After Subhumans split up, Lucas formed the bands Culture Shock and Citizen Fish. The Subhumans reform for live performances, including at least two major tours of North America in the 21st Century, (Live in a Dive is a product of the first) and they continue to command a strong following. Subhumans are known for their thought-provoking, anarchic lyrics.
2) The Subhumans (Canada):
In Vancouver, Canada’s long and glorious history of punk rock, few bands were more punk, or more rockin’ than the Subhumans. The Subhumans gigs were a riot, sometimes literally; years later, their records still seethe with raw power. The Subhumans were angry and hilarious, often simultaneously, the living embodiment of everything that was great about punk rock circa 1978-82.
The band formed in the spring of 1978. Their first show was at an “anti-Canada Day” celebration sponsored by anarchists, on July 1st. The band’s line-up consisted of Brian Goble (a.k.a. “Wimpy-Roy”) on vocals, Ken Montgomery (a.k.a. “Dimwit”) on drums, Gerry Hannah (a.k.a. “Gerry Useless”) on bass and Mike Graham on guitar. The mix of personalities and talents was perfect. Wimpy was a born front man, delivering unbelievably funny off-the top-of-his-head rambles while he hunched around the stage. His penchant for diving into the audience often left him bruised and battered and, at least once, completely nude. The rhythm section was lethal. Dimwit bashed his drums with sticks the size of baseball bats and locked in with Gerry’s bass to create a deafening rumble and crunch. Mike sprinkled gas on the fire with electrifying bursts of guitar.
The Subhumans and the handful of other punk bands that exploded into being in Vancouver as part of the world-wide punk movement built a local scene that was wild, raucous, and tempestuous. Venues came and went after gigs that left audiences exhilarated and club-owners and police appalled. The now-familiar punk ethos that held that anyone could be in a band, and that any band could change your life, was new and shocking.
The Subhumans quickly became one of the scene’s leading bands, plunging into DIY and small-label recording to get their music out. Like the other genuine punk bands of the time, they avoided the tired and self-centred subject matter of the stereotypical pop song. Always engaged with the ferment of the times, often political with a satiric edge, The Subhumans songs like “Fuck You” and “Slave to My Dick” became anthems for their audience. “Fuck You” was the ultimate give-the-finger-to-authority punk song, a musical buzz bomb with a chorus that summed up the attitude of disillusioned youth everywhere: “We don’t care, what you say, fuck you!” Gerry’s “Slave to My Dick” was a critical look at gender roles from the point of view of a suddenly self-aware male; a wicked satire of horny men and the lengths they will sometimes go to get laid: “I do a lot of talking but I don’t say much. I can’t be real ’cause I’m such, you know I’m such a slave, to my dick. It really makes me, sick!”
Everyone sang along to that chorus. Other crowd favourites included “Firing Squad”, a song about the hypocrisies and fanaticism unleashed by the Iranian revolution, “Inquisition Day”, which warns against the possible rise of state totalitarianism here or in any country, and “Death To The Sickoids”, a rampaging semi-serious call to arms against the mainstream press: “They’re hanging a noose around our necks, by gluing our minds to the front page.”
The first version of the band recorded an independent single, Death to the Sickoids / Oh Canaduh\, now fervently sought after by collectors, and contributed tracks to the landmark Vancouver Complication collaborative LP. After Jim Imagawa replaced Ken Montgomery on drums, the Subhumans put out a 12″ EP, The Subhumans, and another single, Firing Squad / No Productivity, on local Vancouver label, Quintessence Records.
The Subhumans and the other local bands were all plugging into a burgeoning underground network of punk scenes and venues across the continent, and several tours through western Canada and up and down the west coast started to establish them among the front-line bands of the time. The band recorded its debut album, Incorrect Thoughts, for another small Vancouver label, and hit the road for more touring through much of the U.S. and Canada. They ground out endless hours in a stuffy van to play with such bands as Black Flag, Husker Du, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, X, and Bad Brains. They did particularly well on the west coast, building up large followings in places such as Seattle and San Francisco.
In 1981, just back from a grueling tour across the continent which included a full-scale police riot in LA and other harrowing events, Gerry and Jim left the band. They were replaced by bassist Ron Allan and drummer Randy Bowman for more gigs and touring, working up to a second album, No Wishes, No Prayers, recorded for Black Flag’s SST Records. The new set of songs never got much exposure; just prior to its release, front man Brian Goble was lured away to become DOA’s bass player and the band played its last gig in the fall of 1982.
