Denzil Forrester in Lives Less Ordinary

Lots of great work in 'Lives Less Ordinary: Working-Class Britain Re-seen' at Two Temple Place in London (25th January 2025 – 20th April 2025).

Denzil Forrester's Boys in the Hood (1989) is one of his early paintings that 'encapsulate the electric atmosphere of dub parties he attended in London during the 1980s. Based on quick pastel and charcoal sketches made in clubs and dancehalls, they were created to convey "the energy of the crowd, the movement, the action," and the liberating power of music. Forrester's work serves as an evocative archive of Black working-class nightlife in Britain, as well as the Windrush generation's expression and preservation of their diasporic roots through Jamaican Dub culture' (text from exhibition).

In an ArtCornwall interview Forrester has recalled this time in the 1980s:

'I grew up in Stoke Newington and Hackney, and a lot of the paintings...are to do with the nightclubs in the Dalston area, mainly Jah Shaka sound system; mainly the dub reggae sound systems in the early days... I used to go to the London nightclubs and make drawings to the length of a record, which is about 3 or 4 minutes.

So I'll have A1 paper, it's dark, and I can't really see what I'm doing, so I'm going for the movement, the action, the expression of the people. I'll make the drawings, and take them to the studio and use them for making the big paintings in the studio... London was a very active, vibrant, colourful place then. It was cheaper and freer to live there then too. You could squat a house. So I was in a squat for about 5 to 6 years in Clissold Road. It was easier because an artist could have lots of space. And there was an energy there. Particularly the dub nightclubs. Jah Shaka, the Rastafarians, basically they'd dress up, they'd dance and play their monosystems, and I wanted to capture that energy'.

See previously: Denizil Forrester's Jah Shaka painting at Tate Britain
 

My Life in Sea Creatures: of crabs and queer clubs

 I have enjoyed reading Sabrina Imbler's 'My life in sea creatures' (2022), a kind of queer marine biology combining descriptions of the sea life and death with autobiographical reflections on race, gender and sexuality.

An account of communities of crabs gathered around isolated vents of hot water in the cold ocean depths segues into memories of Night Crush, a queer night at Re-Bar in Seattle they first visited in 2016:

'We showed up embarrassingly early —the bouncer was eating a ham sandwich by the DJ booth and had to be called to stamp us. We walked to the dance floor, a large black box crowned with a glinting disco ball, and watched the DJ spin Rihanna to the empty room, vocals glancing off the walls, from a booth decorated with a banner reading PAY ME, DO NOT FETISHIZE ME. I danced so hard all night that I didn't pee; my sweat made me as moist as a salamander. There were moments when the whole room vibrated together and I could have sworn my feet left the ground, lifted by the bodies swaying and shrieking around me'.

The club is now closed. In both the sea and the city, 'Oases here, where so few things are certain, inevitably blink on and off. But life always finds a place to begin anew, and communities in need will always find one another and invent new ways to glitter, together, in the dark'.

Swarms of sea creatures encountered at Jacob Riis beach in New York evoke comparisons with the city's annual Dyke March:  'Every June in New York, we swarm. We come from all around, on trains from other boroughs and cars from upstate and bikes over bridges that seem to quake, throttled every few minutes by subway cars careening into open air. However we come, we always recognize one another, limbs stuffed in mesh and netting and leather, teeth bared, nipples out. Our shirts, if we wear them, are emblazoned with the conditions of a world we would rather live in: without TERFS, without ICE, without imperialism...  We meet in a part of Manhattan many of us have no business in, a patch of green surrounded by glass-fronted stores and metallic offices, and once there, we grow larger, friends finding friends and water-getters winding their way through an obstacle course of bodies. We swarm because we are full of the joy of being together, full of anger at the systems that exclude or endanger us, full of hope for the possibilities of the future'

'In praise of the dancing body' - Silvia Federici

'our body is a receptacle of powers, capacities, and resistances that have been developed in a long process of coevolution with our natural environment as well as intergenerational practices that have made it a natural limit to exploitation. By the body as a “natural limit” I refer to the structure of needs and desires created in us not only by our conscious decisions or collective practices but also by millions of years of material evolution: the need for the sun, for the blue sky and the green of trees, for the smell of the woods and the oceans, the need for touching, smelling, sleeping, making love. This accumulated structure of needs and desires, that for thousands of years has been the condition of our social reproduction, has put limits on our exploitation and is something that capitalism has incessantly struggled to overcome'.

