Crass
Crass, May 1984.
Background information
Origin	Epping, Essex, England
Genre(s)	Anarcho-punk Art punk
Years active	1977 – 1984
Label(s)	Small Wonder Records, Crass Records
Former members
Penny Rimbaud Gee Vaucher Steve Ignorant N. A. Palmer Phil Free Pete Wright Eve Libertine Joy De Vivre Mick Duffield John Loder Steve Herman

For information about the anarchist writer, see Chris Crass

Crass were an English anarchist punk rock band, formed in 1977^[1][2][3][4] which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Epping is a small market town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of the County of Essex, England. Essex is a county in the East of England. The County town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Anarcho-punk is a faction of the Punk subculture that consists of bands groups and individuals promoting anarchist politics Art rock is a term describing a subgenre of Rock music that tends to have "experimental or avant-garde influences" and emphasizes "novel sonic texture In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Small Wonder Records was a UK Independent record label owned and managed by Pete Stennett that specialised in releasing records by Punk rock and Post-punk Crass Records is an Independent record label which was set up by the Anarchist Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943, Northwood, Middlesex, England) better known under his Pseudonym of Penny Gee Vaucher was born in 1945 in Dagenham, East London. Her work with Anarcho-punk band Crass was seminal to the 'protest art' of the N A Palmer (real name Andy Palmer) is a British musician and artist most well known as rhythm guitarist for anarcho punk band Crass. Phil Peter Wright, better known as Pete Wright, was Bass guitar player and vocalist for Anarchist punk band Crass from 1977 Eve Libertine (real name Bronwyn Lloyd Jones) is a British singer Joy De Vivre was the second female singer (along with Eve Libertine) of the Anarcho-punk band Crass. John Loder ( April 7 1946 - August 12 2005) was a British sound engineer, Record producer and founder of Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i Chris Crass is an anarchist organizer and writer from San Francisco, California. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i Crass popularized the seminal anarcho-punk movement and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism. Anarcho-punk is a faction of the Punk subculture that consists of bands groups and individuals promoting anarchist politics Direct action is political action which happens outside normal political channels via indirect actions such as electing representatives. "Animal liberation" redirects here for other uses see Animal liberation (disambiguation. Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and Social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the environment. The band used the "Do It Yourself" approach to produce sound collages, graphics, albums and films. The DIY ethic ( Do it yourself ethic refers to the ethic of being self-reliant by completing tasks oneself as opposed to having others who are likely more experienced complete In Music montage (literally "putting together" or sound collage ("gluing together" is a technique where Sound objects or compositions Crass also criticized and attempted to subvert the dominant culture with messages promoting feminism, anti-racism, anti-war, and anti-globalization. Subversion refers to an attempt to overthrow structures of Authority, including the State. Feminism is a discourse that involves various movements theories, and Philosophies which are concerned with the issue of Gender difference, advocate Anti-racism includes beliefs actions movements and policies adopted or developed to oppose Racism. The term anti-war usually refers to the opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. " Anti-globalization " is a term that encompasses a number of related ideas

Crass practiced their "direct action" philosophy by spray-painting stencilled graffiti messages around the London Underground system and on advertising billboards, coordinating squats, and organising political action. Graffiti (singular graffito; the plural is used as a Mass noun) is the name for images or lettering scratched scrawled painted or marked in any manner on property The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire The band also expressed its ideals by dressing in black, military surplus-style clothing and using a stage backdrop which amalgamated several "icons of authority" (including the Christian Cross, the swastika and the Union Flag) and an Ouroboros. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. The Christian cross is the best-known Religious symbol of Christianity. The swastika (from Sanskrit: svástika sa स्वस्तिक Hindu IS CORRECT if 'ि' is positioned incorrectly see -->) is The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Ouroboros (Greek grc Ουροβόρος from grc ουροβόρος όφις "tail-devouring snake" also spelled Ourorboros, Oroborus, Uroboros

The band were critical of the punk movement itself, as well as wider youth culture in general. The punk subculture is based around Punk rock. It emerged from the larger Rock music scene in the mid-to-late-1970s in the United Kingdom, the United A youth subculture is a Youth -based Subculture with distinct styles behaviours and interests Crass promoted the type of anarcho-pacifism that eventually became more common in the punk music scene (see anarcho-punk^[5]). Anarcho-pacifism (also pacifist anarchism or anarchist pacifism) is a form of Anarchism which completely rejects the use of Violence in Anarcho-punk is a faction of the Punk subculture that consists of bands groups and individuals promoting anarchist politics They are also considered part of the art punk genre^[6], due to their use of tape collages, spoken word releases, poetry and improvisation. Art rock is a term describing a subgenre of Rock music that tends to have "experimental or avant-garde influences" and emphasizes "novel sonic texture

History

Origins

Crass, 1981. N. A. Palmer (left) and Steve Ignorant (right)

