Crass catalogue update

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Now that the Crassical Collection has released The Feeding of the Five Thousand on CD, there have been a lot of questions about when the rest of the CDs will be released, what about vinyl etc etc.  So I thought I’d share our current “strategy” with you.  Although “strategy” seems like a word which is far too organised to apply to us.

Crassical Collection future releases

These release dates are for the UK only.  Other countries are being confirmed by our distributors now.  Hopefully it will all get synchronised as we go on!

  • The Feeding of The Five Thousand CD – August 2010
  • Stations of the Crass CD – October 2010
  • Penis Envy CD – November 2010
  • Christ the Album CD – February 2011
  • Yes Sir, I Will CD – March 2011
  • Ten Notes on a Summer’s Day CD – April 2011

We do not plan to do the Crassical Collection series on vinyl.  These editions are intended as updates to the 1990 versions of the CDs, which were mastered using new technology and were packaged without much imagination or love into plastic jewel cases.  We felt we could do much better and so here they are. As far as vinyl goes… well there’s not much improving on those originals, is there?

Some of you have noticed that there is part of a Crass symbol on the front of Feeding. It’s actually a photograph of an original bass drum head, with the logo stencilled onto it.   When you put all six of the new CD covers together, you will see the whole symbol.

Crass Vinyl

The following albums will be repressed from new DMM metalwork created from the original vinyl master tapes, in the original poster sleeves (well, nearly original… we took the “pay no more than” off about 10 years ago) with a download card (which entitles you to mp3 versions of the vinyl masters).  These should be available from late September.

  • The Feeding of the Five Thousand
  • Stations of the Crass
  • Penis Envy
  • Christ the Album

What’s missing is Yes Sir I Will – turns out our old US distributor still had a few hundred of the last pressing in their warehouse so we’re getting those back and will sell them first.  And Ten Notes… we haven’t decided if we should make vinyl of that again or not.  As Penny recently said, it “was never popular with anyone but myself”.

Downloads

The original 1990 CD masters have been available from early 2009 as MP3 downloads from Southern (where you can also get them as full-audio flac files), Amazon, iTunes, Boomkat… and a few others.

We also plan to make the Crassical Collection available as downloads at some point soon, we are just debating what to do about the artwork.

Other Bits

We would also like to do an expanded version of Best Before 1984… one which collects all of the missing bits that haven’t been available before, like Merry Crassmas, Whodunnit, and a few other dog-ends.  And we’d like to get all the Bullshit Detectors together into one set. And maybe all the singles by other bands…. oh, who knows… we’d like to do it all but finding the time and the money is another thing!

Exitstencil

Very important … we are helping Gee and Penny relaunch Exitstencil, which is something that existed before Crass, and has occasionally raised its head since.  Exitstencil will be an imprint for projects by Gee and Penny and various collaborators.  As well as new books, CDs and films, we’ll be reissuing a few things too… Acts Of Love, which was the first post-Crass project that Penny, Eve Libertine and Gee did.  And Exit, the mythical pre-Crass performance art/band that Gee, Penny and John Loder worked together on. And Reality Asylum, which Penny was typing out many years ago when a young lad called Steve (later: Ignorant) walked up the path.

I think that covers it, or at least should answer most of the questions.

Thanks.

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Related posts:

  1. The Feeding Of The Five Thousand on Crassical Collection
  2. Crassical Collection: Stations Of The Crass
  3. Crass Crop Circle

32 thoughts on “Crass catalogue update”

  2. I am sitting here in my ‘i am a sample’ Steve Ignorant t-shirt,
    (nice quality, and love the grey symbol, though i miss Gee’s typographic touch ;)
    Confession: I feel like a 13 year old again
    listening to this fantastic Feeding of the Five Thousand – Remaster
    My stereo wasn’t this good back then in my bedroom, in Wales, or is it the new mastering?
    Really well done Southern, Penny, Steve & Gee – I know it hasn’t been easy

    The packaging is great. The design brilliant
    So much new stuff, with beautifully presented original stuff
    I cannot remember the last time I bought a record

    Ordered them online from Southern just yesterday, and woke this morning to the postie with the goodies – thanks Dawn & Alison

    I confess that I am too young for Feeding of the Five Thousand to be my first Crass record (though it was my first encounter of Crass, thanks Gareth), it was actually Stations of the Crass, so you are on alert, that I am holding my breath until that remaster is available, gasp ;)

  3. “Feeding” sounds astonishing – what superb remastering. Many thanks for all the effort that went into this and the rest of the package. Can’t wait to hear the others! And such fast delivery, too!

