Bureau of Lost Culture – Rock, Radicals and Racism (05/08/2023)

Roger Huddle is a born and bred Londoner, a working class mod who grew up in the 50s got radicalised in the 60s and became a founder of on the most successsful activist groups of the 1970s – Rock Against Racism – RAR

RAR was a political and cultural movement which emerged in 1976 in reaction to a rise in racist attacks on the streets of the United Kingdom and increasing support for the far-right National Front at the ballot box. Between 1976 and 1982 RAR activists organised national carnivals and tours, as well as local gigs and clubs throughout the country bringing together black and white fans in their common love of music.

The musicians came from all pop music genres including some of the UK’s biggest post-punk and Reggae artists including The Clash, Misty in Roots, Elvis Costello and X-Ray Spex.
Roger came into the Bureau to tell us all about it and to school us in radical socialism, agit prop, cutural revolution – and William Morris.