The Enemy - 'Away From Here'
There's long been a tradition in guitar bands that it's somehow OK to poke musical fun at people who have jobs (the Kinks did it, sort of, and the Specials did, and the Jam and the Clash...even Placebo did...). Apparently it's satirical and dead clever to brag about how clever you are to live an alternative lifestyle, while poking fun at all the poor saps who have to go to work every day, like the mindless corporate drones they are. God, it's like they don't even realise all they have to do is be in a band, right, and then they won't have to get up early, or do ANYTHING they don't want to do...
...apart from travelling the country in a transit van (or 'commuting', as workers call it), turning up at faraway locations to unpack drums, amplifiers and guitars and set them up. Then stand on a draughty stage and listen to a drummer hit every single one of his drums one at a time over and over again for an hour. Then spend ten seconds checking a guitar, half run-through of one of your songs and then sit about for hours on a backstage sofa which someone has clearly been sick on, and not that long ago.
Over on the wallpaper table by the wall - underneath the square which would be a mirror if it wasn't so covered in grafitti and sick (again) - there's a stack of beer and some crisps. That's dinner. Then, on the dot of 9:15 (and not a second sooner), you have to go out and do your job, even if you are poorly. And as soon as the clock strikes ten, you have to stop (or risk a heavy fine).
And your evening commute is a drunken ride off into the night, on the floor of your transit van, hoping to God the cymbal-case doesn't collapse on your head again.
But that's not what this song is about, no. This song is about those days when people in bands can get up really late and laze about watching daytime TV and sneering at the people who have the disposable income to buy their records.
Those of you reading this at work won't have a clue what this feels like, of course. Apparently the weekends aren't the same thing. Richard and Judy aren't on at the weekend. This is very important.
Oh, and according to the song, "name badges are not interesting". Which is a relief, quite frankly. It leaves you a few extra pennies at the 'merch' stall to buy a T-shirt instead, right?
Download: Out now
CD Released: April 12th
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comments
They sound like a bad U2 tribute band who've decided to write their own tracks (in the style of U2) and failed miserably.
fair enough to say they're poking fun at workers, but who can honestly say they have never related to the words of just wanting to get away? the enemy did and good on 'em. those lyrics sum up how a lot of people feel in their jobs and so many people can relate to it - it sums up my job, anyway!
They sound nothing like U2!
Great song.
these boys are deadly , top band to come from coventry . "we'll live n die in this towns"
they putting coventry on the map.
seen tom, liam n andy last nite in the colly ,in cov and wot a wicked nite , still hanging from it now.
And what a great song oo woho oo away from here!!!
hope it reaches top 10 , good luck lads!!!
fraser you have completly missed the point of their song!!
bad journalism. failed musician or a musicians friend by the sounds of it.
[Ben, no I haven't! What I've said here is that it's all very well to sneer at McJobs, but there's aspects of EVERY line of work - hey, even mine! - which are a little bit soul-destroying. And that includes being in a band. Still, at least you didn't take it all the wrong way and lash out, eh? ;-) - Fraser]