The band, which also advocated squatting, was based around Dial House, an open house community near Epping, Essex. N A Palmer (real name Andy Palmer) is a British musician and artist most well known as rhythm guitarist for anarcho punk band Crass. Squatting is the act of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or Building that the squatter does not own rent or otherwise have permission to use Dial House is a sixteenth-century farm cottage in the countryside surrounding Epping Forest in south west Essex England. A commune is an Intentional community of people living together sharing common interests Property, possessions Resources, work and Income Epping is a small market town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of the County of Essex, England. Essex is a county in the East of England. The County town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common The band came together when Dial House founder and former member of avant-garde performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion Penny Rimbaud (real name Jerry Ratter) began jamming with Clash fan Steve Ignorant (real name Steve Williams), who was staying at the house at the time. Avant-garde (avɑ̃gaʁd in French) means "advance guard" or "vanguard This article is about Performance art For other uses see Performance (disambiguation EXIT were a Performance art group during the mid 1970s EXIT members Penny Rimbaud and Gee Vaucher later founded Anarchist Punk rock Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943, Northwood, Middlesex, England) better known under his Pseudonym of Penny Jam Session is a 1942 short film which shows Duke Ellington and his orchestra performing C Jam Blues. For the debut album by The Clash see The Clash (album The Clash were Between them they put together the songs "So What?" and "Do They Owe Us A Living?" as a drums and vocals duo. For a (very) short period of time they called themselves Stormtrooper, before choosing the name Crass, a reference to the David Bowie song "Ziggy Stardust" (specifically the line "The kids was just crass"^[7]). David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger.

Crass singer Eve Libertine, may 1984

Other friends and members of the household began to join in, including Joy De Vivre, Pete Wright, N. A. Palmer, Steve Herman and Eve Libertine (originally "the Band's first fan"^[8]), and it was not long before Crass performed their first live gig as part of a squatted street festival at Huntley Street, North London. Eve Libertine (real name Bronwyn Lloyd Jones) is a British singer Joy De Vivre was the second female singer (along with Eve Libertine) of the Anarcho-punk band Crass. Peter Wright, better known as Pete Wright, was Bass guitar player and vocalist for Anarchist punk band Crass from 1977 N A Palmer (real name Andy Palmer) is a British musician and artist most well known as rhythm guitarist for anarcho punk band Crass. Eve Libertine (real name Bronwyn Lloyd Jones) is a British singer In its traditional sense a street party is just as it seems a party taking place on a road North London is the northern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes Here they had intended to play a set of five songs; however, the "plug was pulled" on them by a neighbour after three. ^[9] Guitarist Steve Herman shortly afterwards left the band to be replaced by Phil Clancey, who adopted the alias Phil Free. Phil ^[10] Other early Crass gigs included a four date tour of New York^[11] as well as regularly playing alongside the UK Subs at the White Lion pub in Putney. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The UK Subs are an English punk band, the mainstay of which is vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a Singer in Britain's Putney is a district of south-west London in the London Borough of Wandsworth. These latter performances were often not well-attended; "The audience consisted mostly of us when the Subs played and the Subs when we played. "^[12]

Crass also played at the legendary Roxy punk club in London's Covent Garden area. The Roxy was a fashionable nightclub on Neal Street in London 's Covent Garden, known for hosting the flowering British Punk music scene in its infancy Covent Garden (Pronunciation kɒvʌnt is a district in London, England, located on the easternmost parts of the City of Westminster and the southwest By the band's own account this was a drunken debacle, ending in the group being ejected from the stage, and immortalised by their song "Banned from the Roxy"^[13] and Rimbaud's essay Crass at the Roxy. ^[14]

The Crass logo, designed by Dave King

Following this incident the band decided to take themselves more seriously, particularly paying more attention to their presentation. As well as avoiding drugs such as alcohol or cannabis before gigs, they also adopted a policy of wearing black, military surplus-style clothing at all times, whether on or off stage. Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a Military surplus are goods usually Matériel, that are sold at public Auction when no longer needed by the Military. They introduced their distinctive stage backdrop, a logo designed by Rimbaud's friend Dave King (later of Sleeping Dogs Lie). A logo ( Greek el λογότυπος = el-Latn logotypos is a graphical element ( Ideogram, Symbol, Emblem, Icon, Sign) David King may refer to David King (figure skater, British figure skater David King (musician, American drummer and composer This gave the band a militaristic image, which led some to accuse them of fascism. Militarism is the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology Crass countered that their uniform appearance was intended to be a statement against the "cult of personality", so that, in contrast to the norm for many rock bands, no member would be identified as the 'leader'. A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country's leader uses Mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise ^[15]

The aforementioned logo represented an amalgamation of several "icons of authority" including the Christian Cross, the swastika and the Union Flag combined with a two-headed snake consuming itself (to symbolise the idea that power will eventually destroy itself). An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. The Christian cross is the best-known Religious symbol of Christianity. The swastika (from Sanskrit: svástika sa स्वस्तिक Hindu IS CORRECT if 'ि' is positioned incorrectly see -->) is The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Ouroboros (Greek grc Ουροβόρος from grc ουροβόρος όφις "tail-devouring snake" also spelled Ourorboros, Oroborus, Uroboros ^[16][17] Using such deliberately mixed messages was part of Crass' strategy of presenting themselves as a "barrage of contradictions", which also included using loud, aggressive music to promote a pacifist message, and was in part a reference to their own Dadaist and performance art backgrounds. For other meanings see Dada (disambiguation DaDa is a Concept album by Alice Cooper, released

