All In - Episode 2

Zoe Simmons (00:06):

Welcome to all in the show that celebrates the incredible world of disability, arts and culture where creativity knows no bounds and voices are amplified. My name is Zoe Simmons, and I'll be one of your co-hosts.

John (00:17):

Hi, my name is John. I'll be one your co-hosts.

Lachlan Girdle Stone (00:21):

Hello, my name is Lachlan Girdle Stone. I too will be one of your co-hosts.

Zoe Simmons (00:25):

Each week we'll dive into all things disability, arts, advocacy, and culture.

Lachlan Girdle Stone (00:30):

From spotlighting underrepresented voices to discussing issues that matter to people with disability like us, we are here to shake things up.

John (00:39):

This week we've got Charlie Lang joining us

Zoe Simmons (00:42):

And we'll discuss the lasting impacts of the Disability Royal Commission on the disability community. Get ready for a ride through creativity, community, and change because in the world of all everyone's invited,

Lachlan Girdle Stone (00:55):

Firstly, welcome to Access All where we celebrate the vibrant world of disability and creativity. From visual arts to groundbreaking performances. Each week we will be spotlighting talented artists who are breaking barriers, redefining what it means to be creative. Today

Zoe Simmons (01:12):

We are joined by musical artists. Charlie Lane Lane's voice has been compared to the UK's Kate Nash and Sharon Van Tonne with musical influencers drawing from the national Amy Winehouse and Joy Division.

John (01:24):

When did you start to sing Charlie?

Charlie Lane (01:26):

So I started to sing at about 16 years old. I pretty much, yeah, that's when it all began for me. I went from there. I put a few singles out, a few eps. Yeah, Jono, that's where it all began for me. I don't really, it was such a long time ago now I don't really remember. I'm reminiscing. Yeah, it was a long time ago, but it all began from there. And then I guess now's the album. Yeah.

Lachlan Girdle Stone (01:59):

So could you tell us more about the process of the new record?

Charlie Lane (02:05):

Yeah, so it was a bit of a process. I started during Covid Lockdowns and oh gosh, it was a bit hard. It was a bit tricky really. I co-wrote it with my guitarist and we had to go lockdown, and then it was out of lockdown and from there on it was mixing, mastering, and then it was years of work and then the creative process of that finished and then we put out single by single and now I guess the album's out. So it was a bit of a lengthy one. Yeah, bit

Lachlan Girdle Stone (02:45):

Of a struggle.

Charlie Lane (02:46):

A bit of a struggle, yes.

Lachlan Girdle Stone (02:47):

Four years of work, but you finally made it. It's very oppressive.

Charlie Lane (02:51):

Thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah, it is. I think it's like that for all creatives. It's a very long process, long creative process. But I guess also being disabled, it's a longer process for some. Yeah, definitely.

Zoe Simmons (03:08):

I'd love to ask you, how does disability influence your music?

Charlie Lane (03:14):

Well, I think you guys have heard the album, haven't you? So I guess, well, my disability is cerebral palsy and I've also had mental health struggles as well. And with this particular album when I was recording and the recording process, I was going through depression and anxiety, and I also suffer from PTSD, so oh gosh, I was in a really bad place. And so if you listen to the album, there's a lot of tracks that go through those dark, dark places. So that all kind of influenced the album. I couldn't really help it. It was kind of when I was writing, it kind of took over. It was like, well, this is songs about anxiety and this song's about this and this. I mean, they were about other things too, but they definitely influenced those songs. So that's how they kind of do.

Zoe Simmons (04:06):

Great. So good to transmute the darkness and make it into something that sounds great. Well, yeah, it's very

Charlie Lane (04:12):

Therapeutic.

Zoe Simmons (04:12):

Yeah,

John (04:13):

I've got CP as well, so I share that experience with you and I know what it's like. You can have days where it's days where you're not feeling that great or days that you're feeling okay, but yeah, definitely

Lachlan Girdle Stone (04:28):

I can relate to struggle in a way in some parts of life and so long, so forth.

Charlie Lane (04:34):

Yeah. Well, I'm glad you guys relate to the album. That's fantastic for me, but also for you guys, I'm really glad and that's why I wanted to write the album also, I wanted you guys to relate to it, so I'm glad. And also with the cp, I completely agree you have bad days and you have a good day, but with any disability you completely do. So yeah.

Lachlan Girdle Stone (04:54):

So what are the ways you hope to impact people with or without disabilities

Charlie Lane (05:01):

Impact with music? I hope to, I think mostly hope to bring out more representation in music and hope that the younger people and older people that they can be more seen in the music industry. And it's really important.

