The first results from the CRASS REMIX PROJECT are set for release next month.
Late last year, Essex anarcho-punk pioneers Crass made the original separate track stems of their debut album The Feeding of the Five Thousand available as free downloads, encouraging people to remix tracks to raise funds for the domestic violence charity Refuge.
The 12" Normal Never Was EP features a remix of the anti-war anthem ‘They’ve Got A Bomb’ by producer and XL Records supremo Richard Russell under the name rLr, along with a version of ‘Do They Owe Us A Living?’ by Boston experimental synth-pop artist Glasser.
“Crass is a great example of futuristic art and lifestyle; anchored in communal ethics and collective spirit, moving beyond mere defiance of authority and into radical ideas of love and creativity,” explains Glasser. “I’m so glad I had the chance to play around with their recordings. It’s basically the best gift a fan could get from the artists they admire.”
All money raised from the sale of the EP and other Crass Remix Project releases will go to Refuge, who provide specialist support and shelter for women and children experiencing domestic violence. The recent lockdown has seen calls to the charity’s helpline increased by two-thirds and website visits have risen nearly tenfold.
Set for release on 24 July on Crass Records through One Little Indian, Normal Never Was is available to pre-order here.
Crass are still accepting contributions to the project with the final date for submissions being 1 August. “But don’t let that stop you,” they say. “Make your own album of it and get it out there but let us know if that’s what you’re up to. We’re all in this together. It’s you who makes the world around you, the mix is all yours. Tell it loud, tell it proud.”
Download the stems here.
Pic by Tony Mottram