The band eschewed any elaborate stage lighting during live sets, instead preferring to be illuminated by simple 40 watt household light bulbs (the technical difficulties of filming under such lighting conditions in part explains why there is such little live footage of Crass in existence^[18]). Modern stage lighting is a flexible Tool in the production of Theatre, Dance, Opera and other Performance arts The band pioneered multimedia presentation techniques, fully utilising video technology and using back-projected films and video collages made by Mick Duffield and Gee Vaucher to enhance their performances. Multimedia artists are Contemporary artists who use a wide range of media to communicate their art Video art is a type of Art which relies on Moving pictures and is comprised of Video and/or audio data Gee Vaucher was born in 1945 in Dagenham, East London. Her work with Anarcho-punk band Crass was seminal to the 'protest art' of the

The Feeding of the 5000 and Crass Records

Crass singer Steve Ignorant, june 1981

Main article: Crass Records

Crass' first release was The Feeding Of The 5000, an 18 track 12" 45 rpm EP on the Small Wonder label in 1978. Crass Records is an Independent record label which was set up by the Anarchist The Feeding of the 5000 is the first album by Crass, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music) A gramophone Small Wonder Records was a UK Independent record label owned and managed by Pete Stennett that specialised in releasing records by Punk rock and Post-punk Workers at the pressing plant initially refused to handle it due to the allegedly blasphemous content of the song "Reality Asylum". Blasphemy is the disrespectful use of the name of one or more gods. The record was eventually released with this track removed and replaced by two minutes of silence, ironically titled "The Sound Of Free Speech". This incident prompted Crass to set up their own independent record label, Crass Records, in order to retain full editorial control over their material. An independent record label (or indie record label) is a Record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the Major record labels Crass Records is an Independent record label which was set up by the Anarchist "Reality Asylum" was shortly afterwards released on Crass Records in a re-recorded and extended form as a 7" single. Later pressings of the album (also on Crass Records) restored the original version of the missing track.

As well as their own material, Crass Records released recordings by other performers, the first of which was the 1980 single "You Can Be You" by Honey Bane, a teenage girl who was staying at Dial House whilst on the run from a children's home. Honey Bane (born Donna Tracy Boylan in 1964 London) is an English Singer and Actress Other artists included Zounds, Flux Of Pink Indians, Omega Tribe, Rudimentary Peni, Conflict, Icelandic band KUKL (who included singer Björk), classical singer Jane Gregory, Anthrax, Lack of Knowledge and the Poison Girls, a like-minded band who worked closely with Crass for several years. Zounds were an English Anarchist band formed in 1977 from loose Jamming sessions around the Reading area Flux Of Pink Indians were an Anarcho-punk / Post punk band that originated from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. Omega Tribe was an English Anarcho-punk band formed in Barnet in 1981 Rudimentary Peni is a British Anarcho-punk band Culling influence from many different musical genres as well as other aspects of culture they are known as Conflict are a Punk rock band originally based around Eltham in South London. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Björk Guðmundsdóttir (born 21 November 1965 is an Icelandic Singer-songwriter, Composer, actress and music producer. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Anthrax were an Anarcho punk band formed in Gravesend, Kent, England in 1980. The Poison Girls were an English Anarcho-punk band The female singer/guitarist Vi Subversa, was a middle-aged mother of two at the band's inception

Crass Records also put out three editions of Bullshit Detector, compilations of demos and rough recordings which had been sent to the band, and which they felt represented the DIY punk ethic. Bullshit Detector was the name of a series of compilation LPs put together by the Anarcho-punk band Crass and released on their Crass Records The DIY ethic ( Do it yourself ethic refers to the ethic of being self-reliant by completing tasks oneself as opposed to having others who are likely more experienced complete The catalogue numbers of Crass Records releases were intended to represent a countdown to the year 1984 (eg, 521984 meaning "five years until 1984"), both the year that Crass stated that they would split up, and a date charged with significance in the anti-authoritarian calendar due to George Orwell's novel of the same name. Anti-authoritarianism is opposition to Authoritarianism, which is defined as a "political doctrine advocating the principle of absolute rule absolutism autocracy despotism Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950 who used the Pseudonym George Orwell, was an English writer Nineteen Eighty-Four (also titled 1984) by George Orwell (the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair) is a 1949 English Novel

Penis Envy

Crass singer Joy De Vivre, 1984

Crass released their third album Penis Envy in 1981. Joy De Vivre was the second female singer (along with Eve Libertine) of the Anarcho-punk band Crass. Penis Envy, released in 1981 was the third LP by anarchist punk band Crass. This marked a departure from the 'hardcore punk' image that The Feeding of the 5000 and its follow up Stations of the Crass had to some extent given the group. Stations of the Crass is the second album by Crass, released in 1979 It featured more complex musical arrangements and exclusively female vocals provided by Eve Libertine and Joy De Vivre (although Steve Ignorant remained a group member and is credited on the record sleeve as "not on this recording"). Eve Libertine (real name Bronwyn Lloyd Jones) is a British singer Joy De Vivre was the second female singer (along with Eve Libertine) of the Anarcho-punk band Crass.

