Crass Records is an
independent record labelAn independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels.-Overview:...
which was set up by the anarchist
punkPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band
CrassCrass were an English punk band, formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularized the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
.
Overview and history
Prior to the formation of Crass,
Penny RimbaudJeremy John Ratter , better known under his pseudonym of Penny Rimbaud, is a drummer, writer, poet, former member of performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion, and co-founder of the anarchist punk band Crass with Steve Ignorant in 1977.Rimbaud Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943, Northwood,...
and
Gee VaucherGee Vaucher was born in 1945 in Dagenham, East London.Her work with Anarcho-punk band Crass was seminal to the 'protest art' of the 1980s. Vaucher has always seen her work as a tool for social change...
had published their creative works via their own
Dial HouseDial House is a farm cottage situated in south-west Essex, England. The house is located in the countryside of Epping Forest in Ongar Great Park, an area covering five-by-three kilometers. Dial House is an intentional community and the home of the anarcho-punk band Crass.-History:Dial House was...
based
Exitstencil Press. However the band set up the record label after encountering problems over the release of their first 12" EP,
The Feeding Of The 5000The Feeding of the 5000 is the first album by Crass, released in 1978 . Crass never gained a large mainstream audience, but their virulently anti-establishment lyrics and anarchist politics brought the band a committed following upon the record’s release.The record came to be made when Pete...
, on the
Small WonderSmall 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 bands. It operated out of a record shop of the same name at 162 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17, East London...
label in 1978. Workers at the Irish pressing plant contracted to manufacture the disc refused to handle it due to the allegedly
blasphemousBlasphemy is the use of reference to one or more gods in a manner considered objectionable by a religious authority. It may include using sacred names as stress expletives without intention to pray or speak of sacred matters; it is also sometimes defined as language expressing disbelief or...
content of one song, "Asylum". The record was eventually released with this track removed and replaced by two minutes of silence, wryly retitled "The Sound Of Free Speech". However, this incident prompted Crass to set up their own record label to control all aspects of their future productions. Using money from a small inheritance that had been left to one of the band, the piece was shortly afterwards re-recorded and released as a 7" single using its full title, "Reality Asylum". A later repress of
The Feeding Of The 5000 on Crass Records restored the missing track.
As well as releasing their own material, Crass were able to use Crass Records to make available recordings by other performers, the first of which was the 1980 single "You Can Be You" by
Honey BaneHoney Bane is an English singer and actress, possibly best known for her 1981 UK Top 30 single "Turn Me On Turn Me Off"....
, a teenage girl who at the time was staying at Dial House whilst on the run from a children's home (however, Bane's backing band on this release are in fact Crass, using the name
Donna and the Kebabs). Others who recorded for the label included Zounds,
Flux of Pink IndiansFlux Of Pink Indians were an anarcho-punk/post punk band that originated from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England.-Biography:The band formed from the remaining members of the Epileptics by Colin Latter and Derek Birkett with guitarists Andy Smith,...
,
The CravatsThe Cravats were a punk rock band from Redditch near Birmingham, England founded in 1977 by Robin Dallaway . Further members were Svor Nann , The Shend and Dave Bennett ....
,
ConflictConflict are an English anarcho-punk band originally based around Eltham in South London. Formed in 1981, the band's original line up consisted of: Colin Jerwood , Francisco 'Paco' Carreno , Big John , Steve , Pauline , Paul aka 'Nihilistic Nobody' . Their first release was the ep "The House That...
,
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
ic band KUKL (who included singer
BjörkBjörk Guðmundsdóttir is a critically acclaimed Icelandic avant-garde singer-songwriter, composer, actress and music producer, whose work includes seven solo albums and two film soundtracks....
), classical singer
Jane GregoryJane Gregory, née Jane Bredin, born in England on 30 June 1959, is an international equestrian. She first rode for her country in 1994, competing in the World Equestrian Games of that year, and competed for Great Britain in Dressage at the Atlanta and Beijing Olympic Games.-Early life :Gregory...
, and the
Poison GirlsThe 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, and wrote songs that explored sexuality and gender roles, usually from an anarchist perspective...
, a like-minded band who worked closely with Crass for several years. Many of these groups in turn went on to set up their own independent record labels loosely following the Crass Records model.
