Information/Write-up
Matrix Number 12" Vinyl 1st Pressing: SR 1846-A / SR 1846-B
There have been four pressings of 'In Love With The System' on vinyl: 1st (1980): Original with insert "Daily Rebel" in 1980 | 2nd (1986): Without original insert but with Star Records flyer instead. | 3rd (1996): Dud pressing on red vinyl. The plant had problems with the die and as a result all the test copies were returned for meltinmg and repressing. Only 10 duds were kept by colectors. All others were returned. | 4th (1996) Last pressing on red vinyl.
December 1979 - Plans develop for Star Records - The Store to become Star Records - The Label. Dec 13, I take Mike Shulga to see The Forgotten Rebels practice. The new line-up consists of Mickey plus Al Mocambo (Al Smolak - guitar), Pogo Au Go Go (Chris Houston - bass) and Larry Electrician (Larry Potvin - drums). I tell Shulga we must record the Rebels so that 'Elvis is Dead' is preserved for posterity.' He agrees. (Source: Bob Bryden's website)
Friday, February 15, 1980: First day of recording The Forgotten Rebels 'In Love with the System' LP at Sound Kitchen recording studio on Weston Road in Toronto 12 bedtracks in one day. I call it 'guerilla recording'. Sunday February 24, 1980 - Marathon mix-down of Rebels LP. March 24, 1980 - Finish mix of Rebels LP. Album mastered March 25 at Phase One in Toronto. (Source: Bob Bryden's website)
April 7, 1980: 'In Love with the System' LP cover design finished. Concept by myself and Richard Chomko. Tuesday April 29, 1980 - I am informed by Brian Simpkins, manager of Golden Records (record plant) that 3 of Toronto's printing houses will not, I repeat will NOT print The Forgotten Rebels album cover or insert because of profanity. I quote Luis Bunuel to myself: 'In a world as badly made as this one, there is only one road - rebellion.' Despite all of our efforts to convince the printers to do the job - we are 'forced' to black out the title of one of the songs on the back cover if we want the album out on time. We are working on getting a Ramones show for the area and having the Rebels open up. Wednesday, May 14, 1980 - The Forgotten Rebel 'In Love with the System' LP is released on Star Records - The Label with No Choice. Wednesday, May 21, 1980 - The Ramones come to Star Records, Hamilton for an autograph session. That night The Forgotten Rebels open up for them in Burlington. The agreement was The Rebels could open for the Ramones if they did NOT play 'I Wanna be a Nazi'. Of course, they did. Still in search of the perfect haircut. June, 1980 - I spend assuring the entire civilized world that The Forgotten Rebels are not, I repeat NOT a neo-nazi organization bent on world conquest. It starts with a gentleman who attends the Ramones/Rebels show who happens to have lost his whole family in the holocaust. He is so outrages by 'Nazis' that he call the office of the Attorney-General who proceeds to call the Burlington Police. On Wednesday June 18, I meet with Sgt Sullivan and detectives in Burlington who have an actual copy of 'In Love with the System' with insert. I assure them that these 'kids' are 'harmless' (are they really?) And that they are simply total knee-jerk reactionaries who will do anything to shock you - bur there's nothing much behind it. This seems to satisfy the police and the Attorney General BUT NOT, I REPEAT NOT CFNY. (Believe it or not - that bastion of 'alternative' music was the most offended party. Mainly because of 'Third Homosexual Murder' on the EP.) Backtracking a little - on June 10, 1980 - I had to meet with David Marsden and other staff of CFNY to assure them that The Forgotten Rebels will really not shoot you if you're gay - but that song was merely their way of 'reporting'. I still doubted we were going to get any airplay - and we didn't. It seems everybody misses that strategic verse in Mickey's song 'Nazis' where he says: 'You'd have to be quite an idiot...to believe in this mess.' (Source: Bob Bryden's website)
The song 'Elvis is Dead' was inspired by the Dutch single “We’re So Glad Elvis Is Dead” by Tits (Source: Gary Pig Gold, distributor of the single)
Bomb the Boats and Feed the Fish
I don't want no foreign pricks to take my job away from me.
My tax dollars paid their ransom. Would they do the same for me?
[Now] I don't, I don't want them in my home.
I don't, I don't want them finding me alone.
They're commies, sub-human, subversives.
(They're) commies, [they're] human living curses.
They got nowhere to go so let them (drown) [go].
[I don't want them around so let them down.]
I don't want them around so let them drown.
(So) let's bomb the boats (and) feed the fish.
Gulls peck flesh from rancid stiffs decaying on the deep blue sea.
Bits and pieces here and there, bomb them far from my country.
[Now] Do you, do you want them in your home?
Do you, do you want them finding you alone?
They're commies, sub-human subversives.
(They are) commies, [they're] human living curses.
They got nowhere to go so let them blow.
(They got nowhere to go so let them blow.)
[And I want to have them around???]
(I don't want them around so let them drown.)
[They got nowhere to go so let them drown.]
Let's bomb the boats (and) feed the fish. Bomb the boats (and) feed the fish.
Bomb the boats (and) feed the fish. Bomb the boats and feed their fucking flesh to the fish.
I Think Of Her
[Oh] Every time I think of her, I close my eyes.
She was a velvet doll, she was a punk rocker.
When I walked off stage I fell in love with her.
[And] I stared at her from across the bar - I want her near to me.
So close and dear to me.
[And] Later that night she asked me home, so I took her home where we were all alone.
[Baby] I think of her, when she's not around.
I think of her, when she's in the underground.
I think of her, when (she's) [she is] not in town.
I think of her. [I think of her.]
I held her tight as she clutched my hand.
(Can) [Can't] you understand? I gotta be her man.
She became special to me just in a night.
You see the dreams we (have) [shared], [and] the dreams we (shared) [have].
Then for awhile, for about a week we played a silly adult game of hide and seek.
But now I gotta have that girl to (be with me forever) [hold me tight forever]. Baby!
I think of her, when she's not around.
I think of her, when she's in the underground.
I think of her, [and] when she's not in town.
I think of her. [I think of her.]
[And I think of her, when she's not around.
I think of her, when she's in the underground.
I think of her, when she's not in town.
I think of her, and when she's not around.
I think of her, when she's in the underground.
I think of her, when she is not in town.
I think of her. when she's in the underground.
I think of her, I think of her.]
Mickey DeSadist: vocals
Al McCombo: guitar
Pogo Au Gogo: bass
Larry Electrician: drums
Produced by Bob Bryden
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