Andy Cumming

It was the best of times it was the worst of times; London in the 80s: Rock against Racism, Margaret Thatcher, The AIDs crisis, Anti-Apartheid (free Nelson Mandela), The Poll tax riots, Squat parties, The miner’s strike, Mutoid Waste Company at Kings X, Temple of Psychic Youth, Stonehenge 1984, Test Department at Deptford, allnighters at the Scala cinema, On-u Soundsystem, John Peel on the radio 4 days a week. Everyone participating, forming bands, making films, putting together zines. Then came rave, but that’s a whole other story.