The Feeding of the 5000 (album)
Encyclopedia
The 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.
, heard a demo that the band had recorded. Impressed by all of the material, he decided that rather than release a conventional single by the band, he would put all of their set onto an 18 track 12" EP. However, problems were encountered when workers at the Irish pressing plant contracted to manufacture the record refused to handle it due to the allegedly blasphemous
content of the track "Reality Asylum" (referred to as "Asylum" on the record sleeve). The record was eventually released with this track removed and replaced by two minutes of silence, retitled "The Sound of Free Speech". This incident also prompted Crass to set up their own record label in order to retain full editorial control over their material, and "Reality Asylum" was shortly afterwards issued in a re-recorded and extended form as a 7" single. A later repress of The Feeding of The 5000 (subtitled The Second Sitting) released on Crass records in 1980 restored the missing track.
The song "They've Got a Bomb" also features a period of silence within it, inspired by John Cage
's "4'33"". The band have acknowledged the influence of Cage, and said that the idea of the space in the song, when performed live, was to suddenly stop the energy, dancing and noise and allow the audience to momentarily "confront themselves" and consider the reality of nuclear war
.
"The feeding of the five thousand
" is a well-known phrase in Christian tradition, being the name of a Biblical
miracle in which a small amount of food is said to have fed 5000 people. According to drummer and spokesperson Penny Rimbaud
: "We named the album The Feeding of The Five Thousand because 5000 was the minimum number that we could get pressed and some 4900 more than we thought we'd sell. Feeding is now only a few hundred short of going golden, though I don't suppose we'll hear too much about that in the music press".
On August 16, 2010, The Feeding of the 5000 was rereleased as the first volume of The Crassical Collection. As well as being digitally remastered from the original analogue studio tapes, the release also contains additional artwork by Gee Vaucher
, bonus material and a 64-page booklet of lyrics and liner notes by Penny Rimbaud
and Steve Ignorant
.
Side 2
Crass In Soho
Crass In Demo
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
, released in 1978
1978 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1978.-January–April:*January 14 – The Sex Pistols play their final show at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom....
. 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.
Album information
The record came to be made when Pete Stennett, owner of Small Wonder RecordsSmall Wonder Records
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 bands. It operated out of a record shop of the same name at 162 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17, east London...
, heard a demo that the band had recorded. Impressed by all of the material, he decided that rather than release a conventional single by the band, he would put all of their set onto an 18 track 12" EP. However, problems were encountered when workers at the Irish pressing plant contracted to manufacture the record refused to handle it due to the allegedly blasphemous
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
content of the track "Reality Asylum" (referred to as "Asylum" on the record sleeve). The record was eventually released with this track removed and replaced by two minutes of silence, retitled "The Sound of Free Speech". This incident also prompted Crass to set up their own record label in order to retain full editorial control over their material, and "Reality Asylum" was shortly afterwards issued in a re-recorded and extended form as a 7" single. A later repress of The Feeding of The 5000 (subtitled The Second Sitting) released on Crass records in 1980 restored the missing track.
The song "They've Got a Bomb" also features a period of silence within it, inspired by John Cage
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
's "4'33"". The band have acknowledged the influence of Cage, and said that the idea of the space in the song, when performed live, was to suddenly stop the energy, dancing and noise and allow the audience to momentarily "confront themselves" and consider the reality of nuclear war
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
.
"The feeding of the five thousand
Feeding the multitude
Feeding the multitude is the combined term used to refer to two separate miracles of Jesus in the Gospels.The First Miracle, "The Feeding of the 5,000" is the only miracle which is present in all four canonical Gospels...
" is a well-known phrase in Christian tradition, being the name of a Biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
miracle in which a small amount of food is said to have fed 5000 people. According to drummer and spokesperson Penny Rimbaud
Penny Rimbaud
Jeremy 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.-Biography:Rimbaud Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943,...
