In the mid to late Seventies the US was a fun place to be. This protector of liberties and democracy was virtually in a civil war with violence, riots and dissension. Just what was needed then was the mighty MC5 from Detroit and John Sinclair wanting to radicalise the youth preaching 'Total assault on the culture by any means necessary, including rock ’n’ roll, dope and fucking in the streets.' Rock & Politics was here...
It may not have been war torn Detroit or Chicago, but London's Ladbroke Grove was the centre of the UK underground in the late sixties/early seventies featuring among others the Pink Fairies and Hawkwind. While the music may not have been politicised the attitude and actions of the participants certainly was and at oddds with the popular view of Hippies as dope smoking Yes lovin dinosaurs..
And so we ended up at punk rock....Political? The Clash, God Save The Queen, Anarchy In The UK...ah yes Anarchy...chaos...situationism...art....and eventually a narrow strata of music and look driven by anarchist politics with a ubiquitous big a in a circle. But first of all what the fuck is Anarchy? I hate to say this but I don't have a clue even after reading multiple articles and even the ones submitted here. There are so many varieties of Anarchism and often in conflict with one another. I would say this is a problem for it (but no worse than anyone else mind you - can anyone explain Conservatism or socialism these days)...because if you can't explain something how do you spread the message? ...What helps kill it off is the image of violence and the negative connotations of the very word 'anarchy' but I suspect most of us will have to a greater or lesser degree strands of anarchist thought in our political make-up.
And so from Kings Road/Jasper Conran chic to I said Crass not Clash! Harking back to the early hippie days of playing wherever a stage was set up or a benefit was needed this band with strength of purpose preached anarchy and peace through records and gigs. Love or loather 'em you couldn't ignore them!
The early eighties were as rife with dissension as the opposition argued over supporting or not supporting the miners. Into this brew came CND, Anarchists, Class war and as usual dissension and ideological differences that enabled the government to divide and conquer and also beat senseless protestors with impunity.
All it takes is a spark to set the middle classes alight. That's when you hit the real change. While the battle Of The Beanfield confirmed that something was dangerously wrong in our country; the police having practised their brutality tactics now tried them on a defenceless convoy of men, women and children. Smashing up an attempted peaceful Stonehenge gathering with physical violence and intimidation going so far as to beat a pregnant woman all with impunity as the press were barred from recording and what footage there was was conveniently lost or distorted by the mass media. But that footage exists and if you were a policeman at this you must be very very proud at your ability to beat defenceless people up. Of course
the Poll Tax rots were another story which saw the Police totally
outthought. Instead of The thing that stuck in my mind the most was my dad's reaction. He was a conservative through and through and he just said this tax is wrong and that my friends was the beginning of the end for Thatcher as the middle classes began to turn and Thatcher expressed surprise that people didn't like her or her policies . .Who says violence can't lead to change and can wake up a nation. Them and us...you need clear divides to polarise opinion and dissent ... we know which side we're on....
Guernica is a painting by Pablo Picasso, depicting the Nazi German bombing of Guernica, Spain, by twenty-eight bombers, on April 26, 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. The attack killed between 250 and 1,600 people, and many more were injured.
How strong is music and politics really? Go to 1977 and see the direct result of punk rock and politics uniting in the RAR and helping annul the threat of the National Front.
Right that's enough politics...
Right that's it till the
next time whenever that may be. Keep in touch.
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- Issue1 February 2007 -
Issue
2 April 2007
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some unarmed people to beat up they came up against some hard core
anarchists out to settle some scores. When the Police tried their usual
tactics which is charge and beat up they were met a hail of missiles
that stopped them in their tracks and the insurrection was like a spark
as more people joined in the general lawlessness.
Fighting, looting and burning progressed all the way from Trafalgar to
the last stand in Charing Cross road as police horses charged and riot
snatch squads swooped. There was an air of euphoria as rioters went
crazy. The next day the papers were once again distorting the event and
offering rewards to catch the rioters. I feel no guilt about the riots
or being in them and I feel some debts were paid that day.
