Crass Records to release The Mob & The Snipers as part of vinyl reissue series
‘2 By 2 And Back Again’
Crass Records 12” vinyl reissue series #10 out August 8th
The Snipers – ‘Three Peace Suite’ EP (1981)
The Mob – ‘No Doves Fly Here’ single (1982)
Stream ‘Parents Of God’
Stream ‘No Doves Fly Here’
“No Doves Fly Here is one of the most powerful musical statements to come out of what we’re calling anarcho punk and if you didn’t know any better you would have it all wrong.” – Let the Tribe Increase
“One of the better single releases on Crass Records was by the mysterious Snipers from Oxford (Snipers are usually mysterious are they not?)… probably the official Oxford University Anarcho-Punk band knowing the average profile of yer average Crass associated combo” – DIY or Die?
Punk pioneers Crass continue their vinyl reissue series, re-pressing their limited releases by adjacent artists through Crass Records, in association with One Little Independent. The series, including over twenty bands and solo artists recorded at the legendary Southern Studios and produced by Penny Rimbaud, continues with two more historic pieces from the Crass Records catalogue; The Mob’s haunting anti-war anthem ‘No Doves Fly Here’ and The Snipers’ brooding post-punk epic ‘Three Peace Suite’.
They follow records from the likes of Captain Sensible, Omega Tribe, Honey Bane, Jane Gregory, Lack of Knowledge, Sleeping Dogs, Rudimentary Peni, Zounds, Flux Of Pink Indians, Annie Anxiety, D&V, Alternative, The Cravats, Rubella Ballet, MDC, Anthrax and Andy T. First released on 7” vinyl, limiting the sound, the new series has been remastered for 12” by Alex Gordon at Abbey Road Studios, allowing them to be heard as never before. This, plus enlarged replicas of the original covers, brings new gusto to their already radical sound.
‘No Doves Fly Here’ is one of Crass Record’s most enduring songs; stark, atmospheric, and unsparing in its critique of militarism and the brutalities of war. With its mournful orchestration, ominous guitar work, and spoken word delivery, The Mob’s 1982 release stands as a protest song as impactful and poignant now as it was then. Formed in Yeovil in the late ‘70s, The Mob were closely connected to Crass, the free festival scene, and their own DIY imprint All the Madmen Records. Mark, frontman of The Mob, founded Rockaway Park, which also houses The Chapel of Unrest - the art and activism collective whose grassroots ethos mirrors the intent behind these recordings. Known for hosting radical film screenings, gigs, public assemblies, and installations, Rockaway Park has become a sanctuary for oppositional culture and creative resistance.
Recorded over two intense days in September 1981 at Southern Studios, ‘No Doves Fly Here’ was produced by Penny Rimbaud and engineered alongside John Loder. The session saw Crass members and others pitch in - brewing endless pots of strong tea and occasionally manning a four-foot gong hired specially for the track. Mark, recalls recording vocals word-by-word, a painstaking shift from the live takes of their previous releases. The result is a dynamic, deliberate performance unlike anything else on the Crass label. Paired with ‘I Hear You Laughing’, a live favourite, the single is a testament to the spirit of experimentation, DIY collaboration, and creative trust that defined the era.
The Mob are donating their proceeds to international humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).
Penny Rimbaud tells us “Mirroring John and Yoko’s ‘peace not war’ profundities, The Mob’s ‘No Doves Fly Here’ stands out as one of the great classic tracks of the punk era. Profound in its poetics, and poignantly atmospheric in its arrangement, it expresses so much of the hopes and aspirations that later became known as ‘anarcho-punk’ (hitherto the ‘peace movement’). ‘War is over if you want it’, the dream is not over.”
The Snipers’ ‘Three Peace Suite’ is a Crass Records deep-cut and vital artifact; a minimalist, post-punk 3-track that channels paranoia, alienation, and the contradictions of peacekeeping through coercion and military force. Originally released in 1981, the collection blends jagged guitar work, rhythmic experimentation, and spoken word, that reflect the dissonant landscape of Thatcherite Britain. Formed in Oxford and active across squats, benefit gigs, and cassette compilations, The Snipers forged a sound that connected post-punk’s angular edges with the urgency of street-level resistance.
Penny continues, “Before punk adopted wholesale the clichéd growls of gritty hardcore, the options somehow seemed so much more open. Early on, The Snipers approached the genre with an almost folksy angle; clear articulation giving power to the lyrics with no sign of a deafening scream to blur the edges. There are times when controlled anger can give added gravitas to a critique, and The Snipers proved the point with consummate ease. But was it ‘real’ punk? Who cares?”
He finally notes that “Our (Crass’) interest was never in personalities, profits or power, and neither did we have time for reformist liberals. Our position was solidly revolutionary; we took no prisoners. Ours wasn’t a show, it was a battle, not a living, but a lifestyle, a lifestyle with a difference – rather than looking only to ourselves, we sought to share our gains. I feel that this willingness added great strength to the form of anarchism that we practiced both on stage and out on the street.”
In giving a platform to an impressive array of other bands, Crass Records broadened the front of what popularly became known as anarcho-punk. Not, it must be said, a moniker that Crass themselves much favoured. In this respect, Crass’ classic line, “There is no authority but yourself”, makes its point. Crass sought to empower others, and the output of Crass Records does much to confirm this, while ‘2 By 2 And Back Again’ seems to nail it – “get out of your own way, we’re all in this together”.
