CHARLIE HARPER An Anarchy of Demons - Hardback 1st Edition w/ Poster BM card x6

Anarchy of Demons by Charlie Harper. This book tells the fascinating story of Charlie Harper, the frontman of the U.K. Subs, a seminal punk band. The book includes unseen images from Charlie's archive, giving a perfect insight into what made him into the punk icon he is today. ISBN 978-1-916864-73-3

- Hardback 1st edition
- Poster
- Bookmark
- Unique postcard x6

REVIEW =

So where do you start with a review of Charlie Harper’s autobiography, An Anarchy Of Demons?

Let’s start with the cover because it’s a brilliant painting by Steve Dann and perfectly sums up the legend that is Charlie.

Then, there are some indicators in the first few pages as to what will follow. Firstly, the volume is some 500 pages thick with a staggering 130 chapters, so it’s not going to be your standard linear chapter format, and that proves the case as many chapters often contain a page or para of Charlie’s recollections. Secondly, Charlie casually mentions some 80 people (!) have passed through the UK Subs, with it likely to be even more by the time of publication. This in itself is unusual and the closest parallel would be Iggy Pop but Charlie & the UK Subs name have become synonymous. More on this later.

In the foreword, Lars Frederikson recounts a tale backstage at a Motörhead gig with him, Charlie Harper and Lemmy who quips if it wasn’t for Charlie he’d be the oldest c**t there. And age is certainly a factor here as Charlie can recall the immediate post-war period. If you’re a 16 year old punk rocker getting into the Subs be prepared for a shock about how early Charlie’s early life is – we are talking about the Second World War which you might need to Google! In fact, if you took off the first 80 or so pages which recounts in great detail Charlie’s life away from London on farms and the adventures he had growing up and what he got up to, it could easily be a separate novella entitled Cider with Charlie.

The next section is for some then the interesting bit where Charlie joins various bands as a bassist, eventually arrives at the Marauders and then turns punk into the UK Subversives. After the detail in the first section, it’s a little confused as the chapters sometimes switch back and forth in time but don’t seem to quite match up like when CID was written or the band morphed into punk or when Steve Davies jumped from Dick Envy to The Subs and there’s repetition of certain facts several times. What’s clear though is Charlie at the ripe old age (in music terms) of his early 30s really loves punk rock and he pulls together round him a band that play it effectively and play the Roxy club on several occasions. It is this band that will do the recording on the live at the Roxy album and whose patronage by John Peel will help propel them forward.

There are interesting things at play here though. As Charlie says the most loved incarnation of the band would be Paul Slack, Pete Davies, Nicki Garrett and Charlie Harper version. Yet they were the second or third version by early 1978. I was surprised to learn that Rob Harper who had previously drummed for the Clash and didn’t particularly enjoy it, was the drummer in the UK Subs for a while. Also interesting snippets like Charlie wanted to have Gem from the Killjoys as bassist.

What’s also interesting here is Charlie is a rock ‘n’ roll survivor. He is one of those rare breed that lives and breathes rock’n’roll or in this case punk rock. What comes across in the book is that he has a lot in common with Lemmy and even JJ Burnel. They are professional musicians who love(d) playing gigs, travelling, recording albums and the side benefits that go with the job (sex & drugs) and managed to keep the rock’n’roll excesses that went with it in check to be able to survive 24/7 through their career without stopping. It’s a job and one they love. While others burn out, change or just leave they continue unfazed. And with Charlie, if he’s not playing gigs, he’s going to other people’s ones and always is happy to chat. I can’t imagine Charlie has many nights in!

Charlie has played thousands of gigs across the world in countless countries and venues and as he points out near enough every year for since 1980 or whatever has toured America in some form or another. Somehow he’s also managed to never be touched by that “Oh he’s the only original member in the band” shit that gets people all riled up because as long as Charlie is there at the front of the UK Subs no matter who is with him and they play well then that’s cool.

So look, An Anarchy Of Demons is not The Dirt by Motley Crue and a tale of excess, drugs and redemption. In fact I’m not sure what the title actually refers to unless it’s the music business and the people in it. It’s the tale of one man who ended up in punk and has kept that flame burning since that very first moment without stopping through a bit of fame, through the harder UK82 period, through the lean years and back up to the level the band is now. In the book, Charlie doesn’t seem to have an ego, doesn’t seem overly concerned about money and is an affable and genial fellow who doesn’t try to impose on bandmates and likes using the word ‘alas’ a lot ??

Charlie Harper is pure punk rock and a legend.

Shipping cost =
Tracked 1st class parcel up to 10kg = €19.90