''Penis Envy'', released in 1981, was the third LP by the anarchist

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

band

Crass Crass were an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977, who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a lifestylism, way of life, and a resistance movement. Crass popularised the anarcho-punk movement of the ...

. The album was included at #36 on

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

's "40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time" list in 2016. The ''Crassical Collection'' version of this release, including new artwork by

Gee Vaucher Gee Vaucher (born 1945 in Dagenham, Essex, England) is a visual artist. Biography Vaucher met her long-lasting creative partner Penny Rimbaud in the early 1960s when both were attending the South-East Essex Technical College and School of Ar ...

, remastered sound, liner notes by Eve Libertine and Penny Rimbaud and bonus material, was released in November 2010.

Background and release

Named as a reference to some of

Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts ...

's ideas concerning sexuality, this release marked something of a departure from the

hardcore Hardcore, hard core or hard-core may refer to: Arts and media Film * ''Hardcore'' (1977 film), a British comedy film * ''Hardcore'' (1979 film), an American crime drama film starring George C Scott * ''Hardcore'' (2001 film), a British documen ...

image that ''

The Feeding of the 5000 In Christianity, the feeding the multitude is two separate miracles of Jesus reported in the Gospels. The first miracle, the "Feeding of the 5,000", is the only miracle—aside from the resurrection—recorded in all four gospels ( Matthew 14:1 ...

'' and its follow up, ''

Stations of the Crass ''Stations of the Crass'' is the second album by Crass, released in 1979. The record, originally released as a double 12", includes live tracks from a gig recorded at the ''Pied Bull'' pub in Islington, London, on 7 August 1979. The first three ...

'', 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 Crass were an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977, who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a lifestylism, way of life, and a resistance movement. Crass popularised the anarcho-punk movement of the ...

(although Steve Ignorant remained a group member and is credited on the record sleeve as "not on this recording"). The album addressed feminist issues and once again attacked the institutions of 'the system' such as

marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

and

sexual repression Sexual repression is a state in which a person is prevented from expressing their own sexuality. Sexual repression is often linked with feelings of guilt or shame being associated with sexual impulses. Defining characteristics and practices ass ...

. One track, not actually listed on the album cover, was a deliberately saccharine (described in fact by the band themselves as "pure, unadulterated shit") parody of a " middle of the road" love song entitled "Our Wedding". This was given away as a

flexi disc The flexi disc (also known as a phonosheet, Sonosheet or Soundsheet, a trademark) is a phonograph record made of a thin, flexible vinyl sheet with a molded-in spiral stylus groove, and is designed to be playable on a normal phonograph turntable. ...

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 A backronym is an acronym formed from an already existing word by expanding its letters into the words of a phrase. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology. The ...

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". (A leaflet giving the background to this

Situationist The Situationist International (SI) was an Proletarian internationalism, international organization of social revolutionaries made up of avant-garde artists, intellectuals, and Political philosophy, political theorists. It was prominent in Eu ...

-style prank was subsequently issued by the band). Now considered a rarity, the original flexi-disc fetches high prices on the collectors' market. The album was banned by the retailer

HMV Sunrise Records and Entertainment, trading as HMV (for His Master's Voice), is a British music and entertainment retailer, currently operating exclusively in the United Kingdom. The first HMV-branded store was opened by the Gramophone Company ...

. During the mid-1980s,

Greater Manchester Police Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England. , Greater Manchester Police employed 6,866 police officers, 3,524 memb ...

under the direction of James Anderton seized copies along with other records by Crass and the

Dead Kennedys Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, in 1978. The band was one of the defining punk bands during its initial eight-year run. Dead Kennedys' lyrics were usually political in nature, satirizing p ...

, from Eastern Bloc record shop. Frank Schofield was charged with displaying "obscene articles for publication for gain". The band

Flux of Pink Indians Flux of Pink Indians was an English punk rock band from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England, active between 1980 and 1986. Biography The band formed in Hertfordshire, England in 1980 from the remaining members of The Epileptics ( ...

, its two record labels and its publishing company were also charged under the

Obscene Publications Act Since 1857, a series of obscenity laws known as the Obscene Publications Acts have governed what can be published in England and Wales. The classic definition of criminal obscenity is if it "tends to deprave and corrupt," stated in 1868 by Lord ...

. 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.Rimbaud, P; sleeve notes to ''The Crassical Collection; Ten Notes On A Summer's Day'', Crass Records, 2012

Track listing

Personnel

* Eve Libertine - vocals *

- 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 Press

References

External links

Crass Discography (''Penis Envy'')

{{Authority control 1981 albums Crass Records albums Crass albums