Lockdown! at the Disco #20: The Back to School Episode

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Alarm clock sound effect

URRGGHH. You know what that sound is? You know what it means? We gotta get out of bed, scrub up, threads on, books in the bag, and haul our butts to school…just gimme five more minutes in bed, will yer? Come on…

TRACK ONE: “Back to School” – Deftones

That was Deftones with “Back to School” and this is Episode #20 of Comics Youth Radio presents Lockdown! at the Disco -  a show which may seemingly never end at this point in government incompetence and mishandled pandemic panic but hey ho, we solider on. We blast some tunes. We keep our heads up. And we look out for one another. 

As me pal Chino Moreno and the Deftones lads laid out to yers there, this is the Back to School special episode where we’re gonna be chatting about all things school and education – the good and the bad – as so many of us have returned to school, college or uni or are starting college or uni this year.

And my god, it’s a weird one this time around, folks! School can be an anxious place to return to or to start at the best of times, but during a pandemic that’s being grossly mishandled by a bunch of clowns from Eton who probably couldn’t safely contain a single drop of water in an airtight jug, nevermind a highly contagious virus, it’s all a lot right now isn’t it?

Before we get into chatting properly about school stuff – I want to offer a huge reminder to please, please, please look after yourselves. Carry on socially distancing, keep wearing your masks, wash your hands regularly and keep that hand sanny on the go – I find that if you apply the hand sanitiser really dramatically as punctuation for a conversation or a moment, then it really helps the day just fly by.

And also remember, we’re always here to chat on the Comics Youth Discord channels if you’re scared or anxious about anything that’s happening right now. None of us are going through this alone, alright? We’ve got each other’s backs on this and we’re gonna get through it as a community. 

This is also my obligatory content warning for the episode that for whatever reason oh so many songs about school contain some kinda bad language. I’ve tried to avoid any especially inflammatory words on today’s show, but a few songs today do feature language that may not be suitable for younger listeners though I’ve tried to ensure that the bad words you may hear aren’t too blatant or naughty. As ever, parental discretion is advised.

But not for these next two wholesome lovelies. School can be scary and stressful sometimes, but learning is also pretty rad and getting to hang out with your pals and do lessons that you love is also pretty boss. This is “ABC” by The Jackson 5 and it was requested by Tom.

TRACK TWO: “ABC” – The Jackson 5
TRACK THREE: “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” – Paul Simon

That was “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” by Paul Simon and it’s probably one of the most upbeat tracks ever written. It really makes me smile to hear it and so I hope it made you smile to.

I’ve never known exactly what the song is about besides it revolving about two lads getting up to no-good together while hanging out by the school yard – and someone’s mum grassing them up to the fuzz – but I’ve always chosen to take the tune as a bit of a stealth ode to just hanging out.

And while school is many-a-thing – and not always all that fun – if for nothing else it can be a great place to hang with people. Sometimes, you get lucky and genuinely love the pals that you get to hang with in school.

Other times, you might not love those school peeps too much – but the art of hanging out doesn’t always rely on great, phenomenal friendships or connections. Sometimes, hanging out with people just means getting through the day with people by your side that don’t do your head in!

And let’s face it and be honest about this – people are kind of the worst. And none of us like being forced into an establishment with them for eight hours a day, five days a week. But there are always good people to be found who restore your faith in humanity – and that’s true in every scenario: be it in school or in work or in society, at large – don’t give up on the nice folk. They exist. And they probably think you’re cool too.

And on that note I wanted to do a shoutout to teachers. It’s a hard job to be a good teacher, and the ones who manage to really inspire and to motivate and make you feel like you can do and achieve whatever you want are the people who honestly and truly change your life.

I have teachers that I still think fondly of for that reason and who I love for pushing me – particularly as a young writer – and for making me feel like nothing was beyond my capabilities.

With that in mind, Rosa wanted to give a shoutout to her photography teacher Dan Crowe, who she says, Quote “Is one of the only educators I’ve met who’s been consistently understanding while still motivating me to do my best and keeping my genuine passion for photography alive because in most classes I lose interest”.

