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The Derby Islamic Centre is very close to the Salvation Army in the centre of the city, and I’d been thinking of making a visit for a while. On hearing this, my colleague and friend David Howarth also expressed an interest in visiting, especially as he’d never been to a mosque before. So I emailed my friend Ibrahim Mogra in Leicester, and he facilitated contact with the centre for me.

David and I were very warmly welcomed and we sat (over tea and biscuits) and chatted for nearly an hour with three representatives of the mosque. There are prayer areas on two levels, although there were buckets in the upper area as they currently have a problem with rain getting in. Hopefully they can get this fixed soon. On the upper level there is a much smaller room for the women to pray (something my western cultural background finds difficult to accept, although I don’t mean that to be a criticism) as well as an area for teaching.

There’s much misunderstanding about Islam (especially via the media), and so I think it’s important to establish and maintain dialogue in order to understand better and build relationships. It’s about breaking down barriers and developing mutual respect. For those who may feel we were compromising our Christian faith or diluting its character, nothing could be further from the truth. We unashamedly visited as Christian leaders in our full Salvation Army uniforms and were pleased to be welcomed as such. There was no offence taken, and David and I deepened our understanding of Islam. We were also pleased to hear an unequivocal condemnation of violence done in the name of Islam.

All in all it was a very helpful visit, and I’m extremely grateful for the gracious welcome and hospitality we received. There’s a dangerous rise in far-right politics in Europe at the moment, that seeks to spread fear of Islam – not least the English Defence League. Clearly there are Islamist extremists (as there are extremists amongst those of other faiths and none), but I would encourage you to build relationships and seek understanding wherever possible – and maybe visit your local mosque. As in the words of Saint Francis: grant that I may not so much seek to be understood, as to understand.

Today is my 4th Twitter birthday and I’ve posted my 35,000th tweet. Although I wasn’t part of Twitter when it was launched, it was a very different place in those days – with a fraction of the users today and not widely known. I have shared its growing pains as it continually outgrew its servers. I have used Twitter to document my life during those four years, from the trivial to the life changing. I have made new friends, some I have now met in real life and others I have yet to meet – either way, they are very real friends. It’s been a fantastic tool for networking in my working life, and given me direct contact with people in the public eye. I have used Twitter to share my interests, as well as my Christian faith – and, as a result, have built up a large circle of friends and contacts of all faiths and none. It keeps me in touch with the real world, and often challenges my thinking and attitudes. Twitter (along with Facebook) are dominant in the social media world and both have their critics, but I have found them a very positive force for good. It depends on your approach and your creativity. Happy Tweeting!

The phrase ‘up north’ depends where you live in the British Isles! Many people in the south of England think that anything above London is ‘the north’. Indeed, a ‘southern softie’ friend of mine jokingly commented that he gets a nose bleed after Derbyshire! I was born in the Midlands, and currently live in the Midlands (near Nottingham) – this is NOT the north!

Anyway, I received a change of appointment today to Middlesbrough Citadel Corps, effective from July this year. My current appointment was only ever going to be temporary one for personal reasons, whereas this will be a permanent appointment as a Corps Officer again (rather than as an associate/support officer). I’m feeling positive about the new appointment, although it’s a long way from my elderly (late 80s) parents. Middlesbrough is most definitely the north, but there’s still a long way to go before you reach Scotland!

This is a guest post from colleague Salvation Army Officer Jason Davies-Kildea from Australia. I’m grateful to Jason for allowing me to reproduce it here.

Today is the International Day Against Homophobia. It might be a good day to reflect on how much simpler my life could be if I would only stay quiet about the ‘issue’ of homosexuality and the church. Yet, I don’t think silence is the vocation that I’ve been called into.

I’m sure people wonder why a heterosexual man would spend the time and energy that I have done campaigning for greater understanding and acceptance of gay and lesbian people within the church and more specifically within The Salvation Army. The answer is pretty simple really – I keep witnessing people being hurt by ignorance and prejudice and I refuse to allow this situation to continue unchallenged.

I’ve lost count of the number of people that have told me how they used to be a part of the church but when they awakened to a differing sexuality, they were excluded – some quickly and cruelly and others slowly frozen out. My heart breaks when I hear of the violence inflicted on gay and lesbian people because they are different. I wonder why followers of Jesus, instead of welcoming these marginalised folk, seem to be the chief proponents of highlighting their difference, legitimising prejudice and ‘othering’. I am deeply saddened when I hear of occurrences of self-hatred, self-harm and suicide amongst LGBT people, many of whose misconceptions of their own self-worth have been driven home by ‘well-meaning’ Christians.

So, while LGBT people continue to be the victims of intimidation, bullying and violence, I’ll fight. While Christians hide their prejudice behind a handful of out-of-context scriptures, I’ll fight. While the church remains closed to my gay and lesbian friends, I’ll fight. While love comes second to man-made rules, I’ll fight to the very end.

