Criminal Class
History
A Coventry based skinhead band from the mid 1980’s. The line up was Craig on vocals, Danny on guitar, Jim on bass and John on drums.
Criminal Class has to be one of the first skinhead band. Even though Skrewdriver had a skinhead image around 1978, they weren’t really skinheads – they changed their image from punk to skin. Not even the 4-Skins were an all skinhead band. Criminal Class was formed in Coventry, England in 1979. The band made their debut in the compilation ‘Strength Thru Oi!’ in 1981 by ‘Deca Records’. Which turn out to be a catastrophe to all the bands that appeared on the compilation, due to violence that occurred in Southall, West London that same year. The following year the band released their only single, ‘Fighting The System’ in 1982 by ‘Tempest Records’. The lineup for this was Craig St. Leon on vocals, Danny Grear on guitar, John Watkins on drums, Jim on bass.
Even though the band had slow tempo songs, their lyrics were very powerful and the bands songs were about corruption in England, the Falklands War, police brutality and racialism. The band split up in the mid 1980’s and later reformed again in 2000 after the release of the CD ‘Blood on the Streets: Oi! Collection’ by Captain Records with tracks from the EP, Strength Thru Oi!, demos, and tracks that were never released.
The 2010 release notes the band members being Tom AK on vocals and guitar, Danny Greer on guitar, Keiran Reed on bass and Spritza Dave on drums.
Discography
Official Productions
1982 – Fighting The System –
1984 – Demos – ???
???? – A Touch Of Class – Hell 7 – Uk
???? – Criminal Class – Not On Label – Uk – Cdr
2010 – 25 To Life – Winston Records / Data Records – Winston007 / Data017 – Uk – Cd
Track Lists
Fighting The System
01. Fighting The System
02. Soldier
1984 Demos
01. Looking Back In Anger
02. Locked Away
03. Out Of His Head
A Touch of Class
01. Fighting The System
02. Soldier
25 to Life
01. Frontline
02. H8 2 0
03. 25 To Life
04. Mayday Warrior
05. Bullets Never Lie
06. Soldier
07. The Blood
08. Stiffed
09 .Low Life
10. Anti Social
11. White Lies
12. We Are Criminal Class
13. Just Another Lie
14. Live Fast
The last two tracks were added as bonuses.
Criminal Class
01. 25 To Life
02. Low Life
03. Another Lie
04. May Day Warrior
05. We Are Criminal Class
06. Live Fast Die Young