The Scorcher

The Scorcher was a radical Welsh magazine published in Cardiff between 1982-3 by Britain's leading anarchist Ian Bone. It ran for 4 issues and sold for just 30p in the radical bookshops of south Wales (both of them). Also responsible for putting out the mag were Brig Jones, Rod Jones and Jimmy Grimes. Provocative and incendiary in outlook The Scorcher was vehemently anti-police and the Establishment. Cultural items were also included, with an article by Rhys Mwyn in Issue 1 on the relationship between Welsh-language music and the media. The Scorcher wasn't in any way 'right-on' with plenty of digs aimed at communists and trendy lefties in general. The mag, however, did have a sense of humour albeit a black one. For instance, when Welsh Tory MP Michael Roberts died of a heart attack Issue 3 of The Scorcher proclaimed on its front cover: "Michael Roberts MP - Scorcher Tribute - P13". Of course, the magazine only had 12 pages. Along with Fuck Off magazine The Scorcher can be viewed as a precursor to Class War.