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Crucifix, Berkeley, California, USA

Crucifix - San Francisco Punk

Formed: Berkeley, California, USA

"We believe peace can be a reality; that if every individual will work for it, it can be achieved. As anarchists, we try to practice what we preach and live out the way we believe is the right way. With anarchy, there's so many points and different things about it that you can get all bundled up, but it's personal to everybody. Generally, we all have the same ideas." - Sothira, SP Magazine, 1983

San Francisco's answer to Discharge, Crucifix had a Cambodian singer, Sothira, lending his anguish a genuineness unmatched by most of their peers; after all, he really had lived through the things Cal and Wattie were "singing" about, having fled the Khmer Rouge. It was fitting that, after a couple of locally-released 7" EPs, and appearances on Not So Quiet On The Western Front and Rat Music For Rat People they ended up on the British anarcho label that also released the first LPs by Conflict and Antisect. Housed in a fold-out black-and-white poster sleeve, it's plain that Crass were also a major influence. The music itself is nothing original: just very, very fast hardcore with screamed vocals that leave the lyrics unintelligible, although as with their British counterparts the titles tell all: 'Annihilation', 'Skinned Alive', 'No Limbs', 'Death Toll', 'Blind Destruction'...I think you get the idea. It's considered a classic by fans of the D-Beat genre.

Guitarist Jimmy and Sothira went on to form Proudflesh, who released an EP (Powerbroker) in 1988 and a self-titled live album.

Exhibit A is a compilation that includes the first two EPs and some live stuff.

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LINEUP #1:

Sothira Pheng - vocals (ex-Subsidize Mess, pre-Proudflesh)
Matt Borruso - guitar (ex-Subsidize Mess, pre-Loudspeaker)
Bryce Knights - bass
Christopher Douglas - drums (ex-Subsidize Mess)

This lineup recorded the Crucifix 12"