The Last of the Hippies: An Hysterical Romance
Please select all options before adding to cart.
First published in 1982 as part of the Crass record album Christ: The Album, Penny Rimbaud’s The Last of the Hippies is a fiery anarchist polemic centered on the story of his friend, Phil Russell (aka Wally Hope), who was murdered by the State while incarcerated in a mental institution.
Wally Hope was a visionary and a freethinker, whose life had a profound influence on many in the culture of the UK underground and beyond. He was an important figure in what may loosely be described as the organization of the Windsor Free Festival from 1972 to 1974, as well providing the impetus for the embryonic Stonehenge Free Festival.
Wally was arrested and incarcerated in a mental institution after having been found in possession of a small amount of LSD. He was later released, and subsequently died. The official verdict was that Russell committed suicide, although Rimbaud uncovered strong evidence that he was murdered. Rimbaud’s anger over unanswered questions surrounding his friend’s death inspired him in 1977 to form the anarchist punk band Crass.
In the space of seven short years, from 1977 to their breakup in 1984, Crass almost single-handedly breathed life back into the then moribund peace and anarchist movements. The Last of the Hippies fast became the seminal text of what was then known as anarcho-punk and which later blossomed into the anti-globalization movement.
This revised edition comes complete with a new introduction in which Rimbaud questions some of the premises that he laid down in the original.
About the Author:
Penny Rimbaud is a writer, poet, philosopher, painter, musician and activist. He was a former member of the performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion, and in 1972 was cofounder with Phil Russell (aka Wally Hope) of the Stonehenge Free Festivals. In 1977, alongside Steve Ignorant, he cofounded the seminal anarchist punk band Crass, which disbanded in 1984. From that time up until 2000 he devoted himself almost entirely to writing, returning to the public platform in 2001 as a performance poet working alongside Australian saxophonist Louise Elliott and a wide variety of jazz musicians under the umbrella of Penny Rimbaud’s Last Amendment.
See and hear author interviews, book reviews, and other news on Penny Rimbaud’s page HERE
You May Also Like
The Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Xicana in a Female Punk Band
This memoir details Spitboy's travels while chronicling their successes and failures, and for Gonzales, discovering her own identity along the way.
The Story of Crass
Crass was the anarcho-punk face of a revolutionary movement founded by radical thinkers and artists Penny Rimbaud, Gee Vaucher, and Steve Ignorant.
The Primal Screamer
This semi-autobiographical novel from Rudimentary Peni singer, guitarist, lyricist, and illustrator Nick Blinko, plunges into the worlds of madness, suicide, and anarchist punk.
The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980-1984
With a backdrop of Thatcher’s Britain, punk music became self-sufficient and considerably more aggressive, blending a DIY ethos with activism to create the perfectly bleak soundtrack to the zeitgeist of a discontented youth.
Stealing All Transmissions: A Secret History of The Clash
Stealing represents a distinctive take on the history of punk, for no other book gives proper attention to the forces of free-form radio, long-form rock journalism, or Clash bootleg recordings.
Punk Rock: An Oral History
Ranging through punk's widely debated roots in the late 1960s to its enduring influence on the bands, fashion, and culture of today, this history brings to life the energy and the anarchy as no other book has done.
Positive Force: More Than a Witness: 30 Years of Punk Politics in Action (DVD)
Covering a span of 30 years, More Than a Witness documents the origins, activism, and musical events of the punk/activist organization Positive Force DC.
One Chord Wonders: Power and Meaning in Punk Rock
This book argues that a significant political achievement of punk was to expose the operations of power in the British entertainment industry as they were thrown into confusion by the sound and the fury of musicians and fans.
Recently Viewed
Who's Afraid of the Black Blocs?: Anarchy in Action around the World
This is a comprehensive view of the tactic and locates it within the anarchist tradition of direct action and includes recent actions at protests around the world.
Crisis and Care: Queer Activist Responses to a Global Pandemic
Crisis and Care reveals what is possible when activists mobilize for the radical changes our society needs.
