Crisis started out in the late 70s with the rise of the British hardcore punk movement. They were at the forefront of the political take on punk, all of their songs being about the state of the UK and its government and anti Nazism (which will get interesting). They would release several singles, EPs and an LP. They were very comparable to and probably were on the bill with bands like Warsaw, UK Decay, The Royal Family (Dave Roberts), and numerous Crass camp bands. There was a re-release of their 7" and EP material on CD some years ago.

They took a different approach to punk, while the music was still aggressive, it was rhythmic, structured, and poetic - not merely powerchord thrash. After their split, Luke Rendall went on to Theatre of Hate, and Lester Jones played with Carcrash International (Dave Roberts/Sex Gang Children) and Quick Gas Gang (Andi Sex Gang), but most notably, Tony Wakeford and Douglas Pierce went on to form Death In June. The Death In June song "All Alone In Her Nirvana" was written by Doulas and Tony as a Crisis song. DIJ was one of the most acclaimed and collectable bands in a genre that escapes definition other than some sort of brilliant mix of apocalyptic folk gothic punk, with experimental elements using non traditional sounds and instruments. Their peers were bands like Psychic TV, Current 93, and Throbbing Gristle. Tony Wakeford split and created Sol Invictus a bit after his involvemnt with DIJ.

After Crisis, bands Death In June, Sol Invictus, and others came from the wreckage. The funny thing is, Crisis began as a dramatically anti-fascist band, but as time progressed, the members increasingly romanticized German WWII imagery and themes and the line between fascism blurred, DIJ often being referred to by those not in the know as a straight on Nazi band. The Crisis song "White Youth" was even at one point taken at face value by a member of the music press who didn't bother to listen to it. On a side note, the same thing happened and still happens with Black Flag's "White Minority", by those who don't know the song was sung by a Hispanic singer! The meaning behind Death In June's image is a whole other issue, which is well addressed in the book "Misery and Purity".

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