Jeffrey Lewis

September 16 @ Brudenell Social Club

THEY were the anarcho-punk band famed for their backing of the anti-globalisation movement, animal rights and squatting, he was the anti-folk singer – and sometime comic book artist – best known for his self-deprecating humour and off-kilter singing style.

Yet together they formed a potent combination on the album 12 Crass Songs by Jeffrey Lewis.

Released last autumn, the record earned Lewis some of the best reviews of his career and sparked critical reappraisal of the Epping collective whose anti-Thatcher anthem How Does It Feel To Be The Mother of a Thousand Dead? once prompted questions in the House of Commons.

Crass's staunch DIY ethic has proved to be highly influential. Back in the late 1970s they showed the way for independent-minded bands to go by founding their own label, that was home to, among others, Icelandic punks Kukl (featuring a young Bjork), designing their own stencilled record sleeves and playing benefits for a number of left-wing causes including CND and the striking miners.

Jeffrey Lewis will be performing at the Brudenell Social Club on September 16. Tickets are available in advance from Jumbo and Crash Records.

l For more details visit www.thejeffreylewissite.com

duncan seaman