THE DEBUT ALBUM by No Defences has secured a belated release on the Demo Tapes label, 32 years after it was first recorded for Crass Records. The twelve-inch vinyl Released LP has been pressed from a ‘cassette copy of a rough mix’ shared with the band before the Crass Records project was abandoned late in 1985.
The record is available for purchase online from Lavidaesunmus, and Rough Trade (in the UK), Faith / Void (Canada), Grave Mistake Records (USA) and other independent retailers.
Recorded in 1985 for Crass Records but never released, Demo Tapes do the decent thing and release this five track lost album by five piece South London band No Defences. The album was recorded at Southern Studios with Pete Wright producing, but it was never completed. This album has been painstakingly put together and remastered from tapes taken from the studio at the time. Their sound was anything but anarcho punk – it had a strong tribal element in the rhythm section, post punk flourishes in the guitar work and lyrics that were poetic, individual and radical. The songs were often long with multiple timing changes but always with an intensity and passion. No Defences played gigs with everyone at the time from Crass to Flux of Pink Indians to Crucifix and toured with Chumbawamba and Reality Control but sounding like none of these bands. No Defences were a special band and after years and years of trying to release this album, Demo Tapes are proud to release Released 32 years after it was recorded. It comes with a full size full colour booklet with photos, lyrics, archive and a full list of every gig No Defences played.
A note from the band in the full-size colour booklet explains:
This recording comes from a cassette recording of a rough mix made during the recording of our album for Crass Records in 1985 (as the original multi-track tapes had been recorded over or lost). At the time we hoped to take it further sonically than what you hear on this record but sadly it was never mixed or finished and No Defences then disbanded at the end of 1985. Huge thanks to Sean for now releasing this. Some of us had lost touch and not spoken for decades and it’s been great to catch up and work together again. Thanks also to Paco [Mus] and to those who lent material for this booklet. No Defences were Dik, Sid, Bev, Iggy, Andy.