Lachlan Girdle Stone (05:19):

It's all about respect,

Charlie Lane (05:21):

Respect, and also just opening up more opportunities for artists with disability that don't know that there are the opportunities out there, which is really important. And now we're going to watch one of Charlie's new

Zoe Simmons (05:32):

Clips, gold drips.

Speaker 5 (05:34):

When I do something, I don't do it half fast. When Winter Smash, it's me cutting the gloves. I don't bungee jump. I fly bridges when I bleed is me sizing the stitches. I am strong, but my lips are we gold can pull out. If I dare to speak, loyalty year rolls me, but what's right will change me. Crush me, right?

Speaker 6 (06:15):

Make me take me, phone me and Stitch mys and teach me

Speaker 5 (06:24):

The Ss. S Spark my name. I sat there in silence, couldn't get away. No, I didn't have a licence. Loyalty year, old me where I un stitched my lips now watch me as my mouths,

Speaker 6 (06:51):

Make me take me and stitch and teach me and

Speaker 7 (07:33):

Revenge

Speaker 6 (07:58):

Me, take make me, take me, me and teach.

Zoe Simmons (08:33):

So what do you think are the biggest barriers facing disabled people in the music industry

Charlie Lane (08:38):

Right now? I think there's a few, but I think accessibility. Obviously in venues there's lots of barriers, people getting in for one, which obviously needs to change. It is getting there, but we've got a few hurdles. It's underrepresentation. Obviously there's a lot of people coming out about their disabilities, which is fantastic, including myself. But we definitely need to change that. And the more people we see, the more people think, oh, okay, well I can come out about mine too, which was me at the start of this year. I was like, oh, I don't want to come out. It was very anxiety inducing, but when you actually do it, it's like, oh, freedom,

Zoe Simmons (09:19):

A lot of impulsive syndrome. But once you do it, you can actually start having disability pride and asking for your access needs to be met. Absolutely. Yeah, that's absolutely right.

John (09:27):

Where can I find the music information?

Charlie Lane (09:32):

So you can find it at my website, which is ww dot charlie lane.com au or my Instagram, which is Charlie Lane Music and the rest of them are pretty much Charlie Lane Music as well. So yeah, go there. Thanks so much for coming, Charlie, it's been great to have you today. Thank you guys so much for having me. It's been pleasure.

Zoe Simmons (09:57):

We're now joined by regular guests, James Harkness. James is a film buff and reviewer, and this week is reviewing the king of Comedy. James, why the King of Comedy?

James Harkness (10:06):

Look, I love this film. I talked last week about another film which is relevant to people with psychosis. This film King of Comedy involves someone who's an aspiring comedian, who's essentially, who's an unkind term, but someone who's obscure or who's not famous, who wants to be a famous comedian and they're suffering from delusions of grandeur. The film shows them going into fantasies about sort of schmoozing and relating to an older, very famous comedian in the film. And look, when I've been unwell, I can sort of relate to that. Wanted to, I'm too serious to bear a comedian, but wanted to be a famous comedian or a famous actor. And I've had sort of an obsession with an oldham famous male comedian here in Australia and that sort of thing in the film, it's taken to the nth, the grey and the nobody person that De Niro is playing actually kidnaps the famous comedian. Now of course I've never done anything like that, but it's another word for it is a parasocial relationship. That's another term, which is basically just a fancy term for where somebody who's not famous, it's a one-sided relationship where somebody who's not famous has a hangup with and expends a lot of energy, being obsessed with someone who is famous. And when I've been unwell I can relate to those experiences.

(12:09):

So that's why I chose this film.

Zoe Simmons (12:14):

What do you think about the representation of disability and psychosis in the film?

James Harkness (12:20):

Look, I think it's good. I think it gets a really difficult, potentially embarrassing topic and it shines a light on that. A much more recent film is the Joker film, the 2019 Joker film with Jokers

Lachlan Girdle Stone (12:41):

Joker, not that recent one, the new one, the other one that came out in 2019.

James Harkness (12:46):

That's right, the 2019 Joker film. And that very much is a hommer or borrows from the king of comedy.

Speaker 9 (12:55):

And

James Harkness (12:55):

I would say that it feels a lot more gritty and a lot more dangerous if you like. And I think it's an even better representation, the way it portrays the Joker character as being, for instance, struggling financially and that sort of thing and being of a low socioeconomic background, it's much more gritty and a lot more realistic. But back to the king of comedy, I think it's really good in terms of shining a light on an obscure mental condition, which I can relate to.

Zoe Simmons (13:40):

So is psychosis something that you personally experience?

