On Friday 12 November 1976 at the Princess Alice, Carol Grimes and the Boogie Band performed at the first Rock Against Racism gig (RAR), organised by Roger Huddle, Red Saunders, local anti-racists and a few dock workers.

At the time, the popularity of the National Front (NF) had increased via the ballot box, on the streets and at West Ham United football ground. To counter their presence, Roger and the Anti-Nazi League (ANL) started to leaflet the football fans. He said:

“When we first leafleted as the ANL, most fans were very pleased to see us which once again showed that the NF were feared but not supported by everyone.”

Rock Against Racism Gig Black Echoes, Courtesy Carol Grimes

The NF blamed Black and Asian people for the cuts in social spending and rising unemployment. This led to increased attacks on these ethnic groups. The situation was not helped by musician Eric Clapton, who made a racist rant during a Birmingham concert in August 1976. He called for the repatriation of all immigrants and gave support to the far-right racist Tory Enoch Powell.

Roger explains why it was important to make a stand against the NF by forming RAR as a political movement:

“We knew what the NF stood for from studying Hitler and Germany in the 1930s. The NF’s hatred of all things foreign, including Black music. “It seemed a good idea to hold a gig claiming diversity and cultural unity against the ideas of the NF. We decided right from the beginning to call it Rock Against Racism: Reggae Soul Rock ‘n’ Roll, Jazz Funk Punk – Our Music.”

Roger and Red launched their book Reminiscences of RAR: Rock Against Racism 1976-1982 on 12 November 2016. They asked 71 people to write their memories of the period and published them alphabetically as written.

Roger and Red also contributed to White Riot, a 2019 documentary film about Rock Against Racism. Roger feels that RAR helped to destabilise the NF:

“Across the country, we broke the NF sending them into the dustbin of history. Music changed; the diversity of our everyday lives was reflected in the culture. Racism ebbs and flows and must always be fought. We were part of the history of that fight.”

There was a second gig at the Royal College of Art in December that year and a third on May Day 1977 at the Roundhouse.

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