The Last One
The Last One was inspired by the display of the UK AIDS quilt at Tate Modern, in June London 2025. The exhibition brought back many personal memories; I have known many people affected by AIDS and indeed my own brother had made a panel for his lover Alistair, who had died of an AIDS related illness in 1992.
I became fascinated with the history of the quilt and began to research it more. The quilt had been conceived by AIDS activist Cleve Jones in 1985. Organisers of the annual tribute to Harvey Milk and George Moscone in San Francisco asked people to bring placards bearing the names of people they had lost to AIDS. At the end of the night the names were taped to the wall of the San Francisco City Hall. Looking at the display of names, Cleve Jones was struck by the idea that it resembled a patchwork quilt and thus the AIDS Memorial Quilt/ Names Project was born.
Each panel of the quilt is 3' x 6', roughly the size of a human grave and each block is made of eight panels. The first panel was made by Jones himself for his friend Marvin Feldman. In 1987, a single panel--unlike any other panel was submitted anonymously to the project. It bore the words 'The Last One'. The custodians of the quilt are keeping this panel, waiting and hoping for the day that it can be sewn onto the quilt.
AIDS is still a global epidemic and it's still surrounded by stigma. In 2025 the Trump administration dismantled USAID, destroying the main infrastructure of global AIDS grants, it's estimated that this move could result in the deaths of half million children in Africa, who will no longer have access to medication. This should not be happening! We are now in a new era of AIDS, with enough funding we could educate, test and treat enough people globally and the AIDS epidemic could become a thing of the past.
The Last One - da Googie + Cara Tivey
All proceeds from this recording will be donated to:
The Elton John Foundation
Terrence Higgins Trust
The National AIDS Memorial
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The Last One
A sea of grief flows forward
But there's a beauty in it's pain
The lives that went before us
We cherish each and every name
We need to stand together
And celebrate the lives we've known
Cause this will not be over
Until 'The Last One's' sewn
A nations lawn is covered
Stigma fed this growing shrine
A generation lost to shame
Those in need maligned
A woven monument of love
Stronger than the hardest stone
Hugs us with the message
You are not alone
We need to stand together
And celebrate the lives we've known
Cause this will not be over
Until 'The Last One's' sewn
A woven monument of love
Stronger than the hardest stone
Hugs us with the message
You are not alone
We need to stand together
And celebrate the lives we've known
Cause this will not be over
Until 'The Last One's' sewn
Cause this will not be over
Until 'The Last One's' sewn
written and performed by
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey
recorded and mixed by Deb Googe
IN THIS SECTION INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORGANISATIONS
VARIOUS LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE QUILT AND AIDS
ANY LEGALS CREDITS/ ETC