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The Keeper of the Gate

from Cosmic Street by The Gatekeepers

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about

Folk thought this was our team song, written to consolidate the name and manifesto but it was the other way around. Greg and I had wildly differing views on how important band names were. I believed (and still do) that the name sticks if the music does, whatever it is. Greg thought that it was central to the band's identity.

The Gatekeepers was a compromise: I picked it from the available song lyrics and liked its heavy authoritarian connotations (ie censorship and control). That was a popular theme in indy music of the time: Joy Division and New Order had Nazi connotations, and there was Westworld, Killing Joke (which managed to reference Monty Python and still sound serious), Gang of Four etc etc. Also, being young and leftist in Brisbane at the time, I was drawn towards that kind of comment.

We'd done one 4-track version of this which really nailed the Gregorian chant feel we were after but it was hopelessly out of time (my fault). We did it three times in 8-track, each time with less layered vocals, ending with this one which had mostly only two voices on it. The first one was so turgid and grave we referred to it as the Red Army choir version. If anyone out there has a copy of that I will find you and kill you.

The vocal harmony uses contrary motion (one voice ascends while the other descends) which is a common technique but used here to emphasise a kind of early music sombreness.

The lyrics are what I thought being middle aged and locked hopelessly into a ritualised existence at the beck and call of superiors would be like. The older me is speechless at the accuracy of this prophecy.

lyrics

KEEPER OF THE GATE

Morning comes again with promises
Sunshine on the lawn, unwelcome guest
Shaving with your aging eyes, the mirror's lying
Lies don't mean much, lies just grate
He walks past but he never sees
The keeper of the gate

Into work into the clock whose hands don't move
Same daydream of a man jumping off a roof
Flirting won't pay cover your eyes
Your coffee's gone cold
Dreams don't mean much they're all too late
He works for but he never sees
The keeper of the gate

Never ask questions about your fate
Chasing every rumour for
The keeper of the gate

credits

from Cosmic Street, released October 1, 1983
Written by Peter Jetnikoff

Peter Jetnikoff: Vocals, guitar (Peter MacPherson's Fender Bullet)
Greg Wadley: Vocals, bass
Greg Gilbert: Drums

Recorded at Basment Studios, Brisbane early 1983

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The Gatekeepers Melbourne, Australia

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