02/08/2023
Review of Chris Low's rather delectable 'Best B4 1984' book of anarcho-punk 'zine and flyer images here:
"Best B4 1984: Fanzine & Flyer Images from the Anarcho-Punk Underground, curated by Chris Low (Lowthario Press, softcover, A4, 100pp., 2023)
The very first time I heard Crass was when a kid in the year below me at school kindly handed me a copy of both the 'Reality Asylum' and 'Bloody Revolutions' singles on account of my still being interested in the very same music his own older brother had apparently just given up on. This must have been late 1980 or early 1981. I was only 15 and, yes, still very much interested in where punk was going because I still found the sonic avenues it opened up exciting. Anyway, I took those records home and, after playing them on my rather old and dusty Dansette, was immediately mesmerised not only by the music but the striking packaging and incredible collages and information adorning it. While I was still picking up all kinds of records related to or inspired by punk, I certainly felt compelled to explore more from Crass and the groups they supported via their label(s). Over the course of the following few years, I picked up records by Flux of Pink Indians, Zounds, The Mob, The Snipers, The Cravats, Rudimentary Peni, Honey Bane, UK Decay, Kukl and others, besides many by Crass themselves and groups loosely associated such as Amebix. Without doubt, everything represented an important part of my own desire to explore both music and some of the ideas behind it. Although I never really bought into much of the rhetoric inherent in Crass (the same as, more broadly, I never subscribed to any one particular thing completely in that respect which emanated from punk), I liked the fact they existed and felt that they offered so much that, if inclined, one could simply take a few ideas as a source of inspiration or baseline to explore and still barely scratch the surface. Most importantly, I loved the DIY sensibility and the music often going to places far outside of what was expected of punk. I also enjoyed the collages and references to existentialism that began to colour how I felt about my own position in life.
As the '80s started unfolding, punk grew into many sub-factions and where I lived, near Canterbury, there were some distinct anarcho-punks who especially loved Conflict before later moving onto US hardcore, thrash and metal. I tended to stay outside this circle, though. It always seemed too regimented next to many of my immediate friends' preference for the likes of Cabaret Voltaire, Theatre of Hate, the Virgin Prunes, Killing Joke, The Birthday Party, Bauhaus, Chrome, The Residents, PiL, the Banshees, Wire and so on. What with some of the local anarcho set also later becoming crusties, it is easy with the added benefit of hindsight to understand why I didn't fully embrace everything surrounding them. Far more interesting for me was how punk actually moved into all these wildly different places, however. And, indeed, if one was perhaps more politically motivated or felt as strong as Crass and those directly inspired by them about any of the issues they were concerned with, then their appeal wasn’t difficult to understand. The UK of the early ‘80s certainly didn’t promise a great future. All these groups in Crass’ universe between them at least created beacons of awareness perfect, especially, for youths beginning to navigate their own way through a world which could often appear oppressive, unjust and cruel. Arriving at a time way before the internet, many of these groups helped to cultivate a wide range of information not readily available in the mainstream. Everything from vegetarian recipes and rants concerning animal liberation to calls for nuclear disarmament and anti-government slogans were instantly available, and while it might be easy to slump back in an armchair padded with cynicism now we’re all older I’d still contend a lot of this helped many find their own path in life.
Alongside all of this, the same as with all other areas of punk/post-punk, came a tide of fanzines, gig organisers, tape labels and others possessed of the very same DIY sensibility and enthusiasm for distributing decidedly countercultural ideals. In addition to the recipes and rants, squatting tips, advice on how to bunk the London tube (something we all did back then) and even molotov cocktail-making instructions could be found. There was something for everybody from those simply wanting to find meat-free dishes to the more angrily militant or markedly politicised. Whilst I have my own opinions on some of this, I always believed in freedom of speech and appreciated the fact many doubtlessly sometimes put themselves at risk through propagating such information.
Not everybody embroiled in anarcho-punk became a thrash-loving crustie with a penchant for cranium-melting homemade cider and a dog on a piece of string, either. Record label One Little Indian serves as one of many success stories to have come out of all this. Likewise, Chris Low himself, a veteran formerly in groups Political Asylum, The Apostles and Oi Polloi, has arguably washed himself in so many tenets once found in anarcho-punk it is now a major component of his DNA. The landscape has, in turn, changed drastically in many ways since the early '80s. Awareness of animal cruelty, for example, has grown remarkably. Vegan or vegetarian food, restaurants, cosmetics and clothing options are now popular.
Because of Chris' background and wide knowledge of the subject, he was certainly the right person for assembling perhaps the only book dedicated to the artwork found in anarcho-punk fanzines and flyers from the few years leading up to 1984. Using his personal archives chiefly as the source, he has collated a fantastic and unique mix of material that highlights the topics anarcho-punks focussed on. Besides references to many of the groups considered part of it all there are pages here from Class War, Chris' own Guilty of What?, Cobalt Hate and other 'zines, plus flyers or posters for gigs and a lengthy enough introduction by Chris which clearly illustrates just how vibrant anarcho-punk was on the whole. I think this introduction could have been expanded on for several chapters, though.
And therein lies my one and only criticism of the book. The original material constituting the bulk of the content would have benefitted from some additional notes to serve it all some context. This would have rendered a pretty good book truly great. Further insight into this interesting and innovative area of music, as well as the concomitant causes championed by those involved, would make for a worthwhile document of a remarkable time unlike anything since. Meantime, however, we have Chris Low’s equally stunning collection to whet our appetites. Now to dig out some of those old records…" (RJ)
As always, please note that we are ‘old school’ and only review releases sent on physical formats. Downloads and streaming links tend to get lost due to the amount of emails received da…