In 1983 Gerry Hannah was in the news, but not as a musician. Always involved in political issues, including environmentalism (one of his nicknames was “Nature Punk”), he linked up with a group of political activists called Direct Action, whose frustration led them toward armed struggle. Among other actions, the group blew up an environmentally-unfriendly hydro-electric substation on Vancouver Island and bombed the Litton plant near Toronto, which manufactured parts for the American cruise missile, a “first strike” nuclear weapon. Canadian authorities eventually arrested the group, known in the press as the Squamish Five, and Gerry was sentenced to ten years in jail. He was released after serving five years.
In 1995, Gerry and Brian reformed the dormant band for a western Canadian tour, with Jon Williams on guitar and David Macanulty on drums. Audiences were as enthusiastic as ever, with one gig at the Starfish Room in Vancouver drawing so many fans that three hundred people were turned away at the door. The following year the band released a “best of” CD, Pissed Off … With Good Reason, on the Essential Noise/Virgin label. The disc included the band’s singles, their EP, and other popular songs, including many from their two previous albums.
In 2005, the band reformed with a different purpose; not just to play the old material, but to write and record again, bringing their music-making skills to bear on the modern age. This time, the line-up includes original members Brian Goble on vocals, Gerry Hannah on bass, and Mike Graham back on guitar, with punk veteran and powerhouse drummer Jon Card (formerly with SNFU/DOA) on drums. After recording a demo of new material, the band played a spate of shows in the Vancouver area and throughout Western Canada, including a performance as a featured main stage act at the Under the Volcano Arts and Activism Festival. The Subhumans recorded a full-length CD of new material in early 2006, entitled New Dark Age Parade. The CD is set to be released in September 2006 on Alternative Tentacles in the U.S. and G7 Welcoming Committee Records in Canada, with more extensive touring planned.
Worlds Apart
Subhumans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Peace and harmony flowers and trees
Your peace of mind only comes in pints
There are other worlds apart from these
A world where war and poverty
Exist as a reality
So cliche's and disorderly
They wash down fears with crocodile beers
False illusion and big man jeers:
"Well I didn't know about Afghanistan
'cause I'm a home loving working man
And I'd know I'd resist if I had to fight
I know I'd resist - exist - resist - with a fist"
Violence, no! That is no answer
Two wrongs don't make a right
But a thousand wrongs make the human race
Conditioned so they fight
Hence the reason hence the shouting
From the start it seemed so real
Anti-war and bombs and fighting
Telling someone what we feel
A world of strength and clarity
The alternative reality
But creating a new lifestyle
Could never come to much
Everyone had the ideas
But no-one had the guts
Then they dropped their goddamn bomb
Just like we'd predicted
Just like we wrote the songs about
Just like the words we'd stand and shout
We don't know half
Of anything real
We don't even know
How we should feel
When questioned or cornered
We back off and squeal
So where is this solution?
This evasive dream conclusion?
Where's the end to this pollution?
Or is peace just an illusion?
After all we're only human
("We're only human" is our excuse to say
We're not in control over our actions
Preferring to blame some "natural
Process" for our own self-indulgence
In personal gain)
You can point your finger
And redirect the blame
But just as you're blaming someone else
They doing just the same
So think before you drink your life away
Think about what you may have to say
React! - convincingly -
To that with which you disagree
The opening lines of Subhumans’ “Worlds Apart” juxtapose the complementary concepts of ignorance and innocence with peace and harmony. The singer highlights the false sense of peace that comes from ignoring the harsh realities of poverty and war that exist in other parts of the world. The second verse depicts the “public factory” and the common escape mechanism of wallowing fears with alcohol. The song then shifts to a critique of the misguided mentality that violence can be a solution to violence. Subhumans instead urge people to find an alternative reality that is defined by strength and clarity rather than war and destruction.
The chorus earnestly asks for a solution to the world’s persistent problem of human-generated pollution—emphasizing the idea that peace is just an illusion in a world where people are “only human”. The song makes a call to activism for people to react convincingly to situations with which they disagree. It pointedly ends with a challenge for all listeners to take responsibility for their own actions and avoid the cycle of blaming others for their problems.