Those of you who know me and my personal circumstances will realise that the title of this post is something of an understatement! I can honestly say that the last six months have been the most difficult and challenging of my life. In the middle of November 2010 I had to face up to what can only be described as a life-changing event, which has had a profound effect: with implications for me as a person, for my mental health, and for my work. Consequently, there are implications for my future life and work.

I have previously written about my bipolar condition, and my mental health has not been good during this period – with the first two months being the most difficult, when I was plunged into the absolute depths of darkness and despair. The last four months have been better as I have come to terms with my situation, although there have been ups and downs. Some days I’ve been able to function fairly normally, with others when I’ve been extremely demotivated and depressed. Remember, depression is not just ‘feeling low’ (the sort of thing everyone experiences from time to time), but something that overwhelms you and takes over your whole being.

During this six months I’ve been ‘out of appointment’, meaning that I had to relinquish my responsibility for Leicester Central Corps of the Salvation Army. It wasn’t a period when I was out of work as such, because (when I could) I was able to fulfil some responsibilities as part of the chaplaincy team at the University of Leicester, as well as ecumenical, interfaith and other ‘work-related’ activities within the city. One of the very positive outcomes of the time has been the opportunity to regularly see a psychotherapist. He has helped me become very self-aware – something I can recommend for everyone, as there are so many people going through life without any real sense of who they are and why they react in the ways they do. I’ve been getting myself fit, especially through cycling (partly of necessity as I haven’t had a car for most of this period) and walking. Sometimes it was difficult to motivate myself, but always worth the effort when I did. I’ve also been able to use the time for reading, studying and writing, the latter having been very therapeutic and (at times) cathartic. I’ve also been very grateful for supportive family and friends through this time, with some of the latter only known to me online – but real friends nevertheless.

So, at the end of this six month period, how do I feel now? I feel positive! The Salvation Army has been very good to me, and I’m looking forward to the start of a new and exciting chapter of my life and ministry. Please feel free to get in touch with me – my contact details are readily available, and my mobile number is available on Facebook if we are friends.

…this is Part 2 of a post by Thomas Mathie. Click here for Part 1.

There are, however, times when a Label helps. Labels used to stand for something… they used to represent a stamp of quality… and for some… they still do. Consider Sub Pop, XL or Ghostly International, for example.

This is where netlabels come into play for me. A netlabel is a label that represents a stable of artists where the majority of interaction is done via the Internet. Most netlabels tend to give their music away for free… and some offer physical releases to compliment their digital downloads. Again… netlabels tend to deal in obscure and niche sub-genres… areas with minimal commercial appeal but in doing so… act as a stamp of quality.

Take Sutemos.net for example… they have released some of the best electronica that I’ve heard in a long, long time. I think I have all their releases on my iPods (yes… I have 2 iPod classics on the go for all the music I listen to… in addition to my iPhone) and reference them often. There are too many great netlabels for me to point to… so I won’t… but I would encourage you to check them out. Search by genre of music you like and you will find something to your taste. Are netlabels fairtrade? Yes… because, once again, you are dealing with the artist… albeit not directly but through an artistic cooperative, so to speak.

You could argue this point with traditional labels… that they are artistic cooperatives… but their overarching infrastructure isn’t conducive to giving their artists the best deal, imho. Traditional labels are in it for the money… that’s why its called the “music business”. They have to pay for their investment and fairplay to that… I’m not against capitalism, in this regard.

However, there is an alternative way… and this is where my issue comes… when the need for profit comes before the pushing of niche artists. I don’t like the majority of music deemed “popular” these days… and probably have the majority of “the classics” and don’t want to buy them again in whatever format-shifted package that they want to pimp us.

Let’s face it… and it’s a shame to say this… but the music of Ambienteer will never sell in the bucketloads. I really want it to… but it won’t. But the best thing about the music of truly independent artists such as Ambienteer is that they are working within their means… they only have their own costs to cover and don’t have to cover extensive marketing machines. They may be niche… but they have the realistic ability to breakeven or make a profit… unlike artists on the Traditional labels.

I guess they could be considered sustainable concerns, in this regards… and for me that’s a big deal. So the next time you are looking for some new music… turn to the Internet and take a stroll down Bandcamp lane or Netlabel street… and look for the truly cutting edge. They are where it’s happening nowadays.

This guest post comes from my good friend Thomas Mathie, aka @headphonaught on Twitter and elsewhere.

When John asked me to write about Independent Music… I automatically thought of all the indie bands that make up the (capital “I”… capital “M”) Independent Music scene: Oasis… Stone Roses… etc. Independent Music aka Indie is a genre… a style of music worthy of capitalisation… and not necessarily what I intend to talk about.

When I talk of independent music… I talk of the roots of what became Indie (genre)… when folks made music that was released independently of the major music labels. I also think of one of my favourite bands… Fugazi… who are renowned, at least to me, for their frugal DIY tours and fair price policies in the late 80s through the 90s to the present. It was their stance towards their fans that got me thinking about what I wanted to talk about: fairtrade DIY music.

