Since 2016, I have been producing ‘Gate Kicks!’ for Resonance FM 104.4, the most important media platform for musicians diagnosed with neurodiversity and learning disabilities in the world, and is the only UK radio show to do so. Its’ presenters – Richie, aka MC Top Richie; Labake Anisere; Duane aka Mr Amazing and guests, discuss current affairs, explore new sounds and art territories, and question every aspect of what is called “normal” in our society from their own point of view.
This programme questions how our society has been built, based on what we call “normality”, a set of social rules and standards about everything that everybody has to meet to be accepted, so objects and people need to adapt to these rules to survive or be rejected. Most of these rules of the game have been created according to production models. The word “normal” has its origins in the English language in the 19th century, when they start using statistical measurements where they distinguished between normal versus abnormal, where normal fits with the patterns and templates for modern information systems to process them, devaluing the abnormal as something which ‘reduces people’s economic and social status and relegates them to the outer edges of the human community’(1). It is okay to apply these concepts to generic things or objects but we should not use them to refer to people, because the complexity of humans makes it impossible to categorise them by just one or even multiple characteristics.
Labake Anisere, singer Gate Kicks! presenter.
‘Gate Kicks!’ is produced at The Gate Art Centre and broadcast every Wednesday at 1.30 PM on Resonance FM 104.4, the first Art Radio in the UK.
I invite everyone who wants to explore music without borders to listen to ‘Gate Kicks!’ and be amazed by these untrained musicians and artists, who are outside of the music industry production patterns.
Duane Warren aka Mr Amazing, rapper.
(1) Ellis, Lesley (2013) Small bodies, large presence: an exploration of people with restricted growth in their interactions with strangers in public spaces, Leeds: University of Leeds. <https://disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk/wpcontent/uploads/sites/40/library/Small%20Bodies%20Large%20Presence%20-%20Research%20Dissertation%20-%20200666444%20-%20Lesley%20Ellis.pdf>[Accessed 5th March 2023].
Top black and white photo: Richie Boayke aka MC Top Richie, singer and Gate Kicks! presenter
Magik Circles 