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Glen’s
ambition in life, since we have known him, has been to make it in a
band. The glamour, wealth and high life of celebrity that he aspired to
and described in early interviews contrasted starkly with a lived life
that saw increasing vulnerability around housing, a growing dependency
on cannabis and alcohol, exposure to violence and assault, and a series
of largely unsuccessful encounters with education and training
initiatives. Following his parents’ separation, and their subsequent
movement into other relationships and other communities, Glen lost his
foothold and sense of belonging to both family and community of origin
in his early teens. His band became his new family. His investment in
it, and in a number of long term significant relationships, provided
him over the years with essential social, emotional and practical
resources. Girlfriends often provided accommodation when rent arrears
saw him homeless, pawn shops provided food on the table when income
support did not stretch far enough. And his father, who he sought to
emulate and please, and with whom he often clashed, provided practical
support at various points. The survival of a long term relationship and
his continued investment in his music has led Glen away from his home
town and to a space where he is enjoying relative stability and renewed
hope in his dreams.
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