May 20, 2019 -

As told to Elia Einhorn, 1170 words.

Tags: Music, Art, Beginnings, Inspiration, Process, Success, Adversity.

On creativity, survival, and what success looks like

Singer, artist, and punk icon Steve Ignorant discusses the common threads that run through his body of work, the ways his creative practices have (and haven’t) evolved over the years, and the ways success and survival go hand in hand.

What is the common thread behind your hugely disparate work in projects like Crass, Punch and Judy shows, and now Slice of Life?

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How do you know when you’ve exhausted a project, and when it’s time for a new one?

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How do you manage work/life balance?

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What do you do when you’re creatively stuck?

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How did you get into the idea of using the choir?

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You’ve had so many different projects between Crass, Professor Ignorant, Slice of Life and more. How do you start a new one?

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How do you start a song?

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Is this for the new Slice of Life record, you think? It’s a Motown vibe?

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Are you thinking sax and trumpet?

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How did you manage to create a path outside the established system?

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Throughout your career.

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Is it ever okay to abandon a project?

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In your autobiography, there are a couple of poignant moments, but there is also so much violence, and so many terrible working conditions.

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These can be really fucking dangerous situations.

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How do you nourish your creative side when you’re not working?

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I’ll tell you, man. It’s that scary here. Yeah.

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It’s like if you put a nuclear button next to a monkey. It’s like-

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How did you get started in art? Art being everything. Music, and all the different media you’ve worked in.

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I’ve never heard that quote from her before.

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With your creative work along this line, how do you define success? And how do you define failure?

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Is there a system you use when you’re creating? A self-made system?

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You’ve always worked outside of the regular “industry”; in creating and disseminating your art and music, what would you count as the most valuable resources? For some people that’s having access to a studio, or it’s instruments, or it’s other people, or channels for distribution.

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Steve Ignorant was recorded by Sotos Yiasimi at Ashwood Music. * *Additional engineering by Mark Yoshizumi.

Essential Steve Igs!

Best Before… 1984 - Crass
The best intro to Steve Ignorant and Crass, Best Before… 1984 compiles the group’s essential singles and rarities.

The Feeding of the 5000 - Crass
Stations of the Crass - Crass
Christ – The Album - Crass
The trio of key Steve Igs Crass LPs.

Love And A Lamp-post - Slice of Life
Steve Ignorant goes acoustic, punk poetry rules the day.