Brenton Harris
For longer than I can recall music has been a fundamental part of my existence on this earth. It is and has been my voice in the times I cannot speak, my strength in the times in which I cannot conjure my own, my outlet for venting emotion, my closest friend and perhaps most importantly the soundtrack to the most important moments of my life. Most of that music, even the most obscure records or the compositions I write for myself fall within the multitude of genres that make up that broad category of alternative.

It’s a love affair that first materialised when I was four years old running around the house screaming at the top of my lungs that ‘justice is raped and justice is done‘ and one that has evolved with every day I’ve spent on earth since. One of the most integral parts of that evolution has been made possible by my attendance of live shows. From my first tentative steps into the mosh at Prahran Town Hall as ten- year-old Day of Contempt fan through to my current status as near permanent resident of Melbourne’s live music venues the attendance of live rock shows has been an endless source of happiness in my life that I would not wish to trade for the world.

Of recent times however it has come to my attention that many of today’s younger fans are often prone to the judgement and dismissal by their older brethren. From disapproving looks to vocalised statements of disgust right through to random violent attacks I have witnessed the hating of newcomers to the alternative music scenes of this nation with concern. After all we were all those kids once. Maybe we didn’t have the haircuts or fashion sense that many of us find so offensive now. Maybe fewer of us were females possessive of screams that could break even the finest reinforced glass. Maybe we were all as educated in the ways of the alternative music scene then as we are now.
Or perhaps maybe a little more realistically we to varying degrees were just like ‘them’, wide-eyed, trusting and in search of guidance. And how did the elders of the scene respond to us? They welcomed us all with open arms, took us under their wings and allowed us to fall in love with a music scene that grew to become of the worlds strongest and most vibrant.

So is it not up to us all to provide the same opportunity to our younger brethren? Is it not something to celebrate that these kids want to be involved with the community rather than wither their lives away online? We as music tragics have the power to accommodate those wishes in a way that many other collectives don’t have the capacity to – it’s about time we all did it.

Not only will we be introducing these kids into a community but it will be into one where their individual personalities will be allowed to develop rather than being stifled by the quest for a supposed normality. So that is our mission, now choose to accept it!