Crucifix (band)
Encyclopedia
Crucifix was an American hardcore punk
band from Berkeley
, California
, active from 1980 to 1984. They were among the most popular acts of the San Francisco hardcore scene of the early 1980s. They were unusual among American punk bands for their strong D-beat
and anarcho-punk
characteristics, and their 1983 LP Dehumanization
is considered a classic of the hardcore subgenre.
Crucifix was founded in 1980 and fronted by Cambodia
n-born singer Sothira Pheng, whose family had fled the country when the brutal Khmer Rouge
seized power. The band's self-titled EP debuted on Universal Records of Berkeley
in '81 and was followed by the "nineteen eighty-four" single on the band's own Freak Records in 1982. The band's debut full-length "Dehumanization" on Corpus Christi Records
(an offshoot of Crass Records
) showcased their extremely fast and overdriven sound and is widely considered to be their definitive work and a cornerstone of political punk. Jake Smith played guitar on this LP. Later Drew Bernstein (founder of Lip Service Clothing) formerly of America's Hardcore replaced Smith on guitar. The band split up after a lengthy tour of US/Canada/Europe on July 13 1984. A posthumous compilation album of singles and live tracks entitled "Exhibit A" was released on Kustomized Records in 1997. When Corpus Christi folded the album "Dehumanization" was later reissued by Southern Records
.
Matt Borruso and Christopher Douglas later reemerged in Loudspeaker, a New York–based noise rock group. The band included guitarist Kurt Wolf (of Pussy Galore
), bassist Jens Jürgensen (of Boss Hog
) and later bassist Charles Hanson (of The Normals and Chrome Cranks). Christopher Douglas was later replaced by Martin Köb (Circle X, Dustdevils, Drunk Tank, Walldrug) on drums. They released several recordings between 1990 and 1996.
Sothira Pheng (bass and vocals) and Jimmy Crucifix (guitar) now play with Proudflesh, a San Francisco-based "Hard Punk Rock 'n' Roll" band with drummer Erik Lannon (Mordred/The Bay City Rollers). Proudflesh released their first album in March 2006 on Wired Gnome Records.
Samples from "Annihilation", the opening track of the DehumanizationLP, were used by Orbital
on the song "Choice". "Annihilation" was recorded in 2004 by A Perfect Circle
for the Emotive
album., and Sepultura
also covered it as a bonus track on the album Nation
(2001).
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band from Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, active from 1980 to 1984. They were among the most popular acts of the San Francisco hardcore scene of the early 1980s. They were unusual among American punk bands for their strong D-beat
D-beat
D-beat is a style of hardcore punk developed in the early 1980s by imitators of Discharge, for whom the genre is named. Discharge may have themselves inherited the beat from Motörhead. The first such group was The Varukers.The vocal content of D-beat tends towards shouted slogans...
and anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the original anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
characteristics, and their 1983 LP Dehumanization
Dehumanization (album)
Dehumanization is the only full-length album released by American hardcore punk band Crucifix. Released in 1983, it is today regarded as one of the classic anarcho-punk records, as well as an important D-beat record....
is considered a classic of the hardcore subgenre.
History
Crucifix was preceded by the short-lived band Subsidize Mess, featuring Sothira on bass, Matt Borusso on guitar, and Christopher Douglas on vocals.Crucifix was founded in 1980 and fronted by Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n-born singer Sothira Pheng, whose family had fled the country when the brutal Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
seized power. The band's self-titled EP debuted on Universal Records of Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
in '81 and was followed by the "nineteen eighty-four" single on the band's own Freak Records in 1982. The band's debut full-length "Dehumanization" on Corpus Christi Records
Corpus Christi Records
Corpus Christi Records is an independent record label started by some of the members of Crass and their recording engineer and business partner John Loder, to release records by artists who did not perhaps fit in with some of the stricter ideals of the Crass Records label.Several of the artists on...
