What Works And What Doesn’t (2025)
July 8, 2025 Leave a comment
Burness Band new live videos on Youtube
February 8, 2022 Leave a comment
The sold-out gig with the massively talented Nick Harper (son of Roy but very much a talent in his own right) at the end of last year was a great success. Nick is a top chap and he was absolutely stunning in his musicianship and general performance. I played a short solo support set. There was a lot of love in the room!
After various delays (mainly Covid stuff), live 2019 Burness Band videos of ‘Electric Energy’ and ‘Mumbling In The House Of Commons’ are up on my Youtube channel
They were recorded in February 2019 at The Brunswick, Hove by Robert Cooper and Roy Weard, with final editing by Julian Tardo. Great to have a visual record of the band at that time, we did some good gigs from 2016 through to 2019. Fudge Smith – drums, Keith Hastings – bass guitar, Monty Oxymoron – keyboards, Cliff Dowding – additional keyboards, TB – guitar and vocals.
Astrology 2022 to 2025 – approaching a new world
December 16, 2021 Leave a comment
Back in January 2019, I wrote what turned out to be a very popular blog on 2020 astrology, a combination of my own take and quotes from the work of other established astrologers. Reading back now, although I would change one or two things (for example, I am not a big fan of Bill Gates!), it wasn’t too far off the mark.
2021 and 2022 astrology – tension and conflict between old and new
The intensely stressful 2021 square between Saturn in Taurus and Uranus in Aquarius has been well documented by astrologers. It’s exact three times – 17th February, 14th June, 24th December – although its presence is likely to be felt up to late 2022. Tension and conflict between old (Saturn) versus new (Uranus), establishment (Saturn) versus radical change (Uranus), stability (Saturn) versus instability (Uranus). Taking responsibility for the individual and collective actions of humanity (Saturn in Aquarius) conflicting with shocks and instability in financial systems and a new awareness of the Earth (Uranus in Taurus).
“This confusion of new ways seeking form, amidst the bullying insistence of old greed-based economies, is likely to dominate through 2022, as the Saturn/Uranus square remains in close orb.” Roy Gillett, Astrological Association Journal magazine, Sep/Oct 21
Saturn began its journey through Aquarius at the end of 2020, the important Jupiter-Saturn conjunction having marked a major long-term shift away from materialistic values. Obviously that shift can’t happen overnight! Many individual and collective foundations for a better shared world will have been laid by early 2023.
2023-2024 astrology – on the cusp of revolution with significant long-term endings
Western astrologers are anticipating the first movement of Pluto into Aquarius since the late 1770s. The great destroyer/healer first dips into Aquarius during March 2023, where it hovers for just a few months before moving back into the last degree of Capricorn again. Pluto in Aquarius will really start to happen in 2024, where it remains until 2043-44. Many reading here will already be familiar with what we can expect from Pluto in Aquarius – revolutionary upheaval of many kinds is on the cards. Amongst others, Marjorie Orr has written some interesting short pieces anticipating Pluto in Aquarius, here and here. Previous cycles show the type of world-changing events we can expect.
Many astrologers consider the last degree of each sign of the zodiac as crucial, a kind of “last-gasp” of old energy. Pluto is in the last degree of Capricorn for much of 2023 (the ending of tumultuous economic and structural upheaval that began when it entered Capricorn in 2008) and Neptune reaches the last degree of Pisces in 2024. The very end of a whole Neptune cycle of 164 years – a final burst of magical and enlightened energy, or should that be confused and delusional energy? Such are the mysteries of Neptune and Pisces.
2025 astrology – creating a new shared world
By the summer of 2025, the five outer planets of astrology – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto – will be in very different angular relationships (trines and sextiles) to each other than they were in the dark days of 2020 and 2021. They will also be in completely different and more actively positive signs of the zodiac.
Strong new beginnings are shown by Saturn and Neptune entering Aries, lining up with both Uranus at the beginning of Gemini and Pluto at the beginning of Aquarius. Fresh, dynamic structures and ideals (Saturn and Neptune in Aries) across the world are indicated, combinations of original communication and thinking (Uranus in Gemini) with people power and revolutionary technology (Pluto in Aquarius). Due to the combination of fire and air signs involved, the down side might be that some of this turns out to be nothing more than “hot air” but it will still be an accelerated period of forward-thinking change, continuing in 2026. Bring it on!
