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Archive for the ‘Sources’ Category

Maximum Rocknroll archive and database project seeks support

Posted in About anarcho-punk, Sources on May 18, 2016| Leave a Comment »


 

Supporters of US punk magazine Maximum Rocknroll have launched a crowdfunded project which aims to digitise and catalogue the publication’s entire print archive, making it searchable online; and to put into effect a clear preservation programme to manage and protect MRR‘s vast and growing vinyl archive for the long-term.

The first target of the fundraising programme has been met, but MRR are now looking to build on that foundation to extend the reach and viability of the project. A range of punk perks are available to all funders who pledge more than $5.

Since 1977, Bay Area punk institution Maximum Rocknroll has been producing a radio show, publishing a monthly magazine, releasing records, organizing shows, and supporting worldwide punk projects. As MRR enters its 40th year, we are undertaking our most ambitious project ever: creating a comprehensive online database of our record collection and music reviews. The project will also see out-of-print issues of the magazine fully digitized. We’re asking for your help to make it possible.

Our collection is the largest assemblage of punk material history on earth. In addition to records, the archive is home to countless rare and unheard demo tapes, zines, photographs, one-of-a-kind record covers designed by the magazine’s founder Tim Yohannan, and flyers dating back to the genre’s inception, many of which will be digitized for the first time. MRR has been instrumental in punk history and historiography, and the archive and database will be an essential resource for record collectors, historians, and anyone interested in punk, hardcore, and garage rock.

The monthly magazine, published since 1982, is self-sustaining, but we need your help to fund the archive project and its twin goals of long-term viability for our physical collections and a searchable, sortable online database of our holdings. MRR is entirely volunteer-run and independent. Your donation will help fund the various costs associated with a project of this scope.

Our database will be one-of-a-kind, serving as an online catalog and media repository for punk’s material history.

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The Art of Crass reinstates Southern Records’ Crass web site

Posted in About anarcho-punk, Crass, Sources on April 7, 2016| Leave a Comment »

As part of The Art of Crass exhibition project, curator Sean Clark has reinstated the no-longer-accessible Crass web site (maintained by Southern Records in the early 2000s).

The site offers a hyperlinked version of the ‘In Which Crass Voluntarily Blow Their Own’ essay; a short biography of Crass Records; an illustrated guide to all releases on the label; a wealth of original archival documents; extracts from International Anthem; the history of incidents such as the Thatchergate tapes; an introduction to several follow-on projects undertaken by members of Crass; and a whole lot more…

The Art of Crass - Southern Records - Crass web site

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‘From Protest to Resistance’: British anarcho-punk fanzines (1980-1984) as sites of resistance and symbols of defiance

Posted in Events, Fanzines, Sources on March 27, 2016| 1 Comment »

Matt Grimes seminar - anarcho-punk fanzines - March 2016

Video seminar: Matt Grimes from Birmingham City University presenting his work “From Protest to Resistance”: British anarcho-punk fanzines (1980-1984) as sites of resistance and symbols of defiance
[ http://uontv.uk/?page_id=13 ]

This presentation focuses on the role that alternative publications played in the cultural, political and ideological practices of the British anarcho-punk movement between 1980 and 1984. Matt Grimes explore the way these ‘zines disseminated the central ideas of anarcho-punk and the way that the editors mediated a shifting notion of anarcho-punk. In doing so Grimes seeks to move beyond the simpler notion that ‘zines acted simply as channels of communication, but to the idea that discourses of resistance and defiance are constructed and reinforced through the embodiment and undertaking of ideological work of ‘zine editors as ‘organic intellectuals’ and thus represent cultural work. This raises some interesting questions about the role of ‘zine editors/producers as key agents in articulating the perceived central tenets and identity of a subcultural movement. Where previous studies on ‘zines have alluded to the role of editors little emphasis has been placed on the way that these ‘zine authors take on leadership roles and perceived positions of authority.

Grimes examines how DIY fan production practices, through the articulation of specific and at times oppositional ideological positions contributed to the construction of the musical, cultural and political boundaries of the anarcho-punk movement. Therefore this presentation explores how these discourses of political position, authority and identity were mediated and the sense of an anarcho-punk movement that they constructed.

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‘Dare to Dream’: student documentary on British anarchism from 1990

Posted in About anarcho-punk, Crass, Poison Girls, Sources, Stop the City on September 26, 2015| 1 Comment »

Dare to Dream: Anarchism in England in History and in Action. a documentary directed by Goldsmith’s College, University of London film student Marianne Jenkins in 1990, has just been made available online.

The 40-minute documentary moves between exploring contemporary British anarchist culture and politics and events from across global twentieth century history (including the First World War, the Russian Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, the Vietnam War) and libertarian responses to them.

