The right to have fun has to be won

October 4, 2000
Issue 

BY DJ MIBRANE Picture

Bluelight.nu (<http://www.bluelight.nu>) is the world's largest discussion board for issues surrounding the use of MDMA (the recreational drug ecstasy), with over 11,000 members, including around 1000 in Australia. In the lead up to the S11 protests in Melbourne, Australia's rave culture chat section debated why some of us were protesting and the political events that have helped to shape the techno community.

The early rave scene in Britain was a part of the traveller/zippie/ squatter movement of the late 1980s. Groups like Mutoid Waste Company would occupy abandoned factories (of which there were zillions in late-Thatcher London), live in them, do them up and hold some kick-ass parties, and move on.

When the Criminal Justice Bill was introduced in 1994, the British scene responded. The CJB threatened not only the right to party, with its now infamous "music characterised by repetitive beats" clauses, but also to significantly restrict the rights of squatters, use of common land and the right of assembly. The united front struggling against the CJB was a diverse group of ravers, unions, squatters and peace groups.

There were some fantastically innovative demonstrations — people moving speakers around in wheelbarrows, setting up, playing, and moving on before the cops could shut them down. This concept was developed further through the Reclaim the Streets rallies which focussed on ending car-dominated culture, promoting the use of bicycles and public transport, and developing a cleaner city with lots of parks. We have had a number of these in Melbourne, and some massive parties attached to the rallies.

In Sydney at the time these parties — and the live outfit that many of the tribers played in, the Non Bossy Posse — were expressly socially aware.

Non Bossy's tape, Saboteurs of the Big Daddy Mind Fuck, is a wonderful selection of mid-1990s Sydney acid. It deals with issues of Aboriginal land rights and police violence. There's some great samples of one of the Posse, Colin, at a rally trying to stop a squat from being shut down. Vibe Tribe parties were non-profit, and some of the best events of my life. They donated to causes and kept enough to do the next event.

1994 and 1995 were tough times for the scene in Sydney. I once went out six weeks in a row, and didn't get to finish a party once. I lost any romanticism I had for an illegal scene as cops swung batons when I was peaking off my brain.

At Easter 1995, then South Sydney mayor Vic Smith ordered a Vibe Tribe event in Sydney Park, St Peters, to be shut down by the police. They used what could only be described as excessive force, breaking a number of bones. More than 1500 people rallied through Newtown the following Friday, and many of the socialist groups who have received such a slamming on Bluelight.nu were very active in defending our right to party.

Melbourne has had some great examples of rave activism. Other than Reclaim the Streets, there has been lots of stuff for Jabiluka. "Tranceplant" has resulted in more than 10,000 trees being planted during techno events in Victoria. Earthdance has held benefits for the people of Tibet. The Earthcore crew also did a party at the Maritime Union of Australia picket line during their struggle in 1998.

Contributions to the dance drug health movement have been made through Ravesafe, which I helped form five years ago. Ravesafe joins groups like Dance Drug Alliance UK, Dancesafe, RISC, and Ravesafe South Africa in campaigning for law reform, and providing health services for party people.

Rights aren't just handed out by governments and big business. All the major rights that we now have were fought for and won by social movements — unions, environmentalists, women and Aboriginal activists. I am very proud to have contributed in a small way.

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