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.
Queen And Country
Anti-Nowhere League Lyrics
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To rage in bloody wars
To shoot without a conscience
To die without a thought
Ohohohohohoh
They gave us guns for toys
So we became the dogs of war
To blow ourselves away
To fight for Queen and Country
To rage in bloody wars
To shoot without a conscience
To die without a thought
Ohohohohohoh
The power and the glory
Ohohohohohoh
The power and the glory
And so it came to pass
Oh we had killed a fellow man
Oh we raised our flags on peace
Oh all the pride was in our heads
To fight for Queen and Country
To rage in bloody wars
To shoot without a conscience
To die without a thought
Ohohohohohoh
The power and the glory
Ohohohohohoh
The power and the glory
Ohohohohohoh
The power and the glory
Ohohohohohoh
The power and the glory
Ohohohohohoh..
To fight for Queen and Country
To rage in bloody wars
To shoot without a conscience
To die without a cause
The Anti-Nowhere League's song "Queen and Country" explores the theme of blind patriotism and the dangers that come with it. The lyrics describe the willingness of young men to fight and die for their country without questioning the morality of their actions. The first verse speaks of the call to arms and the eagerness to engage in violent conflict. The second verse illustrates the indoctrination process, where young men are trained to become soldiers and are given guns as toys. The chorus emphasizes the seductive nature of war, the lure of power and glory, and our susceptibility to blindly follow authority.
The final verse takes a more reflective tone, acknowledging the reality of the damage caused by war- the loss of human life and the destruction of communities. The lyrics suggest that those who fought in the wars may have realized the emptiness of their actions, but the pride and sense of accomplishment instilled in them allowed them to overlook the senseless violence that they had inflicted.
Overall, "Queen and Country" serves as a commentary on the dangers of blind patriotism, the effects of war on human life, and the need for individuals to question authority and think more critically about the choices they make.
Line by Line Meaning
To fight for Queen and Country
To serve and protect one's country, even to the point of fighting in bloody wars.
To rage in bloody wars
To be involved in violent combats and conflicts that often result in bloodshed and destruction.
To shoot without a conscience
To be able to take human life without feelings of guilt or remorse.
To die without a thought
To be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for one's country without any hesitation or second thoughts.
They gave us guns for toys
We were trained to use weapons as if they were toys, causing us to become desensitized to the act of killing.
They showed us how to play
Military training instilled in us the skills and mentality necessary to engage in warfare without fear of consequence.
So we became the dogs of war
We were turned into instruments of destruction, trained to fight and kill without any moral considerations or conscience.
To blow ourselves away
We were conditioned to self-destruct, either physically or mentally, as a result of our violent actions.
The power and the glory
The triumphant and revered image of soldiers who fight and die for their country.
And so it came to pass
After experiencing the aftermath of war and destruction, we began to question the true motives behind our actions.
Oh we had killed a fellow man
The harsh reality of taking another human life began to sink in, causing feelings of regret and sorrow.
Oh we raised our flags on peace
Despite the violence and destruction caused by war, we hoped to emerge victorious and achieve peace for our country.
Oh all the pride was in our heads
Our sense of pride and honor for serving our country blinded us to the true consequences and costs of war.
To die without a cause
To make the ultimate sacrifice without a clear or justifiable reason, often as a result of blindly following orders.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CLIVE BLAKE, NICHOLAS JOHN CULMER, CHRIS EXALL, MARK GILHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind