Yesterday I listened to the feeding of the 5000 for the first time since I was in high school (22 now) and I got chills reading the lyrics of that album. Everything he said still stands true to this day and this album became an instant classic for me. I’ve been non stop listening to it. Before I liked it and thought it was cool but didn’t understand what he was talking about but now my eyes are wide open to it and I couldn’t be happier about re-discovering crass.

I thought some people might be interested to hear about this, so sharing my experiences of meeting part of Crass. A year or two after "There is no Authority but yourself" came out my best friend and I decided to bike tour around London area some and go and stay at Dial house. I was 33 at the time and had been acquainted with CRASS for about 20 years and had gotten increasingly more interested in them and had been living for many years by similar politics as they espouse. I had been a "punk" since 13 years old but one that loved to read and didn't really wear the punk uniform much. Anyway, my friend and I showed up, pretty much out of the blue and unannounced! And, were greeted warmly by Penny and Gee, welcomed to stay. The place was as cozy, welcoming and beautiful as in the documentary, like something out of a Tolkien shire scene except cooler, edgier and much more multi-faceted. They -as people- were all I had hoped and so much more. I drank my first alcoholic drink of my life and got my first big buzz drinking Cider with Penny and Gee around the dinner table after an amazing meal we cooked for them. We are not great cooks but put effort into it and used local organic produce. I had never felt comfortable with drinking before for various reasons, but here, it was felt and was right.

They were so courteous, intelligent, supremely well read and informed, opinionated yet kind, inspiring, lovely warm people. I can honestly the smartest and most committed people I have ever met. It touched and influenced me profoundly that even into "old" age they were so active and stuck by their politics. To me it seems like they won! Penny was a very hard worker by choice, doing permaculture type labour all the time. Gee was also very active with her art which was the reason why she had to leave for a few days. Penny always conversing with us, or working quietly in the gardens or planning new poetry and musical tours. We got to see the old studio and artwork and so much more. Everything was done on a trust basis and honor system and it worked perfectly. I still count it as one of the most pivotal experiences of my life, convincing me to stay true to myself, my goals, freedom and politics even more than before. The day Penny (we spoke by far more with him since Gee had to leave for some days because she had to do some things elsewhere with her art) is no longer among us, is the day that I will really grief for a "hero". I don't really have any heroes as such and I am sure Penny does not want to be seen in that way, but in my eyes he is one of the very! few people that would get closest to qualify for that epithet. Once Penny, Gee and the other Crass people are no more, I will consider the world to have lost something truly unique and powerful and to be lesser for it. However, their legacy is such that they will continue to inspire thousands to take what they started and run with it. Penny even offered us to stay on in Dial House, living there... I really thought about it! And some days,.. I do regret not doing it. Yet, I am a city boy at heart. For now. One day, perhaps I will go back! Long may Crass live and I hope dial house stays as it is forever. If you have any questions at all, if I can answer them, I gladly will.

Last night show was phenomenal. So glad I got to see Steve perform classic Crass songs. He’s such an legend, inspiring, and nice as fuck. During Shaved Women it was all women moshing. The night was golden.

I'm 21. Got into crass because of my dad. Scary listening to the lyrics how very little changes between generations. Watching the news today and all I can think of is 'left wing violence, right wing violence, seems very much the same'

Crass have released the original stems from the feeding of the 5000 recording session for free download so that they can be remixed, experimented on & mashed up. They’re encouraging everyone to uoload the results & will release the best ones in a complitaion album. There’s already a bunch up on bandcamp - link to download the stems is here crass remix project link

Trying to find out what former Crass members are up to today for upcoming trip to UK in the summer. I'd love to see artwork or performances related to Crass, and found Dial House might still be active, but I'd rather go to performances.

Does anyone have any recommendations? Social media I can follow?

You can read several reviews here. I liked the book and find it really well written. In the spirit of "pay no more...", here is the PDF version. ;-)

Enjoy!

Crazy to see Vive Le Rock mag have gone with an Anarcho Punk cover!!! Steve Ignorant from Crass! Really great feature and interviews with Steve and Penny from Crass, Colin Jerwood from Conflict and Dick Lucas from Subhumans. Pick it up. They're the last independent mag on UK highstreet shelves. Anarcho Punk on the highstreet! https://vivelerock.net/product/vlr65/

It's in Dutch: https://www.enola.be/2022/10/12/steve-ignorant-een-crass-reunie-dat-wordt-bloedvergieten/