The album addressed feminist issues and once again attacked the institutions of 'the system' such as marriage and sexual repression. Feminism is a discourse that involves various movements theories, and Philosophies which are concerned with the issue of Gender difference, advocate Sexual repression is a state in which a person is prevented from expressing their sexuality. The last track on Penis Envy, a deliberately saccharine parody of a 'MOR' love song entitled "Our Wedding", was also made available as a white flexi disc to the readers of 'Loving', a teenage girl's romance magazine. Saccharin is an Artificial sweetener. The basic substance Benzoic sulfinide, has effectively no Food energy and is about 300 times as sweet as A parody (ˈpɛɹədiː US, [ˈpaɹədiː] UK) in contemporary usage is a work created to mock comment on or poke fun at an original work its subject Middle Of The Road was a Scottish pop group who enjoyed great success across Europe in the early 1970s A love song is about falling in love and the happiness it brings The flexi disc (also known as a phonosheet or sonosheet) is a phonograph record made of a thin Vinyl sheet with a molded-in spiral stylus The free flexi offer had been suggested to Loving by an organisation calling itself "Creative Recording And Sound Services" (note the initials). A minor tabloid controversy resulted once the hoax was revealed, with the News of the World going so far as to state that the title of the flexi's originating album was "too obscene to print". A tabloid is a Newspaper industry term which refers to a smaller newspaper format per spread to a weekly or semi-weekly alternative newspaper that focuses on local-interest The News of the World is a British Tabloid Newspaper published every Sunday ^[19]

Christ - The Album and a change of strategy

The band's fourth LP, 1982's double set Christ - The Album, took over a year to record, produce and mix, during which time the Falklands War had broken out and ended. Christ - The Album is Crass ' fourth album released in 1982 It was released as a boxed set double vinyl LP package including one disk of new studio material The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the This caused Crass to fundamentally question their approach to making records. As a group whose primary purpose was political commentary, they felt they had been overtaken and made to appear redundant by real world events. Political criticism (also referred to as political commentary or political discussion) is Criticism that is specific of or relevant to Politics Subsequent releases, including the singles "How does it Feel to Be the Mother of A Thousand Dead" and "Sheep Farming in the Falklands", and the album Yes Sir, I Will, saw the band strip their sound back to basics and were issued as "tactical responses" to political situations. Yes Sir I Will, released by Crass in 1983 (see 1983 in music) was the band's penultimate 'official' album ^[20] They also anonymously produced 20,000 copies of a flexi-disc featuring a live recording of "Sheep Farming. . . ", copies of which were randomly inserted into the sleeves of other records by sympathetic workers at the Rough Trade records distribution warehouse as a means of spreading their views to those who might not normally hear them. Rough Trade Records began as an Independent record label, based in London, England. ^[21]

Direct Action and internal debates

Detail from front cover artwork from Stations of the Crass, illustrating an example of the stenciled graffiti used by the band

From their earliest days of spraying stencilled anti-war, anarchist, feminist and anti-consumerist graffiti messages around the London Underground system and on advertising billboards [1], [2], the band had always been involved in political as well as musical activities. Stations of the Crass is the second album by Crass, released in 1979 The term anti-war usually refers to the opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i Feminism is a discourse that involves various movements theories, and Philosophies which are concerned with the issue of Gender difference, advocate Anti-consumerism refers to the socio-political movement against Consumerism. Graffiti (singular graffito; the plural is used as a Mass noun) is the name for images or lettering scratched scrawled painted or marked in any manner on property The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire On December 18th, 1982, Crass co-ordinated a 24 hour squat of the Zig Zag club in West London primarily for an all day event attended by approximately 500 people to prove "that the underground punk scene could handle itself responsibly when it had to and that music really could be enjoyed free of the restraints imposed upon it by corporate industry"^[22].

Bands playing at the Zig Zag (in running order) were Faction, D and V, Omega Tribe, Lack of Knowledge, Sleeping Dogs, The Apostles, Amebix, Null & Void , Soldiers of Fortune, The Mob, Polemic Attack, Poison Girls, Conflict, Flux of Pink Indians, Crass and DIRT. The Apostles are an experimental punk rock band who developed within the confines of the 1980s Anarcho Punk scene in the UK, but did not necessarily adhere to Amebix, formed in England in 1978 as "The Band with No Name" were a band that many consider to have started the sub genre Crust punk. The Poison Girls were an English Anarcho-punk band The female singer/guitarist Vi Subversa, was a middle-aged mother of two at the band's inception Conflict are a Punk rock band originally based around Eltham in South London. Flux Of Pink Indians were an Anarcho-punk / Post punk band that originated from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. DIRT were an Anarcho-punk band from the UK. History Initially formed in 1980 (with a core line-up of Gary Deno Fox Lou and Vomit ^[23]

In 1983 and 1984 they were part of the Stop the City actions instigated by London Greenpeace^[24] that were arguably fore-runners of the anti-globalisation actions of the early 21st century. The Stop the City demonstrations of 1983 and 1984 were described as a 'Carnival Against War Oppression and Destruction' in other words protests against the military-financial complex London Greenpeace was an Anarchist environmentalist activist collective that existed between 1971 and 2001 " Anti-globalization " is a term that encompasses a number of related ideas ^[25] Explicit support for such activities was given in the lyrics of the band's final single release "You're Already Dead", which also saw Crass abandoning their long time commitment to pacifism. This led to further introspection within the band, with some members feeling that they were beginning to become embittered as well as losing sight of their essentially positive stance. ^[26] As a reflection of this debate, the next release using the Crass name was Acts of Love, classical music settings of 50 poems by Penny Rimbaud described as "songs to my other self" and intended to celebrate "'the profound sense of unity, peace and love that exists within that other self. For the 1996 film by Bruno Barreto see Carried Away (film. Acts of Love is an album of 50 poems by Penny Rimbaud of the Anarchist Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music "^[27]

