A line in the sand

The recent news that all the bars on Mojacar playa have to be fitted with sound proofing and decibel meters was the final straw for me. The politicians, whose credibility is non-existent, never mind damaged have squeezed and squeezed in order to push the foreigners out of Mojacar and kill the tourist trade here. The bars are suffering, businesses are suffering, and families are having their dreams dashed on a daily basis. Now, to cap it all, the bars are to be denied the opportunity to showcase live music, or face the threat of closure. This is a step too far, and angers me beyond belief. I’ve tried to channel my anger into something productive, and here it is – a protest song that I hope will help draw the line in the sand – thus far and no further.

It’s called Save Mojacar Music, and I urge you all to download it – it’s free – just click on the link at the bottom

Play it loud and play it proud. We will not be dictated too.

TURN IT UP!

SAVE MOJACAR MUSIC

Save Mojacar music, don’t wanna lose it
We only wanna have some fun – we’re not the only ones
Save Mojacar music, don’t wanna lose it
We the people put you there, we’ll kick you out without a care

We can’t survive at ’55’ – Mojacar’s more dead than alive
You’ve got your Mercs, you’ve bled us dry
Now watch the beach bars fade and die
Unemployment, 30 dot, the music scene helps stop the rot
Look past the Euros in your stash
Or come Elections, you’ll be trashed
mark my words, better listen to us
Or your kids’ll be sellin’ asparagus, dig?

Empty bars, empty beaches
Big black cars, Council leeches

No music, can’t use it, what ya gonna do when the whole town lose it?
No music, can’t use it, what ya gonna do when you finally squeeze it?

Don’t quit it, gotta hit it, gotta stick it to the man
Gotta give it to the motherlovers one mo’ time
Don’t quit it, gotta hit it, gotta stick it to the man
Gotta give it to the mothers……..

Sun…..sea…..sand…..Systematic shutdown

Save Mojacar music, don’t wanna lose it
We only wanna have some fun – we’re not the only ones
Save Mojacar music, don’t wanna lose it
We the people put you there, we’ll kick you out without a care

Turn it up!

SAVE MOJACAR MUSIC – The Song

Kev Moore

The Mayor of Simpleton

I live in the Province of Almeria, in Andalucia, Spain.  An area of the world rich in musical heritage. Indeed, the village next door – Mojacar was revived in the 1960’s when the then Mayor invited artists and musicians to buy the derelict homes of this deserted and forgotten town for just ten pounds each. It was a revolutionary idea – and it worked. Mojacar slowly came back to life, and was fed and financed by a slow but steady tourist industry, clearly distinct from the ‘lager lout’ culture of Benidorm, much further up the coast.

Many foreigners moved here, Brits, Germans, Scandinavians, all bringing their dreams and creating a new economy. But dark clouds loomed on the horizon. As the prominent local families had finally amassed their fortunes from the tourism trade, and swapped their horses and carts for Mercedes, they decided to systematically set about killing the goose that laid the golden egg.  Mojacar, once on the verge of a successful 10 month tourist season thanks to our wonderful climate, saw its trade wither like an old Rioja grape on the vine. August is now about the only time the bar owners get to redress the horrendous losses they make during the rest of the year, and yet the bars have had to cancel the entertainment that would bring in the business, for fear of falling foul of the regulations. That’s a lot of ‘effin there. Damn right.

Dreams began to die on an almost daily basis, as people returned home, broke, and disillusioned.  Now – the fate of this once renaissance village seems to be finally sealed once and for all. The ‘powers that be’ (I shan’t use the word Mayor, as they don’t even come close to the vision shown by their 60’s counterpart) – Have decreed that all bars be fitted with a noise control machine (decimeter) – to be paid for by the owners of course – at 1,500 euros a shot – and to be set at 55 decibels. I fart louder than that.

So, a fait accompli then, because if the bars are reckless enough to book live entertainment, they cannot fail to break the new law. Apparently, if the police are called twice to any venue, the place will be shut down. This, make no bones about it, is Fascism by any other name. What kind of mindset implements laws to kill the very culture that helped rebuild this magical place? It disgusts me, and I state here and now that I find these people beneath my contempt, and their actions reprehensible, not to mention inexplicable.

Oh, and by the way, we have the highest unemployment rate amongst the young of anywhere in Spain.  Yeah, the bosses are doing a great job.

LONG LIVE MUSIC – SAY IT LOUD, SAY IT PROUD, AND PLAY IT LIVE!!!