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

This is the Beatnik Horror (1960)

From 'The People' July 24 1960 a report on Beatniks in Liverpool, London and elsewhere, with some choice quotes and turns of phrase:

This is Beatnik Hell

Every week more and more young people joint the ghastly Beatnik army

this bizarre new cult imported from American is a dangerous menace to our young people

This is the Beatnik Horror

though they don't know it they are on the road to hell

They revel in filth

their unwashed horror

Most beatniks like dirt. They dress in filthy clothes

They don't care a damn for anyone or anything

They like to frolic in the gutter

Most are dope addicts

This is 18 year old Pat Davenport. Her "rave" is to hitch-hike round the country in search of "kicks". She goes about barefoot and takes snuff to shock

She is a part-time typist but a full time beat girl

In the middle of all the chaos was a magnificent home-built hi-fi record player, blaring the "cool" jazz without which no beatnik "pad" - their slang for home - is complete

"We don't believe in work - it's just for mugs - My only interests are girls and poetry"

Interesting that article defines rave as 'a sudden enthusiasm' rather than a party. 

Partisan Books: a 1970s radical community bookshop in Luton

Continuing the series on the radical history of Luton, here's a bit about a 1970s radical bookshop, Partisan Books which was based at 34 Dallow Road from 1974-76.

The bookshop announced its presence in socialist and anarchist publications in June 1974,  with notices in Freedom and Socialist Worker:

Freedom 26 June 1974

Socialist Worker 8 June 1974

Key figures in the bookshop included radical social workers Brian Douieb and Liz Curtis (aka Liz Durkin) who had previously been involved in setting up the Mental Patients Union.  The bookshop was linked to a wider 1970s radical culture of 'community activism including creches, squatting, community wholefoods, vegetarianism, legal and welfare rights and community newspapers':

Source: Nora Duckett and Helen Spandel,  Radically seeking social justice for children and survivors of abuse, Critical and Radical Social Work, 2018

One of the groups that operated from the bookshop was Luton Women's Action Group. Some of their material has been deposited in Bedfordshire Archives who have written this summary of the group:

'The Luton Women's Action Group held their first meeting in June 1974. At that time the partner of Liz Durkin (now Dr Liz Davies), one of the group's founder members, ran a non-profit political bookshop, Partisan Books, in Dallow Road. This book shop became the centre for lots of groups, including the Women's Action Group and the Luton Street Press.

The Women's Action Group had about 8 women at the core and others that came and went over time. The group was very inclusive and as well as women they had male supporters, including Andrew Tyndall of the Luton News who wrote a number of pieces relating to their campaigns.

The group campaigned for various women's rights and also for nurseries and an adventure playground for children. They believed in direct action and took action, for example, against advertisements that they found offensive. Other activities included writing anti-sexist stories for children and running a women's study course at Luton College. Members of the group attended national conferences and meetings.

In 1976 Liz and her husband moved back to London and the shop in Dallow Road closed. Some of the group's activities carried on for a little while after this and some of the members continued to be active in campaigning for women's rights but the group had ceased to be active by about 1977. The two former members who were responsible for depositing material with Bedfordshire Archives remember being part of the organisation as very exciting and energising. Although the group was only active for a relatively short period it was an important period for the women's liberation movement'.

Partisan Books published a series of non-sexist children's stories including 'Project Baby', 'Doughnuts' and 'Linda and the Food Co-op'

Source: Libertarian Struggle, July/August 1975

A 1975 jumble sale for Partisan Community Bookshop

I was intrigued to see mention of a 'Luton Street Press', so assume there was actually a Luton radical news sheet similar to Bristol Free Press, Hackney Gutter Press and others of the era, for a while at least. Please get in touch if you have any copies. There's a listing for it in the 'International directory of little magazines and small presses' (1976)  

Also around this scene was Ronnie Lee, founder of  the Animal Liberation Front and its predecessor the Band of Mercy.  Lee was living in Luton's Ashburnham Road at the time and active in Luton Hunt Saboteurs  as well other radical movements - he was one of 14 peace activists arrested in 1975 for distributing leaflets produced by the British Withdrawal from Northern Ireland Campaign (BWNIC)  encouraging soldiers not to serve in Northern Ireland.

When Lee was jailed in 1975 for a raid on a vivisection laboratory, the bookshop hosted campaign meetings in his support. Released from prison the following year, Lea moved into a squat in north London with Liz Davies and Brian Douieb and helped open a new bookshop in Archway:

Source: Jon Hochschartner (2017), The Animals' Freedom Fighter: a biography of Ronnie Lee .

This new Partisan Books was on Archway Road, and I assume that the Luton one closed around the same time.

Undercurrents, June/July 1976

Both Davies and Douieb went on to careers in critical social work, the former a leading writer and campaigner against child abuse including whistleblowing on abuse in Islington children's homes. 

This 1987 Luton News report of Ronnie Lee being jailed for ten years in relation to ALF activities mentions the earlier Luton campaign in his support in 1975 with meetings 'at a bookshop in Dallow Road and at the Recreation Centre in Old Bedford Road' as well as 'youngsters in the Dallow Road area' planning a sponsored swim to raise funds.

(as an aside there's an interesting 2023 interview with Lee at DIY conspiracy where he talks about being in an animal liberation punk band Total Assault and about the influence of the Situationists and the Angry Brigade on him. He also recalls being in an ALF group who would play The Flamin Groovies 'Shake Some Action' before going on a raid)

[I had never heard of the bookshop until recently despite growing up in Luton and getting involved in politics only 5 years later. Would love to know more, please comment/get in touch if you have any memories or documents]

Other Luton writings:

How it all began (for me): a School Kid against the Nazis in Luton 1979/80

Luton Nuclear Disarmament Campaign go to Greenham Common 1980

Blinded by the Light - memories of racism and job cuts in 1980s Luton (including the Luton Youth Movement)

The Luton Riots of 1981 - 'Brixton comes to Bedfordshire'

The Hunger Strike, the Irish War and an English Town

Karma Sutra, Luton anarcho-punk and hunt sabbing

Clubbing in Luton 1984

Dole Days in Luton: unemployed protests, 1985

Luton Punk Squat Party 1985 - with Karma Sutra

We are Luton - opposing the English Defence League in 2012

'Angry White People' book review (in Datacide magazine)