Thatchergate

 Sound sample:

"Excerpt of the Thatchergate tape"

Reagan: "Those missiles we followed on screen. . . You must have too, and not let them know. What do you hope to gain?" Thatcher: "What I said before: Andrew. As cruise go in, I want incentives at all levels. "

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

A further post-Falklands war hoax that originated from members of Crass became known as 'the Thatchergate tapes'. A hoax is a deliberate attempt to Dupe, Deceive or trick an audience into believing or accepting that something is real when in fact it is not or that Thatchergate was the Colloquial title of a Hoax perpetrated by members of the Anarcho-punk band Crass during the aftermath of the 1982

This was a cassette featuring what appeared to be an accidentally overheard telephone conversation, due to crossed lines. In reality the tape had been constructed by Crass, using edited recordings of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagans' voices. Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 On the Thatchergate tape they discuss the sinking of the HMS Sheffield during the Falklands War, and appeared to allege that Europe would be used as a target for nuclear weapons in any conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. The sinking of HMS Sheffield British version At approximately 10 A The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

Copies were leaked to the press, and the US State Department believed the tape to be propaganda produced by the Soviet KGB, a story reported by both the San Francisco Chronicle ^[28] and The Sunday Times ^[29]. KGB ( Transliteration of "КГБ" is the Russian abbreviation of Committee for State Security ( Komityet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosty The San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 as The Daily Dramatic Chronicle by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H The Sunday Times is a Sunday Broadsheet Newspaper distributed in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Although put together totally anonymously, the British Observer newspaper was somehow able to link the tape with the band. The Observer is a British Newspaper published on Sundays In about the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The ^[30]

Dissolution

Crass all but retired from the public eye after becoming a small thorn in the side of Margaret Thatcher's government following the Falklands War. Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 Questions in Parliament and an attempted prosecution under the UK's Obscene Publications Act for their single "How Does It Feel. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories Since 1857, a series of Obscenity Laws known as the Obscene Publications Acts have governed what can be published in England and Wales . . "^[31] led to a round of court battles and what the band describes as harassment that finally took its toll. On July 7, 1984 the band played their final gig at Aberdare in Wales, a benefit for striking miners, before retreating to Dial House to concentrate their energies elsewhere. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Aberdare (Aberdâr is an industrial Town in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales, situated (as the name implies at the The miners' strike of 1984 – 1985 was a major Industrial action affecting the British coal industry.

Guitarist N. A. Palmer had announced that he intended to move on from the band in order to further his art college studies, and the reported group consensus was that replacing him would be "like having a corpse in the band". N A Palmer (real name Andy Palmer) is a British musician and artist most well known as rhythm guitarist for anarcho punk band Crass. Art movement Art school is a colloquial term for any educational institution (whether elementary secondary post-secondary/undergraduate or graduate/postgraduate with a primary focus This catalysed the affirmation of Crass' consistently stated intention to split up in 1984. Steve Ignorant went on to join the band Conflict, with whom he had already worked on an ad hoc basis, and in 1992 formed Schwartzeneggar (sic). Conflict are a Punk rock band originally based around Eltham in South London. Ad hoc is a Latin phrase which means "for this [ Purpose ]" This article is about a musical group For the politician/celebrity/actor see Arnold Schwarzenegger. From 1997-2000, he was a member of the group Stratford Mercenaries. He has also worked as a Punch and Judy professor and as a solo performer. Punch and Judy is a traditional popular English Puppet show featuring the characters of Punch and his wife Judy For art exhibitions see solo show In performing arts and entertainment a one person show or solo show is frequently performed by but Eve Libertine continued to record with her son Nemo Jones as well as performance artist A-Soma. Pete Wright concentrated on building himself a houseboat and formed the performance art group Judas 2, whilst Rimbaud continued to write and perform both solo and with other artists. A houseboat is a Boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a Human Dwelling.

2002 onwards: The Crass Collective/Crass Agenda/Last Amendment

In November 2002 several former members of Crass collaborated under the name The Crass Collective to arrange Your Country Needs You, a concert of "voices in opposition to war" held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank that included a performance of Britten's War Requiem as well as performers such as Goldblade, Fun-Da-Mental, Ian MacKaye and Pete Wright's post-Crass project Judas 2. Last Amendment (formerly known as The Crass Collective and Crass Agenda) is the working title of a series of collaborations by ex-members of the The Queen Elizabeth Hall ( QEH) is a Music venue on the South Bank in London, England that hosts daily classical, Jazz London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The South Bank is the area in London on the southern bank of the River Thames near Waterloo station that houses a number of important The War Requiem, Op 66 is a large-scale non- liturgical setting of the Requiem Mass composed by Benjamin Britten in 1962 ' Goldblade are a punk rock band from Manchester UK The band formed in early 1995 when ex Membranes frontman John Robb put the band together with Wayne Simmons and former A Witness vocalist Fun-Da-Mental is a multi-ethnic British Islamic world fusion and ethno techno band formed in 1991 Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (məˈkaɪ born April 16, 1962) is an American singer and guitarist In October 2003, the Crass Collective changed their working title to Crass Agenda. A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development usually a Film, Novel Last Amendment (formerly known as The Crass Collective and Crass Agenda) is the working title of a series of collaborations by ex-members of the During 2004 Crass Agenda were at the forefront of the campaign to save the Vortex Jazz Club in Stoke Newington, North London, which has now relocated to Hackney. The Vortex Jazz Club is a London venue that primarily features live contemporary Jazz. Note For an area with a similar name see Newington, in the London Borough of Southwark. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The London Borough of Hackney ( is a London borough in North-East London and forms part of Inner London. In June 2005 Crass Agenda was declared to be 'no more', subsequently changing the name of the project to the 'more appropriate' Last Amendment. 2005: January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October Last Amendment (formerly known as The Crass Collective and Crass Agenda) is the working title of a series of collaborations by ex-members of the

A "new" Crass track (actually a remix of 1982's "Major General Despair", with new lyrics), "The Unelected President", is also available [3].