The film includes contributions from well-known names in the post-war anarchist movement, incuding John Rety, Nicholas Walter, Phillip Samson, Vernon Richards, Clifford Harper and Albert Meltzer – and Labour MP Kim Howells (whose ‘radical’ past is revisited in historic newsreel).

Glimpses of the British anarchist movement in the 1980s are seen in the coverage of Bradford’s 1-in-12 Club, Birmingham’s Common Ground initiative, London Hargingey’s Solidarity Movement, London Greenpeace; and through the Stop the City events, anti-poll tax protests, animal rights movement and the feminist movement.

Although anarcho-punk is not a particular on-screen focus for Jenkins, the soundtrack includes the music of Crass, Chumbawamba, Concrete Sox, Political Asylum and The Subhumans (alongside Glen Miller and Bob Dylan).

As well as brief live footage of Chumbawamba, anarchist punk is most clearly represented in front of camera through equally fleeting live footage of Poison Girls and a short (but illuminating) interview with Vi Subversa and Richard Famous (circa 30:00 in).

There’s an interesting commentary on the documentary on the Red, Black, Green blog by redblackgreen – who uploaded the film to the Veoh platform. They note:

Dare to Dream was made on a shoestring budget and it shows. Production values, especially by 21st century standards are low, but the amateurish look gives it real charm and a very DIY anarcho-punk feel redolent of its era.

Dare to Dream - Vi Subversa

Dare to Dream - Poison Girls - live 1984

Dare to Dream - Richard Famous and Vi Subversa

Dare to Dream - Stop the City

Dare to Dream - Stop the City - crowd running

Please note that the video contains distressing images of human and animal suffering, and has been given an ‘suitable for 18-year-olds and above’ rating on Veoh.

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New collection of Re/Search interviews with Penny Rimbaud

Posted in Crass, Diary, Penny Rimbaud, Releases, Sources on November 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Re/Search publications are to publish a new pocketbook collection of interviews with Crass co-founder Penny Rimbaud. The publication date is listed as 16 December 2014 on some sites; but the item is currently available for order from the Re/Search web shop.

Penny Rimbaud is probably most famous as the drummer, songwriter and philosopher-founder of the proto-punk band Crass (1976-1984), which in a pioneering DIY spirit produced their own vinyl LPs which included dazzling poster-size artworks by Gee Vaucher (plus lyrics, essays) hand-inserted into plastic sleeves. The listener had a lot to look at while hearing the record! After-Crass, Penny has written poetry, journals, prose, produced drawings, lectured, read poems aloud and done musical performances (with Japanther, jazz musicians) in Europe, London and at City Lights Bookstore and Emerald Tablet in San Francisco.

RE/SEARCH - Interviews with Penny Rimbaud by V Vale

Penny Rimbaud [interviews by V. Vale] (Re/Search publications: San Francisco, 2014). ISBN-10: 1889307416; ISBN-13: 978-1889307411. 4×6″. 184 pages. A Re/Search Pocketbook.

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Pete Fender interviewed on streetvoiceuk

Posted in About anarcho-punk, Poison Girls, Sources on November 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Pete Fender (Fatal Microbes, Rubella Ballet, Omega Tribe) was interviewed for the Street Voice UK site earlier this month. Reflecting on his experience in the anarcho-punk movement, he recalls:

I grew up in the counter-culture, you know. Both of my parents were anarchists, long before I came along, they were activists in the fifties and sixties. The CND march from Aldermaston and all that. My dad was a conscientious objector, he had printed some leaflets and served time in prison for disaffecting the troops in the second world war. He went to prison again when I was about six years old for refusing to fill in the Census form… I was born into protest, really. I didn’t make a conscious effort towards anarcho-punk, it happened around me and I took part. There just wasn’t any question – it felt more like a sort of family loyalty than anything else.

Fatal Microbes - Violence Grows / Beautiful Pictures

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Rimbaud discusses Wally Hope, Stonehenge and free festival culture with Champion Up North

Posted in Crass, Penny Rimbaud, Press, Sources on August 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Wally Hope - Stonehenge

Penny Rimbaud is interviewed for the Champion Up North site, discussing Wally Hope, free festival culture, Stonehenge, the Battle of the Beanfield and more.

Rich Jevons. 2014.”The Stonehenge Free Festival, The Fight For Alternative Culture’, Champion Up North, 19 June, http://www.championupnorth.com/life/interviews/the-stonehenge-free-festival-the-fight-for-alternative-culture

Of Crass’ first appearance at Stonehenge, he recalls:

Crass went down there intending to play in 1980 but it turned into a bloodbath. The Hell’s Angels decided they didn’t like the look of the punks so it just turned into a stupid night of violence. We just spent all night trying to save people and get them off the site. It was just bloody really unpleasant.

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