Finally! Some meaning for the phrase “Jail Guitar Doors”. Until Thursday, it was just a random song lyric that never made much sense to me. Yes, I know what you’re going to say… poetry, rhythmic connotation… blah blah blah. Sorry. Song title – yes. Song lyric – no. It contains nothing but nouns! Where are the adjectives? Where’s the predicate? Where’s the freaking verb?
Anyway, on Thursday I found out that Jail Guitar Doors is not just a song lyric. It is also an initiative set up by Billy Bragg to provide guitars and other musical instruments to prison inmates. The theory, and it’s a good one, is that they become so obsessed with music they don’t have time to get bored and rend the very fabric of society with their anti-social tendencies.
Also, they are better able to express themselves with means they don’t get all bottled up with rage and sentiment and end up setting fire to a nun or something.
The evening began with a half hour film about the initiative done by a fireman and filmmaker named Alan Miles. It was a good introduction to what it was all about and it really made it feel like there was some good being done here. And, good, in a simple, hands-on, results-showing kind of way.
Afterwards, there was some speechifying. The governor of Brixton prison spoke about what a difference it had made in his institution and encouraged over prisoner governors (of whom several were present) to support it. And there was a particularly moving talk from a woman whose son, Simon, had recently died. The Jail Guitar Doors workshops had a huge impact on him while in prison. It sounded like they were one of the best things that had happened to him in his short life. At Simon’s funeral, friends and family donated funds towards Jail Guitar Doors in lieu of flowers or gifts. She was there to present the cheque to Billy.
Then it was time for the music. Billy opened with a song that had been written in one of the prison guitar sessions called “April Fool’s Day”. It was an enjoyable little ditty that made light of the conditions in prison.
He then introduced a young man who had been released from Guy’s Marsh prison four days previously. He performed a song he had written himself that took the form of a letter to his Mum telling her about his experiences. It was a good song, and he did a good performance. And it really underscored how something like Jail Guitar Doors can make a difference. I got the sense that this song gave him a chance to open up and interact with the world (and perhaps his mother) more honestly than he might have otherwise.
Then Billy did a number of duets with various artists. He sang “Ballad of a Thin Man” with Kieran Leonard, “Redemption Song” with the Reverend John McLure of The Makers, and “Greetings to the New Brunette” with Sam Duckworth of Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly.
Then there was a bit of a pause while he called for the members of the girl band, The Mentalists, to come on stage. It was a comfortable, everyone-throw-in-a-helping-hand, slightly shambolic event, and a couple of the band were out back and couldn’t hear Billy calling them. To keep the crowd entertained, he played a kind of Folsom Prison version of Pinball Wizard with the Linza, the drummer from the Mentalists.
I’m more and more impressed every time I see this group. Even when they’ve got a bit of drama to overcome, like Thursday night, they always do a great performance.
This time, in particular, I noticed Kellymental, one of the two guitarists. I personally think there aren’t enough female rock and roll guitarists in the world, and Kelly is one of the best I’ve heard.
She’s got focus. From the very first lick she just drops her head and starts bouncing around the stage in time to the beat like a rock and roll raggedy ann doll on a trampoline. It amazes me when people are that energetic on stage and can still actually play. I can’t help but wonder if she’s got some kind of surgical implant in her hip that she clicks the guitar into to keep it firmly in place. Her sound is always so shiny and tasty and fine no matter how much jumping around she gets up to.
The Mentalists played one of their new songs called “Again and Again” and then were joined on stage by Billy for a fine rendition of “A New England”.
All in all, it was a great night for a great cause. If you are a musician who would like to get involved, the governor of a prison, or anyone else who would like to show the support, please check out http://www.jailguitardoors.org.uk/index.htm.