The Three Johns – Death Of The European EP

The Three Johns


Death Of The European









Label:Abstract Sounds – 12 ABS 034
Format:Vinyl, 12", EP
Country:France
Released:1985
Genre:Rock
Style:Alternative Rock, New Wave (discogs)


Tracklist

 
A1.  Death Of The European   
B1. Heads Like Convicts
B2. Rabies
B3. Twentieth Century Boy

From Leeds
Jon Langford - guitar
John Hyatt - vocals
John Brennan - bass
Hugo the drum machine

Death Of The European  flac & scans 135 MB
Listen  HERE (Flac)

(FROM SLEEVE NOTES TO DOJO 'BEST OF')
    One of the classic mid-80s underground bands - seemingly every fanzine of the day carried an interview with them - The Three Johns opted for humour and political belligerence at a time when all around them were intent on making their guitars jangle and handing out jelly babies to audiences dressed in anoraks.
 Imaginatively enough, The Three Johns were So called because they comprised three Johns - Messrs Hyatt (vocals), Langford (guitar) and Brennan (bass). Formed on Royal Wedding Day in 1981 as a collective of Leeds-based students, their career began With a run of fine 7-inch singles, two of which '- AWOL' and 'Brain Box' ...

. . . . .    'Death Of The European' was actually a vicious attack on the American destruction of European culture while 'Sold Down The River' summed up the mood of resignation which followed Thatcherism's triumphs of the mid-80s. Both confirmed The Three Johns had musical deftness which belied their perceived on-stage daftness.
...  How good were The Three Johns? In their early days Alan McGhee of Creation Records was desperate to book them for his club (believe it or not) the Three Johns pub in Islington. Think what he could have done with Three Johns instead of just two Gallaghers.

http://www.threejohns.co.uk/
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5649
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Johns

DEATH OF THE EUROPEAN
---------------------

Big mouth, open wide, open up those pearly gates of freedom

He's got a snapshot
Flash-light at Checkpoint Charlie
Among the searchlights
A balloon idea floats from his brain
The bubble bursts on his face

DEATH OF THE EUROPEAN

He's in the back seat Multiplication sex drive
he's the receiver he's in credit, he's alive
He is happy. He's alive.

DEATH OF THE EUROPEAN

He is the dead-beat walkman
Of Rock and Roll on the frontier
Listen out for something
American Forces Radio
He's on the late, late Alimony show

DEATH OF THE EUROPEAN

And now here's twelve year old Tracy With her poem about George Washington:
George Washington was the first
Great American President
And we honour him
And respect him
And we follow in the true American way

DEATH OF THE EUROPEAN

He rides the lightning
is snoring drowns the thunder
Finds his dreams frightening
He won't go under he's alive
Wake up tomorrow he'll be fine

DEATH OF THE EUROPEAN

Strange figure standing like a monument
in robes of old graffiti barbed wire halo
pushed down on his brow

Temple of pain shaved his head into the euro U.S.crop
tatoo (potsdam strasse mad stop)
stands like a stone like a statue like a monument
kiss the skull

DEATH OF THE EUROPEAN

Who am I working for?
I don't know which one to think.
Who am I working for these days?