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.
Incredibly sad news, Mensi passed away on 10th December 2021. My thoughts are with his family and friends. I always admired him, he was a man of great principles and an inspiration to us all who were fighting for a better world. He will be sadly missed but never forgotten.
See you later mate. Steve
Thomas ‘Mensi’ Mensforth, singer with the Angelic Upstarts passed away following a battle with Covid, aged 65.
27th January Crane Lane, Cork 2022
As most of you know Ian Walsh, our Cork promoter and friend, suddenly passed away at the end of August this year (2021).
I personally have no involvement in organizing gigs as the promoter deals with that side of the tour. Over the last couple of months, I and several other people have tried to find out what was going to happen with the rescheduled gig in 2022.
We only managed to find out that several tickets were sold from a record shop and from Ian. The venue was dealing directly with Ian and has taken the gig of their gig list.
Because the venue has failed to interact with us, it now seems obvious that they have cancelled the show which is completely out of our control and of huge regret to us and the memory of Ian.
Apart from it being a huge disappointment it is also a financial loss to the people that bought a ticket, the band, the support bands, the sound guy and everyone that was directly or indirectly involved.
More importantly Ian will be greatly missed and our thoughts are with Ian’s family and friends during this sad and difficult time.
The Dublin and Belfast gigs -28th and 29th January 2022, which are organized by a different promoter are still going ahead (Covid restrictions permitted) and hopefully we’ll be able to see you there.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Steve
Your Day Will Come – a song about animal cruelty which was released on the Don’t Turn Away album in 2019. You can listen for free on Spotify and support us by clicking ‘follow’.
Spotify: Your Day Will Come https://open.spotify.com/album/0fG068PG1xjNfIlGKL4lQ8?highlight=spotify:track:58MaqLGd1CQhOxDH7RLWlk
As soon as I’d written that song I had an idea for a t-shirt using one of the photos we had of Evie walking back from the shop with a baseball bat. For her it was a toy but it was a great image to go with this song. It was only a couple of months ago that with the help of Simon from Carry On Screening that my vision became a reality. He cleverly used part of the Slice Of Life Symbol (created by Brian from Flesh and Bone) to create this great image.
From design, to print, to sew on the labels, to getting it on the web shop took about 3 months. At the time of designing this great t-shirt we had no idea that Evie would no longer be with us. I hope you like the design and what it stands for as much as we do.
Text on the back is an extract of the song:
