I Predict A Riot Ernest & Julio Gallo. Interestingly enough, whilst the Carphone Warehouse, Currys and TK Maxx got a right pasting, Waterstones and the Jamie Oliver shop weren’t touched. So it seems that although a glass of white grenache is an essential element in the modern miscreant’s arsenal, an anniversary edition of The Unbearable Lightness Of Being and a bottle of vanilla fig balsamic vinegar are not.
I grew up in a small village on the River Thames. From an early age, my grandfather told me that if I could find a way to be paid for doing the things I loved most, I’d be happy. He was right. I count myself extremely lucky because, some years on, I am in the fortunate position of making a living as a musician and writer. These days I live in a leafy suburb of London, which in many ways isn’t that different from the village where I spent my childhood. There’s a strong sense of community here and residents take great pride in the state of their neighbourhood. At least, they do most of the time. In recent weeks, something happened in this leafy suburb that would never have happened in my cosy village on the Thames. People started rioting. Some have suggested that we, Society At Large, are to blame for this, since we have failed to instill a sense of selfworth in our nation’s youth.
I’m sure this is the case for many of the troublemakers, but certainly not all of them. Some seemed comically blasé about their involvement. I heard two young girls who’d found the time, whilst wreaking lawless havoc on the streets, to exchange pleasantries with a BBC radio presenter. Name another quintessentially British activity where the participants stop halfway through for light refreshment and a leisurely chat with the BBC...? That’s right - cricket. The police may as well have been handing out cucumber sandwiches. It’s worth mentioning too that the girls were merrily sozzled on stolen booze. And what were they drinking? White Lightning? Special Brew? No. A bottle of rosé. Is this really the kind of image that a young rioter in the prime of their malfeasance wants to project to the world? I should think it’s near impossible to rampage the streets with any sense of menace when you’re also sipping on a nice cold glass of
The prevailing sentiment during the aftermath was that a worrying percentage of our young people are growing up without hope. We teach them that Money Equals Success but then make it quite clear that they’re never going to have any because there are no jobs and if they want to go to university to make themselves more employable they’ll first need to sell all their organs to medical science. Twice. Now, my grandfather lives in Scotland and he’s had a double-hip replacement so it’s unrealistic to expect him to run around the country spreading his simple but meaningful message to all the children of Great Britain like some kind of mad Glaswegian Santa. I can, however, do my duty as a grandson and pass it on. You can, and should, pursue your dreams. And if you don’t have a dream, find one and pursue that. Take it from me, it’s actually a lot more fun than hawking plasma tellies out of your local Dixons, and you’re much less likely to end up with an ASBO. Chris plays piano in South London power-pop band The Lightyears. Read more of Chris’ blogs and tour diaries at www. TheLightyears.com.
by Chris Russell
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