Alternative Ulster

Alternative London was a book that gave outsiders a view on the hippy scene in London in the 60s. Around about the same time, the Troubles started in Northern Ireland (Ulster). Due to the breakdown in law and order the entertainment scene became controlled by the para military organisations on both sides of the divide (the hoods, aka IRA, UDA, UVF. Bands were scared to go to Northern Ireland, and local bands were encouraged to adapt a more "family orientated" style of music. The result was that Ulster's music scene was dominated by middle of the road bands doing covers of country and pop tunes, they were called show bands. The song is a protest against the fact that there was no outlet for kids who were interested in what was going on outside the province. It's a cry to kids on both sides of the divide to unite against those who are keeping them down. The Pound was a run down venue in the centre of Belfast. The only other place was a venue called the Trident in Bangor. Shows there finished so late that there were no buses back to town - hence "you walk back to the city". That's because the Hoods just wanted the kids' money, they weren't interested in entertainment. So the only answer was for them to reclaim their country "grab it and take its yours". The British Army had originally been deployed to protect the nationalist (catholic community) however by the time of the song they were seen as an army of oppression by that side. Protestants on the other hand saw them as their defenders. Jake Burns was very clear that he did not support either side, and that the conflict itself was what was really holding people back. So the point was "whatever side you are on, can't you see it's not normal to have the army on your streets?" The RUC is the Royal Ulster Constabulary - a retrograde police force who would take a dim view of anything that changed the status quo. Bear in mind that punk was seen as a threat in other UK cities, and punk bands were not allowed to play at all in places like Glasgow. (I can't believe this happened in my lifetime.)

So to summarise the song is a protest against the fact that kids in Northern Ireland were being denied what was available to their peers in the rest of the UK. Freedom to enjoy the music they wanted to hear and to enjoy the freedom of lifestyle choice that was available elsewhere.

I'm not from Northern Ireland, but many of my friends from there say that The Troubles held back their society for over 30 years. When the peace agreement was signed, culturally their country was still living in the 1960s (1960s Britain/Ireland not 1960s Haight - Ashbury).

I can't stress enough how important it is that people realise this song has nothing to do with supporting the Nationalists, or the Unionists. It was about seeing beyond the divisions.