SPLATTER NIGHT! (23 JAN 2017)

HELLO FRIENDS!

THIS IS IT, THE LAST NIGHT OF MADNESS BEFORE WE GO FOR A HIATUS.

HOW UNCANNY AND CRUCIAL A TIMING OF THIS TO HAPPEN.

The Jan is near...!

FOR ALL LONG AND ARDUOUS JOURNEYS WILL NEVER BE COMPLETE WITHOUT REST…

Yes it is true.

We will be taking a break after SPLATTER NIGHT.

But let’s get to the point.

We are NOT giving up the fight and we are NOT stopping putting on shows. We are human and tired. All long journeys require rest at some points; so that we have strength to continue.

Punkrock is one such journey and the generational continuity of the alternative in Singapore must continue, will continue and shall continue.

The body and mind is tired, too much money has been lost and energies spent. People and mindsets around us are aging. We started pretty much unofficially in 2004 and without much thought or planning, or even archiving for that matter. No big bang, no introductory concert, no stupid 10 year anniversary gig, no gimmicks, nothing.

A waste in a way because there is little to show off what we’ve done; but maybe not keeping records of what we’ve done removes an unnecessary nostalgia.

But we are proud of saying we tried, and most times broke, most times still fucking up. We are not ashamed of our honesty.

We never gave a shit about reputation or namesake, and we probably never ever will.

Fuck your masturbatory, self important, “hey look at me and all the cool shit im doing” idea of the underground.

Nostagia.

It can be a good driving force and inspirational, and can also hinder progress.

Having said that we are critical of “progress”; because everything that moves forward doesn’t seem to know when to stop.

Can we just fucking stop moving forward with no end in sight, and just be mindful of why we’re “in it” in the first place?

We have done more than 120 shows; possibly surpassing the 150 show mark, and have done them through different time zones in the scene from different circumstances.

Yet 150 shows is wayyy too many for anyone in Singapore to have done but we regret none. From the best shows to the worst ones, some things were lost and some things were gained.

We’ve seen great bands, and have made great friends and have made the best use of some venues.

We’ve also had plenty of fuck ups, losses and disputes.

But we are very proud and very thankful to say that we have been part of the plan of keeping the underground alive. It is crucial that we recognize that this very idea of being underground in a police state and capitalist society is an achievable feat.

And there is no “I”. It was all about “us”.

And we thank everyone for being part of this. It is incredible, and will continue being so.

Energies will now be spent on repairing and reviving personal relationships, financial issues and time with loved ones. We are rather intrigued by the critical consciousness within punkrock, a scene that has more “street” roots than academic subversion…at least over here.

We will stop doing punk concerts under the Prohibited Projects banner for a while.

The scene will be fine.

There are a throng of people capable of doing shows.

In a cryptic way we want them to be supported. 

On the flipside, those who keep doing shows and seemingly take advantage of others around them should go through the hassles of doing shows, and the insane mind & soul tests that come with the disappointment of losing money, legal enforcement and frayed friendships. 

You will suffer; but that will be your best teacher.

In this hiatus, expect us to still be around but doing a few things that are more grounded.

Expect zine workshops to distro bazaars.

Expect more punk theater and expect very different approaches to punkrock.

Expect dance and body movement and the idea of mocking the establishment to be the new mediums of expression in our struggle to survive.

Expect projects that will divide opinion.

Punkrock shouldn’t necessarily evolve; because that is a cliché thing to say.

However we believe punkrock should always be examined and reflect the larger society that it sits in; in this case the 3^rd-world-to-1^st world reality of the Lion City.

We have more in common with our regional neighbours than the Western influences we emulate.

How do we negotiate this?

How do we tackle this?

Anarchy, veganism, straightedge are great ideologies, but how much of international punkrock beliefs can we call our own?

Where would localized identity come in?

Why is it so important for this to be part of us?

Because our punkrock generation(s) and the ones after us need to stay relevant.

These are tough times, an era of war the world over.

Never be afraid to be original.

Never be afraid of being authentic.

When the world turns to shit, there’s always the circle pit.

Punk as fuck, fucked as you.

Prohibited Projects
2017