Crisis
Crisis was an English punk band formed in 1977 in Guildford, Surrey:contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}. Their original line‑up consisted of vocalist Phrazer, guitarist Lester Jones, bassist Tony Wakeford, guitarist Douglas Pearce and drummer Insect Robin the Cleaner:contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}. They stood out for their left‑wing and anti‑racist stance and frequently performed at rallies organised by Rock Against Racism and the Anti‑Nazi League:contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}. Sounds magazine described their abrasive music as “a sound to march to”:contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}.
Formation and Early Years
Crisis released their debut single “No Town Hall” in 1978. That same year they recorded a session for BBC Radio 1’s John Peel, which produced the single “UK 79” in 1979 and a version of “Alienation” that was later released in 1981:contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}. Early performances were raw and urgent, with Phrazer delivering shouted vocals and Jones’s guitar providing jagged riffs. Their politics were inseparable from their art, and they played benefits for labour movements and anti‑fascist groups.
Sound and Changes
In early 1979 vocalist Phrazer and drummer Insect Robin left, to be replaced by Dexter and Luke Rendle:contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}. This change introduced a slightly darker tone to the band’s music while retaining the militant edge. Crisis recorded songs for a projected debut album, including “On TV” and “White Youth,” which circulated on bootlegs and later compilations. They also played shows with The Ruts and other contemporaries.
Final Show and Break‑up
The band’s last performance took place on 10 May 1980 in Guildford, supporting Magazine and Bauhaus:contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}. Internal tensions and the pressures of maintaining a politically charged group led them to dissolve shortly afterwards. Although they released only a handful of singles and a mini‑LP titled Hymns of Faith (1980), their uncompromising stance made an impression on the British punk audience:contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}.
Aftermath and Other Projects
After Crisis broke up, bassist Tony Wakeford and guitarist Douglas Pearce formed Death in June in 1981. Wakeford later founded the post‑punk project Above the Ruins and the neofolk band Sol Invictus, while Pearce continued with Death in June and other experimental ventures:contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}. Drummer Luke Rendle joined The Straps and later Theatre of Hate and Sex Gang Children; other members pursued photography and design careers.
Legacy and Compilations
Crisis’s recordings were compiled on the double CD We Are All Jews and Germans (1997), bringing together singles, the Peel session and live tracks. The compilation Holocaust Hymns (2005) expanded their catalogue and introduced the band to new audiences:contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}. In 2014 the collection Kollectiv repackaged their complete works, including previously unreleased material:contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}.
Reformation and Recent Activity
Interest in Crisis resurfaced in the 2010s, leading Wakeford to assemble a new lineup in 2017 featuring singer Lloyd James, guitarist Clive Giblin and drummer Igor Olejar:contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25}. This incarnation began performing under the Crisis name and released the single “The Hammer and the Anvil” in 2019:contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}. When Olejar left, Aurora Lee took over on drums, and the group issued the Escalator EP in 2020:contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}. Wakeford has said the band’s songs still feel relevant today.
Selected Discography
- Singles: “No Town Hall” (1978), “UK 79” (1979), “Alienation” (1981)
- Mini‑LP: Hymns of Faith (1980)
- Compilations: We Are All Jews and Germans (1997), Holocaust Hymns (2005), Kollectiv (2014)
- New releases: “The Hammer and the Anvil” single (2019), Escalator EP (2020)
