Crass
The Feeding of the Five Thousand Remix Project
Remix singles ‘Normal Never Was IV’ out today via One Little Independent Records
Featuring Paul Jamrozy (Test Dept) and Maral
All proceeds going to Refuge
“The furiously political British anarchist collective Crass lived their dogma with admirable rigor” – Rolling Stone
“Arguably one of the most significant punk bands to ever exist” – Crack Magazine
As part of their ambitious ‘The Feeding of the Five Thousand Remix Project’, punk pioneers Crass are returning with another exclusive coloured 12” single featuring remixes by Paul Jamrozy of industrial-noise activists Test Dept and Iranian-American upcoming producer Maral. Now just over the half way point, the charity project has raised over £10,000 to help provide specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic violence.
In 2019 Crass took the step of making the original separate track stems of their seminal debut album ‘The Feeding of the Five Thousand’ available as a free download. With a call to take the original sixteen track recording in its pre-mix state, the intent was for people to create their own remixes and interpretations and breathe fresh life and ideas into this revolutionary music.
First released in 1978, ‘The Feeding of the Five Thousand’ pre-empted rap and grime in its hard-on-the-beat, fast fire, uncompromising lyrics and the iconic sounds and messages are ripe for reinterpretation. Crass encouraged people to rip apart the sound and ideas and create something new, then send the files to Crass Records for future releases and charitable projects. The message is DIY like it never was before. “Yours for the taking, yours for the making,” Crass said. “You do it, we’ll stew it. Mix it backwards, forwards and upside down. Turn up the heat and fix it with a downbeat, bring in the trumpets and let ‘em blow, let the piper call the tune to let us all know. It’s up to you to do what you like with it. The only limitation is your imagination.”
All monies raised from the project will go to the charity ‘Refuge’ who said; “We’re incredibly grateful to Crass and their team for helping raise vital funds for Refuge. Since the start of lockdown, Refuge has seen a 66% rise in demand for its Helpline, and a 950% rise in visits to its Helpline website. This shows the sheer extent of the need for specialist domestic abuse services – not just during lockdown but beyond. Every penny raised helps us to ensure that no woman or child is turned away from safety.
‘While lockdown itself doesn’t cause domestic abuse - abuse happens all year round - it does, of course, have the potential to aggravate pre-existing abusive behaviours – and the data we have shows us the increase in the need for our services during lockdown. Refuge worked incredibly hard at the beginning of the pandemic to make sure our services remained open and remained safe. The generous donations we have received, including those from Crass, mean we can continue to provide the life-saving and life-changing services that women experiencing domestic abuse need and deserve.”
Of his remix, Test Depts Paul Jamrozy says “After the disillusion with punk and its absorption into the 'New Wave’ mainstream, Crass were a breath of fresh air with their no holds barred attitude and righteous anger. I lived in Holland for a few years in the early 80’s before coming back to London and forming Test Dept and I saw Crass many times over there, usually with the Dutch band The Ex. It was great to see the energy and true ethics of punk back in action and certainly in Holland it connected with real political activism with the Kraaaker (Squatters) movement, a powerful anarchist social movement which regularly came into conflict with the state, (particularly in Amsterdam with the Vondelstraat and coronation riots). For the remix I wanted to retain that authenticity, I didn’t want to add anything so I just kept it raw working with the original recordings and utilising that pure energy”.
Maral says "I mixed in bits and pieces of an Iranian folk song into the remix as a way to replicate the feeling of what it was like when I first started listening to Crass in high school. My parents weren't into me listening to punk music and I would have to secretly listen in my room and sometimes as I was listening my parent’s Iranian music would blend in with the Crass songs I was listening to creating this awesome combination. I wanted the remix to reflect all the aspects of Crass that have influenced me, from the snippet of Penny in the beginning talking about how they initially thought the punk scene was a community created to help one another but then soon realizing it was another self-centred scene, out for fame and glory, to how I incorporate distortion and the samples".
About Test Dept
Formed in London’s New Cross in 1981, Test Dept developed a rhythmic industrial sound employing the cheapest materials they could get their hands on – oil drums, springs, canisters and piping, salvaged from local scrap yards. Their visual iconography was striking, drawing on the bold geometries of Russian constructivist and suprematist art, while their live performances, often held in site-specific locations were theatrical and fully multimedia affairs, featuring slide projections and film produced by Brett Turnbull (today, a celebrated video director who’s worked with everyone from Dizzee to Pink Floyd). In 1989, they even shared a stage with Tony Benn, backing the Labour patrician with a rumble of beaten riot shields as he spoke at the SHOUT! Voices Against Censorship event at the ICA. Test Dept have released 15 albums including their latest ‘Disturbance’ in 2019, which proved their philosophy hasn’t changed from their days collaborating with a striking miners’ choir in South Wales to attract attention to the miners’ plight; from their days showing sonic solidarity to rave artists threatened by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994; from their stands against pit closures, apartheid, Rupert Murdoch and more.
About Maral
Maral released ‘Mahur Club’, a mixtape that borrows from Persian classical, folk and pop, as well more modern genres like '90s R&B, in 2019 and last year released her debut studio album ‘Push’, via Leaving Records. In a recent FACT mag documentary, she notes the specific impact of a Persian classical singing compilation, ‘A Century of Avaz’, on the album's sound — but steps away from edits into a style more recognizably hers. Maral has spent the past half-decade quietly honing an approach that meshes the latest in club music contortions, a range of pulverized dub effects, and samples from her vast library of influences. She’s been recognised by the likes of Pitchfork, Resident Advisor, NPR, DAZED, Stereogum, Bandcamp and more.
Art credit:
Gee Vaucher
Photo credit:
Tony Mottram
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