More than ten years ago, Hawaiian-born musician and author Lance Hahn began work on what he intended to be an authoritative history of the first wave of British anarcho-punk – which he had entitled Let the Tribe Increase. Lance was keen to construct that history through the testimony of the band members, artists, organisers and publishers that were engaged with the anarcho-punk movement throughout those turbulent years. By letter and email, he contacted dozens of punk activists from that era, and put together a substantial but incomplete first draft of his manuscript.
Unfortunately, while he remained extremely active in the US punk scene, Lance had to battle with a number of long-term and debilitating health conditions. As the early 2000s progressed he found it more and more difficult to make further progress on the book. Sadly, in October 2007, Lance succumbed to his long-term health issues, dying at the tragically young age of 40, leaving the book, amongst many other creative projects, unfinished.
In the years since then, a number of authors have taken on the job of trying to progress Lance’s partial manuscript to completion. But it has proved to be a challenging task, for a number of reasons, and no notable progress has been attained.
Now, with the backing of anarchist publishers PM Press, writer on anarcho-punk Rich Cross has taken on that task. Since starting work, all of Lance’s drafted chapters have now been reworked and re-edited; chapters not yet started identified; and the contents of a number of additional chapters, intended to put the experience of participants into a number of wider contexts, agreed.
Updating and extending the manuscript involves (alongside many other things) contacting those that Lance interviewed during his research to give everyone fresh sight of their original answers given to his questions. That process is now underway, and will continue over the coming months.
More information will be forthcoming as things progress towards publication, but in the meantime, if you’ve any questions or suggestions about the project please get in touch at: tribe@thehippiesnowwearblack.org.uk.
The Hippies Now Wear Black 