The whole concept of fairtrade is knowing the producers of the product you are buying have been given a fair price for their product. When it comes to music… this is vitally important for me. For the most part… we are moving from the physical to a digital environment, when it comes to the distribution of music. I still buy Records and CDs… and hope HMV doesn’t close because they own FOPP and FOPP is my favourite recordshop chain.

But things are changing… and with this change… the barriers of entry have been lowered considerably for independent musicians. Sites like SoundCloud, Last.fm and Bandcamp give the opportunity for musicians to be heard. My personal favourite is Bandcamp… because you can stream the whole recording before you download it… the formats they offer are excellent (320kpbs as default – higher than iTunes) and their tagging allows for efficient exploration of music deemed similar to that which you are listening to. It’s ideal for the one-man-or-woman-band… low cost to enter… the ability to set a price or suggest to the buyer that they can “pay what you want”… the opportunity to get heard and, hopefully, make some money.

Thing is… however… Bandcamp isn’t enough to get the message out there. I find the majority of my music through recommendations from friends… predominately on Twitter. Folks like guitarist Matt Stevens or ambient soundscape creator James Fahy aka Ambienteer have built up a real community of people (of which I am proud to be part) using tools like Bandcamp and Twitter. I love their work, found out about it on Twitter and happily paid for it once I had had a good listen to it.

Matt and James are truly independent. They don’t have a record label. They aren’t backed by one of the Majors. They aren’t backed by one of the Indies either. They are one-man-bands. Take Matt, for example… to have no one inbetween works in his favour… Matt can deal directly with his fans… react quickly and genuinely promote himself as a truly authentic independent artist. He can sell his physical CDs via his Bandcamp page (or bigcartel, if he wanted to) at very reasonable prices… because he simply doesn’t have the overheads that the labels do. What’s more… he streams concerts via his Cafe Noodle site… and brings others in. He opens the door for others to participate.

The thing is… if you are like me… you do not object to paying £5 for one of his albums… because you have a real relationship with him. This is what the labels so desperately need but can’t get their heads around… the desire for a real relationship. Dealing direct with the artists, in this manner, removes the need for a label. In essence, Matt or James are their own labels… Matt through his solo work or his work with his band… the fierce and the dead… and James through his Ambienteer work.

What is important to note, however… is that both Matt and James’ music is niche. Matt make wonderfully upbeat futuristic flamenco guitar sounds that he loops and tweaks to make a wall-of-sound. James makes droning ambient electronic soundscapes. When I say niche… I mean that the majority of X-Factor-loving drones won’t get it… but then Sigur Rós are “technically” niche and yet they’ve received mainstream acceptance… mostly for their appearance, at one time, on nearly every piece of incidental music on the BBC (see note below).

I guess it is fair to say all music is niche… with some niches bigger than others. What artists like Matt and James have done is to find their niche… and build a relationship with it… and that is extremely important to acknowledge and understand.

To be continued…

Note: Nearly every other piece not by Sigur Rós is likely to be by Brian Eno! (John)

A colleague and friend of mine has come up with a great idea! But, instead of me waffling on about it, I’ll let the video speak for itself! That reminds me, I better head over there and order some!

A law came into force in France today banning the public wearing of the Muslim veil. It seems to me that this position is flawed, and that anyone should have the freedom to wear what they like in public. If you get past the knee-jerk reactions, Islam can actually feel threatened by the West, and when any group feels under attack their culture and identity is reasserted. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m totally against women being forced to wear the veil culturally or religiously by a male patriarchy – but equally, I’m against a secular state forcing women not to wear it. Many Muslim women, including those I’ve spoken to, wear the veil to express their culture and religion, and are not forced to do so! Indeed, I’ve spoken to Muslim women who’ve had their veils torn off in racist attacks, and the perpetrators are rightly condemned by all fair-minded people. France, by bringing in this new law, are making the removal of the veil from women against their will somehow acceptable. So, putting aside all other questions for the moment, how EXACTLY is the French ban on the veil going to promote peace, love and understanding within society? My Muslim friends and leaders in Leicester fully support the right of Christians to wear crosses. So Christians who support the ban had better think long and hard, because I suspect they might be the first to cry foul if a secular government tried to ban the public wearing of crosses!

Since my previous post I’ve provoked an important discussion about mental health issues, some of which has been conducted in public forums and some privately. I’ve added some bits and pieces at the end of my original post, but because these are life and death issues that touch people deeply, I repost them below:

I’ve used the expression ‘died by suicide’ because this is a far better way of describing suicide than the conventional usage. To ‘commit suicide’ harks back to a time when suicide was a crime and considered a sin by the church, it therefore inherently conveys a negative connotation of judgement.

Also, never say to someone who you think may be contemplating suicide, “You’ll won’t do anything stupid, will you?” – it’s such a dumb question, who’s going to say ‘Yes’ in reply? It’ll only make them feel worse about themselves! Just ask them if they feel suicidal! My view is that avoiding the issues, or dressing them up never helps! It’s also OK to approach and ask complete strangers if you feel they’re in danger! And, as a friend reminded me, asking someone if they feel suicidal won’t put the idea in their head if it’s not already there. Don’t be scared to ask!