Editorials

Let's Revisit The Original Version Of ANTHRAX's "Antisocial" By Politically-Charged French Metal Band TRUST

Cherry Bomb

Published

November 3, 2018

French metal band Trust formed connections with some of rock and metal's finest early on. Both Clive Burr and Nico McBrain of Iron Maiden played the drums for the French band. They were also championed by Bon Scott after the group hooked up with him at Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris. The year was 1977 and Bon was hanging out at Pathé with The Rolling Stones while they recorded Some Girls just down the hall from Trust who were there laying down their single "Paris By Night," a reworked cover of AC/DC's "Love at First Feel" (1977). According to sources well acquainted with the politically-charged band, Bon dug Trust, and Trust loved Bon. Trust vocalist Bernie Bonvoisin and Bon really hit it off, and he would bring Bonvoisin and the band along to hang around with legendary boozehound Keith Richards. Bon's love of Trust also got the band a spot opening a gig for their idols on October 24th, 1978.

In the fantastic 2009 book by Garry Sharpe-Young (foreword by Rob Halford thank you very much), Metal: The Definitive Guide, Young cites Trust as the most "successful" metal band to come out of France. 1979 would mark the arrival of Trust's first, self-titled record. With little promotion, the band embarked on a tour and seemingly by word-of-mouth alone would quickly build a rabid fan base, culminating with the final stop of the tour in front of 10,000 fans at the Pavilion de Paris (aka The Slaughterhouse, as it was built on the former site of an actual slaughterhouse). A few weeks later Trust would make headlines by playing a gig at the Fleury-Mérogis Prison – the largest prison in Europe – a bold move aligned with Trust's steadfast, nonconformist political beliefs.

This brings us to the primary focus of this post, "Antisocial" a song which would appear on Trust's epic second album, Répression (1980). The album was dedicated to Bon Scott, as their good pal and supporter had unexpectedly passed away in February. In fact, Bon's very last recording was captured in the studio six days before he died (noted in the book AC/DC FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the World's True Rock 'n' Roll Band) where he and Trust ripped through a version of "Ride On."

When Répression was released, it was viewed as a full-scale attack on social injustice such as the abuse and repression of the poor, police corruption, Nazis, political corruption, and the inadequacy of the prison system. "Antisocial," the first track on the album was directed at the police, and it is one intense jam. Here are the original (translated) lyrics for "Antisocial" which would become one of Anthrax's biggest hits eight-years later:

You bump your whole life to pay your tombstone,
You hide your face reading your newspaper,
You walk like a robot in the corridors of the metro,
The people do not touch you, you have to take the first step,
You want to talk without returning the ball,
Impossible to advance without your bulletproof vest.
You would like to give eyes to justice
Impossible to violate this woman full of vices.
Antisocial, you lose your cool.
Think back to all these years of service.
Antisocial, soon the years of sevices,
Finally the lost time that one catches more.
Crushing people has become your hobby.
By splashing them, you become embarrassing.
In your despair, there remains a little hope
That to see people unvarnished and less bastards.
But stop making the point, rather clench your fists,
Move your retirement, your conduct is too perfect
Raise the mouth, I'm there, you're not alone
Those who envy you today would judge you.
You bump your whole life to pay your tombstone,
You hide your face reading your newspaper,
You walk like a robot in the corridors of the metro,
The people do not touch you, you have to take the first step,
You want to talk without returning the ball,
Impossible to advance without your bulletproof vest.
You would like to give eyes to justice
Impossible to violate this woman full of vices.
Antisocial, antisocial, antisocial, antisocial

Trust.

In 1981, at the request of Ian Gillan, Trust would make an appearance at Reading Rock – their biggest gig yet in front of 40,000 or so English metal fans. For their third record, Marche Ou Crève, Nico McBrain would hop on board, but the album would not conjure quite the same energy as Répression. Later, Trust would end up opening ten shows for McBrain's future bandmates Iron Maiden during the Killers Tour, gaining them more exposure and offers of touring with AC/DC and Judas Priest in the U.S., though they would opt to stay in France. Two more albums would follow, including 1984's Man's Trap with Clive Burr on drums, before Trust said so long sometime in 1985. In 1988, Anthrax would cover "Antisocial" on their album State of Euphoria. If you have the record, you can peep drummer Charlie Benante proudly sporting a Trust t-shirt on the inside record jacket. Later the same year, Anthrax, Bonvoisin, and Trust would perform "Antisocial" live at Hammersmith Odeon. If you've been patiently wondering what gives with the difference between Trust's lyrics for "Antisocial" and Anthrax's, here's the deal.

Before he died, Bon was working on translating the lyrics on Répression to English to better showcase the band to American audiences. When Bon passed, Jimmy Pursey of Sham 69 fame was brought in to "reinterpret" the lyrics on the album. If you know the song (or know how to use Google, if not), you can see Pursey's version, while still fist-pumpingly angry, isn't a direct translation of the original at all, hence the use of the word "reinterpret" on Pursey's translator job description.

Below you'll hear audio of Trust's OG version of "Antisocial," as well as footage of Anthrax and Trust throwing down together at the Odeon in 1988. Also included is audio of "Paris by Night" and of Bon Scott in the studio for the last time with Trust performing "Ride On." And, although Trust disbanded in 1985, like so many bands, they have reformed/changed lineups (an issue which plagued the band throughout their career) a few times over the decades and are currently active and touring around France with live dates scheduled in November and December.