THE
SYSTEM - WARFARE
More appropriate and
in tune with events of that specific period was Spiderleg Records'
other release during spring of 1982 called The (Warfare) EP by
The System. Hailing from Wigan and featuring the wonderfully named
Jimi Jerkoff on bass, Jan Camode on vocals, Andy Atom on guitar and
Spider on drums, The System had forged a pounding, leaping, gliding
and thrusting amalgamation of Punk styles.
From '77-type
tuneful composition to The Ruts' sense of scale to fledgling Crass
rhetoric, their musical ambitions were undeniable whilst politically,
the sentiments of the songs came across as being heartfelt: "The
dogs of war are starting with their game. Warfare! Warfare! Will it
always be the same? The dogs of war don't even know your name, who
gives a fuck they'll destroy you any way."
It was apparent,
however, that in the use of such clumsy slogans on the record's
sleeve as 'I'm not going to end up a poppy on your lapel,' and
'Fuck! Their liberty and justice, it is not ours,' that this
was The System's first tentative steps into polemics.
Still, this was a
band that promised great things for the future as did also another
band whose début record would be released on Crass Records a month
later. Hailing from Eltham, in South East London, the band was called
Conflict...
Oh, all these memories triggered! I love your description. Spent some, erm, 'intense' times in the company of the System with Flux on tour... they were such nice blokes, and as you say, I always thought they had some superbly catchy songs with real tunes (!) and which they delivered impeccably live. I think they had the musical flair to have been more well-known and appreciated than they were...and are one of the few anarcho bands I could still listen to and now (and actually enjoy, to be honest!)
ReplyDeleteDon't know if you know but sadly Spider died in 2005 - so young.
A lesson in his passing (in everyone's passing, I guess?) is for us to value and appreciate those that are still with us because one day for certain we'll wake up and they'll be gone.
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