hippies, punx, stonehenge and mista showbiz ..

well.... linking at least two stories from the current pages of Kid Shirt - we have this pic from the ages where punks n hippies would gather, smoke and make merry - the much missed Stonehenge Festival ...



rubbing sholders with Mark P (back row 4th from tha left - eating candy) is indeed that much discussed occasional Fall producer Grant Showbiz (on his right - fist raised..)... this pic taken in 78 (the rest of the peeps being members of either 'Here and Now' or ATV)- the year or so before the Biker Contingent decided that the arrival of Crass was enough to justify the instant bashing of anyone even remotly spiky-looking .... resulting in a lot of tripped out punk-types hiding in fear ! Penny Rimbaud from Crass, sums it up well, exactly what it was like to be there that year: "Our presence at Stonehenge attracted several hundred punks to whom the festival scene was a novelty, they, in turn, attracted interest from various factions to whom punk was equally new. The atmosphere seemed relaxed and as dusk fell, thousands of people gathered around the stage to listen to the night's music. suddenly, for no apparent reason, a group of bikers stormed the stage saying that they were not going to tolerate punks at Their festival'. What followed was one Or the most violent and frightening experiences of our lives. Bikers armed with bottles, chains and clubs, stalked around the site viciously attacking any punk that they set eyes on. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to escape to; all night we attempted to protect ourselves and other terrified punks from their mindless violence. there were screams of terror as people were dragged off into the darkness to be given lessons on peace and love; it was hopeless trying to save anyone because, in the blackness of the night, they were impossible to find. "

Despite the troubles of that year, it must be said - when I was in my late teens and early twenties - this was the highlight of the summer - used to go for a couple of weeks, get dirty as hell - experience all kinds of un-printable new thangs - and basically drop out for a while .......

High Points of the fest:

• Nick Turners Inner City Unit (esp. a punked version of Masters of the Universe
• Hawkwind (goes wiv out sayin mista..)
• Here and Now vs Alternative TV (Action, Time and Lemon ......)
  
• Blotters / shrooms and red-leb...
  

Low Points..

• Dodgy deals
• Black microdots
• The Enid ..
• Punk-bashin-bikers..
• Some guy standing in front of me whilst watching Hawkwind - so fucked up that he did not realise he was pissing down the inside of his coat ... nice !!)

I have a stack of pics somewhere in a cupboard around here of various images of the early 80s festival - along with the last sighting of Mark Mob - bare chested standing by the stones during some pagen wedding .... ahh the memories (they go on and on and on and on and on .....)