BEYOND LIMITATIONS: How DIY music is changing attitudes towards learning disability

Brighton's DIY scene includes at least 10 active bands comprised of people with learning disabilties. Sharing stages with punk legends the city is leading a growing movement of inclusivity. But as debates over welfare intensify and councils look at making further cuts, what does the future hold in store for the learning disabled musicians?

In his teenage bedroom, Richard Phoenix experienced what he calls a splitting the atom moment after

reading about the doggedly independent ethos of Fugazi.

Inspired by the Washington DC DIY punk veterans, he has dedicated himself to making music and organising gigs for over 17 years. Most notably with his band Sauna Youth.

Ten years ago Richard volunteered for Carousel, a Brighton arts charity which helps people with learning disabilities form bands, play gigs and release music. At an event of theirs called The Blue Camel Club, Richard experienced something equally pivotal as hearing the words “do it yourself” for the first time. “Just like discovering DIY, I had a 'moment' where I was floored. I had such a great time and was so blown away by the whole thing. But I was confused as to why prior to this I had no idea these bands existed. There was no such thing as a learning disabled music scene and there was no platform for these musicians, it was so hidden away,” he reveals.

THE POWER OF DIY

For him, the connection between DIY culture and supporting musicians with learning disabilities was obvious: “I think at DIY’s core is the removal of barriers. It ignores the limitations that can sometimes be placed on music. It's a very open and creative space, which I have found also within the learning disabled arts community. Both encourage empowerment of individuals and communities, using different ways to communicate ideas,” Richard explains.

The result is a project called Constant Flux which puts on nationwide gigs and tours for musicians with learning disabilities. In Brighton, this can be experienced at monthly gigs at the Green Door Store and West Hill Hall under the

banner of The Rock House. Local heavy metal sextet Zombie Crash are one of the most successful groups to emerge from this scene. They have played festivals, toured the UK and have an album under their belts. All six members have conditions ranging from Aspergers to Down’s syndrome but the first thing you notice when talking to them is their distinctive attitude: “Partying hard, bringing our enemies to their knees and going a bit nuts,” summarises keyboardist Darrell Farley. Like many bands, they are united by a love of loud music, the odd drink or two and a fair slice of professional wrestling. In their latest music video, drummer David Briggs enthusiastically smashes a guitar over a head of a whimpering member of an egregious boyband called Sparkleforce: Article continues below

“It was a one shot chance with only one guitar. I was a bit worried as he lay on the floor for a bit and he didn’t get up,” he says.

Fortunately the two have spoken since and left on good terms after the actor revealed he was, in David’s words: “playing about.” CROSSING CONTINENTS 942 miles away from small Brighton venues, a key turning point for scene happened on 19 May at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna. 200 million people tuned in to watch Finnish learning disabled punks Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät perform at the semi finals of the Eurovision Song Contest. In the weeks leading up to the event, the band were the bookies’ favourites to win. Might this suggest a turning point in attitudes to people with learning disabilities? Katie Windsor supports musicians through her work with Carousel. For her, the learning disability label is still problematic:

“I think some of [the musicians we work with] are perfectly happy to be acknowledged like that. They’re proud of it and what they achieve. But a lot of the time the label comes first and I want people to recognise their music in its own right without: ‘oh its nice because they’ve got a disability,’” she says.

For Richard, the focus right now is on integrated gigs. These involve inviting bands from other DIY scenes to play Rock House shows and booking acts from the learning disabled scene on line ups beyond it:

“It ultimately comes down to visibility and people with learning disabilities occupying more positive space. A lot more needs to be done but to try and put it simply in the context of what we’re doing, a real change in the position of people with learning disabilities in society will be marked when integrated gigs are so normalised we can stop calling them that.”

Brighton is leading the way in this movement. Zombie Crash have supported krautrockers Hey Colossus. In September, Rock House compere and singer Daniel Wakeford will be sharing a stage

with Minutemen and Stooges legend, Mike Watt. THE POLITICS OF ABILITY For 69 years Mencap has campaigned to raise the awareness of the UKs’ learning disabled community.

Last month, its chairman, Brian Rix, warned that further government and council cuts threaten 60 years of progress: “in a way no civilised society should attempt to contemplate.”

I put this claim to Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown. Simon has posed for photos with local disability causes but has consistently voted in favour of cutting disability benefits. He believes the situation in Greece is an example of what happens when welfare spending goes out of control. For Richard, this is at odds with the problems now faced by the musicians he works with:

“My experiences recently have been encountering more and more people frustrated with the benefits system, especially with regards to work, where it seems to be especially stacked up against people that would need additional support. Especially now there are questions over the future

of the Access To Work scheme and Disability Employment Advisers at the Jobcentre. As my

understanding goes though, the

situation in Greece wasn’t connected to their benefit system rather a corrupt and deceitful government.”

In spite of these arguments, those involved in the learning disabled scene remain undeterred. A new night has been set up in Croydon and there is even a radio show called, perhaps appropriately for some, Shut Up and Listen.

Check out Julian's hi-res photos from his visit to the Rock House and listen to his interviews with Zombie Crash, Katie Windsor and Simon Kirby MP here.