Rich Cross at ‘The Hippies Now Wear Black’ caught up with author David Insurrection to find out a bit more about the research and writing of his new book, ‘Anarcho-Punk: Music and Resistance in London, 1977-1988’ and the motivations that led him to embark on the project…
NEW BOOK BY David Insurrection Anarcho-Punk: Music and Resistance in London 1977-1988 promises to take the reader on a journey to “visit some of the scene’s most significant locations and hot spots” to rediscover those places in the capital where “change mattered and the spirit of revolt burned brightest”.
You’ve explained that the book took three years’ work to complete. What was it that motivated you back in 2021 to begin the project?
At first, when I began paying these historical anarcho-locations a visit – as well as taking photos and writing corresponding articles – I did so purely for pleasure. It wasn’t until 2022, after Pete Fender suggested that I write a book, that I knuckled down and it began to take shape.
Do you think that the history of anarcho-punk in the UK is still to be fully written?
There are still more stories to tell – people’s lived experiences. Ian Glasper’s book The Day The Country Died does an excellent job looking at bands and the music they made. I decided early on to look at the subject from a different angle. The music is still a factor in telling the story, but less so. For example, I wanted to document people’s squatting experiences. It’s social history. It’s an examination of the wider culture and its political significance. I stretched the topic a little by also including non-punk spaces so as to give a broader picture of what was going on. For example, the political climate of the day and how certain groups reacted to that. It all ties together. It’s truly fascinating. Everything is interwoven.
Was it self-evident to you right from the beginning that your focus would be on the anarcho-punk scene in London rather than elsewhere?
Yes. I used to live in London, between 1993 and 1997. I still travel there often – either to visit family or attend gigs. From a practical point of view, it made sense – and London was then the primary mover. For example, most bands tended to gravitate there. Not to diminish the importance of other regional scenes of course.
Why did you decide to approach the story from the perspective of location and place – rather than say looking at bands, or different types of activity, or other broader themes?
Locations are a great tool. They’re an excellent device in order to tell a story. You may not capture everything, but it was ideal for the story I wanted to tell. In the time it’s taken to write the book, I’ve visited over 60 locations across London.
Did the story that you traced unfold in the way that you expected, or were there surprises along the way that you had not anticipated?
I was somewhat surprised to find that Crass were involved with the London Anarchist Bookfair. They did their part by publicising both affairs (November 3rd 1984 and May 4th 1985) as well as providing cooked food. They also managed to raise £150 for the miners.
What do you hope that people will learn from the book? Is this something that will interest the complete beginner and the battle-hardened expert?
It’s a subject that’s often overlooked. For the beginner, I hope that it will allow them to discover a new world. A glimpse in to the past where they can read about and revel in these incredible stories of resistance. For the battle-hardened expert, I hope that they can still learn something. I know I did along the way, overturning layers of fascinating facts and tales of struggle.
‘Anarcho-Punk: Music and Resistance in London 1977-1988’ by David Insurrection is the distillation of three years work. It’s the story of an oft overlooked scene. Anarcho-punk in the 1980s truly rocked the boat. Much more than music it set out to change the world and in a not insignificant way did just that. It inspired a generation of activists, artists and musicians to take up the fight for a better fairer world. They tore down the walls. This is their story. As we return to the embattled 1970s and 1980s David takes us on a journey where we visit some of the scene’s most significant locations and hot spots, to places where change mattered and the spirit of revolt burned brightest. Earth Island Books.