2007: The Feeding of the 5000 (revisited)

Poster for the '5000 gig', nov 2007

On 24 and 25 november 2007 Steve Ignorant performed Crass' entire Feeding of the 5000 album live at the Shepherds Bush Empire, United Kingdom, backed by a band of "selected guests". November 2007 is the eleventh month of that year It began on a Thursday and 30 days later ended on a Friday The Feeding of the 5000 is the first album by Crass, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music) The Shepherds Bush Empire (the first word is sometimes spelled Shepherd's) is a music venue in Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[32][33] Other members of Crass were not involved in these concerts. Rimbaud initially refused Ignorant the right to perform Crass songs Rimbaud had written, but later changed his mind. "I acknowledge and respect Steve's right to do this", he said, "but I do regard it as a betrayal of the Crass ethos"^[34] Ignorant had a different view: "I don't have to justify what I do. (. . . ) Plus, most of the lyrics are still relevant today. And remember that three-letter word, 'fun'?" ^[35]

Influences

Pencil and watercolour artwork from Christ the Album by Gee Vaucher

Crass influenced the anarchist movement in the UK, US, and around the world. Christ - The Album is Crass ' fourth album released in 1982 It was released as a boxed set double vinyl LP package including one disk of new studio material Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i With the growth of anarcho-punk came new generations of people who became interested in anarchist ideas. Anarcho-punk is a faction of the Punk subculture that consists of bands groups and individuals promoting anarchist politics The philosophical and aesthetic influence of Crass on numerous punk bands from the 1980s were far reaching, even if few bands mimicked their later more free-form musical style (as on Yes Sir, I Will and their final recording, 10 Notes on a Summer's Day). Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the taste or inclination of the musician(s involved in many cases the musicians make

The band has stated that their musical antecedents and influences were seldom drawn from the rock music tradition, but rather from classical music (particularly Benjamin Britten, on whose work, Rimbaud states, some of Crass' riffs are directly based ^[36]), Dada and the avant-garde such as John Cage as well as performance art traditions. Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Edward Benjamin Britten Baron Britten, OM CH (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 was an English Composer, conductor, For other meanings see Dada (disambiguation DaDa is a Concept album by Alice Cooper, released WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> John Milton Cage Jr

Their painted and collage-art black-and-white record sleeves produced by Gee Vaucher themselves became a signature aesthetic model, and can be seen as an influence on later artists such as Banksy (Banksy and Vaucher have latterly collaborated^[37]) and the subvertising movement. A collage (From the coller to glue is a work of formal art primarily in the Visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms thus creating a new whole Gee Vaucher was born in 1945 in Dagenham, East London. Her work with Anarcho-punk band Crass was seminal to the 'protest art' of the Banksy is a well-known pseudo-anonymous British Graffiti Artist. Subvertising refers to the practice of making spoofs or parodies of corporate and political advertisements in order to make a statement

Members

• Steve Ignorant (Voice)
• Eve Libertine (Voice)
• Joy De Vivre (Voice)
• N. A. Palmer (Guitar)
• Phil Free (Guitar)
• Pete Wright (Bass and Voice)
• Penny Rimbaud (Drums)
• Gee Vaucher (Artwork, Piano, Radio)
• Mick Duffield (Films)
• John Loder (1946 - 2005), sound engineer and founder of Southern Studios, is sometimes considered to be the '9th member' of Crass^[38]
• Steve Herman (???? - 1989) left Crass shortly after their first gig. Eve Libertine (real name Bronwyn Lloyd Jones) is a British singer Joy De Vivre was the second female singer (along with Eve Libertine) of the Anarcho-punk band Crass. N A Palmer (real name Andy Palmer) is a British musician and artist most well known as rhythm guitarist for anarcho punk band Crass. Phil Peter Wright, better known as Pete Wright, was Bass guitar player and vocalist for Anarchist punk band Crass from 1977 Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943, Northwood, Middlesex, England) better known under his Pseudonym of Penny Gee Vaucher was born in 1945 in Dagenham, East London. Her work with Anarcho-punk band Crass was seminal to the 'protest art' of the John Loder ( April 7 1946 - August 12 2005) was a British sound engineer, Record producer and founder of Audio engineering is a part of audio science dealing with the recording and reproduction of Sound through mechanical and electronic means Southern Studios is a recording studio in the Wood Green area of London.

