Description
Release Date Friday 8th November 2024
All pre-orders will be dispatched/made ready for collection on that day.
Punk pioneers Crass continue their vinyl reissue series,
re-pressing their limited releases by adjacent artists through
Crass Records, in association with One Little Independent. The
series, including over twenty bands and solo artists recorded at
the legendary Southern Studios and produced by Penny Rimbaud,
continues with two more historic pieces from the Crass Records
catalogue; ‘Multi-Death Corporations’ by MDC and ‘Plastic
Culture’ by Hit Parade.
Hit Parade was a one-man anarchist band, the brainchild of Dave Hyndman (aka
P. Checkoff and Rik O’che) a member of the Anarchist Collective in Belfast. Being
a left-wing socialist, Checkoff’s songs were highly political by nature and
concentrated on life in Northern Ireland. Subject matter ranged from the evils of
television to H Blocks; the RUC to housing problems, and of course
unemployment.
Penny continues; “Hit Parade was one troubled man’s attempt to deal with and
describe the ‘troubles’ that surrounded him in Belfast where he lived with family,
friends and comrades. In the seventies and eighties, divided Ireland was never
far from the distortions of the UK’s daily headlines, all of which toeing the
predictable Protestant party line. Meanwhile, Hit Parade had to suffer the daily
indignities of military oppression and religious bigotry. Shouting out from a
wilderness of human stupidity, Hit Parade looked to put the record straight from
the trenches; one man’s voice touching the multitude. Listen and learn. It’s still
going on and on and on…”
Penny finally notes that “Our (Crass’) interest was never in personalities, profits or
power, and neither did we have time for reformist liberals. Our position was
solidly revolutionary; we took no prisoners. Ours wasn’t a show, it was a battle,
not a living, but a lifestyle, a lifestyle with a difference – rather than looking only
to ourselves, we sought to share our gains. I feel that this willingness added
great strength to the form of anarchism that we practiced both on stage and out
on the street.”
In giving a platform to an impressive array of other bands, Crass Records
broadened the front of what popularly became known as anarcho-punk. Not, it
must be said, a moniker that Crass themselves much favoured. In this respect,
Crass’ classic line, “There is no authority but yourself”, makes its point. Crass
sought to empower others, and the output of Crass Records does much to
confirm this, while ‘2 By 2 And Back Again’ seems to nail it – “get out of your own
way, we’re all in this together”.
Product of the
Troubles
Media Song
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