Friday 6 October 2023

There is No Authority But Yourself

Wyrd Britain reviews 'There is No Authority But Yourself' the Crass documentary.

"You must learn to live with your own conscience, your own morality, your own decision, your own self. You alone can do it. There is no authority but yourself."

Made by Dutch film-maker Alexander Oey this documentary charts the history of the anarchist punk band, Crass.  

Visiting with founding members, drummer Penny Rimbaud and artist Gee Vaucher at the band's Dial House home and singer Steve Ignorant at his local pub (and in his garden) this fascinating documentary explores the history of one of the most important and yet under-appreciated groups to come out of the punk scene and one that fully embraced the counterculture ethos of earlier generations and tied a generally experimental ethos to both life and music.  

Released in 2006 the documentary predates much of the renewed activity by various band members and the critical and popular reappraisal that has followed and the band members seem at ease and content with their lives and their legacy.  I was too young to experience Crass during their existence but they came to mean a tremendous amount to young me when I first heard them at the tail end of the 80s, a few years after they called it a day, and the artistic and social ethos they championed is still very much part of my life to this day.


.......................................................................................... 
 
If you enjoy what we do here on Wyrd Britain and would like to help us continue then we would very much welcome a donation towards keeping the blog going - paypal.me/wyrdbritain 

 Any affiliate links are provided for your convenience and to help mitigate running costs.

No comments:

Post a Comment