Interestingly enough, when Rosa spoke about this teacher on our Discord channel – many other young people immediately knew who she was talking about and also heaped a ton of praise onto him. So, kudos to you Mr. Crowe – we stan Dan, essentially!

ow, Rosa didn’t have any particular song recommendation for this episode. But I know our girl loves a bit of Nirvana and they just so happen to have what is – in my opinion – one of the best songs about school ever written. Taken from their classic debut album Bleach, this is Nirvana with “School”:

TRACK FOUR: “School” – Nirvana
TRACK FIVE: “Teenagers” – My Chemical Romance

I’m just surprised it’s taken us twenty episode of this show before My Chemical Romance showed up! That was Teenagers by MCR, and it was requested by Lucas M who has just started university in Nottingham. A great city with a boss punk scene – you’re gonna love it, kid! And best of luck to yer for your first year – not that you need it. You’re gonna smash it, la.

It’s been really nice talking to a lot of our young people here at Comics Youth about the return to school and college and university and hearing how positive the majority of yers are about that!

All of us fossils who run Comics Youth love to learn but we also appreciate the fact that everyone learns in different ways and different paces and that sometimes traditional education isn’t always the best path for everyone.

I know that this shiny, con-man business suit of a government despises the arts and wants to get rid of just about every form of creative expression going – but it really heartens me to see how hard all the Comics Youth gang continues to work on their art and their writing. And just how deeply they want to learn – to get better and to improve and to set goals and to reach those goals and to collaborate and all that good stuff that comes with learning.

 So much of how education is structured in this country – and in the world at large, generally – is to reduce learning to a set of examinations and figures which are not representative of a person’s actual capabilities or strengths.

And as you all start this new school year, I want you all to remember that. Work hard on the stuff that you love and try your best at the stuff that you don’t, but never let an exam result determine your worth. Because let me tell you something, a letter on a slip of paper cannot and will not fully define you.

What counts is your talent, your drive, your perspective, and your ability to work hard at something that you genuinely care about. Sure, it’s handy to know the things that academia forces upon you: Get your maths and literacy skills – but sharpen the stuff that makes your heart sing. Really focus on those, and don’t sweat the stuff that comes difficult to you.

We can’t all be good at everything. Alright? Got that? Ok, then. Let’s rage against the system, honey. This is The Donnas:

TRACK SIX: “I Don’t Wanna Go to School” – The Donnas
TRACK SEVEN: “I Hate My School” – Redd Kross

That was the almighty Redd Kross with “I Hate My School” and before that was The Donnas with “I Don’t Wanna Go to School” – because sometimes, folks, school just ain’t the vibe, you know? And that’s ok.

As the mornings and the evenings get darker, it gets especially hard to feel motivated to get out of bed, and go to school, and to get your work done, and then when you get home – and all you wanna do is slob and you deserve to! – you have to do homework instead and it can all be a bit of a drag.

That’s why it’s really important that you find ways to bribe yourself to make your schoolday more bearable and exciting.

First thing?

A boss breakfast. There are honestly some days where the only thing that gets me out of bed is the promise of an outstanding breakfast. Breakfast is the time to treat yourself, folks! If you’re the type person who can pack away a fair meal early on in the day, then get on the bacon or the veggie bacon or some grilled cheese. Make yourself a massive breakfast buttie.

Or, if you’re the type of person who can’t stomach anything too big early on, then at least treat yourself to a good morning smoothie or a massive fruity flapjack that you can always scran on the walk into school.

AND THEN – you’ve gotta have a good lunch, folks. The main and ultimate bribe for getting thorugh any workday or schoolday is the promise of a good lunch! Basically scran is the best bribe and the best vibe and the answer to each and every problem school may present.

So, let’s all give a massive round of applause to the true hero of schooldays: SCRAN N SNACKS.

Also, the official sponsor of Lockdown! at the Disco: SCRAN N SNACKS.

Alright, let’s get STYLIN and looking fresh, or less than fresh, I don’t even know anymore with “School Uniforms” by The Wombats requested by Raf.

TRACK EIGHT: “School Uniforms” – The Wombats
TRACK NINE: Expectations” – Belle & Sebastian

That was “Expectations” by Belle & Sebastian – that’s another Autumn song there that we probably could have blasted last episode, to be honest. I think that was on the soundtrack to Diablo Cody’s Juno as well, which is maybe why every time I hear it I imagine cycling to school while listening to it.

