Crass were an art collective and punk band that formed in Essex in 1977, and disbanded in 1984. They promoted anarchism and a movement of resistance that awakened and appealed to many. They inspired many bands and artists such as The Levellers and Charlatans’ singer Tim Burgess, and seem to be more relevant now than ever. Artist and director Brandon Spivey tells the tale of Crass’ ‘Reality Asylum’, the story and the inspiration behind the album from Spivey’s point of view through interviews with Crass co-founders Steve Ignorant and Penny Rimbaud, and Small Wonder record label owner Pete Stennett.
The film doesn’t beat around the bush and highlights what it means to be artists in the midst of a movement of anarchists no longer biting their tongue to protest against the few. Made with the blessing of Crass members, it dives into 1970’s Britain; the birth of punk and the formation of Crass, with an in-depth look at their art, music and ethos, plus its impact on those who were trying to make sense of a brutal hostile society they had no place in.