'Our struggle then must begin with the reappropriation of our body, the revaluation and rediscovery of its capacity for resistance, and expansion and celebration of its powers, individual and collective. Dance is central to this reappropriation. In essence, the act of dancing is an exploration and invention of what a body can do: of its capacities, its languages, its articulations of the strivings of our being. I have come to believe that there is a philosophy in dancing, for dance mimics the processes by which we relate to the world, connect with other bodies, transform ourselves and the space around us. From dance we learn that matter is not stupid, it is not blind, it is not mechanical but has its rhythms, its language, and it is self-activated and self-organizing. Our bodies have reasons that we need to learn, rediscover, reinvent. We need to listen to their language as the path to our health and healing, as we need to listen to the language and rhythms of the natural world as the path to the health and healing of the earth. Since the power to be affected and to effect, to be moved and to move, a capacity that is indestructible, exhausted only with death, is constitutive of the body, there is an immanent politics residing in it: the capacity to transform itself, others, and change the world'

Extracts from 'In praise of the dancing body' in Silvia Federici, Beyond the Periphery of the Skin:  Rethinking, Remaking, and Reclaiming the Body in Contemporary Capitalism (PM Press, 2020). Isadora Duncan photo by Arnold Genthe.

Anti-fascists mobilise again in London against pro-Tommy flag shaggers

A respectable turn out on the 'Stop the Far Right' demonstration in central London yesterday, with around 5,000 people mobilising to oppose a similar size demo called by 'Tommy Robinson' (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) supporters. Back in October the latter managed to turn out a much bigger crowd, good to see their momentum on the streets of the capital stalling, even though internationally they are on the rise.

'Never again - remember history - fight fascism' - banner from lively black bloc

LGBT Against Racism

Ealing National Education Union banner remembers Blair Peach, anti-fascist teacher killed by the police protesting against the National Front in Southall in 1979

Good to see at least one banner from Luton there (another NEU one), the home of Mr Yaxley-Lennon.

'Borders and classes we will abolish them' - I don't know much about Turkish radical left, but good slogan!

I've seen mention of the Clash's London Calling being played at the Tommy Robinson rally, beyond irony as obviously The Clash were hardcore anti-fascists including playing for Rock Against  Racism. Kudos to Phoebe and Lilly from Brighton punk band Lambrini Girls for speaking at the  anti-racist rally. In times like these it's not enough to be personally non-racist, the far right are taking power across the world and need to be contested on the streets and wherever they show their face.

So Long Marianne

 Shall I see you tonight, sister, bathed in magic greet?

Shall we meet on the hilltop where the two roads meet?

(Marianne Faithfull, Witches' Song)

Hysteria, Hope and Revolution - Catherine Chinatree's junglist art

Artist Catherine Chinatree's 'Grow Room' exhibition at Quench gallery in Margate features paintings and treated video drawing on her memories of raving and reflections on its wider significance. As she puts it '“Leicester, 1998 I attended my first ever jungle rave - Urban Shakedown’s ‘Hysteria’.  A  found video online depicting this moment inspired me to capture this sense of hope & revolution, to create paintings using the film’s visuals, in conjunction with sound works and moving image, re-animating scenes from Hysteria.”

I really like that the flyer for the exhibition is based on the flyer for the rave in question.

'it highlights optimism and transformative moments that can alter society'

'The rave beckons and the moon shines... A portal brimming with promise. A labyrinth of sound. And in between each laser beam WE is found' (Alicia Charles)

Original cassette pack from Urban Shakedown with Randall, Bryan Gee etc.

The Tunbridge Wells Underground 1971: White Panthers, Pink Fairies and 'the nicer type of freak'

When thinking of the hotbeds of the early 1970s radical counter culture most people would think of places like West London's Ladbroke Grove. But it reached out into many places, including a thriving scene in Tunbridge Wells in Kent. 'Protest - for some it's a way of life' by John Pym,  an article from the Kent and Sussex Courier (10 September 1971), provides an overview of the scene in West Kent at that time - 'A plain main's guide to the other society', no less.

The report notes that in the aftermath of the OZ trial - which saw three editors of the underground magazine jailed for obscenity -  'Anger and argument have sharpened the image of the protest scene and nowhere more noticeably than in Tunbridge Wells and East Sussex where the new radicalism as well as older versions and the yearning for an alternative society are sharply defined. Their organisations go by strange — often bizarre names. Their literature is hair-raising by Establishment standards. Parents confess themselves baffled by their children's newfound interest in activities which used to be labelled "anarchist" but which now are urgently advocated as an alternative to conventional organised society'. 

Groups mentioned include the White Panthers, who seemingly had a Tunbridge Wells branch based at Bedford House, Mount Sion responsible for 'Angry literature… with the police and allegations of police brutality as a particular target'. The Panthers may have had a programme that included 'an immediate and total end to all political, cultural and sexist repression of all oppressed peoples all over the world particularly the repression of black people, young people and all national minorities' but in West Kent the immediate focus was more parochial including opposing the closure of a public footpath. The paper reported that  'The immediate aim of the 12 Tunbridge Wells White Panthers is to acquire a community shop—rent free —in which to sell cheap food and leather goods and jewellery made locally. This would also be used as a "coffee commune" and advice centre'. The White Panthers also offered a "free advice service to deal with drugs, arrest, trials, eviction. legal aid, education, contraception, VD and entertainment'.

