Later that year, they also opened for The Damned on a short tour round the north of England. November 1981 saw the release of their first single, a cover version of Ralph McTell's 'Streets of London', with the song that was to become the group's anthem, 'So What' on the B side.
In 1982, things were looking good for the band, with the 'So What Tour' in the company of such groups as Chelsea, Chron Gen and the Defects, and the release of their debut album We Are...The League. However, the Obscene Publications Squad seized all copies of their records, which were removed from shops and they were banned from TV and Radio. To top it all, they were thrown out of the Top Of The Pops studio...just because Animal happened to be carrying a 3ft axe around with him! However the year finished on a high, with the 'Hardcore Storms America' tour with the UK Subs.
Anti-Nowhere League LogoGilly (real name Mark Gilham) joined the band in 1983 as an extra guitarist, which according to the bands website,[1], was because Magoo was drinking heavily and was often unable to carry out his commitments as guitarist. The band went to Yugoslavia to record a live album, imaginatively called Live In Yugoslavia, but even this was dogged by problems with the authorities insisting that references that Animal had made about recently deceased president Tito be removed from the master tapes, and any language which they deemed to be offensive be bleeped (including a few "when’s", "it’s" and "ands" according to Animal!).
By 1984, things were not looking too good. PJ quit, unable to cope with the pressures of the drugs and alcohol lifestyle the band were now leading and they were musically inactive. 1985 saw Michael Bettel on the drums, followed in 1986 by JB (Jonathan Birch). During this time they signed for GWR Records, and recorded the Perfect Crime album. However, once again there were problems, when GWR refused to put up the money to finish the album once they heard its rough cut, and it was released unfinished to try to get back some of the money already invested in it. This was the final straw, and in 1987 ANWL disbanded. There was a "Farewell" show in 1989.
Fast forward to 1992, and Animal was working on his car, in the rain. The phone went, and it was JB, with the news that Metallica wanted Animal to guest at Wembley Arena, when they did their cover of 'So What'. Apparently Animals response was "Who the fuck are Metallica?, and anyway I'm working on my car!!" JB phoned back later, and managed to persuade Animal to do the slot. Animal put it thus on ANWL's website. "As I waited on the edge of the stage waiting to go on it suddenly dawned on me I was just about to stand in front of 10,000 punters who didn’t know me from Adam and sing a song that I couldn’t fucking remember………….all that kept running through my head was RUN you silly old fucker!". However, after the show, the bug had bitten again. Mark joined that year on Lead Guitar, and 1993 - 1995 was spent playing gigs in the small venues the band had started out in. In 1996, they signed up with Impact Records and recorded their next album Pig Iron. Beef also joined the band after Mark's departure.
1997 saw another personnel change when Winston left the band to be replaced by Jon Jon, and recording the album Scum.
Danny joined on drums in 1998.
The album Out Of Control was released a year later in 1999 2001 Magoo quit playing live shows.
2002 - now.... Jon Jon, Beef and Danny all left, to be replaced by PJ (original drummer), Jez, and Shady. This lineup of the band is still going as of April 2006.
Just Another Day
Anti-Nowhere League Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's gonna f**k your day
They won't forget you
Won't let you have your say
They're gonna push you, put you under the thumb
Inside your dying, you got nowhere left to run
But I'm walking I'm talking about these new ideas
But I ain't got nothing more that I can give
You cannot make me live the lift you live
Things are getting harder everyday
So there's nothing left for me to say
It's just another day in paradise
It's good to see, looks like you're wearing well
I won't forget you, I won't forget your smell
I'm walking I'm talking about these new ideas
Keep walking keep talking rolling back the years
Don't let them get you don't let them put you down
You go out fighting or else you're gonna drown
I'm walking I'm talking about these new ideas
Keep walking keep talking, rolling back the years
The Anti-Nowhere League's song "Just Another Day" is a punk rock anthem that speaks to the frustration and discontent of everyday life. The opening lines of the song, "Something's gonna get you, it's gonna fuck your day," set the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which describe the feeling of being oppressed and controlled by external forces.
Throughout the song, the band speaks about the struggles of living in a world where you feel like you are constantly being pushed down and silenced. The line "They're gonna push you, put you under the thumb" speaks to the idea of being oppressed by society and feeling like you have no control over your own life.
Despite this, the song is not entirely pessimistic. The band encourages listeners to keep fighting and to cling to "new ideas." They urge their audience not to let society get them down and to keep pushing forward, even when things seem impossible.
Overall, "Just Another Day" is a powerful song that captures the spirit of punk rock and speaks to the experiences of many people who feel oppressed and marginalized in society.
Line by Line Meaning
Something's gonna get you
You're in danger, something bad is coming your way.
It's gonna f**k your day
Whatever's coming is going to ruin your day.
They won't forget you
They're not going to let you go unnoticed.
Won't let you have your say
They won't listen to what you have to say or consider your opinion.
They're gonna push you, put you under the thumb
They're going to pressure you and control you completely.
Inside your dying, you got nowhere left to run
You feel trapped and hopeless, like you have no way of escaping.
But I'm walking I'm talking about these new ideas
I'm focused on new, innovative ideas and I'm actively pursuing them.
Keep walking keep talking keep rolling back the years
I'm determined to keep moving forward and not let my past hold me back.
But I ain't got nothing more that I can give
I've given all I can and have nothing left to offer.
You cannot make me live the lift you live
I don't want to live the same life as you, it's not for me.
Things are getting harder everyday
Life is becoming increasingly more difficult with each passing day.
So there's nothing left for me to say
I've said all I can, there's nothing else left to express.
It's just another day in paradise
Sarcastically portraying how the harsh reality of everyday life is far from paradise.
It's good to see, looks like you're wearing well
You seem to be doing well and looking good.
I won't forget you, I won't forget your smell
I won't forget you, I can still distinctly remember you.
Don't let them get you don't let them put you down
Don't let anyone or anything bring you down or make you feel small.
You go out fighting or else you're gonna drown
You must fight back and stand up for yourself, otherwise you'll be consumed by the situation.
Contributed by Hailey J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.