Steve Ignorant
Encyclopedia
Steve Ignorant is a singer and artist
. He co-founded the anarcho-punk
band Crass
with Penny Rimbaud
in 1977. After Crass stopped performing in 1984, he has worked with other groups including Conflict
, Schwartzeneggar
, The Stratford Mercenaries, Current 93
(under the name Stephen Intelligent), US punk band Thought Crime, as well as being an occasional solo performer.
He is also a sculptor
, and has worked as a traditional Punch and Judy
performer using the name Professor Ignorant. In recent years he has developed an interest in the history of traditional east London
music hall
performance.
On 24 and 25 November 2007 he performed Crass's entire Feeding of the 5000
live at the Shepherds Bush Empire
, United Kingdom
, backed by a band of selected guests. Other members of Crass were not involved in these concerts. "I acknowledge and respect Steve's right to do this", Penny Rimbaud said, "but I do regard it as a betrayal of the Crass ethos" Ignorant had a different view: "I don't have to justify what I do. (...) Plus, most of the lyrics are still relevant today. And remember that three-letter word, 'fun'?"
In 2010 Ignorant announced plans to do a tour called The Last Supper, performing Crass songs from the period 1977-1982 with largely the same band that performed with him at Shepherd's Bush, including Gizz Butt
, Bob Butler and Spike Smith.
In August 2010 Steve and Penny Rimbaud took to the stage together to be interviewed by John Robb on the literacy stage at the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, England where they informed the large crowd that Penny has now given Steve his blessing to perform Crass material live.
On Saturday November 19th 2011 Steve performed "The Last Supper" at The Shepherd's Bush Empire in London
where he was joined on stage by Penny Rimbaud
and Eve Libertine
. This is the last time Crass
songs will be performed live by him.
In 2010 Southern Records
published "The Rest Is Propaganda", Ignorant's autobiography.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. He co-founded the 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...
band Crass
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...
with Penny Rimbaud
Penny Rimbaud
Jeremy John Ratter , better known under his pseudonym of Penny Rimbaud, is a drummer, writer, poet, former member of performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion, and co-founder of the anarchist punk band Crass with Steve Ignorant in 1977.-Biography:Rimbaud Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943,...
in 1977. After Crass stopped performing in 1984, he has worked with other groups including Conflict
Conflict (band)
Conflict is an English anarcho-punk band originally based around Eltham in South London. Formed in 1981, the band's original line up consisted of: Colin Jerwood , Francisco 'Paco' Carreno , Big John , Steve , Pauline , Paul aka 'Nihilistic Nobody' . Their first release was the EP "The House That...
, Schwartzeneggar
Schwartzeneggar
Schwartzeneggar was a band formed by ex-Crass vocalist Steve Ignorant, Thatcher On Acid members, Ben Corrigan , Andi Tuck , Bob Butler , and former Conflict member Mark Pickstone ....
, The Stratford Mercenaries, Current 93
Current 93
Current 93 is an eclectic British experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet .-Background:Tibet has been the only constant in the group, though Steven Stapleton has appeared on...
(under the name Stephen Intelligent), US punk band Thought Crime, as well as being an occasional solo performer.
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, and has worked as a traditional Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy
Punch and Judy is a traditional, popular puppet show featuring the characters of Mr. Punch and his wife, Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically the anarchic Punch and one other character...
performer using the name Professor Ignorant. In recent years he has developed an interest in the history of traditional east London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
performance.
On 24 and 25 November 2007 he performed Crass's entire Feeding of the 5000
The Feeding of the 5000 (album)
The Feeding of the 5000 is the first album by Crass, released in 1978. Crass never gained a large mainstream audience, but their virulently anti-establishment lyrics and anarchist politics brought the band a committed following upon the record’s release....
live at the Shepherds Bush Empire
Shepherds Bush Empire
The O2 Shepherds Bush Empire is a music venue in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, run by the Academy Music Group. It was built in 1903, as a music hall, and in 1953 became the BBC Television Theatre...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, backed by a band of selected guests. Other members of Crass were not involved in these concerts. "I acknowledge and respect Steve's right to do this", Penny Rimbaud said, "but I do regard it as a betrayal of the Crass ethos" Ignorant had a different view: "I don't have to justify what I do. (...) Plus, most of the lyrics are still relevant today. And remember that three-letter word, 'fun'?"
In 2010 Ignorant announced plans to do a tour called The Last Supper, performing Crass songs from the period 1977-1982 with largely the same band that performed with him at Shepherd's Bush, including Gizz Butt
Gizz Butt
Gizz Butt is a British musician, best known for playing the guitar during live performances by band The Prodigy in the late 1990s.-Early years:...
, Bob Butler and Spike Smith.
In August 2010 Steve and Penny Rimbaud took to the stage together to be interviewed by John Robb on the literacy stage at the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, England where they informed the large crowd that Penny has now given Steve his blessing to perform Crass material live.
On Saturday November 19th 2011 Steve performed "The Last Supper" at The Shepherd's Bush Empire in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where he was joined on stage by Penny Rimbaud
Penny Rimbaud
Jeremy John Ratter , better known under his pseudonym of Penny Rimbaud, is a drummer, writer, poet, former member of performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion, and co-founder of the anarchist punk band Crass with Steve Ignorant in 1977.-Biography:Rimbaud Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943,...
and Eve Libertine
Eve Libertine
Eve Libertine is a British singer.She was one of the two female vocalists who worked with the influential British anarcho-punk band Crass...
. This is the last time Crass
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...
songs will be performed live by him.
In 2010 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...
published "The Rest Is Propaganda", Ignorant's autobiography.