The world is full of crazy shit at present and it’s time to organise. It’s time to form an organisation; deployable at short notice. ‘Hip Without Borders’ will have no membership card and it will not stand under any flag. ‘Hip without Borders’ will not require you to be a passport holder, because the corruption of nationalism could hinder your passage. Members will know each other on sight; no secret handshake necessary. Members will be subversive poets or out-cat musicians. They will know Miles Davis solo from Boplicity or of John Zorns tribute to William S Burroughs. They will not be able to name one contestant on X Factor or care that they found god afterwards. “Hip without Borders’ will be a proscribed organisation because they will infiltrate the security intelligence services. Members will not believe that the security intelligence services are either intelligent or secure. Members will value bitter-sweet dissonance over a pretty melody; knowing that it is a mirror held to the human condition. They will love mankind unconditionally; in spite of mankind’s fucking stupidity. They will confront power with trickster jokes. ‘Hip Without Borders’ requires your service. – John Fenton – Winter 2015 –