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Justice for the 96:
An interview with John McGlone

By Tony Whitehead

On 15th April 1989, 96 people died at a football match in what has become known as the Hillsborough disaster. Eighteen years later and the events of that tragic day still have not been fully investigated, no one has ever been held to account and the cover ups - particularly regarding the role of the police - continue. The families of the dead and many others continue with their fight for justice. (See Nerve issue 4) One of these is John McGlone. His band Western Promise along with The Choir Of Justice - featuring Tommy Scott from Space, Digsy from Smaller, various members of Dead Class and The Wombats and a whole host of other local talent - have recently recorded a reggae flavoured single called appropriately Justice (For The 96) which hopes to raise both support and funds for the continued fight. I caught up with him whilst he and co-vocalist Beth were filming a video for Justice at Aigburth Cricket Club.

John is a real live wire who describes himself as "once an angry young man but now a moaning old git". When asked what his motivation was for bringing this project together at this time he replied vehemently "Kelvin McKenzie popping his ugly fucking head above the rim saying he really didn't think he was wrong regarding comments he made about us pissing on each other when we were dying". McKenzie of course is the ex-editor of Rupert Murdoch's THE S*N who caused so much outrage across Liverpool and beyond with his 'THE TRUTH' headline, and more recently rubbed salt in the wounds with his appearance on BBC's Question Time. THE S*N's sales across the city have dropped dramatically since it published 'THE TRUTH' with some newsagents still refusing to stock it. John urges us to go one step further and boycott anything to do with Murdoch including SKY TV and MYSPACE.COM attesting "we should hit them where it hurts the most - in their pockets. It's the best way as it takes away their power".

No stranger to political activism John was involved in the Rock The Dock movement organising gigs by artists like Primal Scream, The Boo Radleys, Pete Townsend and Noel Gallagher which helped highlight the plight of the sacked Liverpool Dockers during the total media blackout surrounding what was happening. He also toured with Joe Strummer on his Rock The Rich Tour and cites him as a major influence. His pride shines through when he tells me that Strummer wore his Western Promise badge throughout the entire tour. "A good man, sorely missed" he reflects.

Following in the traditions of Strummer, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie (but not Bruce Springsteen, who he says is a fake) he is not afraid to bring politics into his music. He says, "I'm sick to death of people who don't want politics in music. I believe that if you are given the opportunity of a platform, then you should use it to say something for the good of the people," in this instance by highlighting the cover-up surrounding Hillsborough. He agrees that this cover-up is just another example of how the ruling elite operates with its history of cover-ups, collusions, lies and injustices. More recently we have seen examples of this with the war on Iraq, the circumstances surrounding the death of weapons inspector Dr. David Kelly and the shooting dead of Charles de Menezes on the London tube. "It's cover-up and injustice after cover-up and injustice," says John, "from the assassination of JFK to the war in Ireland. We have got to bring those in high places to book." He continues, "If you were, for example, pissed whilst driving a train then you would be brought to book. These people don't get charged with anything; instead they get golden handshakes while the families who suffer get nothing." Regarding Hillsborough he says, "I believe passionately that if we keep up the pressure then they will have to hold those involved to account. It is very important that we never give up. Eighteen years later it can be hard to keep going and you have got to be very motivated. People should never give up. It's your life and you won't make it, or the lives of those around you, any better if you give up. YOU can't give up because THEY never give up". Encouraging words indeed.

JUSTICE (FOR THE 96) by WESTERN PROMISE & THE CHOIR OF JUSTICE will be released in April and distributed by Rough Trade.

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Sorry Comments Closed

Comment left by ben davies on 4th July, 2007 at 13:06
the hilsborough disaster was one of the worst things in history i feel so sorry for the families of the people that died

Comment left by i love you ben forever xxxxx on 4th July, 2007 at 13:09
soz to all those ppl who have lost and are in deep saddness my heart goes out to you all

Comment left by ben on 11th July, 2007 at 13:11
soz for all the lives that got taken wish it never happened

Comment left by Knocking At Their Door Productions on 12th July, 2007 at 13:52
Western Promise release their new single JUSTICE on 20th August available at http://www.arkade.com/default.aspx?a=Knocking_At_Their_Door_Productions

Comment left by Knocking At Their Door Productions on 17th July, 2007 at 18:41
OOPS!! site address is www.arkade.com/katdp

Comment left by Andy on 29th July, 2007 at 14:09
Nice one John,keep up the good work,great to see W.P. back on tour.

Comment left by kellie on 21st March, 2008 at 16:27
excellent tune, really love it. Hard hitting!!!! Hope this gets to number one!!!!!! Deserves to!!!! Brilliant article also!! John sounds a sound bloke :)

Comment left by Dathi De Lasa on 7th April, 2008 at 1:05
Two words..McGlone..and..Bandwagon

Comment left by mark lloyd on 1st June, 2008 at 14:15
Well done John. It was great to stand along side you at the Dockers gigs at the Mean Fiddler/London ULA/Liverpool Royal Court etc. You will always be held in the highest esteem by my family and me. Justice for the 96

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