Crass: C or D?

Crass: total, absolute, complete and utter classic.
Crass's music, particularly live, mostly dud unfortunately.

Destroy Chumbawamba my arse!

KOSSDEFUCKINDU!

Nothing else to add.

Anyone dig Schwarzenegger?

he had won the LPs for a design-the-next-beatles sleeve comp

is cavanagh right? is it really penny rimbaud? this is too good a story and i am suspicious

I always felt it was more like an artist's impression of what they thought upstart working class people might do if they tried to do art; if that makes any sense to anyone?

one of my favourite crass memories is when 'christ - the album' entered the album chart around number 22 and kid jensen (then doing the album chart show on radio one) simply said '...and at 22 there is an album by a band who as they haven't sent us a copy we are unable to play'. no mention of the artist or title!

I saw a photo of this.

haha, this still kills me. some of the greatest rock production of the last 30 years. or ever, really.

"Sentiment (White Feathers)"
"Rival Tribal Revel Rebel"
"Shaved Women"
"Do They Owe Us A Living"
"Reality Asylum"

i've just done a mix for radio one's essential mix that includes 'bloody revolutions'.

http://www.minimovies.org/documentaires/view/crass/full%20movie

of course all it does is make me want more more MORE. so much info left out. so many people. so many other bands. john loder. the label. gigs. and on and on and on. and eve. come on, eve. why so shy? i want a ten hour mini-series, basically. these people are still alive and kicking and eventually none of them will want to talk about it anymore. and all the home movie footage and photos...and live show video...*sigh* i'm just greedy. (maybe a dvd release will have extras and a photo gallery...)

thanks for the link scott. will tune into that later this evening. what a frigging classic band.

Todays Metro, page 42 (recreated as I can't upload pics here)

http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2010/11/29/article-1291044252286-09BC2652000005DC-822134_466x448.jpg
Crass: Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis

I agree, Crass are totally classic. Your mother needs to be forced to listen to Crass. I think that even they rejected their extremism - also totally classic. No one owns you.

"Steve Ignorant's Crass" is playing here in March. Tickets go on sale Friday. I will prob. buy one…

Oh god, has it come to that?

It's been to that since at least 2007.

http://www.punk77.co.uk/anarcho_punk/steve_ignorant_interview_2007.htm

Better Steve fronting a Crass covers band than nobody from Crass doing the same. I was ~15 and probably grounded/broke/had no ride the last time Stratford Mercenaries came through SoCal.

is it better? really?

i don't think its better. even had my qualms about that double live conflict album way back when. they did crass songs with steve on that. didn't they? but, you know, whatever, my standard line is that people, obviously, can do whatever they want. didn't see any of the subhumans reunion shows either. i'm sure its all fun for people.

You mean Turning Rebellion Into Money, yeah they did Crass songs on that. Steve Ig was in Conflict at the time.

I don't really see what the problem is tbh. He isn't performing *as* Crass. They're (partly) his songs and he can do what he wants with them afaic.

I mean over the last decade have been to Conflict, Subhumans, Flux Of Pink Indians, Disrupters, Zounds, Rubella Ballet, Lost Cherrees etc etc reunion gigs and will probably end up going to this as well.

his other band played live, right? scharzenegger? i'm sure they must have done crass songs in their set. see, that seems perfectly fine with me. like if dick pulled out some subhumans songs at a citizen fish show.

love steve in the pub in that crass documentary. love him, in general.

co sign

i think if you are into it, it's fine. its not like i have a big problem. i went and saw the pretty things and mission of burma and chameleons over the years. it's just...you know, crass ended things so poetically. and they are crass. its just kinda anti-crass.

do they owe us a reunion?
course they facking do

i like steve in that too but i side w/ penny rimbaud on this in that its pretty lame. reminds me of the d.k. tour sans jello or jerry only's misfits

maybe ending things was un-crass-y tho, like crass is a feeling and it can just carry on at will?

i sang tube disaster on stage with nausea once. thats as close as i came to a flux show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS-mzQl2Ra0

Awesome.

anybody picked up those reissued CDs? I'm curious about the sound and the liner notes. They're a little, uh, pricey for what I associate w/this band.

― sleeve, Monday, October 24, 2011 1:32 PM (eight years ago)

Crass are/were classic, but these CD reissues are terrible (and remixed). Avoid.

Yep. This guy knows what he's talking about

One of them i think it's the feeding of the 5000 reissue has some demo tracks which aren't officially available elsewhere in studio versions, so if you're a conpletist, the Heartwork of the Mortuary is a good song, but other than that I'd avoid them

It is that one and it's Heartbeat not Heartwork obviously although I swear I've seen it listed as the latter somewhere time. Anyway the pre-Feeding demos are the only songs worth hearing

It's "Heart-throb of the Mortuary" ffs!

(It's about Tony Blackburn). I enjoyed Penny Rimbaud's explanation that the hippie-producer bloke liked reverb so doused the tracks in plenty, and that the songs ended up sounding like "Donegan on Mogadon"

I liked the "remix" versions, so hey.

It's called Heartbeat on the Feeding of the 5000 reissue. Heart-throb on Well Forked But Not Dead

xp you fucking would, wouldn't you, tin-ears? so how much did you get for the old ones on eBay?

I believe there was a certain amount of re-titling of the remasters for a "laff", Steve definitely sings "Heartthrob" anyway.

