Penis Envy, released in 1981, was the third LP by the anarchistpunk band Crass. The album was included at #36 on Rolling Stone's "40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time" list in 2016.[5]
The Crassical Collection version of this release, including new artwork by Gee Vaucher, remastered sound, liner notes by Eve Libertine and Penny Rimbaud and bonus material, was released in November 2010.[6]
One track, not actually listed on the album cover, was a deliberately saccharine (described in fact by the band themselves as "pure, unadulterated shit")[9] parody of a "middle of the road" love song entitled "Our Wedding". This was given away as a flexi disc with a teenage girl's romance magazine called Loving after having been offered it by an organisation calling itself Creative Recording And Sound Services (a backronym of Crass). A minor tabloid furore erupted once the hoax was revealed, with the News of the World going so far as to state that the album's title was "too obscene to print".[10] (A leaflet giving the background to this Situationist-style prank was subsequently issued by the band).[11] Now considered a rarity, the original flexi-disc fetches high prices on the collectors' market.[citation needed]
The album was banned by the retailer HMV. During the mid-1980s, Greater Manchester Police under the direction of James Anderton seized copies along with other records by Crass and the Dead Kennedys, from Eastern Bloc record shop. Frank Schofield was charged with displaying "obscene articles for publication for gain". The band Flux of Pink Indians, its two record labels and its publishing company were also charged under the Obscene Publications Act. The judge ruled against Crass in the ensuing court case, although this decision was overturned by the Court of Appeal, apart from the lyrics to one song, "Bata Motel". The heavy costs incurred by this episode were a contributing factor in Crass deciding to disband.[12]
Track listingEdit
Side A
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Bata Motel"
3:34
2.
"Systematic Death"
3:57
3.
"Poison in a Pretty Pill"
3:40
4.
"What the Fuck?"
6:43
Side B
No.
Title
Length
5.
"Where Next Columbus?"
3:11
6.
"Berkertex Bribe"
3:21
7.
"Smother Love"
1:48
8.
"Health Surface"
3:31
9.
"Dry Weather"
3:06
10.
"Our Wedding" (unlisted track)
2:04
The Crassical Collection edition bonus tracks
No.
Title
Recorded
Length
11.
"Yorkie Talk" (compiled from archived material)
Southern Studios, January 2009
2:32
12.
"Yes, Folks" (sound collage)
Southern Studios, January 2009
3:21
13.
"The Unelected President" (remix/rewrite of "Major General Despair", previously released as "Peace Not War")
^Finlay, Leo (October 1990). "Their Only Silver Discs". Select. No. 4. p. 126.
^n/a (2016-04-16) (6 April 2016). "40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
^n/a (2015-06-06). "The Crassical Collection: Penis Envy". eyeplug.net. Eyeplug. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
^Berger, George. The Story of Crass. PM Press. 2009.
^Raha, Maria (2005). Cinderella's Big Score: Women of the Punk and Indie Underground. New York City: Seal Press. ISBN978-1580051163.[permanent dead link]
^ abDiamond, Samuel (2013-02-06). "Crass - Penis Envy". tinymixtapes.com. Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
^Schnieder, Martin (2014-02-05) (5 February 2014). "'Our Wedding': Crass's Magnificent Romance-Mag Prank". dangerousminds.net. Dangerous Minds. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
^. Archived from the original on 23 April 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2003.
