George McKay
@georgemckay
Prof Media Studies. Writes about popular music, festival, disability, jazz, peace, protest, gardening, + most recently Oxford Handbook of...Punk Rock. Charcot Marie Tooth. Plays music: double bass, bands (jazz, folk)
Personalised number plates on cars are naff ofc, but oof this one! Agree, fellow bassists? #bassace
The view from near our caravan this evening at Dunwich Heath, Suffolk, 2 1/2 hours before our warden drove round the park to say we should all evacuate …
& now I have spent an hour reading (aloud) from Intimate Voices, my copy bought in Glasgow (my birth city) in … 1990
I have this poem of his by my office door at work (in a university. Media Studies). Wonderful: media-class-power-universities #tokawyliketherr
I attended online the editorial board meeting of the @journals.sagepub.com DIY, Alternative Cultures & Society last week, edited by the brilliant Andy Bennett & Paula Guerra. This slide popped up to my surprise and delight, woohoo #waspunkdiy
Lovely day for the welcome weekend of @nnfest.bsky.social in Norwich!
Today marks 30 years since the publication of my first book, Senseless Acts of Beauty. Here’s a photo from the launch party (!) in London, with my brilliant editor Malcolm Imrie (centre) and me (left). Still in print! well, POD. @versobooks.bsky.social #youreonlyasgoodasyourfirstbook
Researching links between beliefs & music this morning I come across this #exaggeratedbass
Heading over to Birmingham tomorrow to join this symposium as part of the new Eastside Jazz Festival. Great programme, inc speakers from Manchester Jazz Festival & Brick Lane Jazz Festival www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoir... PS counted again: it's [sigh] 30 not 20 years ... #jazzstudies #jazzresearch
And what’s our positions? @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social @sainsburycentre.bsky.social #beninbronzes
Wonderful debut concert tonight by Musical Keys Ensemble @norwichartscentre.bsky.social #improvisation #disability #communitymusic
7-9 pm at the very fine York Tavern, Norwich. ‘Old jazz, new jazz, green jazz, blue jazz’. In the Golden Triangle!
Some of my brilliant colleagues @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social have organised the NQIFF 2025 film festival in Norwich. It's all free! Info and programme here: www.nqiff.com #queerfilm #filmfestival
New blog abt Winnie Atwell, on the occasion of the new blue plaque marking her achievements. georgemckay.org/winifred-atw...
RIP Tony Harrison, who blew my mind when I read his work as a student in Hull. I took my mum (working class) to see him read @norwichartscentre.bsky.social in 1984 we were both v moved. I took my copy for him to sign & made notes on what he read. I still say “Ay ay stutterer Demosthenes” sometimes
Always loved that Danny Thompson (RIP) played with free drummer John Stevens in a band too. One of those more surprising folk / jazz crossovers. Here’s a foto I found of Thompson from 1978, in Norwich! (That’s a cello not a bass tho)
Always a pleasure to see some music at the Bim when in Amsterdam with my Rhythm Changes conference pals
With Tangential Trio at the Rumsey Wells in Norwich on Thursday evening just in case you are in the area & fancy some ‘old jazz, new jazz, green jazz, blue jazz’ …
At the Disabled People Against the Cuts demonstration in Norwich today. Inspiring & righteous speeches
This week friends & colleagues @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social are finding out whether they are facing compulsory redundancy. Sombre times. We don’t think UEA has *ever treated its own people like this before. It’s both cruel & unnecessary @uea-ucu.bsky.social
Come to my public talk. About jazz festivals. At a jazz festival! This Saturday 2pm. It’s free. Part of this year’s Norwich Jazz Festival. Info: norwichartscentre.co.uk/event/norwic.... @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social @norwichartscentre.bsky.social
One of @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social ’s brilliant Film Studies scholars Dr Karina Aveyard opening this year’s Green Film Festival at Cinema City last week
Today I could be having tutorials with my undergraduate Media students and MA Film students. Instead I am on the picket line … again …
On the picket line …AGAIN, defending colleagues’ jobs from compulsory redundancy @uea-ucu.bsky.social
Swifts! First ones we’ve seen this year, from our Norwich garden while having breakfast this morning. Heart-lifting. A few days earlier than last year #norwichswifts