At the start of the 1980s I was thirteen. Having missed the first wave of Punk, heralded by The Clash, The Sex Pistols and The Damned (amongst others), I was just old enough to get into Crass.
Crass were the quintessential Punk band. True anarchists, pacifists, vegans and feminists. They lived the DIY ethic, living communally in a co-op squat. Their music wasn't always easy on the ear, but their political message was inspiring and has shaped my political outlook to this day.
What was particularly great about Crass was that you could write to them and they would write hand written letters back, in which they would put in the occasional flexi disc, badges or sew on patches.
Receiving one of their letters felt like Christmas and the care they took of their fans made them the best band to be into, more so than the music.
Best single for me was Bloody Revolutions b/w Person's Unknown by label mates Poison Girls.
It's both amazing and gratifying to see they have a visible presence on the Internet, as few people seemed to know about them at the time.
Even though they sold a good amount of records they never charted because they sold their records below retail price out of loyalty to their fans. Steve Ignorant, Penny Rimbaud, B.A. Nana, Eve Libertine and all the other Crass boys and girls, this old punk salutes you!
