Thanx
Dear Muther,
I bought MG4 at the Grateful Dead concert in N/cle and was very impressed by the content of the paper. Also, really enjoyed the Dead and will be down at Bickershaw, as I am sure will many from the north-east. What I like about your paper is its unpretentious(!) nature and the width of its opinions. In Edinburgh there is nothing like Muther Grumble except an entertainments guide put out by a bloke who has the monopoly on supplying all the underground papers from off the train at Waverley Station, Edinburgh, to all the places that sell these papers.

I don't think I mind that so much as the utter crap that he writes in this magazine (which is incidentally called Cracker).

Can you do anything about the stewards at N/cle City Hall? Some of my friends couldn't go to the bog without being questioned for ticket, rank, seat, whereabouts etc.

Anyway, here is some money to pay off your debt plus a quid for a year's subscription, to keep going this excellent paper. None of the London papers I have read can compare with it, except perhaps some early issues of Oz and Ink.

James Sommerville

Feedback
Dear Muther Grumble,
We're writing to you over the editorial in MG4, where you asked for information of anyone having typing and duplicating facilities to let you know.

Well, we've got a Roneo duplicator, a small portable typewriter and an old office typewriter, all at the address below. Charges for anyone wanting to use these are expenses and 10% to cover repairs, which have cost a fair bit lately. We would prefer that users supply their own paper as we haven't much of our own. We get stencils cheap 'cos we buy them in bulk; also if anyone brings Roneo ink as this machine goes funny with any other brand. In cases of poverty we'll waive the requirements if and when we can afford it.

Very sorry but we haven't got a phone, so if possible drop us a line before you come, but in the mornings you'll usually find someone in.

We will work with and for any autonomous group - Gay Lib, Women's Lib, CU, trade unionists etc, or any individuals. But we are anarchists and will not do work for political parties or anyone pushing an authoritarian line.

Finally, we reserve the right to refuse the facilities for anything that we strongly disagree with.

Maurice and Alison
107 St Pauls Road, Jarrow, Co Durham

Art and ...
Dear Ma,
I must admit that Muther Grumble has opened my eyes to a lot that is happening in the NE especially on the arts side of things.

I've only recently become aware of the two most successful Arts Workshops but they have highlighted for me the most appalling lack of consideration for the very people they say they wish to reach. I apologise if I treat them too harshly but I get the distinct feeling that if you're not a budding artist then you're excluded from the clique or accepted only as a spectator. They stand in great danger of becoming a mutual aid society for friends only. I would support wholeheartedly their efforts to provide facilities for these artists, but my plea is for the rest of the population.

I personally am interested in setting up a group which could help cater for a hell of a lot more of the silent majority. After all, it isn't really necessary to be loaded with talent before you can join in a group to do something constructive. The kind of thing I imagine is a group which included music, dance, poetry and art itself, these being the more conventional art group activities, but with the emphasis moving to add things like rock climbing, political activities, embroidery or anything anyone wanted to do which comes under the heading of exchange of ideas!!

Many people have a great variety of interests and it's about time we had the chance to bring them together, apart from the opportunity of airing your views and discussion. We could provide a floor for anyone who wanted to say something or find people of like mind. You never know, it might revive the community spirit in the area! It would be nice to hear of anyone in the vicinity of like mind, and still idealistic enough to give it a try. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm the only head in the country who thinks this way.

Luv, Sue Fenwick
14 Torver Way, Morden Farm, Tynemouth, North Shields

Fair rents
Dear Ian and Mike,
I've just read your article in MG4 about 'Fair Rents'. I agree with most that you say, and this interests me greatly, as I'm getting married in October and have applied for a council flat in Peterlee and Aycliffe, where the rents aren't cheap anyway. I don't particularly want to live in either town as I work in Durham, and the prospect of living in such bleak places isn't exactly appealing. But it's almost impossible to get a flat anywhere else.

