Crass were an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977, who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a way of life, and a resistance movement. Crass popularised the anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, advocating direct action, animal rights, feminism, anti-fascism, and environmentalism. The band used and advocated a DIY ethic in its albums, sound collages, leaflets, and films.
Steve Ignorant onstage, June 1981
Crass, 1981; N. A. Palmer (left) and Steve Ignorant pictured at Digbeth Civic Hall, Birmingham
Crass singer Joy De Vivre, 1984
Steve Ignorant and N.A. Palmer pictured at the Wapping Autonomy Centre, December 1981
Punk rock is a music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced short, fast-paced songs with hard-edged melodies and singing styles with stripped-down instrumentation. Lyricism in punk typically revolves around anti-establishment and anti-authoritarian themes. Punk embraces a DIY ethic; many bands self-produce recordings and distribute them through independent labels.
1980s punks with leather jackets and dyed mohawk hairstyles
Iggy Pop, the "godfather of punk"
Facade of legendary music club CBGB, New York
The Ramones performing in Toronto in 1976. The Ramones are often described as the first true punk band, popularizing the punk movement in the United States. They are regarded as highly influential in today's punk culture.