The report moves on to note that 'More sympathy for the dropped out life comes from the Tunbridge Wells Arts Lab who are less rhetorical and marginally better organised than the Panthers'. They organised a couple of festivals, of which more below. There were said to be about 40 people involved, operating from New House on Mount Ephraim. Meanwhile 'communal living' was being experimented with in Goodhurst where a group of 19 young people called the Mad Macros had leased a derelict farm with the aim of growing macrobiotic food.

A West Kent branch of the Schools Action Union had been formed that year and was said to have groups at Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School, West Kent College, Sevenoaks School and Tunbridge Wells Boys Technical School. The SAU campaigned for school students rights, including opposing corporal punishment. Nationally some of its leading activists were Maoists/Marxist-Leninists and its local leader, 18 year old Laurie Holden, criticised the White Panthers for their politics 'based on anarchy, drug taking and the advocation of Angry Brigade style terrorism'. More orthodox still and a long way from the counter culture the article mentions the Tunbridge Wells branch of the Communist Party.

The Festivals

The first of two 'Harmony Farm' festivals initiated by the Tunbridge Wells Arts Lab was a one day event at Whitehouse Farm at Duddleswell on 7 August 1971. Despite sensationalist reporting about 'an orgy of mud, music, drugs, "bad trips" and thefts' where 'girls danced topless', the Sussex Express did pronounce it to be successful. The Courier described it as 'noisy but trouble free', though they estimated 'about 2,000 long haired fans' compared to the Express estimate of 4,000. Music came from the Pink Fairies, Brinsley Schwarz, the Portsmouth Sinfonia and the Natural Acoustic Band, not to mention the established poet John Pudney. Christine Oddy, one of the organisers, said that 'everybody has enjoyed themselves. They have enjoyed the music, the place - even the rain'.

Sussex Express, 13 August 1971

'Festival noisy but trouble-free. No complaint on all day pop session' (The Courier, 13 August 1971)

The second festival, Harmony Farm II, took place at Outback Farm, Nutley a month later on 11 September 1971 with a crowd of 2-3,000. Hopes that Hawkwind or Pink Fairies would be playing did not materialise, but people enjoyed themselves to lesser known bands  including Unicorn, D'Artagnon,  Carson, Bastard, Benedictine and Amon Din (the latter including sometime Hawkwind member Huw Lloyd-Langton).

The event was described by Tunbridge Wells Arts Lab as a 'modest little festival for the nicer type of freak' and passed off without incident, though some people were arrested in drug searches on the way in. The Mirror reported that the police operation included 'Detectives disguised as hippies' and 'trendily dressed CID men'.

Sussex Express, 17 September 1971

Lots more memories and photographs of these festivals at the great UK Rock Festivals site including from Charlie Gask, one of the organisers, who recalls: 

'Early spring of 1971 I was bored- along with the rest of the youth of Tunbridge Wells. I approached the Council to see if we could get something going over the summer (not at that time, specifically a festival) I was met with total disdain and told that as we weren't ratepayers "Not a chance". So we decided to organise our own stuff and so The Tunbridge Wells Arts Lab was formed.

    Various activities were organised ie. painting and music workshops etc. But having been to a few festivals I have to admit to a bit of `I could do that syndrome`. So the idea was born and off we went. A stalwart group pressed on looking for sites and sorting out the difficulties of funding.

    First port of call was the offices of The International Times. Mick Farren and Germain Greer were both very helpful with ideas and contacts, and also how to deal with the local constabulary when setting up.    We were offered Whitehouse Farm, Duddleswell by the owner Mrs Harrison (alas no longer with us). And quite early on we realised that the complications of trying to make people pay for entry was nigh impossible. So we proceeded on with the idea that it would be a free festival and we would ask for donations on the day and help and sponsorship in setting it up. A wild notion I know but we were young so what the hell. I can't remember all those who gave their time expertise and materials but I am forever grateful and a little amazed, still, at such generosity from sometimes unexpected quarters'.

Photo by Gareth Tynan at UK Rock Festivals, check out more of his photos there. Think this was from the 2nd festival, note 'Happy Trips' sign.

I have written elsewhere about the White Panthers in Abbey Wood/SE London in that period, as has Peter Stanfield. We recently interviewed somebody involved in that scene so look out for more in a forthcoming edition of 'Drifting through the streets' at Controlled Weirdness' youtube channel.

