9/22/06: Deserters: “Goodbye Forever” (1983)

Siberian Nightlife is one of our favorite kinds of ’80s albums: a fake new-wave record by an AOR act trying to ride a hot trend onto the charts. In fact, Siberian Nightlife sounds like the album that Journey would’ve made if they’d all gotten haircuts and hired Ric Ocasek as producer.

We even used to think that Deserters was a San Francisco band—but that’s probably because one of the vocalists sounds a lot like Huey Lewis. Anyway, Siberian Nightlife also features another of our favorite ’80s musical moments: a big “we’re-all-going-to-die” nuclear threat rock ’n roll finish.

After our recent Heaven 17 tribute, we’ve been listening to plenty of hysterical Cold War epics. Any major label could compile a pretty cool theme album. “Goodbye Forever,” however, can safely be claimed for us Republicans. We’re the only ones who seem worried about Israel—or America—being turned into a glass parking lot. Listen as the UN cheers nuke-toting anti-Semites. It’s a good time for conservatives to get overblown and emotional.

“Goodbye Forever” is plenty emotional, but there’s no moronic political stance. It’s simply a soaring and sad tune that nicely closes out the album. “Next time it’ll be goodbye forever,” we’re told, and the world has changed enough that “next time” doesn’t even have to be a nuclear reference.

The band also has the decency to sound regretful while singing, “No more Miss America.” “There’s no more rock,” they add, “and no more roll.” That’s a fairly accurate short list of what the Religion of Peace is looking to eradicate. The song’s demand to “disarm and disactivate” doesn’t sound particularly mutual, either.

And don’t be calling us defeatist for wanting our own doomsday anthem. We’re about to celebrate the merry mix of Ramadan and the High Holy Days in a city where our mayor believes that cigarettes are a bigger threat than terrorism. Happy New Year!

Make it your own: So how did we find out that Deserters was a Canadian act? EMI Canada reissued Siberian Nightlife in 2003 as part of the “Northern Heritage” series. It’s a proud heritage. The album’s full of catchy tunes, and “Siberia” might be the great lost rock instrumental of the decade.

There’s also a debut LP that we’ll have to pick up someday. Sadly, Siberian Nightlife would be the band's last album. One of the two vocalists would dye his hair and join Canadian hitmakers Platinum Blonde—who’d already had a hit with a “we’re-all-going-to-die” video.

 

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