James Harkness (13:44):

I have, yeah, it's managed with medication. I take medication to manage it, but when I'm not on my meds, I become quite elevated and diluted and it's, while it feels good, it's not a healthy state to be in and it takes months once the meds kick in and I come down from it, it usually takes me months to get to a position where I could be on channel 31 for instance. So yeah, it's not a desirable thing. Yeah,

Zoe Simmons (14:24):

Mental health can be hard, but it's great that there are some representations that can make us feel seen and I guess de-stigmatize it a little bit.

James Harkness (14:30):

That's right, exactly.

Zoe Simmons (14:32):

Thanks so much for coming today. It was great having you. Thanks

James Harkness (14:34):

For having me. Yeah,

Lachlan Girdle Stone (14:37):

So for those who have just joined us, you are watching All In where we focus on disability, arts, culture and issues that matter to us. This week we are discussing authentic, positive representations in the media.

John (14:51):

Have you seen the video? It has gone viral.

Zoe Simmons (14:55):

We're talking about the Assume I can, so maybe I will campaign. The clip was made to celebrate well Down Syndrome day and features actor and model Madison Tevlin. It's a call for everyone to put an end to prejudice and support the potential of each person with disability without stigma. Let's have a watch.

Zoe Simmons0 (15:12):

Hey bartender, you assume that I cannot drink a margarita so you don't serve me a margarita, so I don't drink a margarita. Your assumption becomes reality. And parents, you assume that I cannot live on my own. So you don't encourage me to live on my own so I don't live on my own coach. You assume that I cannot hit harder. So you don't train me to hit Harder's. I don't hit harder. And teacher, you assume that I cannot learn Shakespeare. So you don't teach me Shakespeare.

John (15:42):

Old McDonald hat a farm.

Zoe Simmons0 (15:44):

So I don't wear Shakespeare, J beer, A ai, yo. But hey, if all your assumptions become reality, then A so that I can drink a margarita, will you serve me a margarita? So I drink a margarita a so that I can live on my own. So I live on my own, assume that I can hit harder so I hit harder. Assume that I can learn Shakespeare. So what? Who would these mortals be? I learned fucking Shakespeare. You assume I can swear, right? Assume that I can do that job, then I can go to parties and I can have sex, but I could be on stage. I assume that I can, so maybe I will.

Zoe Simmons (16:34):

What a clip. What did you both think about it?

Lachlan Girdle Stone (16:37):

It is, it's very intense. It's very serious. At the same time, we deserve better and respect. Even if we do or don't have a disability, we always see things differently that no one can always agree with, but I feel like they really should that like, oh, hey, it, it's hard. I feel sorry for her, but at the same time, I really support her. My cousin has downs syndrome as well, and I support him very much so.

Zoe Simmons (17:11):

There's so much stigma. It's good to see us smashing that stigma and like, Hey, you can be a person. Like, gosh, it's so ridiculous.

John (17:19):

Especially where I feel this ad is such an awesome ad, especially is a great ad because it actually challenges people that suppose I can do things I can do, I can do things, whatever I want to do. Suppose I can have a drink. You told me that I can't have a drink. Well, I can show you, I can do things, I can live independently. I can do what I want. I can live to the full, the maximum

Lachlan Girdle Stone (17:55):

I can do this kind of job even if I don't have the right skills and resume for it and all the cost stuff. Because something that I know I'm struggling with, I'm trying to find, find a actual job, and I'm trying to show that I've got the skills, even though I don't really have a proper resume for it.

John (18:13):

Like film, if you are out there, if you are in media, we can have a right to the pay job. Those that we don't have a right resume for the film. So what it shows that pushes that barriers of film which pushes that. Barriers of mainstream media

Zoe Simmons (18:32):

And disability representation in society.

John (18:34):

Exactly.

Zoe Simmons (18:35):

Yeah. We can be disabled

John (18:37):

And we can have a job.

Zoe Simmons (18:38):

We can own our own homes.

Lachlan Girdle Stone (18:40):

Maybe not this economy. We can become an actor, we can become a singer, we can become a dj. You can become a writer literally,

Zoe Simmons (18:47):

If we have that accessibility pro and that smashing that stigma, smashing that ableism, I love this and I love the part where she says, I can swear like, yes, yes, queen,

John (18:59):

I can be whatever I want to be.

Zoe Simmons (19:03):

People think really poorly about disability, disability and it shows in all the ways we're prevented from being in society. So I love this. I would love to see so much more of it, especially with more diversity. So we can see people of colour, we can see trans people, non-binary people, a whole bunch of diversity that we do need. People

Lachlan Girdle Stone (19:20):

They don get to make their own choices. Yeah,

Zoe Simmons (19:23):

Everyone should have the opportunity to be represented. So I really hope we have more of this.

John (19:28):

Yeah, it's just a start.

Zoe Simmons (19:30):

People at home, what did you think? Do you think we need more disability representation because here at all in We definitely do.

