Blaggers I.T.A.
| Blaggers ITA | |
|---|---|
| Origin | London |
| Genres | Streetpunk, punk rock, rapcore, Oi! |
| Years active | 1988–1995 |
| Labels | Words Of Warning, Parlophone |
Blaggers ITA (formerly The Blaggers) were a British punk rock band founded in 1988. Main vocalist Matty 'Blagg' Roberts had previously fronted Oi! band Complete Control, who released an LP on Oi! Records in 1985 while original second vocalist Tim 'Bilko' (aka 'Teething') Wells had previously been in the band Anti Social Workers, who released an album on Mad Professor's Ariwa label in 1983. Blaggers ITA were noted for their strong anti-fascist and left wing lyrics and activism.
Although the band initially played in a generic Oi! style, they later added a trumpet player and incorporated influences from hip hop and electronic dance music, including sampling, and added the letters ITA to their name ("In The Area"), inspired by Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound Records.
The band had close links with Anti Fascist Action (AFA), donating money to the organisation and promoting its ideology. The band's support for revolutionary politics and AFA, along with their earlier association with the Oi! scene and support for Irish republicanism, meant that in the early 1990s they became a target of Neo-Nazi groups such as Blood & Honour and C18.
In 1993 they signed a record deal with EMI and enjoyed some commercial success with three minor hit singles.Stress and Oxygen benefitted from promotional videos, while Abandon Ship saw an appearance on The Word.
The record deal resulted in some criticism due to EMI's status as a major label and large corporation, and its former links with the arms trade. In a debate strongly echoed four years later in the case of Chumbawamba, the band justified the move with the argument that the financial and promotional support of EMI would enable their political message to reach a wider public; they also argued that the deal gave the band more money to spend on political causes. For example, money earmarked for promotional events was used on full page adverts in the national music press promoting direct physical anti-fascist action, while creative use of tour support funds went to aid political groups throughout the country.
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