  4. This is just so great. I have all these on vinyl but i have to have the CD remastered editions as well. That will be my little contribution to keep Southern alive.

  5. The Feeding CD package is brilliant, hats off to all involved.

    Is the release schedule correct or is it a typo that Yes Sir I will is coming out before Christ the Album?

  7. Thanks for the info, Allison.

    Have the singles been remastered and will there be a reissue or will they be bonus tracks on the other reissues?

    Absolutely love the Feeding remaster, it’s made my year. Can’t wait for the others (especially Penis Envy – my first exposure to Crass.)

  8. Respectfully – it seems this crassical collection outlay on design assumes/encourages the purchase of all materials. *heavy sigh*

    Would it be possible to procure unfolded/rolled album covers? Some years ago, a dinner guest (friend of a friend) took great offense to “YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU” being on my wall (shortly after 9/11), and put his fist through it (and me). No hard feelings, you should expect that sort of thing, I supppose. I never replaced it though…

  9. Hi Adam. We don’t have any unfolded ones… a few other people have asked. Maybe next time we print some up we can keep some unfolded. I will bear this in mind! Thanks.

  10. can I be controversial but honest at least? Never saw Crass in the punk “heyday”, not due to my age but as I didnt like them or understand their values, way of thinking. Now a bit older & wiser I can see the originality, they were/are totally unique. Some of the songs dare I say are catchy little dittys & if you study the words way way before their time. I might add I was bordering on scared at listening to So What as blasphemous = excuse my ignorance )no pun intended)
    Now im fully on board & salute all that they do & wish them every success in their hardwork. To those of you a bit more with it, APOLOGIES

  12. how come ‘heart-throb of the mortuary’ is listed as ‘heartbeat of the mortuary’ on the remastered feeding of the five thousand? was this the original title?
    the remaster sounds awesome and can’t wait the rest!

  16. Yes sir I will .Remastered.? Should be interesting.LOL.Keep up the good work guys/gals I have bought Feeding and waiting now to see what Stations is like.See ya Steve at Manchester Academy.

  17. Well done Alison,

    I intend to buy the set, will you do this as a subscription set or do we just need to buy them when they are released?

    I too would be interested in purchasing a set of unfolded sleeves.

    Thanks and keep it up!!

    Cheers

  18. Great work! I’m really pleased the remasters are finally seeing the light of day. And as far as’10 Notes’ is concerned… well… eh… (deafening silence)

  19. No copies in London, what the fuck is going on Southern?? Fopp HMV (OK your corporate enemies) don’t have stock and don’t know how to spell the word Crass – trust me, I had to teach em. Nobody in Berwick Street knew what I was on about….

  20. Dear pkr – clearly, you’re outraged, as I’ve seen your tweets etc on this as well. Fopp won’t pay full price (they stack them high, sell them cheap). HMV have ordered it. I can’t speak for the independents on Berwick Street – Sister Ray should have it, they ordered it. Meanwhile, Amazon are selling it for less than they are paying our distributor. Actually losing £2 a copy on what they sell. Funny old world.

  21. Any news on a release date for Penis Envy. (& any news on the Stations download on crassarchive.com)
    Thanks

  22. Penis Envy was on sale at the Dublin gig for 12 euro, and if you go to the Belfast gig tonight you will be able to get it for 10 quid.

    It’s got the top-right position in the group of 6, if you’re putting the outer sleeves together in a puzzle, or if you’re looking out for it in a busy record shop.

  24. “Smelliest Arse” could feature on the reissue of “Best Before” I s’pose…..

  28. hi,
    when is the new ‘christ the album’ being released. and is it gonna be a double cd?

  29. hiya wen was this pic taken looks like the aberdare venue last gig which i was at

  30. no more crassical releases forthcoming?
    i’ve got em all now and still waiting for 10 notes and best before???

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