I’m loopy. Day in, day out; in the morning, the afternoon, evening, every minute and every single second of every single day. Know what I mean..? I bounce up Vicky Road, big grin spreading across my face as I pass a well-dressed queue of Southsider’s waiting for their coffees outside Short Long Black, and… ‘duh-dah…’ there it is, a sultry, synthy, arpeggiated, beat- ‘duh-dah- luhlaluhlaluh – duh-dah – luhlaluhlaluh – duh-dah – luhlaluhlaluh’ – looping round and round my brain, the unmistakeable motorik bassline of Donna Summer’s and Giorgio Moroder’s ‘I feel love’. As I hit Queens Park the chattering birds swoop in and add a percussive swing to the seductive groove with their hi-hat-esque chirps.
Predictably this ‘loopiness’ comes with a strong urge to move and sadly isn’t always positive. Sometimes taking form as an endless loop of anxious thoughts. During my formative years, I spent hours traipsing through the illegal file-sharing trove of LimeWire, finding refuge in the discovery of new music. This urge to move, to give life to the music in my head, led me to raves. Fuelled by substances, I sought escape, only to find reality crashing down when the music stopped.
When I got sober, I still craved the dance floor. Dancing in dark rooms with booming sound systems was my happy place, so… how hard could it be to do sober? Harder than I thought. Re-entering these environments without the thick mist of intoxication felt like a cold jolt of pins and needles, I couldn’t relax, rattling and clanking against the music rather than flowing with it. It was just too much too soon. Good Clean Fun provided a haven, a place to dance free from the complications of substances.
The DJ workshops were a further revelation. We dived straight in with Johnny Wilkes (Optimo). Johnny’s musings about the simplicity in music selection and the punkiness in loose mixing motivated me to find a way to showcase music I loved in a way that was accessible. The participants’ diverse backgrounds and musical journeys proved incredibly helpful and with the instructors, we built a supportive group environment that eased any nerves. Rebecca Vasmant emphasised the importance of playing what we love and shared insightful anecdotes of her time in the music industry. Hot Towel’s vinyl session was raw and hands-on, stripping back the music, and helping us to beat match by ear without the hand of technology. Bizzy and the guys from Made in Glasgow Recordings demystified DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) such as Ableton and Qbase.
Outside of the workshops, participants had the chance to practice in local studios such as Pirate and Container and the final showcase, exemplified the collaborative spirit of the workshop. It was incredible to see everyone share their skills and music.
I am incredibly grateful to the workshops, they helped me channel my anxious ‘loopiness’ into a creative outlet, giving me confidence. Thanks to them, I can take a moment and find rather than lose myself in the loop. One beat at a time. It makes me think of a supposed Confucius quote ‘wherever you go, there you are’, you can’t outrun yourself, but you can connect. I think that’s at the crux of what Good Clean Fun does for people, it allows people to share their joy and passion with others, feel safe in each other and that is as large as it is simple.