^Rimbaud, P; sleeve notes to The Crassical Collection; Ten Notes On A Summer's Day, Crass Records, 2012
External linksEdit
October 21, 2023
penis, envy, album, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, penis, envy, album, news, newspapers, books, sch. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Penis Envy album news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message Penis Envy released in 1981 was the third LP by the anarchist punk band Crass The album was included at 36 on Rolling Stone s 40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time list in 2016 5 Penis EnvyStudio album by CrassReleased1981RecordedDecember 1980StudioSouthern Studios Wood Green London GenreAnarcho punkLength34 50LabelCrass RecordsProducerCrassCrass chronologyStations of the Crass 1979 Penis Envy 1981 Christ The Album 1982 Alternative coversCover of the remastered Crassical Collection rereleaseProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic 1 The Encyclopedia of Popular Music 2 Ox Fanzine 3 Select 4 The Crassical Collection version of this release including new artwork by Gee Vaucher remastered sound liner notes by Eve Libertine and Penny Rimbaud and bonus material was released in November 2010 6 Contents 1 Background and release 2 Track listing 3 Personnel 4 References 5 External linksBackground and release EditNamed as a reference to some of Sigmund Freud s ideas concerning sexuality 7 this release marked something of a departure from the hardcore image that The Feeding of the 5000 and its follow up Stations of the Crass had to some extent given the group for it featured more obviously complex musical arrangements as well as exclusively female vocals by Eve Libertine and Joy De Vivre although Steve Ignorant remained a group member and is credited on the record sleeve as not on this recording 8 The album addressed feminist issues and once again attacked the institutions of the system such as marriage and sexual repression 9 One track not actually listed on the album cover was a deliberately saccharine described in fact by the band themselves as pure unadulterated shit 9 parody of a middle of the road love song entitled Our Wedding This was given away as a flexi disc with a teenage girl s romance magazine called Loving after having been offered it by an organisation calling itself Creative Recording And Sound Services a backronym of Crass A minor tabloid furore erupted once the hoax was revealed with the News of the World going so far as to state that the album s title was too obscene to print 10 A leaflet giving the background to this Situationist style prank was subsequently issued by the band 11 Now considered a rarity the original flexi disc fetches high prices on the collectors market citation needed The album was banned by the retailer HMV During the mid 1980s Greater Manchester Police under the direction of James Anderton seized copies along with other records by Crass and the Dead Kennedys from Eastern Bloc record shop Frank Schofield was charged with displaying obscene articles for publication for gain The band Flux of Pink Indians its two record labels and its publishing company were also charged under the Obscene Publications Act The judge ruled against Crass in the ensuing court case although this decision was overturned by the Court of Appeal apart from the lyrics to one song Bata Motel The heavy costs incurred by this episode were a contributing factor in Crass deciding to disband 12 Track listing EditSide ANo TitleLength1 Bata Motel 3 342 Systematic Death 3 573 Poison in a Pretty Pill 3 404 What the Fuck 6 43 Side BNo TitleLength5 Where Next Columbus 3 116 Berkertex Bribe 3 217 Smother Love 1 488 Health Surface 3 319 Dry Weather 3 0610 Our Wedding unlisted track 2 04 The Crassical Collection edition bonus tracksNo TitleRecordedLength11 Yorkie Talk compiled from archived material Southern Studios January 20092 3212 Yes Folks sound collage Southern Studios January 20093 2113 The Unelected President remix rewrite of Major General Despair previously released as Peace Not War Southern Studios Spring 20035 13Personnel EditEve Libertine vocals Joy De Vivre vocals on Health Surface Phil Free lead guitar B A Nana N A Palmer rhythm guitar Pete Wright bass guitar Penny Rimbaud drums G harmonium on What the Fuck CRASS Member not on this recording Steve Ignorant Engineered by John Loder Paintings by G Design by Crass at Exitstencil PressReferences Edit Allmusic review Larkin Colin 27 May 2011 The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Omnibus Press ISBN 9780857125958 via Google Books Review Finlay Leo October 1990 Their Only Silver Discs Select No 4 p 126 n a 2016 04 16 6 April 2016 40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time rollingstone com Rolling Stone Retrieved 12 May 2017 n a 2015 06 06 The Crassical Collection Penis Envy eyeplug net Eyeplug Retrieved 12 May 2017 Berger George The Story of Crass PM Press 2009 Raha Maria 2005 Cinderella s Big Score Women of the Punk and Indie Underground New York City Seal Press ISBN 978 1580051163 permanent dead link a b Diamond Samuel 2013 02 06 Crass Penis Envy tinymixtapes com Tiny Mix Tapes Retrieved 12 May 2017 Schnieder Martin 2014 02 05 5 February 2014 Our Wedding Crass s Magnificent Romance Mag Prank dangerousminds net Dangerous Minds Retrieved 12 May 2017 Crass Records Show leaflets Archived from the original on 23 April 2003 Retrieved 16 May 2003 Rimbaud P sleeve notes to The Crassical Collection Ten Notes On A Summer s Day Crass Records 2012External links EditCrass Discography Penis Envy Crass Penis Envy lyrics Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Penis Envy album amp oldid 1177118792, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