The label also put out three editions of
Bullshit DetectorBullshit Detector was the name of a series of compilation LPs put together by the anarcho-punk band Crass and released on their Crass Records label. Three editions were released between 1980 and 1984, consisting of demo tapes, rough recordings and artwork that had been sent to the band...
, compilations of demos and rough recordings that had been sent to the band which they felt represented the DIY punk ethic.
Singles released on the Crass Records label had a distinctive '
corporate identityIn marketing, a corporate identity is the "persona" of a corporation which is designed to accord with and facilitate the attainment of business objectives...
'. As well as
lyricallyLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
addressing political themes from a broadly anarchist perspective, they were always low priced and usually
producedIn the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes...
by Crass drummer
Penny RimbaudJeremy John Ratter , better known under his pseudonym of Penny Rimbaud, is a drummer, writer, poet, former member of performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion, and co-founder of the anarchist punk band Crass with Steve Ignorant in 1977.Rimbaud Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943, Northwood,...
and
engineeredAudio engineering is a part of audio science dealing with the recording and reproduction of sound through mechanical and electronic means. The field draws on many disciplines, including electrical engineering, acoustics, psychoacoustics, and music. Unlike acoustical engineering, audio...
by
John LoderJohn Loder was an English sound engineer, record producer and founder of Southern Studios, as well as a former member of EXIT and co-founder of the Southern Records distribution company with his wife Sue. He was also the studio engineer of choice for Crass Records, and was often considered to be...
at
Southern StudiosSouthern Studios is a recording studio in the Wood Green area of London. It was founded in 1974 by John Loder, and came to be the recording studio of choice for Crass and their record label Crass Records. Southern Studios Ltd.continues to grow its label and provide label management and...
in north
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. They also featured sleeves designed by
Gee VaucherGee Vaucher was born in 1945 in Dagenham, East London.Her work with Anarcho-punk band Crass was seminal to the 'protest art' of the 1980s. Vaucher has always seen her work as a tool for social change...
, often in conjunction with other artists, wherein the record's title and band name were set in '
stencilA stencil is a template used to draw or paint identical letters, numbers, symbols, shapes, or patterns every time it is used. Stencil technique in visual art is also referred to as pochoir....
' style text in a black ring (see examples above) reminiscent of many of
Robert IndianaRobert Indiana is an American artist associated with the Pop Art movement.-Life and work:Robert Indiana was born in New Castle, Indiana and later relocated to Indianapolis where he graduated from Arsenal Technical High School...
and
Jasper JohnsJasper Johns, Jr. is an American contemporary artist who works primarily in painting and printmaking. He is represented by the Matthew Marks Gallery.-Life:...
' works . These folded out into large posters containing additional artwork and text.
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 OrwellEric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist and journalist...
's novel of the same name (see 1984 (novel)).
Although these vinyl records are now long deleted, many of the tracks have been collected and re-released on the
A-Sides parts one and two compilation CDs. Crass' back catalogue however remains in print, both in vinyl and CD format
http://www.southern.com/southern/band/CRASS/.
Ex-Crass members Penny Rimbaud and Gee Vaucher continue to put out their creative works (for example, material by
Last AmendmentLast Amendment is the working title of a series of collaborations by ex-members of the anarchist punk band Crass and others...
, and Vaucher's book
Animal Rites) through Exitstencil, often in collaboration with other publishers such as the
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
label
Babel LabelThe Babel Label is a record label was founded in 1994 by Oliver Weindling. It primarily records and releases jazz albums from UK artists. Ongoing relationships include artists such as Billy Jenkins, Christine Tobin and Huw Warren. A close relationship has been forged with a number of musicians from...
and
AK PressAK Press is a collectively owned and operated independent publisher and book distributor that specialises in radical and anarchist literature.-History:...
.
Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi RecordsCorpus Christi Records is an independent record label started by some of the members of Crass and their recording engineer and business partner John Loder, to release records by artists who did not perhaps fit in with some of the stricter ideals of the Crass Records label.Several of the artists on...
was a 'spin-off' from Crass Records, that enabled artists and performers to put out material supported by Crass through John Loder's Southern Studios, whilst not necessarily being tied to the latter label's 'corporate image' or anarchist ideology.
