It’s April 2026. We’re at war with Iran. The Supreme Court is hearing arguments about birthright citizenship. The global economy is on a slow-burn collapse. Everything is awesome. Oh, and he’s still alive.
But we still have music, friends and community, y’all. And hopefully JOVM offers a bit of respite in our mad, mad, mad world.
So while I do focus on new music, there’s always room to celebrate our legends — both living and departed.
- The Isley Brothers‘ co-founder Rudolph Isley was born 87 years ago on April 1
- Gil Scott-Heron was born 77 years ago on April 1
- The legendary Marvin Gaye was born 87 years ago on April 2
- Bella Union Records founder and label head, singer/songwriter, musician and Cocteau Twins‘ Simon Raymonde celebrated his 64th birthday on April 3
The great Jill Scott, “Jilly from Philly” celebrates her 54th birthday today. Happy birthday, fellow Aries!
__
The Joy of Violent Movement is a completely independent and completely D.I.Y. media outlet. Over the course of this site’s 15+ year history, I’ve used my fiercely independent stance to cover music with an eclectic and global perspective that a lot of other publications just don’t have — and will likely never have.
To that end, I could use your support to continue to keep bringing you my unique global perspective on music. There are a number of ways that you can support this work.
I’ve been told that some people would prefer to make a one-time donation because it’s easy and less of an obligation. So, if you’re able to make a one-time donation, there’s a donation box below.
Make a one-time donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Anything you can give is very much appreciated. It can and does make a real difference, y’all.
I know that a lot of folks are struggling to make ends meet in an uncertain and tumultuous economic climate. So there are other, non-financial ways in which you can support this work.
You can follow me on the following social platforms:
X/Twitter: @yankee32879 and @joyofviolent
Instagram: @william_ruben_helms
Threads: @william_ruben_helms
Bluesky: @williamrubenhelms.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement
As always, if there are posts that you dig, share them with your friends. The more eyeballs on my work, the better.