I don’t know why. I never – not even once – rode a bicycle to school. And if I was listening to music on the way to or from school, it was usually something oppressively noisy and angsty, not delicate and thoughtful like Belle & Sebastian are. Nah, you need something you can really stomp your Doc Martens to, you know?

 Or, at least I did – that’s for sure.

Now, before we get stuck into our next coupla songs, just a little heads up here that Comics Youth is kind of an educational place too, you know? We don’t do half terms or summer breaks here tho – and we most definitely don’t do exams.

But we do a lot of skill sharing and mentorship here at Comics Youth. We help to educate on skills to create comics and artwork or to produce writing, blogging, or poetry. We like to provide and teach skills to young people for creation and publishing that empowers youth to be heard on their owns terms and equips them with the skills to take agency over their experiences and skills and ideas to produce and publish their own work.

We’ve had a lot of enquiries recently about ways that people can support us to carry on providing this service and we have very, very, recently set up a Patreon page where you can become a patron by donating a set amount of money to us each month in return for some boss lil’treats.

if you’re interested and would like to know more then you can check that out via Patreon.com/comicsyouth. All of our services are free to every young person who accesses them and any money that you or someone that you know can give to help support our services goes a long way in helping us out with all sorts of behind the scenes costs.

This is “Back in School” by Mother Mother and it was also requested by Raf.

TRACK TEN: “Back in School” – Mother Mother
TRACK ELEVEN: “Thirteen” – Big Star

Aw jeez, that was “Thirteen” by Big Star and it makes me bawl like a baby. It’s such a beautiful and nostalgic song about a school romance and it just absolutely smushes on my heart like a stamped grape on the floor of Tesco,

And that brings us to our final thoughts on school today, and we’re rolling back to nostalgia again. Something that I feel everyone brings up a fair bit in the lives is this fallacy that your schooldays are meant to be the best days of your lives.

I remember being in school and hearing that and feeling dejected because my schooldays were not very fun at all and the idea that they were as good as life got was a crushing blow of an idea.

it’s also not true at all. Life is great at all and every stage – there are ups and downs and challenges and sometimes stuff sucks and sometimes everything is perfect and sometimes things are just fine – but what I will say about your school days is that you will look back on them like no other time.

It’s a weird one. Even if you’re having a difficult time at school at the moment – and I know I struggled a lot while at secondary school for a variety of reasons – you’ll still look back on these days right now with an earnest affection for some part of it.

I get nostalgic for the music I’d listen to then that got me through stuff and the pals – many of whom are still so close to me now – who made every day that little bit better and worthwhile.

And I really think that’s a testament to the fact that – and this is something you learn as you get old like I am – that even when things are tough and it can be hard to see the good amongst it all. There is always good. There is always joy. There is always a nugget of something shiny and wonderful hidden within the darkness.

You might not even be able to really identify it until long after that time, but I guarantee you it’s there. So if you’re struggling a little bit right now, please just hang on in there. There is most definitely a nugget of something shiny and wonderful hidden within the darkness – and there’s a very, very high chance that you might currently be that something for someone else right now.

These next two tracks about school nostalgia, starting with The Runaways with “School Days”

TRACK TWELVE: “School Days” – The Runaways
TRACK THIRTEEN: “’74 – ‘75” The Connells

That was 90’s one-hit-wonders The Connells with “’74-‘75” another song about a school romance , and one that is best remembered than pursued long after school has ended.

And that’s us done for another week my lovelies! For the start of October, our next episode will be the first of five spoopy Halloween editions exploring everything creepy, ghoulish, haunted and horrifying.

We’re gonna be easing our way into our Halloween Spook-tacular shows for October with our next episode which will be The Haunting of Lockdown! at the Disco and for that we are looking to hear about your fave ghost stories and we want your song requests for tunes about g-g-g-ghosts and being haunted by something.

Got something you’d like to share? Let us know! Amy@comicsyouth.co.uk and until then – stay safe, stay sassy and my goodness, stay in school.

This is “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School by The Ramones and this is Amy Roberts signing off…byeeeeeeeee….

TRACK FOURTEEN: “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” – The Ramones