: "We named the album The Feeding of The Five Thousand because 5000 was the minimum number that we could get pressed and some 4900 more than we thought we'd sell. Feeding is now only a few hundred short of going golden, though I don't suppose we'll hear too much about that in the music press".
On August 16, 2010, The Feeding of the 5000 was rereleased as the first volume of The Crassical Collection. As well as being digitally remastered from the original analogue studio tapes, the release also contains additional artwork by Gee Vaucher
Gee Vaucher
Gee Vaucher is a visual artist who 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. In her collection of early works Crass Art and Other Pre Post-Modernist...
, bonus material and a 64-page booklet of lyrics and liner notes by Penny Rimbaud
Penny Rimbaud
Jeremy 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.-Biography:Rimbaud Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943,...
and Steve Ignorant
Steve Ignorant
Steve Ignorant is a singer and artist. He co-founded the anarcho-punk band Crass with Penny Rimbaud in 1977. After Crass stopped performing in 1984, he has worked with other groups including Conflict, Schwartzeneggar, The Stratford Mercenaries, Current 93 , US punk band Thought Crime, as well as...
.
Track listing
Side 1- "Asylum"
- "Do They Owe Us a Living?"
- "End Result"
- "They’ve Got a Bomb"
- "Punk is Dead"
- "Reject of Society"
- "General Bacardi"
- "Banned from the Roxy"
- "G’s Song"
Side 2
- "Fight War, Not Wars"
- "Women"
- "SecuricorSecuricorSecuricor plc was one of the United Kingdom's largest security businesses. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but merged with Group 4 Falck in 2004.-History:...
" - "Sucks"
- "You Pay"
- "Angels"
- "What a Shame"
- "So What"
- "Well?...Do They?"
Crassical Collection Bonus Tracks
Ignorant & Rimbaud In Duo [Stormtrooper]- 'Do They Owe Us a Living?'
- 'Blackburn Rovers - thread track'
Crass In Soho
- 'Heartbeat of the Mortuary'
- 'Do They Owe Us a Living?'
- 'Demolition'
- 'I Don't Like It'
- 'Pissedorf - thread track'
Crass In Demo
- 'End Result'
- 'G's Song'
- 'General Bacardi'
- 'Securicor'
- 'Angela Rippon'
- 'Major General Despair'
- 'Do They Owe Us a Living?'
- 'Punk is Dead'
- 'Come to Southern Studios - run out track'
Personnel
- Crass - Producer
- Steve IgnorantSteve IgnorantSteve Ignorant is a singer and artist. He co-founded the anarcho-punk band Crass with Penny Rimbaud in 1977. After Crass stopped performing in 1984, he has worked with other groups including Conflict, Schwartzeneggar, The Stratford Mercenaries, Current 93 , US punk band Thought Crime, as well as...
- Vocals - Joy De VivreJoy De VivreJoy De Vivre was the second female singer of the anarcho-punk band Crass. She was also one of two lead singers on the Crass album Penis Envy in 1981. She studied at Colchester Arts School, where she met Andy Palmer....
- Voices - Eve LibertineEve LibertineEve Libertine is a British singer.She was one of the two female vocalists who worked with the influential British anarcho-punk band Crass...
- Voices on tracks 1, 11. - Phil Free - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
- N.A.Palmer - Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Pete WrightPete Wright (musician)Peter Wright, better known as Pete Wright, was bass guitar player and vocalist for anarchist punk band Crass from 1977 until 1984. Occasionally he is credited as Pete Wrong on the bands' record covers. After the dissolution of Crass he formed the performance art duo Judas 2.-References:...
- Bass, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals on tracks 12, 13, 14. - Penny RimbaudPenny 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.-Biography:Rimbaud Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943,...
- Drums, Radio - John Loder - Engineer
- GGee VaucherGee Vaucher is a visual artist who 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. In her collection of early works Crass Art and Other Pre Post-Modernist...
- Artwork