Discography

Sleeve art for Crass' The Feeding Of The 5000 12" record, illustrating the band's logo

(All released on Crass Records unless otherwise stated. Feeding the multitude (also known as The miracle of the loaves and fish) is the name of two Miracles attributed to Jesus, the first of which is reported )

LPs

• The Feeding of the 5000 (LP, 1978, Small Wonder Records) [UK Indie -#1]
• The Feeding of the 5000 - Second Sitting (LP, 1980, Reissue on Crass Records 621984, with the missing track "Asylum" reinstated) [UK Indie – #11]
• Stations Of The Crass (521984, LP, 1979) [UK Indie – #1]
• Penis Envy (321984/1, LP, 1981) [UK Indie – #1]
• Christ - The Album (BOLLOX2U2, double LP, 1982) [UK Indie – #1]
• Yes Sir, I Will (121984/2, LP, 1983) [UK Indie – #1]
• Acts Of Love (1984/4, LP and book, 1985. The Feeding of the 5000 is the first album by Crass, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music) Small Wonder Records was a UK Independent record label owned and managed by Pete Stennett that specialised in releasing records by Punk rock and Post-punk The Feeding of the 5000 is the first album by Crass, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music) Stations of the Crass is the second album by Crass, released in 1979 Penis Envy, released in 1981 was the third LP by anarchist punk band Crass. Christ - The Album is Crass ' fourth album released in 1982 It was released as a boxed set double vinyl LP package including one disk of new studio material Yes Sir I Will, released by Crass in 1983 (see 1983 in music) was the band's penultimate 'official' album For the 1996 film by Bruno Barreto see Carried Away (film. Acts of Love is an album of 50 poems by Penny Rimbaud of the Anarchist Poems of Penny Rimbaud set to classical music, sung by Eve Libertine and Steve Ignorant. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music The book is illustrated with paintings by Gee Vaucher)
• Best Before 1984 (CATNO5, LP compilation, 1986) [UK Indie – #7]

EPs

• "Ten Notes On A Summer's Day" (CATNO6, 12" EP, 1986) [UK Indie – #6]

Singles

• "Reality Asylum / Shaved Women" (CRASS1, 7", 1979) [UK Indie – #9]
• "You Can Be You" (521984/1, 7" single by Honey Bane, backed by Crass under the name Donna and the Kebabs, 1979) [UK Indie – #3]
• "Bloody Revolutions / Persons Unknown" (421984/1, 7" single, joint released with the Poison Girls, 1980) [UK Indie – #1]
• "Tribal Rival Rebel Revels" (421984/6F, flexi disc single given away with Toxic Grafity (sic) fanzine, 1980)
• "Nagasaki Nightmare / Big A Little A" (421984/5, 7" single, 1981) [UK Indie – #1]
• "Our Wedding" (321984/1F, flexi disc single by Creative Recording And Sound Services made available to readers of teenage magazine Loving)[4])
• "Merry Crassmas" (CT1, 7" single, 1981, Crass' stab at the Christmas novelty market) [UK Indie – #2] [5])
• "Sheep Farming In The Falklands / Gotcha" (121984/3, 7" single, 1982, originally released anonymously as a flexi-disc) [UK Indie – #1]
• "How Does It Feel To Be The Mother Of 1000 Dead? / The Immortal Death" (221984/6, 7" single, 1983) [UK Indie – #1]
• "Whodunnit?" (121984/4, 7" single, 1983), pressed in "shit coloured vinyl") [UK Indie – #2]
• "You're Already Dead / Nagasaki is Yesterday's Dog-End / Don't get caught" (1984, 7" single, 1984)

Live recordings

• Christ: The Bootleg (recorded live in Nottingham, 1984, released 1989 on Allied Records)
• You'll Ruin It For Everyone (recorded live in Perth, Scotland, 1981, released 1993 on Pomona Records)

Videos

• Crass

Christ: The Movie (a series of short films by Mick Duffield that were shown at Crass performances, VHS, released 1990)

Semi-Detached (video collages by Gee Vaucher, 1978–84, VHS, 2001)

• Crass Agenda

In the Beginning Was the WORD – Live DVD recorded at the Progress Bar, Tufnell Park, London, 18 November 2004 (Gallery gallery Productions @ Le Chaos Factory, 2006)

Compilations

• "It's You" — track on P. Best Before 1984 is a compilation of Crass ' singles and other tracks released in 1986 including lyrics and a booklet (" Honey Bane (born Donna Tracy Boylan in 1964 London) is an English Singer and Actress The Poison Girls were an English Anarcho-punk band The female singer/guitarist Vi Subversa, was a middle-aged mother of two at the band's inception A fanzine (see also Zine) is a nonprofessional publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre for the pleasure Christ The Bootleg is a live album by Crass, released in 1989 You'll Ruin It for Everyone is a live album by Crass recorded at the Lesser City Hall in Perth, Scotland, on July 4th 1981 Perth (Peairt is a town and former Royal burgh in central Scotland. E. A. C. E. international anti-war benefit compilation released by R. Radical Records (1984)
• "Powerless With A Guitar" — track on Devastate to Liberate benefit compilation for the Animal Liberation Front, TIBETan records, (1986)
• "The Unelected President" — track on Peace Not War anti-war CD compilation. For other uses of the term 'ALF' see ALF (disambiguation. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF is a name used internationally by animal liberation activists (This track is actually a remix of 1982's "Major General Despair", with new lyrics and additional instrumentation provided by Dylan Bates), (2003)

Gig list

A fairly complete list of all Crass gigs [6]

