Dear Alan (open letter)

Your song is like one of those little triumphs that make the day of Ivan Denisovitch worthwhile.

Its one of the reasons, this music is worth fighting for. Sure there will be footage of men like George Steinmetz, but how will another generation know how we related to them and what we felt. In a way our songs are like Steinmetz's journey - every step of the way is through hostile country.

The media has been hi-jacked capitalist prats playing the same five songs across Europe. The very essence of the artform - writing about ones life is constantly being rubbished by those who are only comfortable in some sort of folk museum.

If our children grow up not knowing that WW2 scarred and hurt nearly everybody of our parents generation. If they end up with just the images of Jack Hawkins and Errol Flynn type heroism and Dad's Army silliness. If they have with no idea of the unquantifiable suffering - well then at least, YOU had a damn good go at getting it right.

best wishes

al