With thanks to the late Andre Barbault and his book Planetary Cycles (2016), published by the UK Astrological Association. Consultations and readings available at https://www.timburnessastrologer.co.uk
Back on the streets with Extinction Rebellion
September 14, 2021 Leave a comment
This is what democracy looks like!
Great energy with Extinction Rebellion in both Brighton and London at the end of August and the beginning of September. Since attending the Brighton debrief session after the now legendary April 2019 rebellion, I’ve been to nearly all of the big London events.
This time I decided to get a lot more involved with the local XR Brighton group and I’m very glad I did. The Rebel Rising event in August (kind of a warm-up for London) was a great success, it felt like a village fete with an edge! Talks included advice on being arrested, given by XR arrestees. Once up in London, with the help of others from Brighton, I took part in the pink table Crisis Talks. This was one of XR’s latest strategies to encourage more participatory democracy. Helped by the recent IPCC “Code Red for humanity” report, there were many in-depth conversations with members of the public about the current situation and possible ways forward. I did a lot of listening.
One of the many interesting long chats was with a very likeable man working in recruitment for several very big financial companies in the City of London. He already knew a great deal about Extinction Rebellion. After a very long exchange about everything from greenwashing corporations to spirituality and the use of psychedelics, he left with a big smile on his face. “I’ve got a very important meeting just now actually, this will certainly start a conversation!”, he said, pointing to the XR sticker now prominently positioned on his lapel.
With a focus on the City of London, XR’s wide range of (often unreported) actions took place over a two week period – calling for an immediate ban on further investment in fossil fuels. On 23rd August and the start of the rebellion, there were many excellent inspiring speakers at the occupied road junction in Covent Garden. Later in the rebellion, I met up with good mate Joe Bridge for the Stop The Harm march, which culminated with further inspirational speeches outside the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Economist Kate Raworth was excellent, as was George Monbiot in this speech – We don’t do hate! We do anger! We do love!
There is much more I could write about here e.g. the press coverage or lack of, heavy-handed policing including the use of batons against non-violent protesters, and co-founder Gail Bradbrook’s jokes! But this is just a short-ish blog to put my support for XR on the record, as it were.
Do we want more capitalist business as usual, or do we want life on Earth? The politicians are currently leading us off the edge of a cliff. We must completely change our economic and political systems – individual and collective behaviour. Change is coming. Get out on the streets, everyone…
Billie Eilish – astrological birth chart
July 28, 2021 Leave a comment
With the second album Happier Than Ever released this week and the No Time To Die James Bond theme tune finally reaching cinemas at the end of September, 19 year old American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish continues her rise to global mega-stardom. Sun, Venus, Pluto and midheaven are all in Sagittarius at the top of her birth chart. These alone mark her out as being born with a huge potential for making a positive, energetic and inspirational impact on the world.
Eilish began her rise to fame with the now legendary release of Ocean Eyes in November 2015. This coincided with an almost exact transiting conjunction of chart ruler Neptune to Billie’s 12th house Mars in Pisces – tapping into magical energy and illusory dreams of connection, simultaneously launching her into the 12th house collective consciousness. She released her first album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? under another Neptune transit in 2019. An unprecedented number of Grammy awards for someone so young followed
Venus in Sagittarius falls exactly on the Eilish midheaven, a position shared with David Bowie. She makes her popular mark on the world with an open-minded and exploratory approach to artistic self-expression, love and relationships. With so much Sagittarius in the chart, an exalted and protective position of Jupiter in Cancer – the sign of home and family – is important. Having been homeschooled, Eilish co-writes her songs with brother Finneas, with full support from her parents. A quick look at Finneas’s chart (born 30th July 1997) inevitably shows strongly supportive astrological synastry connections with Billie, as is common between siblings. Billie’s Venus-MC conjunction career goals are perfectly supported by her brother’s hardworking Mars-Saturn opposition – a trine from Saturn in Aries and a sextile from Mars in Libra.
