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.
Self Harm
Anti-Nowhere League Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I took with me a hammer, just to prove that I was tall.
And I came across a preacher, who just looked at me - With eyes that cannot see.
And In his dying breath, he spat at me, he called me "anarchy".
Now you are leaving, now you are walking out on me.
You are believing, your life is better, without me.
I run my fingers down your edge to see, if I still feel pain.
Pretty pictures are on my arms, pictures of the days when I was young,
But these pictures are just scars, the only thing that's ever real!
Now you are leaving, now you are walking out on me.
Just like the others, you think you're better without me.
(This is for you, are you watching me, I'm Self Harmed)
Now I am cutting, I feel the ripping in my flesh.
Now I'm bleeding, I'm satisfied I'm now content.
So I go to sleep - I go to sleep. (Go to sleep)
The opening lines of Anti-Nowhere League's "Self Harm" take the listener on a journey where the animals are small and the singer takes a hammer with him to prove that he is tall. However, he encounters a preacher who cannot see and who calls him anarchy in his dying breath. The lyrics suggest a lack of direction and a desire to prove oneself at any cost, even if it means acting out in violent or destructive ways. The preacher's dying words serve as a sort of condemnation, as if to say that the singer's anarchic tendencies will lead him to a similar fate. The chorus seems to be directed towards someone who has left the singer and is now walking out on him. The singer feels abandoned and questions why the other person would think their life is better without him.
The second part of the song focuses on self-harm and the satisfaction that can come from cutting or injuring oneself. The singer reaches out to "brother Razor Blade" and runs his fingers down the blade to feel pain. He describes the pretty pictures on his arms as just scars, suggesting that the pain and the act of self-harm are the only things that feel real to him. The chorus is repeated again, this time with the addition of "this is for you, are you watching me, I'm self-harmed." It's unclear who the lyrics are directed towards, but it's possible that the singer is trying to make someone feel guilty for leaving him or for not understanding his need to self-harm. The song ends with the singer going to sleep, as if the act of self-harm has finally allowed him to find some peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Went up on a journey, where the animals were small,
I embarked on a journey where the creatures were small in size.
I took with me a hammer, just to prove that I was tall.
I carried along a hammer to demonstrate my stature.
And I came across a preacher, who just looked at me - With eyes that cannot see.
I met a preacher, who gazed at me with sightless eyes.
And In his dying breath, he spat at me, he called me "anarchy".
As he breathed his last, he directed his final words towards me, hurling the term 'anarchy'.
Now you are leaving, now you are walking out on me.
You are departing and abandoning me.
You are believing, your life is better, without me.
You think that your existence will elevate sans me.
Hey brother Razor Blade, I need you, once again,
O Razor Blade, my dear companion, the time has again come to seek your companionship.
I run my fingers down your edge to see, if I still feel pain.
I graze your sharp edge with my fingers to examine if I can still detect pain.
Pretty pictures are on my arms, pictures of the days when I was young,
My arms are adorned with aesthetically pleasing designs reminiscent of my youth.
But these pictures are just scars, the only thing that's ever real!
However, these patterns are nothing more than permanent marks, the sole tangible aspect of my reality.
Just like the others, you think you're better without me.
You, like the rest, believe that you will prosper without my company.
(This is for you, are you watching me, I'm Self Harmed)
(This verse is for you, are you witnessing my actions? I am engaging in self-harm.)
Now I am cutting, I feel the ripping in my flesh.
Now I am cutting myself, I can sense the tearing of my skin.
Now I'm bleeding, I'm satisfied I'm now content.
Now I am bleeding, I am pleased that I am fulfilled.
So I go to sleep - I go to sleep. (Go to sleep)
Thus, I retire to bed - I slumber.
Contributed by Lucy P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.