The paper really is good; a lot better than the Ladbroke Grove Gazette (IT) and Notting Hill Times (guess) though they're getting better. Everything about the paper is really normal, just like it should be. It's all in plain language and I can actually understand it! without being well up on all the 'official' hip jargon. They get more like the Civil Service every day.

Anyway any info on the Fair Rents scheme would be welcome and if I can help, 'cos it really is down to the Brain Police, cos I don't think my union would help.

Mick

Bummer
Dear Ma,
I'm writing this because I feel someone may benefit from my balls-up. Little is actually known by many of us about the proverbial 'hash trip' bad times etc, but what I went through really scared me.

I'd been smoking on and off pretty regularly for a while around London and down in Kent, and when I returned to good ol' Tyneside I still had a nice piece left. Here's where I started breaking the rules.

I reckon I must have used a lot too much. I was sitting up in bed when suddenly my hands seemed to wither and die, like a flower. When I looked at things it was like I was detached, looking through TV cameras, but I panicked and grew fantastically nervous. I felt my head poundin' and got this tremendous pressure on my head. And then it happened, my whole subconscious seemed to appear before me like a bad dream, all my phobias flowed before my eyes. Stupid reports of the effects of dope screamed out in my mind; I felt every nerve in my brain; the messages electric impulses searin' from side to side. The slightest thing took on a fantastically blown-up importance. I was 17 years old and shit scared.

The thing to do was find people, I rang my friends but some of them couldn't give a damn, others helped me a lot, talking to me and reassuring me. I thought I was going to die. I had visions of my head bursting and my heart explodin'. It was evil.

A month later, after many sleepless nights during which I shivered with fear and paced the room for three hours to keep my mind and body together, I finally went to the doctor. He knew what it was okay and gave me some calm pills. Before doing so he really gave me a grillin'. He knew that if he talked about stuff like brain damage an' stuff that I'd get that pressure in my head, like I was gonna lose reality once an' for all, auto-suggestion it's called.

And so he rapped and the pain went drivin' like somethin' was drawin' me into the void. He gave me some calm pills.

Now I'm not so bad, I've taken up yoga which really proves to you that your mind and body are together, one unit, indivisible. But please any of you who may experience this:
1) Don't panic.
2) Get with good people where the impulses are good.
3) Take up yoga, or something.
4) Don't touch any form of alcohol.

The alcohol thing can really mess you up. I've been off the stuff since 16th February, and only now can I 'progress' to something like lager and lime. Only now is the stuff beginning to leave my nervous system alone, but I reckon I can never smoke again. I'd be too scared, and when you're scared then all kindza things can happen. I hope that none of you have this to go thru, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

B
Stay cool, and if there's too much to bear then contact Release.

What's at steak?
Dear Muther,
When the college honkies ignored demands that the price of the college meals be reduced from the rip off price of 22p, and the quality improved - not a difficult task to the average transport cafe cook - the students decided to boycott meals one day a week. Jeff Ross announced one Thursday that today was the day. The boycott was entirely peaceful and only 15 people had lunches. The next day Jeff was hauled up in front of the chief - the very guy who banned the sale of MG - and bawled out although he did not support the boycott. Also the head of the 'gym' department went round Jeff's lecturers for any shit they knew about Jeff to get him thrown out, 6 weeks before his 'A' levels. This guy is the 'adviser' to the Students' Association!! The lecturers told him where to go so now he is keeping his eyes on Jeff waiting for his oppo.


For obvious reasons I would not like my name connected in any way.

Cats lib
Dear Catstrators,
After pawing over MG No.4 we got to wondering if you lot were feline right in the head. MG, while allegedly supporting the rights of the individual gives publicity to a cat-astrophic plan to whisker away our sexual potential.

What is the purrpose of this - does the legendary sexual prowess of cats damage the human ego? Another point, as it is your species and not ours which has polluted this planet, purrhaps you should deal with your own problems first.

Cats will now fight tooth and claw to prevent furrther violation of our already paw rights.

Yours CLF (N/cle)

CLF News
We are pleased to announce one of our members has recently become a purroud mother of four - RIGHT ON.