Sub-titled ‘English Section of the Situationist International’, Vague 31 is a collection of obscure (and now highly sought-after) and fascinating (mainly) British political counter-culture from the 1960s.
Reproduced, are ‘Rebel Worker’ (American anarchist publication), the legendary ‘Heatwave’ (1+2), and the near-mythical ‘King Mob Echo’ (1-6), with contributions from Chris ‘Leaving the 20th Century’ Gray, and other notables from the various pre-punk anarchist punk gangs of Britain, who put the ‘sub’ into ‘version’.
A rare glimpse at some of the radical political thinking that was to surface later in the Suburban Press, Sex Pistols, other works by artist Jamie Reid.
The accompanying volume, sub-titled ‘From Gordon Riots to Situationists to Sex Pistols’, the intrepid Tom Vague plunders the archives of history, exploring the Gordon Riots (they won’t teach you this in skool, kids!), then fast-forwarding rough-shod through the centuries to almost present-day to draw parallels.
The Gordon Riots were initially an anti-Catholic uprising, as the ‘Mob’ laid siege to Parliament. This soon morphed into “attack the rich”; it was a genuine manifestation of Anarchy In The UK.
The opening scenes of the film, ‘The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle’, echo these important events, as the ‘Mob’ lynch the Cess Pit Holes.
King Mob of the 1960s took their name from the original Gordon Rioters, who scrawled “His Majesty King Mob” on the gates of Newgate prison, before releasing the prisoners (á la the storming of the Bastille).
Tom Vague’s relentless journey weaves the various strands into this witty presentation of some secret history.
London: AK Press, 2000.
First edition 8vo (21 × 14.8 cm) Paperback 130 pp + 82 pp Texts in English Wrappers. Perfect bound. Illustrated in b/w throughout.
Fine. Item ID: 4059.