New Year 2025// Thank you for your support// 110 (Song for Minab School in IRAN) + BDS stickers available// James Sanger EP // BBC introducing // 3 last episodes of podcast // Song Fest // Asylum Garden project funding // Peace Pilgrimage Podcast and Spring Relaxation
WE ARE THE ANSWER. I’m writing this sitting at my table with a copy of DOPE Magazine a friend sent me – (think a more lefty-radical Big Issue acting with 100% solidarity to vendors giving them all proceeds they make) I’m looking out as spring begins to arrive. It feels like a good moment to pause and reflect on the first part of the year and on the strange mixture of darkness and light that seems to define the times we’re living in.
I often find myself wondering what a songwriter can really do in the face of everything we see in the news? War and bombing, grieving parents, oppression, abuse, and the many ways human beings harm each other. It can feel overwhelming. And yet songwriting remains, for me, a way of processing it all. A way of imagining something different.
Writing songs helps me make sense of things and, hopefully, bring something meaningful into the world. Music has kept me going many times in my life, and perhaps you’ve felt the same?
I’d love to know which ones have helped you. For me just recently Bon Iver’s new album from last year ‘Sable, Fable’ feels healing, quietly (and more dynamically; it’s a varied record) touching pains and joys. More explicitly political commentary also has had its place recently, Tracy Chapman and Joy Olodokun and Jesse Welles close by too.
This entry covers happenings with my songwriting and formative life experiences these last few months: New year gathering, radio play, new producer news, brand new beds at our funded refugee garden project, Boycott stickers on produce of oppressors, a community festival and more…here we go 🙂
A New Year Beginning//
The year began with a New Year retreat in the Plum Village tradition, spending a couple of peaceful days in the New Forest with friends and the mindfulness community inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh.
For those who don’t know it, Plum Village is a global network of monasteries and practice centres (founded by Monastic /Peace Activist, Thich Nhat Hanh) where people come together to practise mindfulness, meditation, and to build a culture of peace through art, music and spiritual practice. The retreat included walks, silence, sunshine and singing together, including one of my new songs ‘Hold On To’, which we shared.
If you’re curious about the community in the UK, it’s worth exploring the work of The Being Peace Centre. The new home for Plum Village in the UK.
With what I would call imperialist violence occurring daily, I wrote and recorded this song. 110 was the initial number of children who were killed in the bombing of Minab School in Southern Iran. It asks ‘what has happened to us?’.
One campaign, amongst many, that are trying to meet this moment is the BDS movement. Boycott Divestment and Sanctions aims to encourage the worlds consumers to withdraw financial support to Israel as a message of solidarity with it’s victims. I told a Jewish friend recently, I’m not anti-Israel, I’m anti impunity. The current Knesset in Israel is, I think, out of control and this is something that we can do to show our support from here.
I’ve made a info sheet including a prayer/meditation/contemplation for the action and will send you stickers
New Musical Chapter//
One of the unexpected developments this year has been beginning a mentorship with producer James Sanger. James previously worked with Brian Eno and has worked for artists including U2, Sinead OConnor, Keane, English Teacher and many others.
He now runs a studio in Normandy, in a converted monastery, where he mentors and develops artists.
After hearing one of my songs on the radio he reached out, and we’ve begun exploring the possibility of making a new EP together.
The songs touch on themes that feel urgent right now; indigenous land return, militarism, patriarchy, and also hope among others. As with my other releases I want to engage listeners in the topics in addition to listening by creating sharing community and moving a royalty share to organisations involved in the topics of the songs.
To help support the recording process (and expenses to take a small group of musicians to the studio later this year), I’ve launched a crowdfunding campaign.
Songs Out in the World//
It’s been good to hear my song Body played on BBC Introducing recently. The song explores our connection to ourselves, to one another, and to the wider web of life.
Meanwhile, the release cycle for my latest album Warmth of the Ages is slowly coming to a close, with a few final podcast episodes still to come.
This month ‘Oh Friends’ a song inspired by my visit to an environmental camp resisting plans to frack in North Yorkshire – a few years ago – the camp caused enough peaceful disruption and gained local support that the site was never established. In the accompanying podcast episode, I speak to Ashley Jones who lived on the camp and was involved in the project. Thanks so much for your time Ashley.
The next and last two episodes are about feminism (Listen to Women), and parenting (Body). If you’d like to hear the series please get in touch.
Music and Community//
At the end of January I had the honour of performing at Songfest in Middlesbrough alongside my friend Christa Awad. We performed a set and led workshops mindfulness and peace song. Much appreciation to Julia Haigh (organiser), Middlesborough Asylum Project singing group, Ed Mitchell, Howay The Lasses, Rosie Metcalfe, who we shared the bill with – all recommended to visit where they live online.
Local festivals like this remind me how powerful small community gatherings can be. At a time when division and fear are growing in many places, spaces where people come together to sing, listen, and share stories feel especially important.
The SDCAS Garden Project//
An update for those who’ve followed the SDCAS (Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers) garden project over the years: the garden recently received some funding from Southwark Council, which we’re very grateful for. It was enough to replace all the beds and build a rain collection roof. So into 2026 it continues to grow and bring people together — and hopefully inspires a few more vegetables to be planted this year.
With anti immigration rhetoric on the rise ahead of the May elections – spaces like this feel so important.
Peace Pilgrimage Podcast//
Finally this nl, I was honoured to have one of my songs, Listen To Women, featured recently on the Peace Pilgrimage podcast, a project that brings people on pilgrimages to sites connected with militarism and arms sales, reflecting together on peace and non-violence. The episode saw Pilgrims witnessing the SDSC Arms fair at Birmingham NEC. I featured alongside my good friend Wondrousound who I thoroughly recommend taking some time to listen to. Their latest release, Bloom, is on bandcamp featuring ‘Anywhere I Am’ that is also in this episode.
And as always leaving you with a relaxation featuring new song Our Children
Thank you for being here and supporting the journey of these songs. It means a great deal to know there are people listening and engaging with the music and the ideas behind them.
If you’d like to share your thoughts, I’d genuinely love to hear from you.
Take care,
Joe
Joe Holtaway 