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Crass "You'll ruin anything"

The Mr E suprise

13:31 / 10.07.01

Listening to a Crass live album for work at the moment. It's very good, very 80's. Anyone got words of wisdom about this rather interesting punk band?

Ria

17:46 / 10.07.01

I have mixed feelings about them.

in one breath I want to praise them and in others to damn them.

some of their lyrics have such deep and clear analysis and others of them just use the language of the playground and the toilet, with talk of "filth", "shit", "vomit", etc. and that the same time having done songs like "Reality Asylum".

I have met members of the group and like them as people especially for putting up with me. agree with them on the whole but not blindly.

I read a chunk of Penny Rimbaud's memoirs last night actually.

Locust No longer

18:33 / 10.07.01

Crass was one of the most influential bands in my life along with Conflict and Minor Threat. Thirteen years old and rocking out to "Big A, Little A," was wonderful and an anthem for my life. I continue to find them inspirational and idealistic which I enjoy on occasion. Penny Rimbaud's "Shibboleth: My Revolting Life," is, indeed, a fascinating book if not a tad self congratulatory. None the less, it was a revelation to me how much Crass, as a group, achieved with their subversion and how they can be looked at as a template for other subversive groups. There hasn't been a lot of groups, especially musical groups, that have influenced and inacted pertinent change in society. Crass, however, was definately one of them.

Cop Killer

09:37 / 11.07.01

Y'know, they may have had cool politics or whatever, but they I really think they fucking suck as a band. Quite possibly my least favorite band of all time.

Regrettable Juvenilia

09:37 / 11.07.01

quote:Originally posted by Locustcrashsthorax:
There hasn't been a lot of groups, especially musical groups, that have influenced and inacted pertinent change in society. Crass, however, was definately one of them.

For example, a pertinent change in society influences and enacted by Crass was...?

Ria

17:17 / 11.07.01

quote:Originally posted by Cop Killer:
Y'know, they may have had cool politics or whatever, but they I really think they fucking suck as a band. Quite possibly my least favorite band of all time.

depends on what you listen to. that first(?) record done live in the studio I agree with you on that on and more for the production and performances than the songwriting. others of their work I still hum to myself now and then though I would hardly call them the best tunesmiths of all time. (let alone musicians.)

Red Cross Iodized Salt

18:09 / 11.07.01

quote:Originally posted by De La Zenith is dead:

For example, a pertinent change in society influences and enacted by Crass was...?

There are more than you might think. To begin with, they might well be credited with politicizing punk. They were one of the first voices to speak out (and be heard) against the Falklands war, publicly lambasting Reagan and Thatcher to the point where the US State Department and the House of Commons took notice. They also (allegedly) managed to resuscitate a moribund CND.

A brief (albeit biased) history can be read here: http://hem.passagen.se/hellacop/crass3.htm

Opalfruit

07:58 / 13.07.01

quote:Originally posted by Cop Killer:
Y'know, they may have had cool politics or whatever, but they I really think they fucking suck as a band. Quite possibly my least favorite band of all time.

You do know that The Wurzels are planning on re-releasing "I've got a brand new combine Harvester.."

I can just see it now.... with remixes by Liam Howlett and Phil Collins....

Crass.... nah, don't really have an opinion, I can take or leave them.

Locust No longer

13:33 / 14.07.01

Well, I suppose you can always argue the semantics of what the word "pertinent" represents, but I find that Crass more than almost any other DIY punk band has influenced society. Basic has covered many of them in his last post, but there are more. For example, they introduced anarchist politics to literally millions of people across the globe not just the punks. They influenced many politically subversive groups like the AYF and Profane Existence, as well. They brought many "hidden" issues like feminism, anarchism, etc, to the public through clever publicity stunts and popularized "tagging." I won't claim to know the full extent of their influence but I think it would be ridiculous to write them off.

[ 16-07-2001: Message edited by: Locustcrashsthorax ]

samhell

13:30 / 24.11.01

Although the music they produced probably turned off more people than it turned on. Crass have had an enourmous influence on many peoples lives ( i may be wrong but..) im sure they were the first band to include a price in thiere artwork to show how much records could be sold for (still used by dischord) yes sir i will is one of the best works ever. but, yes the simplified everything to black and white issues but remained staunchly independant.

21:09 / 26.11.01

i wouldn't know Crass if they bit me on the arse, but on several occasions, people have told me that my band sound like Crass, which kind of worries me because i want to sound like the Monkees. I don't know whether to take it as a compliment, or not.

mondo a-go-go

21:53 / 26.11.01

ironically, i wouldn't recognise a crass tune if it came up and bit me on the arse, either, and my dad was in the band! only for a few months, mind you. he's never really mentioned in band history, though he gets a dedication at the bottom of this page. i never really knew much about my dad, so i only heard rumours about it. but the date they say there is the date my dad died, so i guess it's true...

incidentally, over at their site, they have interesting news about a charity auction. check out all the cool peeps involved....

Shortfatdyke

10:04 / 27.11.01

i was going to post crass' website address but i see it's already been done. crass were wonderful, i think. i listened to them quite recently with my ex and she was pointing out how much rhythym the music had, but the music was a small part of what crass were about.

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