Joshua Maddison and Anderson Garcia Rodrigues
PUNKS are simply as a lot part of Camden City as its world well-known music venues and sprawling market scene.
However with the coronavirus lockdown wiping out tourism on the Lock and footfall at an historic low, the “assist punk to get drunk” enterprise mannequin has been hit too.
Anderson Garcia Rodrigues, 31, who sits on the canal bridge every day and invitations folks to pay £1 if they need {a photograph} of his unmissable hair and tattoos, mentioned: “Camden is quiet, and it’s turning into very troublesome for us. Proper now there are possibly three or 4 punks in Camden City, however final yr there have been 20 of us.”
“The folks asking for footage in the mean time are primarily simply skilled photographers, not vacationers.”
Mr Rodrigues, who lives in Kentish City, goes to the Lock bridge in Camden Excessive Avenue day-after-day at 9am along with his “Assist Punk Get Drunk” signal.
He mentioned: “Sundays usually are not so dangerous however most individuals are so scared to go as much as different folks. We are saying in case you wash your arms, use a masks – if all people does this we’ll all be all proper. Don’t be afraid, come and speak to us.”
Mr Rodrigues has spent £11,000 on giving himself a zombie-like look with piercings, a “bifurcated” (divided) tongue and tattoos of blood, bruises, bones, venomous animals and bugs.
“I’ve one black eye tattoo,” he mentioned. “I’ve my tongue cleat. I alter the color of my hair so much. My hair is curly, however with hairspray I can hold it very sturdy for every week.”
Mr Rodrigues has been photographed hundreds of occasions by vacationers who’re invited to pay a £1. Donations are pooled by all of the punks on the bridge at the moment.
Mr Rodrigues mentioned: “Folks like the normal indicators. They arrive up and say it’s very trustworthy, and humorous. We don’t lie. We don’t say we’re hungry, or want a spot to sleep. I simply wish to ‘keep drunk’ and if you’d like a photograph, I would like £1. The indicators return 26 years, or extra.
“I keep on the bridge as I don’t get to work actually, as a result of folks don’t wish to give work to folks with too many tattoos like mine. Some see us as violent or horrible folks, however we’re non-scary punks of Camden City – we’re a part of the historical past of London. Youngsters love me, and infants like punks due to all the colors.”
Initially from Brazil, Mr Rodrigues mentioned that he had recognized that he wished to be a Camden City punk from an early age, including: “I at all times appreciated this fashion of life, being out on the bridge seeing all the colors and kinds which can be right here. I just like the English tradition and the music: the Intercourse Pistols, The Conflict. Camden City is essentially the most distinctive place on the earth. You see punks, grunge and goths multi functional place. You don’t see that in anywhere on the earth.”
After the coronavirus pandemic, he mentioned: “I hope folks come again to regular life with extra love and compassion for everybody round them.”
