EXITSTENCIL PRESS HAS announced that the decades-in-the-making ‘Bullshit Crass’ book project, which was to result in a near definitive documentary history of the band, will now see the light of day as Crass: A Pictorial History, a large-format, full-colour hardback to be published in the spring of 2024.
For many years, Exitstencil Press had been appealing for help in compiling ephemera, photographs, ticket stubs, posters and flyers, “reaching out to all you hoarders that might still have a little something carefully treasured or forgotten in some deep drawer.” Most recently, an appeal went out for gig posters and tickets from shows ‘missing’ in the ‘Bullshit’ archives, conscious that “it would be great to have each place the band played at represented in some way.”
The ‘Bullshit’ book was described as “a dictionary, reference book, bible – however you want to refer to it”, with the confident expectation that the finished article would be “big and informative”.
Many different editors and compilers have been involved with the project over the years, and – as Exitstencil Press acknowledge – this has meant that traces of some of the contributors will have been misplaced along the way (and, most likely, some of the contributions too).
“It finally became time to say ‘it’s finished’,” the publishers announced. Before adding: “Of course, in this particular case, this ‘finished’ means ‘not finished’,” suggesting that “it will be left to the viewer to correct all the mistakes you will undoubtedly find.”
Crass: A Pictorial History is now available for pre-order from the One Little Independent site.
After working on this book, on and off for over 30 years, trying to gather and piece together the Crass jigsaw puzzle, it finally became time to say ‘it’s finished’. Of course in this particular case this ‘finished’ means ‘not finished’ and it will be left to the viewer to correct all the mistakes you will undoubtedly find.
Even so, we hope you will find this book of interest, if not an inspiration to fight on.
Like the book, finding peace is never finished and the injustices to each other rage on and on.
Thanks to all of you who contributed, dug deep and found all the bits you could find from the day, they are now given back to you in this book. Sadly over the 30 years, the names of so many of you have been lost, but your contribution and generosity has not.
The Hippies Now Wear Black 