell for a start. Learning is a joyful opportunity for growth and understanding – books, musical techniques, documentaries, songs. Exercise is essential as is keeping human connections beyond social media even if you are using social media to keep them going.

I’m alright. I’ve got sunshine, coffee and a garden so sit in as well as a girlfriend who works as a nurse coming home at night. Though my world is growing very small.

I’ve started to ignore the daily slant of mainstream Tory supporting media such as the Mail and The Express – the presentation of the NHS as reliant on private charity and public donations; the doctored figures; the constant cover up and denial of pandemic mistakes by the elected Tory government.

We are being looked after by a free, nationalised public service run by highly trained professionals – at times the lives of these health workers has been treated as secondary to profits. It’s not a charity run by volunteers and amateurs.

volunteers not being used

For a writer or musician you could view the lockdown as an opportunity to write – write songs, write blogs, practice, learn new songs and start that book. It’s what you’ve always wanted to do – s why not now? Why not.

Mike

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