WILLATS, Stephen. Cha Cha Cha.

(London): Coracle Press / Lisson Gallery, 1982. First edition. Artists book that explores the birth of the New Romantic movement via the Cha Cha Cha club (‘the club for people who don’t need to pose’). Hosted by Michael Hardy aka Marie Malipasta and Scarlett Cannon (having replaced Judy Blame), the game-changing club entered via an alleyway close to London’s quintessential gay club Heaven, was the place to be seen on Tuesday nights. Scarlett’s iconic look saw her grace the cover of issue 8 of iD Magazine. The New Romantics (interchangeably called the Blitz Kids thanks to Steve Strange’s  club, the Blitz Club) became a short-lived subcultural movement from about 1979-1981, a time known as the “Pose Age.” It was a backlash to the aggressiveness of punk’s grit and aggressiveness as the Blitz Kids created lavish characters and costumes to foray into the clubs despite their impoverished “real life” circumstances. A very good copy in card covers worn at the edges. Scarce.