Albums
- 621984 Crass - The Feeding Of The 5000 LP
- 521984 Crass - Stations Of The Crass LP
- 421984/2 Poison Girls - Chappaquidick Bridge LP
- 421984/4 V/A - Bullshit Detector LP
- 421984/9 Poison Girls - Hex LP
- 321984/1 Crass - Penis Envy LP
- Bollox2u2 Crass - Christ: The Album LP
- 221984/3 V/A - Bullshit Detector Vol 2 LP
- 221984/7 Dirt - Never Mind Dirt, Here's The Bollocks LP
- 121984/2 Crass - Yes Sir, I Will LP
- 1984/1 Kukl - The Eye LP
- 1984/207370 Hit Parade - Plastic Culture LP
- 1984/3 V/A - Bullshit Detector Vol 3 LP
- 1984/4 Penny Rimbaud - Acts Of Love LP
- CATNO 1 D & V - D & V LP
- CATNO 2 Jane Gregory - After A Dream LP
- CATNO 4 Kukl - Holidays In Europe LP
- CATNO 5 Crass - Best Before LP
- CATNO 7 Hit Parade - Nick Knack Paddy Whack LP
- CATNO 8 Crass - A Sides Part One, 1979-1982 CD & Cassette
- CATNO 9 Crass - A Sides Part Two, 1982-1984 CD & Cassette
- CATNO 10C Crass - Christ's Reality Asylum Audio Cassette
Singles
- CRASS1 Crass - Reality Asylum / Shaved Women 7"
- 521984/1 Honey Bane - You Can Be You / Girl On The Run / Porno Grows / Boring Conversation 7"
- 421984/1 Crass / Poison Girls - Bloody Revolutions / Persons Unknown 7"
- 421984/3 Zounds - Can't Cheat Karma / War / Subvert.Subvert.Subvert.Subvert. 7"
- 421984/5 Crass - Nagasaki Nightmare / Big A Little A 7"
- 421984/6 Crass - Rival Tribal Rebel Revel 7" (Flexi-disc free with "Toxic Grafity" fanzine)
- 421984/7 Poison Girls - Statement 7" Flexi-disc
- 421984/8 Poison Girls - All Systems Go / Dirty Work / Promenade Immortelle 7"
- 321984/1F Crass - Our Wedding 7" (Flexi-disc got with a coupon from "Loving" magazine)
- 321984/2 Flux Of Pink Indians - Neu Smell 7"
- 321984/3 Annie Anxiety - Barbed Wire Halo 7"
- 321984/4 Snipers - Three Peace Suite 7"
- 321984/5 Captain Sensible - This Is Your Captain Speaking 7"
- 321984/6 Dirt - Object Refuse Reject Abuse 7"
- 321984/7 Mob - No Doves Fly Here 7"
- CT1 Crass - Merry Crassmass 7"
- 221984/1 Conflict - The House That Man Built 7"
- 221984/2 Rudimentary Peni - Farce 7"
- 221984/4 Cravats - Rub Me Out 7"
- 221984/5 T, Andy - Weary Of The Flesh 7"
- No number Crass - Sheep Farming In The Falklands 7" (Initially released as flexi, later as 121984/3)
- 221984/6 Crass - How Does It Feel? / The Immortal Death / Don't Tell Me You Care 7"
- 221984/8 Alternative - In Nomine Patri 7"
- 221984/9 Anthrax - Capitalism Is Cannibalism 7"
- 221984/10 Omega Tribe - Angry Songs 7"
- 221984/11 Sleeping Dogs - Beware Sleeping Dogs 7"
- 221984/12 Hit Parade - Bad News 7"
- 121984/1 D & V - The Nearest Door 7"
- 121984/3 Crass - Sheep Farming In The Falklands 7" (Formerly flexi-disc only)
- 121984/4 Crass - Whodunnit? 7"
- 121984/5 MDC - Multi-Death Corporations 7"
- 121984/6 Lack Of Knowledge Grey 7"
- 1984 Crass - You're Already Dead 7"
- CATNO 3 Lucky 7 - Take Your Elbows Off The Table (Choral Mix) / Take Your Elbows Off The Table (Orchestral Mix) 7" (Actually Steve Ignorant - unreleased, test pressings only)
- CATNO 6 Crass - 10 Notes On A Summer's Day 12"
External links