(an offshoot of Crass Records
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
) showcased their extremely fast and overdriven sound and is widely considered to be their definitive work and a cornerstone of political punk. Jake Smith played guitar on this LP. Later Drew Bernstein (founder of Lip Service Clothing) formerly of America's Hardcore replaced Smith on guitar. The band split up after a lengthy tour of US/Canada/Europe on July 13 1984. A posthumous compilation album of singles and live tracks entitled "Exhibit A" was released on Kustomized Records in 1997. When Corpus Christi folded the album "Dehumanization" was later reissued by Southern Records
Southern Records
Southern Records is an independent record label closely associated with Crass Records, Corpus Christi Records and Dischord Records. It is based in London and previously had offices in Chicago , Le Havre and Berlin .Southern was originally a recording studio owned and operated by John Loder...
.
Matt Borruso and Christopher Douglas later reemerged in Loudspeaker, a New York–based noise rock group. The band included guitarist Kurt Wolf (of Pussy Galore
Pussy Galore (band)
Pussy Galore was an American garage rock band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1985. They had a constantly fluid line-up until their demise in 1990. Like many garage rock outfits, they were dogged by substance abuse problems...
), bassist Jens Jürgensen (of Boss Hog
Boss Hog
Boss Hog is an American punk blues band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer and Cristina Martinez along with Jens Jurgensen , Hollis Queens and Mark Boyce...
) and later bassist Charles Hanson (of The Normals and Chrome Cranks). Christopher Douglas was later replaced by Martin Köb (Circle X, Dustdevils, Drunk Tank, Walldrug) on drums. They released several recordings between 1990 and 1996.
Sothira Pheng (bass and vocals) and Jimmy Crucifix (guitar) now play with Proudflesh, a San Francisco-based "Hard Punk Rock 'n' Roll" band with drummer Erik Lannon (Mordred/The Bay City Rollers). Proudflesh released their first album in March 2006 on Wired Gnome Records.
Samples from "Annihilation", the opening track of the DehumanizationLP, were used by Orbital
Orbital (band)
Orbital are a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, England consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Their career initially ran from 1989 until 2004, but in 2009 they announced that they would be reforming and headlining The Big Chill, in addition to a number of other live shows...
on the song "Choice". "Annihilation" was recorded in 2004 by A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...
for the Emotive
EMOTIVe
-Personnel:* Charles Clouser - Programming* Critter - Engineer* Steve Duda - Digital engineer* Joshua Eustis - Drums, engineer, Fender Rhodes, mixing* Jason Freese - Sax , sax * Steven R Gilmore - Design, photography, sleeve art, poster design...
album., and Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
also covered it as a bonus track on the album Nation
Nation (album)
Nation is the eighth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 2001 through Roadrunner Records. Nation features guest appearances from artists such as Hatebreed singer Jamey Jasta, Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, Ill Niño singer Cristian Machado, Bile frontman Krztoff and...
(2001).
Members
- Sothira Pheng (Vocals)
- Jimmy Crucifix (Guitar)
- Bryce Kanights (Bass on Self-titled EP)
- Matt Borruso (Bass)
- Christopher Douglas (Drums)
- Drew Bernstein (Guitar)
- Jake Smith (Guitar)
Discography
- 1981: Crucifix (EP, Universal Records)
- 1982: Nineteen Eighty-Four (single, Freak Records)
- 1983: DehumanizationDehumanization (album)Dehumanization is the only full-length album released by American hardcore punk band Crucifix. Released in 1983, it is today regarded as one of the classic anarcho-punk records, as well as an important D-beat record....
(album, Corpus Christi RecordsCorpus Christi RecordsCorpus Christi Records is an independent record label started by some of the members of Crass and their recording engineer and business partner John Loder, to release records by artists who did not perhaps fit in with some of the stricter ideals of the Crass Records label.Several of the artists on...
)- CD released in 1995 by Southern RecordsSouthern RecordsSouthern Records is an independent record label closely associated with Crass Records, Corpus Christi Records and Dischord Records. It is based in London and previously had offices in Chicago , Le Havre and Berlin .Southern was originally a recording studio owned and operated by John Loder...
- CD released in 1995 by Southern Records
- 1997: Exhibit A (compilation, Kustomized Records)
External links
- Suburban Voice Interview - Crucifix interview from 1983
- Proudflesh's MySpace page