Restless is an arts activism project about community, visibility and voice for survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) that uses punky, anarchic art to shout it from the clifftops, that thing that most people can't talk about.
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The project's flagship element is a four-part punk band, fronted by Viv Gordon Company's Artistic Director, Viv Gordon, performing songs that were inspired by coastal walks in Devon.
The project is named for her - the restless sea - she just keeps going no matter what [...] She is my role model and an object lesson in activism. Every single drop is significant, the sea is made up of millions and squillions of them and collectively they are powerful beyond measure. (Viv Gordon) |
Viv Gordon performing at a Restless punk gig at Lost Horizon in Bristol. Photo (c) Paul Blakemore
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The Restless project
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Restless combines walking with creative research, spoken word, punk music, combined arts and participatory actions for survivors and allies online and in the landscape, such as a Restless Community Day that was held in September 2023 simultaneously near a beach in Devon and remotely.
The aim was to acknowledge and express solidarity with the international survivor community through creative writing and other creative activities, and to bear witness to and remember those who are no longer with us. Find out about the history of the project and previous highlights here. |
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The Restless punk band
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On a writing retreat in 2021 along the South Devon Coast Path Viv wrote poems and songs that became the inspiration for the Restless punk song cycle.
In collaboration with two fantastic co-composers, Quinta and Thomas Johnson, and later with drummer Sean Randle and bassist Andy Hamill, we developed the project and performed the resulting songs for the first time at a work-in-progress sharing in 2023 at Lost Horizon in Bristol, which turned out to be an epic, triumphant, amazing night with fantastic spoken word support from Clare Shaw and Anita Karla Kelly. And in July 2024 we shared more work-in-progress punk songs in at Morley College in London! |
Restless punk gig at Lost Horizon in Bristol. Photo (c) Paul Blakemore
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The [first] gig was a proper life high – so, so much fun - the sheer victory and reclamation of it. Shouting out the stuff that has been silenced and suppressed.
I was so, so frightened. All the desperation, grief, madness and rage of a life shaped by child sexual abuse condensed into these songs. All the hope, reaching and steeliness of a life shaped by activism - that has watched others put their hearts, minds and bodies into the fray because they KNOW things can't stay the same - sometimes there is no choice but to act - I honestly don't know what else to do ...
In the days after the gig I wept for the very sad, very scared, very desperate, very lonely little me self - I wish she knew how this turns out .... I'm so grateful to be here and to be supported by an incredible team of artists and collaborators who have stood beside me to birth this project. None of it would be possible without each kind, patient, brilliant, curious soul trying to work out how to tell these stories, how to make these sounds, how to hold these spaces, how to make this accessible, how to try and fail and be confused and keep trying, how to find the money and look after everybody who is courageous enough to want to be part of it, to keep coming back and keep engaging.
We are building an army - together we are a tide of unstoppable change. (Viv Gordon)
The Restless process has been so enjoyable. This current phase began with Viv creating tunes and lyrics and singing them into her phone; Quinta and I then together worked them up into fully realised songs, along the way exploring various musical influences and styles, within the overarching brief that it had to be punky. Quinta and I have distinctly different compositional styles but it’s been joyful to find how easily we’ve worked together. The key has been that we’ve both always immediately said yes to each other’s input, and built from ‘yes and’ rather than ’no but’. Collaboration between composers isn’t always easy but this has been a total pleasure. The most recent phase in the process saw the arrival of drummer Sean and bassist Andy, who brought their own huge experience into the room and gave the songs new nuance and energy. (Thomas Johnson, co-composer)
The Restless punk team
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Viv Gordon - Lead Artist / Singer
Tom Johnson - Composer Quinta - Composer Sean Randle - Drums Maddy Kiley - Bass |
Kate McStraw - Producer
Lise Huber - Voice Coach Lisa Hall - PA to Viv Gordon Helga Brandt - Marketing & Communications |
Camilo Salazar - Recording Sound Engineer
Paul Blakemore – Photographer Andy Hamill - Bass at 2023 gig |
Photos (c) Paul Blakemore
Restless is supported by public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England
with additional support from 101 Outdoor Arts, British Council Unlimited Micro Award, Exeter Northcott Theatre, Strike a Light, Devon Community Foundation and Morley Radio (Morley College London).
with additional support from 101 Outdoor Arts, British Council Unlimited Micro Award, Exeter Northcott Theatre, Strike a Light, Devon Community Foundation and Morley Radio (Morley College London).
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