Trackers and Breakbeats: Brain Records exhibition

'Trackers and Breakbeats: Celebrating Brain Records’ Underground Revolution' was an exhibition  at The Stephen Lawrence Gallery, University of Greenwich (October/November 2024) exploring 'the groundbreaking influence of Brain Records and its pioneering use of 8-bit technology in the 1990s', highlighting 'the often overlooked yet pivotal role of Brain Records and its founder Bizzy B in shaping the UK hardcore and jungle scenes'. The exhibition featured original studio equipment, flyers, zines, interviews and film.

The scene was centred around Leytonstone in East London where Bizzy B and Dlux ran 2Getherness record shop in the 1990s (238 Leytonstone High Road)

They put on parties at The Dungeons, 'a maze of tunnels' off Lea Bridge Road.

'Bizzy B - creator of the dark style' (article by Adrian H from Ravescene zine)

A letter to the record shop from Peckham junglist venue The Lazerdrome

 

Joe Strummer, Rock Against the Rich and Spycops

In 1988 Joe Strummer embarked on a 'Rock Against the Rich' tour organised by anarchist group Class War. The tour had its origins in the Warwick Castle pub in Notting Hill where Class War's Ian Bone and the ex-Clash lead singer came up with the idea over a few pints.

 

As part of the ongoing Undercover Policing Inquiry, thousands of  reports filed by police infiltrators have been published. Among them are many reports from 'HN10' Bob Robinson (real name Bob Lambert) who infiltrated animal rights groups in north London in the 1980s but also kept an eye on anarchists and others he came across in London Greenpeace and similar groups.

Lambert, who was married with children in his 'real' life, notoriously had a number of  intimate relationships while undercover (none with informed consent) including fathering a child before vanishing. Part of his schtick was  to use music to develop connections with activists, travelling to the Glastonbury and Cambridge Folk Festivals and peppering his letters with references to Steely Dan and Van Morrison and, seemingly, his police reports with references to The Clash.

In his reports to his Special Branch and security service bosses he notified them of the emerging plans for the Strummer gigs. The first report in March 1988 includes the claim that Strummer was 'contacting Mick Jones and other former members and associates of The Clash with a view to reforming the notorious punk band especially for the gig'

A second report on the 10th May from this 'secret and reliable source' noted that 'Ian Bone and. Darren Ryan, leading Class War activists continue to have regular discussions with veteran punk music star Joe Strummer in connection with a series of planned Rock Against the Rich concerts... certain to attract a high level of interest amongst London's resilient punk community'. The report also mentions a forthcoming Rock Against the Rich launch party at the Golden Lady pub in Albion Road with disco provided by an Animal Liberation Front activist'.

There's a couple of pages about the tour in Class War newspaper, no. 28 (1988), some extracts follow:

'Welsh band Anhren are bringing out a Rock Against the Rich benefit single'

Round up of Rock Against the Rich gigs, including Strummer playing in Brixton (at the Fridge) and Camden. The latter was at the Electric Ballroom on July 7th 1988, supported by Chelsea and World Domination Enterprises. Found an account on facebook from somebody who was there: 'Set included his single Trash City , covers of Big Audio dynamite songs V13 & Sightsee mc, Keys to your heart from his pre Clash 101ers days & the stuff most of us were there for White man in Hammersmith Palais,Police & Thieves, Police on my back ,This is England, Somebody got murdered, he also chucked in a lively Pogues cover If i should fall from grace with God'. 

'At a time when rock music and its surrounding cults and causes are about as threatening as a bowl of marshmallows, Class War has initiated Rock Against the Rich to put class politics back onto the agenda, using music as a weapon'

Class War's Darren Ryan has written an account of the tour, conlcuding: 'It may not have been how we originally intended it, but it was moderately successful in some ways. And it was a lot of fun. But I look back in anger at it, as we had such great ideas for it, and it still gets my blood boiling the way it was turned from potentially dangerous to pleasantly adventurous by people who used it as their ticket into the music industry. And such are the best of working class ideas, watered down for safe consumption for the middle classes. However, the original idea and plan of Rock Against the Rich remains as relevant and as dangerous as it was then'. Not all planned gigs happened, in particular events on the Isle of Dogs and at Hackney Empire were blocked.

Probably shouldn't romanticise all this too much. I think some of these gigs at the time were seen as being quite shambolic, Strummer backed by an unprepared band. In a way it was a bit out of time in emphasising rock when other musics were becoming more important. Other things were stirring in 1988...

From NME, 30 July 1988 - a Rock Against the Rich gig at the Tunnel Club in Greenwich with Anhrefen, Sign on Valley Rangers and the Mega City 4. Another South London gig mentioned in the Class War article was apparently scheduled for July 2 1988 in Lewisham, with The Dispossessed and Beethoven.

See previously:

Unite Against Racism demo in East End 1994 + a spycops report on David Bowie donating to Anti Nazi League