John (19:44):

You are watching all in

Zoe Simmons (19:45):

The Disability. Royal Commission was a monumental moment of change for disabled people in Australia. It investigated experiences of people with disability all across Australia. And as a resulted in some pretty horrific findings

Lachlan Girdle Stone (19:57):

For many recounting traumatic experiences before and after the commission has been emotionally taxing as reliving abuse, neglect, and discrimination can cause even more psychological distress.

Zoe Simmons (20:12):

Jano, you gave evidence and disability commission. How has it impacted you?

John (20:17):

It hadn't impacted me so much. I was a part of it. I went to Homebush and I was part of the Homebush Royal Commission and it did take emotional toll for me, the government and so much victims of being witnesses, of being a part of it, to see the government ignored. And we've been so much ignored by this. This is such really bad that we've, we've been ignored about this. The government has almost ignored the world commissioned findings of especially the commissioners have four years of their lives, four years of the lives of the commissioners, and they've been completely ignored. And for the witnesses to being ignored as well, it's just really, really, really bad that we've been ignored and it's been the biggest ever world Commission in the history of the World Commission. And it's so bad that we've been ignored. So government needs to put up their socks, put up their socks, and start taking notice government because obviously the disability committee will hold you guys to ransom. So look at government,

Zoe Simmons (21:37):

I absolutely agree. It's so disappointing to see the lack of response from the government. This was four and a half years, from hundreds if not thousands of people in the disability community and our allies and would not only have 13 out of 222 recommendations. That's just ridiculous, especially when you compare it to the mental health Royal Commission where everything was accepted. So dear government, why do you care less about disabled people?

John (22:06):

And I feel that this is definitely like we owe it to the commissioners, we owe it to them. We owe it to them for this to be adopted to the government. We definitely do.

Zoe Simmons (22:24):

The statistics are absolutely harrowing.

John (22:27):

Where people have died, where people, disability people have died, torture. There's so many people, tortured, tortured, not

Zoe Simmons (22:35):

Having the human rights.

John (22:36):

Not having human rights. I've had one of my friends have died just recently because the government's not done nothing about it.

Lachlan Girdle Stone (22:48):

So sorry to

John (22:48):

Hear that. And it's still happening today. So we really, government you need to do something about it. Please, please do something about it.

Zoe Simmons (22:56):

Lives are on the line,

John (22:58):

Life's on the line, and we've got to do something about it.

Zoe Simmons (23:00):

I actually spoke in the Disability Royal Commission as well. I shared my stories of being a wheelchair user, travelling by airlines. I am a pretty recent wheelchair user at the time. I was using a manual wheelchair for the first time, catching a plane. And Quantas of course broke my wheelchair and then they weren't going to fix it. I asked twice for them to fix it. And they said no, because a broken brake isn't considered important enough to fix. I really hope Quantas thinks that their brakes are more important than mine. But I posted about online and it went viral. And that's when they changed it. And at that point, so many people came out to me sharing their own stories, and I decided to become a part of the commission. And I heard so many awful things that happen to disabled people travelling on airlines.

(23:49):

And that's just one part. That's just one part. I also shared a little bit about disability employment services because they also treat disabled people really poorly most of the time. And it can be quite traumatic. It's not helpful. And it is definitely frustrating when these places get so much funding but don't actually help disabled people or don't include us enough. So it was so frustrating for us to all pour our hearts and souls into the Royal Commission and then have it go nowhere and they were late to responding to it. And so many things. It's just disappointing. It's not good enough.

John (24:27):

So pm I know you're watching. You better be watching this. So adopt the findings of the World Commission

Zoe Simmons (24:35):

Even basically

John (24:36):

Bill shorten. Bill Shorten before you go adopt it.

Zoe Simmons (24:41):

The fact that we can't even ban sterilising disabled people without their consent, that we can't even ban that. Really very frustrating.

John (24:51):

Before you go, bill Sean, adopt it please.

Zoe Simmons (24:54):

Thanks Jennifer for sharing your Disability Royal Commission experiences and for anyone at home, I'm so sorry if you've been in the commission and to also feel like you haven't been heard. If you do want to learn more information about how disappointing the response has been, you can go to www.disabilityroyalcommission.gov au. You've been watching all in. Thank you so much for watching our second episode, disability Representation is so important. Nothing

John (25:22):

About us, without

Zoe Simmons (25:23):

Us.

John (25:23):

We

Lachlan Girdle Stone (25:23):

All thank our special guests, Charlie Lane and James Harkness for joining us. I'm Jon a. I'm Lachlan.

Zoe Simmons (25:30):

And I'm Zoe. And you've been watching

Lachlan Girdle Stone (25:32):

All In

Zoe Simmons (25:33):

Where Everyone's invited. See you next week.