Rock Against Communism
| Rock Against Communism | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stylistic origins | Punk rock, Oi!, Hard rock |
| Cultural origins | late 1970s, United Kingdom |
| Typical instruments | Vocals - Electric guitar - Bass guitar - Drums |
| Mainstream popularity | underground, mainly Europe and North America |
| Other topics | |
| National Socialist Black Metal | |
Rock Against Communism is a genre of rock music associated with skinheads, founded in the United Kingdom.
Contents
Concept
The earliest impetus for the movement came during the ascent of the punk rock subculture in Britain in 1978; bourgeois Trotskyist and anarchist bands such as The Clash and The Buzzcocks were associated with Rock Against Racism, a front of the SWP, so the National Front founded Rock Against Communism as a counterpoint for punks and rockers who were nationalistic in sentiment. The movement was at it's height during the 1980s with Skrewdriver, No Remorse and Brutal Attack.
The most prominent network for their activities was Blood and Honour, which operated internationally and still exists, but is less active than previously. Shaved heads, tattoos and bomber jackets were prominent forms of dress for participants. Today, this subculture is outdated, as with punk rock in general, it is questionable as to whether it is a genuine art-form, but it did provide momentary titillation for youths in the 1980s; it has largely been overshadowed by neofolk in nationalist circles.
History
Rock Against Communism was set up to counter the early successful Rock Against Racism concerts, who were organized by the Anti Nazi League. The first Rock Against Communism concert was held in Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK in 1978 and it featured the punk bands, The Dentists and The Ventz. In 1979 another sucessful concert was organized. In 1983 the third RAC concert was headlined by the band Skrewdriver.
After the 1983 event, more RAC concerts were organized and on the bill were acts such as Brutal Attack, Skullhead, Squadron, Sudden Impact, Ovaltinees, Lionheart, No Remorse, Violent Storm and Battlezone and Skrewdriver. In the mid-1980s, summer concerts were often held at the home of Edgar Griffin, father of Nick Griffin, a British National Front organizer who later became the national chair of the British National Party. By the late 1980s, the RAC name had given way to the White Noise Club, and later Blood and Honour.
When hardcore punk music became more popular in the 1990s and 2000s, many bands took on a more hardcore sound. Bands leading this hatecore trend have included American bands, Angry Aryans, Blue Eyed Devils and H8Machine. Also popular among white racialists is National Socialist Black Metal which is a form of Black Metal. The lyrics often focus on Norse mythology and a desire to return to a pre-Christian Europe. Bands in this genre include Graveland and Nokturnal Mortum.
See also
External links
- The Sounds of RAC at Weebly