I didn't sell the old ones - I did sell the new ones though. Still waiting for the new release of "Best Before" with the extra disc - I think it's delayed until next year.

https://mailchi.mp/5613f3658ef2/feeding-of-the-five-thousand

FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND

- here's the loaves and fishes - make a meal of it – mincepies optional -

As a special seasonal gift, we are making available as a free download the original track stems of Crass' seminal album, 'The Feeding of the Five Thousand', separated to the premix state of the original sixteen track recording; naked, raw and uncooked. Yours for the taking, yours for the making.*

First released in 1978, 'The Feeding of the Five Thousand' pre-empted rap and grime in its hard on the beat, fast fire, uncompromising lyrics. Now's your chance to download the original tracks, do the remix of your dreams and tell it as it is; the message is DIY like it never was before.

Having made your mixes, you are encouraged to send files to us at Crass Records where we will select the most suitable for a 12" vinyl pressing with the current working title of 'More Tea, Vicar?'. All profits will be donated to charities of choice. You do it, we'll stew it.

GET MIXING, AND DON'T FORGET TO MAKE YOUR WISH.

AND A VERY MERRY CRASSMAS TO Y'ALL.

Download stems: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0r0drirt7utf58r/AADYUWf5f3tSns0n7HdQ2z3Wa?dl=0

anyone who is anti religion has got to be good.who cares what the music is like. anti religion is the only way for humans to evolve.
― del a robbo, Saturday, May 4, 2002 8:00 PM bookmarkflaglink

just realized I'd never heard Stations of the Crass, just Feeding and Christ: The Album.

enjoying this on first listen.

it's so good

Penis Envy is still my fave though

acquired that one too. it's really catchy! I enjoy that it's just the female vocalists too.

the first time I heard "Asylum" spoken word intro to Feeding, I practically screamed in excitement. "Jesus died for his own sins, not mine!"

<3

Seminal Punk Artists CRASS to Release Crassical Collection Featuring Collectible Editions of Classic Albums via One Little Independent

All Crassical Collection Releases to Include Remastered Audio, Rare Tracks, New Art and Comprehensive Liner Notes

One Little Independent Records has revealed details on the Crassical Collection, a collection of seminal avant-punk collective CRASS’ legendary albums, restored from the original analogue studio tapes.

Set for release in North America on October 30, the Crassical Collection includes Stations of the Crass (1979), Feeding of the Five Thousand (The Second Sitting) (1981), Penis Envy (1981), Christ – The Album (1982), Yes Sir, I Will (1983), Ten Notes on a Summer’s Day (1986) and Best Before 1984 (1986). Each of the records have been repackaged and bolstered by rare and unreleased tracks, and stunning new artwork from Gee Vaucher, who has lovingly created what could only be considered a true artifact.

The first six albums include two CDs, with the first disc being the main album remastered by Alex Gordon at Abbey Road Studios and the second being a mixture of rare live and remastered studio recordings. Each package also includes a fold-out poster and a high-quality 60-page booklet featuring all lyrics along with extensive liner notes from band members Penny Rimbaud and Steve Ignorant, which shed light on the making of the records.

The Best Before 1984 Crassical Collection is brand-new and has also been remastered and features five fold-out posters and a 52-page booklet.

Pre-orders for the seven releases are available now via Amazon.

CDs are $24? Gah!

those remasters are a travesty, see above

also, this is very confusing. these revamped "Crassical" versions have already been put out once by Southern?

I've had the 2cd "Best before" on order for a year or more, fortunately they are honouring all the previous orders at the old price.

Will let you know if the extras are worth it..

the band writes a guide to their albums on Bandcamp

https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists/crass-discography-list

I emailed OLI to find out when "Best before" was coming out. Ten minutes later, it arrived on my doorstep!

It's a similar package to the other "Crassical" cd's, two discs and booklet, plus copies of every foldy single sleeve, in miniature.

I've not played it yet, but I'd call it a bargain at the price I paid. Whether its worth £22 is up to youse, but.

This doesn't seem to have been mentioned here before. Click the "Crass Journal" link at the bottom of the page for an exhaustive 169-page chronicle of the disagreements between ex-members concerning the reissues. Essential reading for interested parties, I'd've thought.

http://www.crassicalcollection.com/

I think they're doingthem at £17 from the site plus p+p aren't they?
Was just looking up what people thought of the current batch before checking out where to start.
I hope this is the definiteive cd version now and there won't be another rejigging, but may be different medium in another few years anyway. Had meant to get the last batch of cds so I guiess getting a 2nd disc and possibly better packaging is a bonus.

Yes Sir, I Will remains to this day an unbelievable, relentless and inspiring record. i need to correct the fact that its the only one i actually own :-(

This has been doing the rounds on acid techno FB today - a great long read on the links between anarchism-punk and dance music, centred around Crass:

https://undeleted.wordpress.com/crass-go-disco/

Damn autocorrect… anarcho-punk even

amazing oral history, thanks for the link. I would buy that as a book.

at what point should you go to bed? is it when you're yelling "of course they do of course they do" at your elderly cat? he doesn't seem to mind

4 of Crass did a talk somewhere in London this week which I didn't go to. did anyone else?

I also noted that Eve Libertine did a performance this week with a trans musician backing her. I know it shouldn't be that notable but at the moment I will grab onto any kind of trans-positivity as a sign that not everyone my age and older is a cunt.

good on her, would love to hear about the talk!

i want that new book so bad! but it is $$$ and i think i have to get it from the U.K. only? which means extra shipping $$ too.

my friend who is an old boston skin went to see steve play in Boston not too long ago. he said it was awesome. i was a little jealous. he got a nice photo with steve too.

xp ooh I hadn't heard about that, looks awesome, and yeah UK shipping will be a lot

this episode of the digging with flo podcast is a great listen, a chat with penny about gardening and other things at dial house:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digging-with-flo-penny-rimbaud/id1692225522?i=1000644324800

it's on Spotify etc too btw