FOR the past five years, staff at antifascist campaign group Hope Not hate have built a loyal following on the organisation’s Facebook page by signing off with a “goodnight” posting of a song at the end of the evening shift.

“It’s been an eclectic experience,” says Duncan Cahill. As well as posting stories about Ukip, the BNP and other nasties, he’s had to take his turn with two others in choosing a particular song as night closes in.

Now, some five years and around 15,000 posts later, those eclectic tastes have at last been assembled onto the aptly titled Goodnight CD.

Paul Heaton, Billy Bragg, Attila the Stockbroker and a few other prime suspects are obvious choices but what HNH has done is broaden the album’s appeal and diversity by trawling YouTube and farming fans’ suggestions.

Sitting beside the likes of Chumbawamba and The Wonder Stuff — who donated an exclusive track — there’s the eloquent and engaging Siobhan Mazzei (pictured), Tracey Curtis and Sheffield’s best-kept secret Terry and Dead among a brilliant splattering of heard and unheard talent.

Cahill and the rest of the HNH team have pulled together a brilliant album, a double long-player of 26 tracks that progresses seamlessly through anthems, croaks, falsetto, banjos, heaving guitar solos and even sparrow-like voices.

Also popping up is Mancunian band Blossoms, currently blazing a trail across Japan, and in getting them on board HNH may even have managed to snag one of Britain’s next big things.

“First and foremost, the album’s a fundraiser to keep up the fight against the fascists,” explains Cahill, “which is of course a very noble purpose.

“But we were also curious as to whether we could actually produce something that mixes rock, blues, pop, folk, aka and politics without getting too messy, too shouty or just plain crap.

“And like any compilation, you sort of have in the back of your mind someone you want to play it on a long drive while thinking of you.”
Mission accomplished.

• Full track listing and pre-orders are available from hopenothate.org.uk/shop

Matthew Collins