Class War - Ian Bone

I found this cutting in my scrapbook from 1983 - it was out of one of those shite red top newspapers.

It's a sensationalist article on Class War and in particular Swansea University graduate, the living legend that is Ian Bone (once described by the News of the World as ‘the most dangerous man in Britain’)

Born on August 28, 1947, Bone's connections to Wales, specifically Swansea, go far beyond simply studying there.

Swansea was the foundational environment where he developed his unique brand of radical anarchism and political action, which he later took onto a national stage with Class War.

While studying at the University in the 1960s, Bone established his first anarchist agit-magazine called Alarm. This paper was a precursor to Class War.

Fighting the "Swansea Mafia" was a major focus of Alarm's activities was exposing alleged corruption within the local Labour-controlled Swansea Council (which Bone and his comrades nicknamed "The Swansea Mafia"). This grassroots investigative agitation was highly successful and is directly credited with contributing to the jailing of two prominent local Labour council leaders (Gerald Murphy in 1977 and his successor Sid Jenkins). 

Bone himself credits the energy and experiences developed in Swansea as leading to the creation of the Class War paper and movement. The famous slogan "Class War" was reportedly coined after an argument with anarcho-pacifists at a Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) rally in Swansea.

Ian Bone was a member of the local activist group Swansea Solidarity. In 1969, he was involved in the hundreds of protests that took place outside St Helen's rugby ground in Swansea in protest against the visiting South African touring rugby side during the anti-apartheid movement.

Around 1979 he formed Page 3, a porno-punk band with Ray Rockafella (voc) (also Dyfatty Flats), Jock Negative (voc,stripping), Jon Smythe-Murray (sax), Mr Miers (gtr), Huw Pew (drms), Gags (drms) and many others. Played two, maybe three gigs, the first of which descended into chaos when two females joined the band naked on stage and rolled around on top of each other.

Songs included Sexist Twat, Bitches on Heat, Premature Ejaculations, Swallow it Down, Can’t Get It Up, One Of The Boys, Clap Clap I Wanna Get The Clap, Prostitutes World.

Andy Green, who promoted gigs at Swansea Uni said in a 2007 interview, ‘I foolishly put on a punk band called Page 3, in what was to be their last-ever gig – whose members were to become the anarchist agitation group Class War. This band included a lady of ill repute involved in the so-called ‘sex for luncheon vouchers scandal’ in the ‘70’s. Their act included doing rude things with jelly babies and feeding them to the front row of the audience. It got worse: the night ended in chaos with police and fire brigade called out, the College Safety Officer was beaten up, and my dear mate Bertie Mathews got thumped. My abiding memory is when cleaning up the mess at the end of the night. This big Welsh guy stood in the hall with his posture indicating he was going to make some negative pronouncement but declaring, in his broad valley’s accent: “Smutty, but good!” I learnt that you can at least please some of the people some of the time!’

After this, Living Legends were formed  They played with Crass in Swansea and released their debut single ‘The Pope is a Dope’ (Upright Records 1982). Gigs were always chaotic with Ian Bone being arrested after one particularly memorable gig at Abergavenny Town Hall in 1983. By this time the band was Cardiff based. A second single ‘Better Dead Than Wed’ followed in 1985 and surprisingly topped the UK Indie charts for 3 weeks.The band continued to sporadically play well into the 90s. A ‘Greatest Hits’ tape was released on BBP Records 1996.

Bone's autobiography, Bash the Rich: True Life Confessions of an Anarchist in the UK, is heavily focused on his life and political development in the city. The film rights to the book were reportedly sold to a filmmaker, with a significant portion of the film planned to be set in Swansea.

Ian Bone was the initiator and key organizer of the Rock Against the Rich tour, which was spearheaded by his organization, Class War, in 1988.

Along with fellow anarchist Darren Ryan, Ian Bone approached Joe Strummer in a London pub (The Warwick Castle in Notting Hill) in March 1988. The initial idea was for a one-off benefit gig for Class War, but the conversation, fueled by drinks and Bone's confrontational style, quickly escalated into a full-blown, multi-date national tour. 

It was conceived as a way to promote the anarchist politics and direct action focus of Class War—particularly their "Bash the Rich" activities—and raise the issue of wealth inequality.

The tour was endorsed and organized by Class War with Bone as a leading figure. The shows featured Strummer's new band, the Latino Rockabilly War, and the door money was split between local Class War groups and various local "needy" causes (like defence funds for sacked miners).

A significant aspect of Strummer's involvement, which Bone helped secure, was that Strummer agreed to underwrite any potential financial losses. He paid the wages for his American band and covered their travel and accommodation expenses.

Footnote: Welsh punks Anhrefn were also part of this tour and released their single 'Be Nesa 89' with the Rock Against The Rich logo on the label.