Rock Against Racism
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Rock Against Racism was a British anti-racist campaign that raised awareness for its cause by staging rock concerts.
RAR was originally conceived by Red Saunders and Roger Huddle as a one-off concert, but nothing came of the idea until August 1976 when Eric Clapton drunkenly praised Enoch Powell. Saunders, Huddle and two members of Kartoon Klowns[note 1] responded with a letter to New Musical Express announcing the launch of the Rock Against Racism movement and calling for collaborators; Huddle since claimed that they received hundreds of letters in reply. RAR was ultimately part of a broader anti-racism movement (its frequent partner, the Anti-Nazi League, was founded in 1977) that grew up in response to the National Front.[1]
The first RAR carnival was held in 1978.[2] The campaign prompted a backlash from the white power music scene, which launched Rock Against Communism in response.
At the time, Roger Huddle was working for the Socialist Workers Party as a graphic designer. The SWP was closely involved with RAR, allowing its PO box and print shop to be used by the campaign.[3]
The original incarnation of RAR gradually faded away during the eighties, although an arguable successor — Love Music Hate Racism
— was set up in 2002 following the elections of BNP councillers in Burnley.[2]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ Exactly who or what Kartoon Klowns were appears to have been largely forgotten.
References[edit]
- ↑ http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=8931
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.dkrenton.co.uk/rock_against_racism.html
- ↑ Andy Beckett, "When the Lights Went Out: Britain in the Seventies", Faber & Faber, 2009, pp. 449-50.
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