Anti-System were a British anarcho-punk band active in the 1980s. They are regarded as an influential band in the crust punk genre. Original line up consisted of Phil, George, Dom and Dave damned on vocals, following their first gig at the Palm Cove in Bradford, dave Damned was replaced by Nogsy. Formed in Bradford in 1981, with a line-up of Phil(Drums), George(Bass), Nogsy (Vocals) and Dom Watts (Guitar) the band recorded a demo whose tracks found their way onto a Pax Records compilation. Their debut release was the five-track 'Defence of the Realm' EP which was followed (on Reconciliation Records after the closure of Pax Records) with the 'No Laughing Matter' album and the 12" 'A Look at Life' EP. Like some other anarcho-punk bands of the time the band were promoters of animal rights causes, their debut EP being a benefit for animal welfare groups and prior to the recording of the A Look at Life EP there was a necessity for a new line-up as two of the original members had been imprisoned for various animal rights actions. Mark Keane and Michael Teale were imprisoned in 1986, shortly after recording A Look at Life.
