Two more EPs followed. August 1982 saw the release of "Destroy the Myth of MUSICAL DESTRUCTION" and after many unfortunate delays, their third EP, "Blood on Your Hands?", finally came out in January 1984. Unfortunately this line-up had disintegrated months before.
That wasn't to be the end, though. In 1992, Dave and Pete put together a project named Mad Dog. The band didn't last long, but due to feedback from the tape release, the Riot/Clone EPs were reissued along with a book detailing the band's history. This in turn led to the opportunity to record a Riot/Clone album, and the band were reborn.
Still No Government Like NO GOVERNMENT was released in the summer of 1995. It was a mixture of re-recorded old material plus some new songs, showing that age had not tempered the band's anger. The CD contained forty tracks in all, and most astoundingly came bundled with a 142 page booklet. 1996 saw the release of this LP on vinyl, with the original recordings of the EPs added on side four (it is a double album), but without the book.
In 1997 they released To Find a Little Bluebird, an album unrelentless in its ferocity but clothed in a truly bizarre cover. No one looking at the cover art alone would guess the type of music enclosed in the package, which was probably the closest to 'hardcore punk' Riot/Clone have ever achieved. The album was loosely themed around a short story that came printed on the lyric sheet of the blue vinyl release, and as a spoken word track on the CD.
More line-up changes ensued, and necessitated a longish wait for their next release. Their album, Do You Want Fries With That?, was a full on animal rights album with an horrific cover picture of a dead cow's head. Many regard this as Riot/Clone's best album to date.
In their early years, Riot/Clone played most of their shows in London, only venturing outside occasionally. Since reforming they have been more adventurous. While only playing a few UK shows, they have completed numerous tours of Europe and America.
2004 saw the release of a new Riot/Clone ep, Mad Sheep Disease, on the Californian label Alternative Records, and the band hope to have a new LP released by the end of the year.
In May 2005, lead singer and founder member, Dave Floyd decided to move to the US and so the band had to call it a day, however, all the band members are carrying on with new projects. Daves new project is Wotnot and you can get more information about this at www.wotnot.info. All the remaining members of Riot/Clone have formed a new band, Refuse/All. Further details can be found on the website www.refuse-all.tk
Work
Riot/Clone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching the sky fall Isn't it lovely, then why am I lonely?
Like citizen Kane we thought we had it all
With no one to share it
Going to movies all by myself, should I be embarrassed?
Your on the road again, I'm stuck at home again, I wanna be out there
Resentment is growing, feelings on hold, So tired of not knowing
Is your heart pumping? Doesn't your blood work? Do you still feel me?
Yeah I do, always telling me about it
Can you hear me do, you like fucking and forgetting
Are you in the mood Think I care what your wearing?
Can you help me out? All alone in the limo
Overdose on these bars like ambience
Imma need an ambelance or panoramic view of something adequate
Yo ass turn things askew with tension in the room got Me panicking, funny
It used to be the squeaky wheel earn the oil
Now the squealer in the slammer better find a click with loyalty
And All y'all sport the same cut in the club but think yours the freshest makes you famous
Shame on you, close minded ass ghastly scared to change
These days A flat stuck in a major, predicament
Why every fake say they the realist
Then blow up my phone tell me my ghost writes geniuses?
Board game with a Ouija, Napping after deep sleep
I Tattoo a cheat sheet, pay a restaurant to reheat
Direct electricity then static shocked me
Got me Kicking down doors in the cryptogram kingdom
And now I lay awake with cold sweats?
Closing down distances between us?
Blood work keeps coming back, positive I can't relax
Blood work keeps coming back, positive I can't relax
Pumped out through distances, there's distance between us
Blood work keeps coming back, positive I can't relax
Pumped out through distances, there's distance between us
Blood work keeps coming back, positive I can't relax
Pumped out through distances, there's distance between us
Blood work keeps coming back, positive I can't relax
Pumped out through distances, there's distance between us
Blood work keeps coming back, positive I can't relax
Pumped out through distances, there's distance between us
The lyrics to Riot/Clone's song "Work" are a reflection of the loneliness and distance that can arise from a relationship in which one partner is always on the road while the other is stuck at home. The singer is frustrated with feeling like a mere avatar in their partner's life, not enough to be considered a real person by them. They express their longing to share experiences and interests with their partner and their feelings of resentment and uncertainty. The metaphor of "blood work" being positive highlights a sense of anxiety and desperation in the singer as they try to understand where they stand in their partner's life.
