Very sad news – I found out today that Wilko passed away at home on Monday evening, 21st November 2022.
I met him a few years ago and what a lovely bloke. Catch you later Wilko, thanks for all you did. Arms out to your family at this sad time.
On this day, 44 years ago Crass recorded their first album in southern Studios – 18 Track EP, 29th October 1978.
We recorded it in one go – starting during the day and working well into the night. It is still my favourite Crass album
Recorded October 1978 / Released by Small Wonder February 1979
Video: CRASS – DO THEY OWE US A LIVING? Celebrating the 40th+ anniversary of the release of THE FEEDING OF THE 5000, the debut album/ 12” EP from CRASS, (December 1978).1978’s FEEDING OF THE 5000 was high on adrenalin and song count, no less than 18 tracks. The debut album showed they could better punk’s straitjacketing blueprint, but Crass wanted grassroots appeal and they were ready for the struggle to get it. Workers at the pressing plant refused to process ‘Asylum’ because of allegedly blasphemous content. Consequently, the debut EP was released without it, a replacement coming in the form of a 2-minute protest of silence, ‘The Sound of Free Speech’. As art-terrorists though, Crass were the best; ‘Asylum’ led to a visit from Scotland Yard. The ‘controversial’ song would later be re-recorded, extended and release as a single with a new title ‘Reality Asylum’ in May 1979. That was then the vice squad came a-bothering.
The following year, a new pressing of ‘The Feeding of the 5000’ (subtitled ‘The Second Sitting’), would be issued on Crass Records, one that restored the original recording of ‘Asylum’.The video here is DO THEY OWE US A LIVING?“`Do they owe us a living?’, with the question being answered at the end of each chorus `… of course they fucking do!’ was a rallying cry for those whose disillusionment led them towards an interest in crossing accepted lines” wrote George Berger in his book ‘The Story of Crass’.Steve Ignorant had taken the phrase from a poem by earlier Dial House resident Richard Le Beau called ‘The Window’.”He was living at Dial House when I first arrived there,” said Steve. “He’d written this small booklet — it was all a bit of a dark, semi-depressive type poem, hinted at suicide and all this business.” Crucially for our story, however, it also contained the lines: `Do they owe the chicken whose neck they chopped for dinner a living? Do they owe me a living? Of course they do. “So I just took that and put the ‘fucking’ in,” smiles Steve.
Check out the article in the Guardian 🙂
I’m absolutely gutted and stunned to tell you that a very dear friend of mine, Mark Pickstone, died last night (12th March 2022). We worked closely together on songs that would later be used in Schwarzeneggar and as you know he was the keyboard player in that band. Mark was a gentle and caring giant who I loved very much and I shall miss him greatly. I ask you all to raise a glass to him. My thoughts go to his wife and family.
See you later Mark.
It’s with a heavy heart that I have to tell you that Bob Butler died on Monday 28th February 2022. As most of you know we worked together in Schwarzeneggar and The Last Supper, but more than a work mate he was a true friend, a bloody good bass player, a bloody good bloke and I shall bloody well miss him. I shall always think of him with that cheeky grin on his face as the pair of us would slope off for that sneaky beer. My arms reach out to Helga in this dreadful time. See you later Bob and remember – ‘straight on’.
It can’t get anymore exciting and scary to play your first gig with a new band at the London Electric Ballroom supporting Sleaford Mods but that’s exactly what happened.
It is now 7 years ago that Pete Rawlinson became part of the Slice Family. As soon as we played the first notes on that stage I knew he was a keeper. Great bass player and lovely human being.
