368 pages Edited by Ian Donnelly Text(s) by Keith Robinson Foreword by Mattew Collin Designed by Hayden Russell 19.8 x 12.8 cm Language: English Paperback Publisher: Velocity Press 2025
“Keith was one of the most remarkable and inspiring characters in UK rave culture history – an intrepid motivator who led a thrilling life to a heartbreaking conclusion.” — Mattew Collin
Keith Robinson, known to all as Keef, lived a life on the frontline of music, resistance, and excess. Founder of the legendary Desert Storm Sound System, he helped ignite Glasgow’s first free parties, fought against the Criminal Justice Act, and carried rave culture into unexpected battlegrounds, from the streets of London’s Reclaim the Streets protests to war-torn Bosnia in 1995.
Take No Prisoners traces Keef’s extraordinary journey: his wild youth in Glasgow, brushes with the law, his years in the army and service in Afghanistan, and the unstoppable drive that made him both an organiser and innovator, equal parts visionary and hedonist. Alongside previously unseen photographs, the book features a foreword by Matthew Collin (Dream Machines, Altered State), and an epilogue by Ray Philp (Red Bull Music Academy).
Nine years in the making, drawn from Keef’s unfinished notes and memories shared by those closest to him, this book is both a celebration and a testament: to the joy he brought, the communities he inspired, and the uncompromising spirit of a man who believed music could change the world.
“Keith fearlessly brought the healing energy of music to where it was most needed. Whether that was across borders into war-torn Bosnia, or through police roadblocks to fill the empty spaces in Britain’s soul.” — Mark Angelo Harrison