The song also touches on themes of fame and superficiality. The reference to Citizen Kane suggests that the singer and their partner may have once felt on top of the world, but now they find that success and material possessions are not enough to fill the void of distance between them. The mention of going to movies alone and feeling embarrassed could be a reference to feeling like a failure in comparison to their partner's exciting life on the road. These feelings of inadequacy are compounded by the singer's partner's apparent indifference and lack of communication, as they prioritize their own desires above the relationship.
Overall, "Work" is a heartfelt reflection on the challenges of maintaining a healthy relationship in the face of distance, fame, and materialism.
Line by Line Meaning
Stuck in an avatar the way that you play me, I'm more then a creature
I feel like you are defining me based on how you interact with me, but I am a complex individual
Watching the sky fall Isn't it lovely, then why am I lonely?
I am experiencing a beautiful moment, yet it is not enough to overcome my loneliness
Like citizen Kane we thought we had it all
We believed we had everything we wanted, like Charles Foster Kane in the film Citizen Kane
With no one to share it
But we have no one to enjoy it with
Going to movies all by myself, should I be embarrassed?
I am unsure if it is socially acceptable to go to the movies alone
Your on the road again, I'm stuck at home again, I wanna be out there
You are traveling and I am stuck at home, I want to experience new things too
Resentment is growing, feelings on hold, So tired of not knowing
I am feeling resentful and frustrated because my feelings are unreciprocated and uncertain
Is your heart pumping? Doesn't your blood work? Do you still feel me?
Are you still passionate about us? Do you still have feelings for me?
Don't you feel bad that your tearing this apart? do you feel guilty?
Do you not have any regret for causing the end of our relationship? Do you feel any guilt?
Yeah I do, always telling me about it
Yes, I feel guilty and you keep reminding me of it
Can you hear me do, you like fucking and forgetting
Do you actually listen to me, or are you only interested in having casual sex?
Are you in the mood Think I care what your wearing?
Are you in the mood for sex? I don't care what you are wearing
Can you help me out? All alone in the limo
Can you assist me? I am feeling lonely and isolated in the car
Overdose on these bars like ambience
I am taking more of these drugs than I need, like they are simply background noise
Imma need an ambelance or panoramic view of something adequate
I may need medical assistance or a new, more fulfilling perspective
Yo ass turn things askew with tension in the room got Me panicking, funny
Your behavior is making things uncomfortable and tense, which is causing me to get anxious
It used to be the squeaky wheel earn the oil
In the past, the one who spoke up was rewarded
Now the squealer in the slammer better find a click with loyalty
Now, the one who tells on others is punished, and must find a group of trustworthy friends
And All y'all sport the same cut in the club but think yours the freshest makes you famous
You all dress the same in the club, but believe that your outfit stands out the most and makes you popular
Shame on you, close minded ass ghastly scared to change
You should be ashamed of yourself for being narrow-minded and afraid of change
These days A flat stuck in a major, predicament
Lately, I am in a difficult situation where a minor problem is causing major issues
Why every fake say they the realist
Why do people who are not genuine claim to be the most authentic?
Then blow up my phone tell me my ghost writes geniuses?
Then why do these same people constantly contact me and claim that I write brilliant lyrics for them?
Board game with a Ouija, Napping after deep sleep
I am playing a board game using a Ouija board, and taking a nap after a long sleep
I Tattoo a cheat sheet, pay a restaurant to reheat
I tattooed a list of answers on my body to cheat, and I am paying a restaurant to reheat previously cooked food
Direct electricity then static shocked me
I received an electric shock that was both direct and static
Got me Kicking down doors in the cryptogram kingdom
I am forcefully trying to solve complex puzzles and codes
And now I lay awake with cold sweats?
Now I am anxious and cannot sleep
Closing down distances between us?
Are we bridging the gap between our relationship and becoming closer?
Blood work keeps coming back, positive I can't relax
I am repeatedly tested for something, and the result is positive, causing me to be unable to relax
Pumped out through distances, there's distance between us
Our love and energy may be strong, but there is still distance between us that needs to be bridged
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Alex Parelius
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind