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I borrowed an LP of The Crass out of curiosity and have never heard anything like it!
Every song sounded exactly the same as the previous one, the vocalist just seemed to be angrily shouting as opposed to singing, there were no tunes as such, nothing catchy that you could sing, whistle or hum before, during or after.
There seemed to be no quality control, no production values, no finesse, no overdubs, no tender loving care in a 24 track studio, one take on a 4 track portable in a garage more like..........Just noise!.....But I guess that is what is was all about, sending out some kind of message and that message being far more important than the music itself.
A Marmite group that did seem to be rather popular, cos the groups name was sprayed everywhere and seemed to be on every passing punks leather jacket in Swansea City centre.
Argus!
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One for the ageing Punks on here... on 13:51 - Jan 4 with 3608 views
Songs from SLF and others e.g. Alternative Ulster, Pretty Vacant, London Calling, Hong Kong Garden, Blitzkrieg Bop,etc did have a certain memorable quality. Sadly I cannot remember anything by The Crass.
There again attitude may be more important along with lesser artistry i.e. total opposite of choreographed disco dancing seen in Saturday Night Fever. The punk influence lives on i.e. the standard of music and dancing at 11:10s in the video sort of says that? Who needs fly spray?
Argus!
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One for the ageing Punks on here... on 16:33 - Jan 4 with 3544 views
I saw a punk band in St Phillips' around this time, but it wasn't Crass. Think it was local boys.
Loved the chaos.
The crunching chords and uncontrolled keening feedback used to give me goosebumps.
What I didn't like about the whole punk scene was the lie that it was somehow "democratic", working class, DIY, and inclusive.
Within a short time it became overrun with preening, middle class poseurs, full of exclusive cliques who'd frown disdainfully at you if you weren't wearing the right gear. The Cure and Siouxsie Souix spring to mind.
Hardly surprising when you consider people like Malcolm McClaren and Vivienne Westwood were 2 of the driving forces behind it.
Alternative TV and The Fall distanced themselves from that kind of degeneracy.
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One for the ageing Punks on here... on 16:34 - Jan 4 with 3539 views
Two very working class bands there fiery. I think you hit an interesting distinction which I always thought was clear between the middle-class The Cure and the more working class of Joy Division/New Order. Whilst I like the Cure, never felt as true or as visceral as JD/NO, The Fall or later on The Smiths, or even Matt Johnson/The The.
Some great podcasts/documentaries out there-Transmissions (JD/NO) and one on The Clash narrated by Chuck D. Would love a Fall one. Could interview the 100,000 ex-members.
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One for the ageing Punks on here... on 16:49 - Jan 4 with 3527 views
Trying to write a record a new batch of teaching material in a rush as someone left recently. A few health and safety issues to deal with in relation to clinical teaching and Covid and a serious accident on one of the farms not helping my humour.
Hope all is well with you and yours.
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One for the ageing Punks on here... on 17:04 - Jan 4 with 3516 views
I hated crass, but looking back i see their value in the uk music scene. I love conflict. I was at this gig, it was mad. People do go on about three chords and punk rock, mostly untrue, the pistols as an example were heralded as cant play. Then in recent years the worlds top musicians have reviewed it and stated they were well beyond their time. I think that was on one of those famous albums breakdowns you can still find on certain channels. Steve Jones the guitarist is revered as one of the worlds best rock guitarists.
Dont forget these bands were kids moistly, DIY ethic, and the music scene was either petrified of them or just tried to ignore them. It didnt work. The stamp the music alone left on the world scene was massive.
HighJack, punks from all over the world converge on The Rebellion festival UK each year, aged 14 to 75, thousands of punters. Its a cracking four days.
A great believer in taking anything you like to wherever you want to.
Tyrone Thomas the guitarist in ATV is from Crundale, Haverfordwest, my cousin. Swans fan. Was in the band for first three singles etc, now back with them.
I was at the Venom gig at st Philips way back, local punk oi band. That was mental too. Got some photos somewhere.
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A great believer in taking anything you like to wherever you want to.
I would love to take issue Keith as regards The Pistols and musicality but I dont want a ban as I would then be lonesome as Hank.
I did say,nothing the matter with 3 chords. Most classic rock /blues is ;it's about how an instrument is played. It' s why the likes of BB King and Chuck Berry are so revered for all time as they kept it simple but took the basics and wrapped them in their own style.
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