Not Just Bits Of Paper

<p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Not Just Bits Of Paper is a portal into a world now diminished a world where the importance of specific bits of paper cannot be overstated. Not that these bits of paper had any intrinsic purpose beyond the sole reason they were produced for - that being to advertise and publicise events - though paradoxically without it ever being stated or even considered they also represented nothing less than a vision. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>The bits of paper we're talking about here are the flyers and posters created to announce upcoming concerts of the more 'earthy' punk rock type prevalent throughout much of the 1980s. Black-and- white made with scissors glue pens Letraset and found images. Utilising the 'cut'n'paste' method rather than desk-top publishing then photocopied fly-posted stuck up in record shops given out by hand and sent out by post enclosed with fanzines and cassette tapes purchased from various mail- order lists. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>This was the way we communicated before the advent of the Internet and social media. Slow time-consuming sometimes wearisome but effective. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Many of these flyers and posters could be really basic in design and layout whilst others could be veritable mini works of art. All however whatever the quality of them were meant to be throwaway. Ephemeral. To serve their one purpose then binned which is what most people tended to do with them once the publicised event had passed. Very few people thought of saving them and those who did so saved them essentially for the sake of it. Not for having an eye on one day them being collectible or of any possible future monetary value to anyone. They saved them without thinking and for no reason but saved them - thankfully - they did. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Co-edited by Greg Bull and Mickey 'Penguin' Not Just Bits Of Paper collates a wide selection of flyers posters and handouts from the anarcho-punk era of the 1980s and for posterity lays them out and presents them in all their ragged torn and tattered glory. As to be expected Crass are heavily represented alongside The Mob Flux Of Pink Indians Antisect Conflict Poison Girls Chumbawamba plus many more others. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>A series of recollections memories imagined dreams perhaps from the collective memories of those who lived through the punk and anarcho-punk years. Tales recalled of times past and a glorious tribute to the bands and the crowds who made the early eighties so special for so many of us. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>It has now been ten years since this book Not Just Bits Of Paper was first published. The original 2015 edition of the book was 230 pages long and was presented in black and white. This revised tenth year anniversary edition of the book has an extra fifty pages of posters and flyers to view along with three extra chapters to read that's 280 pages and the book is now presented in full colour as it should be! </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>The contributors that have shared their recollections and memories were all there in amongst that early eighties punk and anarcho-punk movement. </span></p><p></p>