Tracklist
The Snipers – ‘Three Peace Suite’ EP
The Parents of GodPieceNothing New
The Mob – ‘No Doves Fly Here’ single
No Doves Fly HereI Hear You Laughing
Follow Crass
Website
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Spotify
Follow OLI
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Crass Records 12” vinyl reissue series #10 out August 8th
The Snipers – ‘Three Peace Suite’ EP (1981)
The Mob – ‘No Doves Fly Here’ single (1982)
Stream ‘Parents Of God’
Stream ‘No Doves Fly Here’
“No Doves Fly Here is one of the most powerful musical statements to come out of what we’re calling anarcho punk and if you didn’t know any better you would have it all wrong.” – Let the Tribe Increase
“One of the better single releases on Crass Records was by the mysterious Snipers from Oxford (Snipers are usually mysterious are they not?)… probably the official Oxford University Anarcho-Punk band knowing the average profile of yer average Crass associated combo” – DIY or Die?
Punk pioneers Crass continue their vinyl reissue series, re-pressing their limited releases by adjacent artists through Crass Records, in association with One Little Independent. The series, including over twenty bands and solo artists recorded at the legendary Southern Studios and produced by Penny Rimbaud, continues with two more historic pieces from the Crass Records catalogue; The Mob’s haunting anti-war anthem ‘No Doves Fly Here’ and The Snipers’ brooding post-punk epic ‘Three Peace Suite’.
They follow records from the likes of Captain Sensible, Omega Tribe, Honey Bane, Jane Gregory, Lack of Knowledge, Sleeping Dogs, Rudimentary Peni, Zounds, Flux Of Pink Indians, Annie Anxiety, D&V, Alternative, The Cravats, Rubella Ballet, MDC, Anthrax and Andy T. First released on 7” vinyl, limiting the sound, the new series has been remastered for 12” by Alex Gordon at Abbey Road Studios, allowing them to be heard as never before. This, plus enlarged replicas of the original covers, brings new gusto to their already radical sound.
‘No Doves Fly Here’ is one of Crass Record’s most enduring songs; stark, atmospheric, and unsparing in its critique of militarism and the brutalities of war. With its mournful orchestration, ominous guitar work, and spoken word delivery, The Mob’s 1982 release stands as a protest song as impactful and poignant now as it was then. Formed in Yeovil in the late ‘70s, The Mob were closely connected to Crass, the free festival scene, and their own DIY imprint All the Madmen Records. Mark, frontman of The Mob, founded Rockaway Park, which also houses The Chapel of Unrest - the art and activism collective whose grassroots ethos mirrors the intent behind these recordings. Known for hosting radical film screenings, gigs, public assemblies, and installations, Rockaway Park has become a sanctuary for oppositional culture and creative resistance.
Recorded over two intense days in September 1981 at Southern Studios, ‘No Doves Fly Here’ was produced by Penny Rimbaud and engineered alongside John Loder. The session saw Crass members and others pitch in - brewing endless pots of strong tea and occasionally manning a four-foot gong hired specially for the track. Mark, recalls recording vocals word-by-word, a painstaking shift from the live takes of their previous releases. The result is a dynamic, deliberate performance unlike anything else on the Crass label. Paired with ‘I Hear You Laughing’, a live favourite, the single is a testament to the spirit of experimentation, DIY collaboration, and creative trust that defined the era.
The Mob are donating their proceeds to international humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).
Penny Rimbaud tells us “Mirroring John and Yoko’s ‘peace not war’ profundities, The Mob’s ‘No Doves Fly Here’ stands out as one of the great classic tracks of the punk era. Profound in its poetics, and poignantly atmospheric in its arrangement, it expresses so much of the hopes and aspirations that later became known as ‘anarcho-punk’ (hitherto the ‘peace movement’). ‘War is over if you want it’, the dream is not over.”
The Snipers’ ‘Three Peace Suite’ is a Crass Records deep-cut and vital artifact; a minimalist, post-punk 3-track that channels paranoia, alienation, and the contradictions of peacekeeping through coercion and military force. Originally released in 1981, the collection blends jagged guitar work, rhythmic experimentation, and spoken word, that reflect the dissonant landscape of Thatcherite Britain. Formed in Oxford and active across squats, benefit gigs, and cassette compilations, The Snipers forged a sound that connected post-punk’s angular edges with the urgency of street-level resistance.
Penny continues, “Before punk adopted wholesale the clichéd growls of gritty hardcore, the options somehow seemed so much more open. Early on, The Snipers approached the genre with an almost folksy angle; clear articulation giving power to the lyrics with no sign of a deafening scream to blur the edges. There are times when controlled anger can give added gravitas to a critique, and The Snipers proved the point with consummate ease. But was it ‘real’ punk? Who cares?”
He finally notes that “Our (Crass’) interest was never in personalities, profits or power, and neither did we have time for reformist liberals. Our position was solidly revolutionary; we took no prisoners. Ours wasn’t a show, it was a battle, not a living, but a lifestyle, a lifestyle with a difference – rather than looking only to ourselves, we sought to share our gains. I feel that this willingness added great strength to the form of anarchism that we practiced both on stage and out on the street.”
In giving a platform to an impressive array of other bands, Crass Records broadened the front of what popularly became known as anarcho-punk. Not, it must be said, a moniker that Crass themselves much favoured. In this respect, Crass’ classic line, “There is no authority but yourself”, makes its point. Crass sought to empower others, and the output of Crass Records does much to confirm this, while ‘2 By 2 And Back Again’ seems to nail it – “get out of your own way, we’re all in this together”.
Tracklist
The Snipers – ‘Three Peace Suite’ EP
The Parents of GodPieceNothing New
The Mob – ‘No Doves Fly Here’ single
No Doves Fly HereI Hear You Laughing
Follow Crass
Website
Bandcamp
Spotify
Follow OLI
Website
No comments have been added yet.
