The Government (No...Not THAT One)

I'll take this Government over any particular one we've had in the last few years.
At times funky, sometimes angular, oftentimes art-punky and always quirky, witty, sardonic and above all: clever.  By most accounts ,Toronto's The Government  became legendary among the the city's legendary booze-hops and music galleries: The Beverly Tavern, The Edge, The Crash And Burn, Larry Hideaway, and -- quite naturally, The Music Gallery.

In 1979, they recorded a live soundtrack to a full-length video  production.  They released it as Electric Eye.

Anyway, The Government was led by interdisciplinary artist Andrew J. Paterson.  He was the heart and soul of the group, serving as the band's singer, songwriter, composer and guitarist for most of their work.  

Paterson was joined by bassist Robert Stewart, guitarist Jeremiah Chechik and drummer Ed Boyd -- later to be replaced by Billy Bryans, who played on their last recording before co-founding The Parachute Club.

In 1979, Paterson et al recorded the single "Hemingway Hated Disco"/"I Only Drive My Car At Night".

Later that year, they recorded the 33 1/3 RPM EP.

They followed that one in 1980 with the excellent, Guest List LP.  Consisting of 14 songs, this was their magnum opus.

Guest List gave way to How Many Fingers?.  The Government was finally defeated (well, okay...they disbanded.  I was trying to be clever.) in 1982.

[No Cover...Click The Album Name Below]

The Government - Electric Eye (1979):

1	The Government	Greetings From The Gutter	3:22
2	The Government	Letter To Craig/It Must Be God	4:45
3	The Government	Downtown/I Only Drive My Car At Night	2:52
4	The Government	Fumigators	4:27
5	The Government	On The Prowl	4:39
6	The Government	I Don't Really Care	4:04
7	The Government	Following You	2:07
8	The Government	On The Prowl/I Feel Like A Beer	2:36
9	The Government	I'm Somebody	1:36
10	The Government	Gunshot Wound	2:56
11	The Government	Following You/It Must Be God	2:15
12	The Government	Loading Of Gun, Shootout, Escape	1:22
13	The Government	Parking Ticket	4:31
14	The Government	Greetings From The Gutter Reprise	0:50

The Government - Hemingway Hated Disco Music (1979):


1. Hemingway (Hated Disco)     1:41


2. I Only Drive My Car At Night  3:00

The Government - 33^1/3 RPM E.P. (1979):

1		Flat Tire	2:19
2		Get You Sleepin'	4:11
3		Zippers of Fire	4:00
4		Sponge	2:21

The Government - Guest List (1980):

1		(I’d Rather Be A) Real Computer	3:08
2		Basic Motel	2:10
3		Acute Angle	1:36
4		Complications	2:26
5		None Of The Above	3:10
6		White	2:39
7		Nippon Gaki	2:30
8		Information	3:00
9		Exit Line	2:14
10		Telephobia	1:51
11		I Can't Swim	2:17
12		Fire Escape	3:42
13		Jackboots	3:39
14		Thursday	1:44

The Government - How Many Fingers? (1981):

1		How Many Fingers?	7:17
2		Plaza del Pimps	3:07
3		Portrait	2:35
4		Paranoid Downtown Funk Pt. 1	2:31