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Penis Envy (album)

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Penis Envy, released in 1981, was the third LP by anarchist punk band Crass.

Named as a reference to Freud's ideas concerning sexuality (Freud is also mentioned in the song "Where Next Columbus?"), this release marked something of a departure from the somewhat 'macho', 'hardcore punk' image that The Feeding of the 5000 and it's follow up Stations of the Crass had to some extent given the group, for it featured more obviously complex musical arrangements, as well as exclusively female vocals provided by Eve Libertine and Joy De Vivre (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 and sexual repression. One track, not actually listed on the album cover, was a deliberately sacharine (described in fact by the band themselves as pure, unadulterated shit) parody of an 'MOR' love song entitled "Our Wedding" [1]. This was given away as a flexi disk with a teenage girl's romance magazine called Loving after having been offered it by an organisation calling itself Creative Recording And Sound Services (note the initials). 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-style prank was subsequently issued by the band[2]).

Tracks

  1. "Bata Motel"
  2. "Systematic Death"
  3. "Poison In A Pretty Pill"
  4. "What The Fuck?"
  5. "Where Next Columbus?"
  6. "Berkertex Bribe"
  7. "Smother Love"
  8. "Health Surface"
  9. "Dry Weather"
  10. "Our Wedding" (unlisted track, also released as a flexi disk (see above))

Line up

  1. Eve Libertine- Vocals
  2. Joy de Vivre- Vocals on "Health Service
  3. Phil Free- Lead Guitar
  4. B.A.Nana- Rythym Guitar
  5. Pete Wright- Bass
  6. Penny Rimbaud- Drums
  7. G- Harmonium on "What the Fuck?"
  8. CRASS Member not on this recording- Steve Ignorant.
  9. Paintings by G
  10. Design by Exitstencil Press.
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