The Dole: British Alternative Music's Catalyst—And Why It Couldn't Happen Again
This place is coming like a ghost town / No job to be found in this country – "Ghost Town" by The Specials
Being the music nut that I am, I've read a shelf of books about my favorite artists and records, often in search of how a band came up with that sound or what inspired a particular album. Recently, I read Never Understood: The Jesus and Mary Chain by founding members Jim Reid and William Reid, who, throughout the book, make eleven references to the dole. Another book—Barbed Wire Kisses: The Jesus and Mary Chain Story by Zoë Howe—makes seven references to the dole, including expressions like "signing on" and "queuing up." You might be thinking, "Does this have anything to do with bananas?" or "What's the squeeze about this line business?" Don't worry—I've got you covered.