All change with Moon in Aquarius
Up until March this year, Billie Eilish had a very definite style, an often colourful but downtempo “anti-image”. Suddenly in March, she became a blonde bombshell and soon after a photoshoot in Vogue magazine shockingly portrayed her in corset and stockings. The Saturn-Uranus square transiting her 11th house Moon (and to some extent Neptune) in Aquarius stands out as important for 2021. The first conjunction of Saturn to her 11th house Moon in Aquarius was approaching in March, when the posting of her new hairstyle to her Instagram followers – over 87 million at the time of writing this article – received a million likes in six minutes. In June, transiting Uranus squared her Moon for the first time. Natal Moon in Aquarius is known for reacting unpredictably and individualistically – add a transiting square from Uranus and anything could happen! The Aquarian truth-seeking, emotional freedom and social conscience have all been clearly on display in interviews building up to the release of the new album.
The album Happier Than Ever is “dropped” (as they like to say now – we old-timers prefer “released”, like a tiger or maybe a hamster from a cage. Presumably the album is picked up again after being dropped…) this week and all the early signs are that it’s another massive success. Building on themes she has explored in earlier material, new songs such as the single Your Power get right to the point. With natal Pluto both conjunct Venus and square her Ascendant/Descendant axis, the darkness is never far away for Billie Eilish.
The aspirational Sagittarius Sun forms a close conjunction to the Moon’s South Node in Billie’s birth chart, indicating that she is likely to feel a sense of fated “been there, done that” at times, as if her wisdom has been inherited from previous lifetimes. Her Gemini North Node emphasises communication and adaptability in this lifetime. There is also a mutual reception between Mercury in Capricorn and Saturn in Gemini – taking serious responsibility for her words and developing control and maturity around communication is a major life challenge.
Born in 2001, Eilish is part of the Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius with Pluto in Sagittarius generation, a powerfully idealistic and future-orientated group. It’s an obvious cliche, but with her Sun in Sagittarius and Moon in Aquarius, Billie Eilish could truly be said to be a spokesperson of her generation. With Pisces rising, a predominance of mutable signs and an unpredictable Aquarian side, there will no doubt be many more changes to come.
The above is an edited version of a 1200-word article, which will appear in the September-October 2021 issue of the Astrological Journal magazine https://www.facebook.com/AstrologicalJournal This is the bimonthly publication of the Astrological Association http://www.astrologicalassociation.com dedicated to educating the public on astrology since 1958.
Consultations and readings available at https://www.timburnessastrologer.co.uk
Less Is More – How Degrowth Will Save The World by Jason Hickel
June 9, 2021 Leave a comment
Brilliantly joining the dots in a post-capitalist world
Economic anthropologist Jason Hickel leaves no stone unturned in this visionary and sharp analysis. This is a book about the climate and ecological emergency and how to solve it.
The first half of the book is a detailed overview of everything that is wrong and the root causes. The origins of capitalism are explored, particularly during the few hundred years leading up to the Industrial Revolution – how it rose on the back of organised violence, mass impoverishment and “the systematic destruction of self-sufficient subsistence economies”. A world view that separated humans from nature helped economic growth to became more important than human or planetary needs. Since the 1980s, “growthism” in developed countries such as the UK and USA has gone completely crazy.
Part two is all about the solutions. Hickel looks at the unquestioned assumptions of so-called progress. After a certain point, increased economic growth corresponds with a large number of social problems such as rising inequality, political instability and the deterioration of people’s physical and mental health. Chapter 5 outlines steps we need to take in order to survive – “Once we understand that we can flourish without growth, our horizons suddenly open up”. Hickel suggests ending planned obsolescence, cutting advertising, a shift from ownership to usership, ending food waste, and scaling down ecologically destructive industries. He goes on to look at how capitalism is organised around the constant manufacturing of scarcity – degrowth calls for abundance in order to render growth unnecessary.
In the final chapter, “Everything Is Connected”, the author presents a deeper opportunity for healing and recovery from the mess we are in. Learning from indigenous communities, we can develop a genuinely ecological world view and way of being. Behave as if all of reality is intimately interconnected – because it is.
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