Line by Line Meaning
Ignorance and innocence go together
Unawareness and naiveness often exist simultaneously
Peace and harmony flowers and trees
Tranquility and amicability are reflected in nature
Your peace of mind only comes in pints
The only way for you to find inner peace is to drink
There are other worlds apart from these
There are different realities that we are yet to explore
A world where war and poverty
A place where conflicts and financial deprivation are widespread
Exist as a reality
Are factual and not imaginary
Back in the public factory
Referring to a shared facility that is heavily stereotyped
So cliche's and disorderly
Lacking originality and disorganized
They wash down fears with crocodile beers
People numb their anxieties with alcohol
False illusion and big man jeers:
Misleading impressions and derogatory remarks by authoritative figures
"Well I didn't know about Afghanistan
Excuse used to plead ignorance to military conflicts
'cause I'm a home loving working man
I am just someone who values family and a steady job
And I'd know I'd resist if I had to fight
I believe I would oppose violence when necessary
I know I'd resist - exist - resist - with a fist"
I'm convinced I would fight back with all my might
Violence, no! That is no answer
Aggression is not the solution
Two wrongs don't make a right
One mistake cannot justify another
But a thousand wrongs make the human race
Many mistakes define humanity as a whole
Conditioned so they fight
We've been taught to engage in conflict
Hence the reason hence the shouting
This is why we argue the way we do
From the start it seemed so real
At the beginning, this felt so genuine
Anti-war and bombs and fighting
Opposing military conflict and explosives
Telling someone what we feel
Expressing our innermost thoughts
A world of strength and clarity
An alternate reality of vigor and lucidity
The alternative reality
A distinct way of life
But creating a new lifestyle
Designing a different way of existing
Could never come to much
It wouldn't amount to anything significant
Everyone had the ideas
People had differing concepts
But no-one had the guts
But none had the courage to implement their plans
Then they dropped their goddamn bomb
Then they detonated their blasted weapon
Just like we'd predicted
Exactly as we had foreseen it
Just like we wrote the songs about
Precisely like we had composed tunes describing it
Just like the words we'd stand and shout
Exactly like the declarations we had made loudly and vigorously
We don't know half
We understand very little
Of anything real
About tangible matters
We don't even know
We are ignorant about
How we should feel
How we're supposed to react emotionally
When questioned or cornered
When challenged or trapped
We back off and squeal
We become evasive and anxious
So where is this solution?
So what is the answer?
This evasive dream conclusion?
This seemingly unattainable resolution?
Where's the end to this pollution?
How do we put an end to this contamination?
Or is peace just an illusion?
Or is serenity simply imaginary?
After all we're only human
Considering we are fallible beings
("We're only human" is our excuse to say
The phrase "we're only human" is a rationale
We're not in control over our actions
We cannot dictate our actions
Preferring to blame some "natural
Rather, we'd rather attribute them to some natural
Process" for our own self-indulgence
Process that satisfies our personal desires
In personal gain)
For the sake of personal advantage
You can point your finger
You can accuse others
And redirect the blame
And shift the responsibility
But just as you're blaming someone else
But at the same time you fault others
They doing just the same
They are doing the same thing to others
So think before you drink your life away
So ponder before you drown your existence in alcohol
Think about what you may have to say
Consider what message you might be conveying
React! - convincingly -
Respond with confidence
To that with which you disagree
To opinions that you find objectionable
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rideronthestorm_
00:00 33322
01:22 British Disease
04:03 Heads Of State
06:34 Apathy
09:18 Fade Away
12:14 Businessmen
14:17 Someone Is Lying
18:42 Pigman
21:14 Can’t Hear The Words
23:07 Get To Work On Time
26:14 Carry On Laughing
29:30 Straightline Thinking
32:26 Ex-Teenage Rebel
37:07 Powergames
I know I’m not the only who loves to come back to this frequently haha 🍻
@davehoward22
Every single,ep and album this band put out are great from start to finish
@cynicalsyndicalist4599
in 1985 i was an afghan coat wearing hippie , the battle of the beanfield happened and i was totally disillusioned. then a punk friend played me this album, it helped completely change my way of thinking ,.this band then kept me sane through all the shit of the 80's 90's . best british punk band imho !
@gavinchapman1138
U r so right,I couldn't say it better my self ✌️👍
@gavinchapman1138
Wow can relate to everything u have
@davehoward22
Lots of anarcho punks went to stonehenge,myself included,early ,pre fence gastonbury,free festivals in general
@573seba7
im afraid to "like" this cus i dont want youtube to think its popular enough for commercials lol
@syntheseyez3577
That's what I love about listening to punk. Most of what I listen to has no commercials, because YouTube pretty much already knows punks aren't buying into their b.s. so they don't even bother advertising to us haha
@mileshall9235
Perfect
@spookybaba
Their very best Album, imo. 👍
@utahmedicineman7654
Agreed.