If you use the phrase All Lives Matter, I don't believe you.

If you use the phrase or hashtag All Lives Matter - whether in response to Black Lives Matter or independently - I don’t believe you.

To shout that loud with passion, you would have to think about these things before you say it:

  • Am I in favour of the death penalty for serious crimes?

  • Am I pro-immigration?

  • Do I support abortion?

  • Do I think Lee Rigby’s murderer should have been jailed and put on trial?

  • Are all war crimes heinous?

  • Have I ever worried about the fifth amendment when people have been shot by a gunman in a public place?

  • Is prison the right way to deal with crime?

  • Do I deserve a haircut during a lethal pandemic? Is it my right to have shop staff serve me during a lethal pandemic? Is it my right to not wear a mask during a lethal pandemic?

  • Have I ever given money to or in any other way helped a homeless person, or supported homelessness charities?

  • When arguing about ideology, have I ever pointed out all the elements that could lead to death for others?

  • When mourning the sacrifice of soldiers in wars past, am I wishing things had been different for them?

  • Is a housing crisis my problem?

  • Do I condemn all lethal force from authorities?

  • Do I believe it is up to me to help poor people through taxes and charity?

  • Is eating meat right?

  • Is cannibalism okay?

  • When using Martin Luther King quotes, do I also acknowledge that, yes, he was murdered?

And you haven’t done that.

You don’t mean “All Lives Matter”. Stop lying to us and yourself. Say what you really mean.

I expect for some of you what you meant to say is: “If you had said ‘White Lives Matter’, I wouldn’t have said a fucking thing.”

Blowing Minds With Brand New Friend (XMR HUB)

Blowing Minds With Brand New Friend (XMR HUB)

Brand New Friend signed to Xtra Mile Recordings in late 2017 and with only around two years under their belts, this Northern Ireland four-piece have released their debut album Seatbelts For Aeroplanes. You can buy it now on magenta vinyl, CD and download. Do so. It's one of our best releases.

Below is a brief chat we had with Taylor Johnson, guitarist, singer and songwriter, a couple of months before the album release. Give it a read and just feel the exuberance! There's a reason it's so clearly in the music...

Be More Kind: How This Message Threads Through Xtra Mile's First Three Albums of the Year (XMR HUB)

Be More Kind: How This Message Threads Through Xtra Mile's First Three Albums of the Year (XMR HUB)

Be More Kind, the title of Frank Turner's seventh album, is a striking response to recent events. No matter what vague area of the political spectrum you're on, daily we’re being peppered with a barrage of news, little barbs that make it just that little bit harder to feel good or stay consistently our best. Music, though, acts like a gauze for our hearts and minds. The best music comes with a sense of understanding, the feel of a familiar place, brings you confidence from knowing you’re not alone and reminds you to share that with others. We all need to be kinder to each other when the world seems that much less inclined to be. Ask yourself, does music you listen to reflect that at times when you need it most?

Already Heard: Arguing about Mineral

Already Heard: Arguing about Mineral

Back in 2014, Xtra Mile Recordings re-released both of Mineral's albums on CD and vinyl, The Power of Failing and EndSerenading. These emo classics were brought out as the band reformed for a huge tour, allowing them to perform their second album's songs live for the first time. The music website Already Heard wanted me to argue why EndSerenading is better than The Power of Failing. Music journalist Rob Mair was my opponent. We duelled well, and naturally I think I had the edge. See what you think! 

Goodbye Xtra Mile Laureate Chris T-T – Xtra Mile Recordings XMR HUB (4 August 2017)

Goodbye Xtra Mile Laureate Chris T-T – Xtra Mile Recordings XMR HUB (4 August 2017)

I write, edit, and commission fan content for the XMR HUB on www.xtramilerecordings.com, the official site for the UK independent record label featuring acts like Frank Turner, Against Me!, Skinny Lister, Will Varley, and loads more.

Chris T-T has been with the label since 2008, and has just announced he's winding up his 20-year career with some final shows, and the May release of his Best Of. It took me a couple of months to put it into words, but I managed to get together a personal piece on his music and what it means to me. It's a sad thing that he's finishing up this stage of his musical life, but I'm excited to see what he does next. It'll be great I'm sure. People seemed to like this one, so hopefully anyone else reading this will too.

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Video interview: Xtra Mile Recordings Presents - Mull Historical Society

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I've interviewed countless musicians and songwriters about their work. Though I've largely finished doing that, I still write for the excellent UK indie label Xtra Mile Recordings and do interviews with their artists when I can. Mull Historical Society has been at this music lark for over 15 years so it's always great to catch up with Colin MacIntyre. Here we talk about Dear Satellite, his novel The Letters of Ivor Punch and his career. Yep. That stuff (starts at 4.11, but do listen to the acoustic songs too if you fancy).