Finally… The Three Johns arrive on YouTube

Those of you as have been following the CLR will know that my username is taken directly from The Three Johns exemplary song, World By Storm… anyhow, I’m delighted to see that they’re finally represented on YouTube. Not, perhaps, the song I’d have chosen… but, as ever, we work with what we get.

The video certainly displays the art school roots of at least one of the Johns. And as Robert Christgau notes:

The Three Johns: The Death of Everything (Caroline ’88).
Descrying the “gothic” tattoo that ID’s a cartoon Jon Langford on the
inner sleeve, I was reminded, invidiously, of his fondness for the
Sisters of Mercy. The Johns are political jokers, hence not gothic two
ways. But there isn’t a track here as high-powered (or funny, or
politically efficient) as “This Corrosion,” and from the sound Adrian
Sherwood gets out of “Never and Always,” I just know Langford wishes
there was.

I think that’s a bit unfair, but… I’ll admit that for much of their career they were an acquired taste. Still, nice to see people smiling as they deliver a political message. Here’s the lyric:

Never And Always

Lift up your gaze like a guillotine blade
And see the engine blaze
Record or erase this first of days when
We will climb on board
It’s a rocket ship to the future
Of never and always
It’s going from this land here to that
Just like dark age Lou says
His armour peels like a soup can
He’s shaved off all his curls
To the end of the time with time
Never and always
The dark knight discards his spurs
He’s joined the peacemakers
Never and always
Blood rising / blood falling
Like all the water in the world
It’s sexless it’s a new world
It’s the end of time with time
Pumping brain pumping iron
Pumping silence on fire
The eyes shine bright from the skull
Never and always
Give up wind and don’t wail
To the end of the time with time
Never and always
Give up wind and don’t wail
We’ll sail in the ebb and the flow
It’s life’s university
Co-ordinate the visual ‘V’ sign
Never and always
Pumping brain pumping iron
Pumping silence on fire

Okay…

For those of you unacquainted with The Three Johns, one of them was one part of the equally excellent Mekons. They’re sort of back. And that’s great…

Still, for those of us who don’t catch the shows either this time or first time round, and I guess they’re unlikely to grace this shore, more on YouTube would be nice.

International leftism? Go for it guys…

I know John at the ever enlightening Counago & Spaves will appreciate this one…