However, workers at the Irish pressing plant contracted to manufacture the record refused to process it because of the offensively blasphemous content of the track "Asylum".

The band have acknowledged the influence of Cage and said that the idea of the space in the song, when performed live, was to suddenly stop the energy, dancing and noise and allow the audience to momentarily "confront themselves" and consider the reality of nuclear war.

[7] However, fans were known to clap and cheer during the silent segment of the track, which is documented on the bonus live album included with the original release of Stations of the Crass.

According to Crass drummer and founder Penny Rimbaud, "We named the album The Feeding of The Five Thousand because 5,000 was the minimum number that we could get pressed and some 4900 more than we thought we'd sell.

The release also contains additional artwork by Gee Vaucher, bonus material and a 64-page booklet of lyrics and liner notes by Rimbaud and Steve Ignorant.