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.
Run
Anti-Nowhere League Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've gotta keep on running, I put the wind in my hair.
Well, I've lost my faith in everything, and I don't really think I care.
I'm hurt for the last time, I don't need anyone
You can't hurt me now, because I hate everyone!
I've gotta keep on moving, I smell it in the air.
Well, I break away from my own decay, hey, do you think I care?
Slipping on my shades, I've got to hide my eyes.
I never listen to what you say again, 'cuz all I get is lies.
I'm gonna run, run, run, run (x4)
I'm gonna run, run, run, run (x4)
I've gotta keep on running, you're all behind me now.
Because all I was, is now dead and gone, do you like what you see now?
I've lost my faith in god, I've lost my faith in you.
I'm looking out for number 1, so screw the lot of you!
I'm gonna run, run, run, run (x8)
The Anti-Nowhere League's song Run is an anthem for those who have reached their breaking point and feel they have no choice but to run away from everything that is hurting them. The repetitive chorus of "I'm gonna run, run, run, run" emphasizes the urgency of the main character's need to escape. The verses explain why the character feels the need to run away. They have lost faith in everything, including God and those they once trusted. They have been hurt for the last time and refuse to let anyone hurt them again. They want to be alone and hide behind their own shades. They believe everyone is lying to them, and they don't want to hear it anymore. They want to run away and never look back.
The song is both angry and sad. It's a cry for help wrapped in a "screw you" attitude. The character is hurting, and they are subjecting everyone else to their pain. They want to make everyone else hurt the way they do. This song is a powerful statement about the human need for self-preservation and how sometimes, running away is the only option.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna run, run, run, run (x4)
The singer will keep running
I've gotta keep on running, I put the wind in my hair.
The singer will keep running because he enjoys it
Well, I've lost my faith in everything, and I don't really think I care.
The singer feels hopeless and does not care about anything
I'm hurt for the last time, I don't need anyone
The singer has been hurt too many times and does not want anyone else in their life
You can't hurt me now, because I hate everyone!
The singer hates everyone and thus cannot be emotionally hurt by them
I've gotta keep on moving, I smell it in the air.
The singer must keep moving and feels it in the air
Well, I break away from my own decay, hey, do you think I care?
The singer is breaking away from their decay and does not care what others think of it
Slipping on my shades, I've got to hide my eyes.
The singer wears shades to hide their eyes
I never listen to what you say again, 'cuz all I get is lies.
The singer will never listen to lies again
I've gotta keep on running, you're all behind me now.
The singer is leaving everyone else behind and must keep running
Because all I was, is now dead and gone, do you like what you see now?
The singer has changed and asks if others like the new version
I've lost my faith in god, I've lost my faith in you.
The singer has lost faith in everything and everyone
I'm looking out for number 1, so screw the lot of you!
The singer is prioritizing themselves and does not care about others
I'm gonna run, run, run, run (x8)
The singer will keep running
Contributed by Ava P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.