References in culture

• Anarchist punk band Conflict included a song called C. Conflict are a Punk rock band originally based around Eltham in South London. R. A. S. S. on their album The Ungovernable Force. The Ungovernable Force is an Album by the UK Punk rock band Conflict.
• In the video for Alien Ant Farm's single Movies a member of the audience in the cinema is wearing a t-shirt with the Crass logo and the slogan "Jesus died for his own sins, not mine. Alien Ant Farm is an American rock band that formed in the southern California city of Riverside in 1995 Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) "
• Punk band Anti-Flag included a song similar in style to that of Crass on their album A New Kind of Army called This is NOT a Crass Song. Anti-Flag is an American Punk band from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. A New Kind of Army is a Punk rock CD originally released by Anti-Flag on May 25 1999
• Nofx has a song on their album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing called "Instant Crassic". NOFX (pronounced "no ef-ex") is an American Punk rock band that was formed in Los Angeles California (now based in San Francisco
• In 2007, US anti-folk singer-songwriter and graphic artist Jeffrey Lewis released an album of Crass covers called 12 Crass Songs. The music sub-genre known as anti-folk (or antifolk) takes the earnestness of politically charged 1960s music and subverts it into something else Jeffrey Lewis (born November 20 1975 in New York City) is an American Anti-folk singer/songwriter and Comic book artist
• Jonathan Downes is usually seen wearing a Crass t-shirt in his monthly webtv show On The Track, and has namechecked the band repeatedly in interviews. Jonathan Downes (born Portsmouth, England, in 1959 is a cryptozoologist, Author, film-maker journalist composer and singer-songwriter with However, claims that he was once a roadie for the band have been denied by the CFZ office.
• Crass were name checked in Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip's 2007 song "Thou Shalt Always Kill," as 'just a band. ' ^[39]
• In the film American History X, a skinhead, presumably a Nazi, can be seen wearing a Crass shirt while moshing at a Nazi youth concert. American History X is an Academy Award -nominated 1998 film directed by Tony Kaye. A skinhead is a member of a Subculture that originated among Working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and then spread to other parts of Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Moshing or slamming refers to the activity in which audience members at live music performances aggressively push or slam into each other
• TV chef and author Isa Chandra Moskowitz sports a Crass t-shirt on the cover of her 2005 vegan cookbook Vegan With a Vengeance. Isa Chandra Moskowitz is a Jewish American author of several cookbooks including Vegan with a Vengeance Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and Veganomicon Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
• Footballer David Beckam was photographed wearing a Crass t-shirt which appeared in various tabloids.

References and bibliography

Also of note

• You've Heard It All Before (1993, Ruptured Ambitions Records), a 'tribute album' consisting of cover versions of songs by Crass performed by various artists. Charing Cross Road is a London street which runs immediately north of St Martin-in-the-Fields to St Giles' Circus (the intersection with Oxford Street Events 43 BC - Octavian, later known as Augustus compels the Roman Senate to elect him Consul. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ruptured Ambitions Records first began life as a ' do-it-yourself ' promotional outfit for punk, and punk-related independent musical ensembles based in the Plymouth In Popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition ( Performance or Recording) of a previously recorded commercially released
• "Bullshit Crass" (Rondolet Records, 1982) — a 'critique' of Crass by Colchester punk band Special Duties that parodied Crass' chant of "fight war, not wars" with the words "fight Crass, not punk" [7]. Colchester ( /ˈkəʊltʃɛstə/ is a town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester, in Essex, England. Special Duties are a British Punk rock band from Colchester, Essex.
• A Series Of Shock Slogans And Mindless Token Tantrums (Exitstencil Press, 1982) (originally issued as a pamphlet with the LP Christ The Album, much of the text is now published online at [8])
• The Diamond Signature (Penny Rimbaud, 1999, AK Press)
• Crass Art and other Post Modern Monsters (Gee Vaucher, 1999, AK Press)
• International Anthem: A Nihilist Newspaper For The Living issues 1-3 (Exitstencil Press, 1977-81) (see [9])
• Love Songs (collected lyrics of Crass with an introduction by Penny Rimbaud, Pomona Books, 2004) [10]
• '"The Hippies Now Wear Black": Crass and the anarcho-punk movement, 1977-1984', Richard Cross in Socialist History, 26, 2004 [11]
• George McKay Senseless Acts of Beauty: Cultures of Resistance since the Sixties, chapter three 'CRASS 621984 ANOK4U2'. (1996) London: Verso. ISBN 1-85984-028-0.
• George Berger - The Story of Crass (2006) London: Omnibus Press ISBN 1-84609-402-X [12]
• Ian Glasper - The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980 to 1984 (2006) [13]
• There is No Authority But Yourself - A film by Alexander Oey documenting the history of Crass and Dial House (Submarine, Netherlands, 2006)

See also

• Anarchism in the arts
• Punk ideology

External links

• Official Crass website
• Official Crass news and discussion forum at Southern Studios website
• A critical view of Crass from the 'Punk 77' website
• Interview from 'Mucilage' fanzine
• A Christian perspective on Crass
• 'Dial House under threat' from UK The Guardian newspaper. There is No Authority But Yourself is a Dutch film directed by Alexander Oey documenting the history of Anarchist punk band Crass. Anarchism has long had an association with the Arts, particularly in music and literature Punk ideologies are a group of varied social and political beliefs associated with the Punk subculture. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group.
• Sample of track "Do They Owe Us A Living?"