Steve Ignorant

Steve Ignorant
Steve Ignorant with Crass, December 1981
Background information
Birth name	Steven Williams
Also known as	Steve Ignorant, Stephen Intelligent, Professor Ignorant
Born	1957 (age 59–60) Stoke-on-Trent, England
Genres	Anarcho-punk, punk rock
Occupation(s)	singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1977–
Labels	Crass Records, Small Wonder Records
Associated acts	Crass Conflict Schwartzeneggar Stratford Mercenaries Current 93 Paranoid Visions Slice of Life
Website	http://www.steveignorant.com

Steve Ignorant, born Steven Williams in 1957, 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, Stratford Mercenaries, and Current 93 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 London music hall performance.

On 24 and 25 November 2007 he performed Crass's entire The Feeding of the 5000 live at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, backed by guest musicians. Other members of Crass were not involved in these concerts. "I acknowledge and respect Steve's right to do this", 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 Ignorant and Rimbaud took to the stage together to be interviewed by John Robb on the literacy stage at the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool where they informed the large crowd that Rimbaud has now given him his blessing to perform Crass material live.

On 19 November 2011, Ignorant performed "The Last Supper" at the Shepherd's Bush Empire where he was joined on stage by Rimbaud and Eve Libertine. This was the last time Crass songs were performed live by him.