Loraine James // For You and I (Hyperdub)


#1

potentially really special record. did not realize she was getting picked up by the venerable HD so really looking forward to this.


#2

This is so good. Had it on a loop all day.


#3

very unique. going to be getting a lot of play round here.


#4

ok, gotta get something off my chest. been a pretty vocal advocate of this record/artist for some time now but I came across this interview recently which super rubbed me the wrong wayā€¦

ā€œAs a queer Black person living in London, James explains that she often feels the need to filter herself. ā€˜I only feel fully comfortable in a few places and thatā€™s not fair. I shit myself just holding my partnerā€™s hand for five seconds in public, afraid someoneā€™s going to beat us up or something,ā€™ she says. While sheā€™s grateful for the few places in London that make her feel at ease, itā€™s this dearth of safe spaces that have made her a ā€˜shy and closed person since forever.ā€™ā€

beat her up? for holding hands? WHAT?

first of all, youā€™re telling me one of the largest, most populous, most diverse, most cosmopolitan cities on Earth all of a sudden has a problem with queer black people in 2019? iā€™m sorry, I donā€™t buy it for one second. this is not rural Mississippi in the 1950s. which, speaking of, letā€™s ask LIttle Richard if being queer and black ever hurt his career. fuck outta here.

and safe? look, Iā€™m a white, heteronormative cis male and the world is no less terrifying for me than it is for anyone else. hundreds of people can get gunned down at a country/western festival in Vegas and meanwhile kids are agonizing about whether or not a club promoter is putting enough females on the bill. itā€™s preposterous. you cannot let this shit ruin your life, folks.

keep making great tunes and iā€™ll keep buying your records. but please spare me the politics.


#5

Errā€¦
https://qnews.com.au/lesbian-couple-bashed-and-robbed-for-refusing-to-kiss-for-group-of-young-men/


#6

I meanā€¦you can also get stabbed or killed for liking the wrong sports team, soā€¦whatā€™s your point?

the world is an inherently unsafe place for just about everybody and thereā€™s a strong probability that someone, somewhere doesnā€™t like you very much (and for no real good reason). despite this, you know iā€™ve lived in a lot of places, big cities, small towns, doesnā€™t matter, iā€™ve never really gotten the sense that anyone is particularly concerned about whoā€™s holding whoā€™s hand at any given time, much less boiling with hateful, criminal rage about it. so yeah okay, maybe the world is extra scary when you live most your life on Tumblr inventing nonexistent problems to worry about.

bottom line, yes, there will always be loathsome people doing loathsome criminal shit and, yes, those isolated crimes are tragic, no doubt. but it doesnā€™t mean weā€™re all part of the problem and thatā€™s the sentiment i got from the interview. maybe thatā€™s my trip, who knows.

Loraine, i love your record and my heart goes out to you and your struggle. i hope you can find the courage one day to go outside and be a part of this crazy, chaotic world with the rest of us.


#7

Yeah I mean I grew up in a part of Glasgow where having the wrong coloured clothes could get you stabbed but I wouldnā€™t feel it particularly relevant to bring up while talking about my new record. Great record though.


#8

Yes, itā€™s your trip.
My pointā€™s fairly simple - in response to your shocked response that ā€œone of the largest, most populous, most diverse, most cosmopolitan cities on Earth all of a sudden (whaaaaat? lol) has a problem with queer black people in 2019ā€ Iā€™m purely relating evidence of a separate recent attack with bigotry at its heart.
(And suggesting that Little Richard didnā€™t experience prejudice based on his race and/or orientation? Iā€™m certainly no expert butā€¦ Iā€™ll politely take up your offer to get the fuck outta here).
Whether or not you ā€œbuyā€ another persons emotions surrounding their lived experiences is largely irrelevant, Same goes for the post below yours - anyone, including artists, may divulge their concerns or fears. They donā€™t have to relate comparatively to yours.
Serious question Criminiminal - did you take time to consider why comments in the interview offended you?
Furthermore please explain to me how hate crimes should in your opinion be viewed in the same light as random violent attacks.


#9

@umn equally serious question before i answer. are you looking to truly understand my point of view or are you trying to locate some latent intolerance in me and ā€œput me in my placeā€?


#10

Not sure where ā€œput me in my placeā€ came from. Are you quoting someone?
If thatā€™s how I came across then I apologise.
That said my question to you should be considered rhetorical.
Clearly you can choose to expand your pov as you wish, but to me this matter is relatively straightforward and Iā€™m comfortable leaving the above posts to stand as they are.
Weā€™ll have to accept disagreement here.


#11

yep weā€™re good. itā€™s all love. peace


#12

man youā€™re like the biggest contributor to this forum but why do you have to flip your lid when a lesbian starts talking about her own experiences? like statistically speaking, the world is in fact less terrifying for you than it is for people who arenā€™t white heteronormative cis men because none of those things are going to get you kicked out of your house or disowned. bringing up fucking sports hooliganism is so disingenuous because yeah there are a bunch of things that can lead to violence in someoneā€™s life but being straight is never going to be one of them. i live in melbourne, statistically the most liveable city in the world, and i have to watch myself in public because dressing the ā€œwrongā€ way, acting the ā€œwrongā€ way has gotten me assaulted, specifically for a part of myself that is a bit more fucking integral to my self than supporting a sports team lol


#13

yeah i guess iā€™m a bit of a loser and sadly a lot out of touch re: the dominant sentiment surrounding identity politics. the appropriate response to my outburst should probably just be pity. sorry if i offended anyone. happy to remove any of the comments that seemed way out of line if you think it makes for a better community here.


#14

i mean im sorry for getting worked up! i also think the kind of identity politics that asks a bunch of queer ppl in poverty to vote for some fuck like buttigieg or whatever is bad, but likeā€¦ getting mad at people for talking about homophobia is just straight identity politics. thank u for being generous & extending the olive branch here, honestly iā€™d probably think yr politics r good if u expounded on them just be consistent & proportional in what u devote yr time to yknow