Their first radio airplay came from legendary DJ John Peel, to whom they sent a demo tape (recorded in a disused meat factory known as Cold Storage) in early 1977. During this time, they also recorded a session with Ghanaian musician Mario Boyer Diekuuroh, parts of which later appeared on a 1982 split cassette with Albert Marcoeur, released by the French experimental rock magazine Tago Mago.
Their self-titled debut album was recorded between February 1976 and September 1978, and surfaced in August 1979. It was characterized by heavy use of tape manipulation and looping, combined with more traditional instrumental performance, to create dense, eerie, electronic soundscapes and dub-inflected experimental rock. Also released in this period was an EP, Health & Efficiency, which foreshadowed the more rock-oriented sound of Deceit (1981), the band's second and final album. Produced with help from reggae mixer Martin Frederick, Deceit found the band incorporating more influence from punk rock, and consolidating the world music influences in their work. Although, like all of This Heat's releases, it sold poorly, Deceit is now seen as a classic of the post-punk era, on par with Joy Division's Closer or Public Image Ltd.'s Metal Box.
This Heat split up in 1982 after a final tour with new members Trefor Goronwy and Ian Hill following Williams' departure. Hayward went on to form Camberwell Now with Goronwy and former This Heat soundman, Stephen Rickard, and remains active musically with groups including Fred Frith's Massacre. In 1993 a new album of previously unreleased This Heat recording was unearthed. Repeat featured three long tracks, including the title track - a 20 minute remix of "24 Track Loop." Out of Cold Storage - a box set of all the band's official recordings - was released in June 2006 on This is!, a Recommended Records sub-label set up by Charles Hayward and Charles Bullen to re-release This Heat's back catalogue. It comprises This Heat, Deceit, Health and Efficiency, Made Available - a compilation of the band's Peel Sessions - and Repeat, plus Live 80/81, a CD of concert recordings.
Gareth Williams later formed Flaming Tunes with Mary Currie and released a cassette of new material in a much softer style than that of This Heat. He died in late 2001.
Official website: http://www.thisheat.org
Sleep
This Heat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
Sleep go to sleep
You are now in a deep sleep
In store promises
Endless possibilities
A life of ease
A life cocooned in a routine of food
Stimulus and response
Softness is a thing called comfort
Doesn't cost much to keep in touch
We never forget you have a choice
Possibilities in store
A taste of paradise
Success on a plate for you
Endless promises
Sleep, sleep, sleep, go to sleep
You are now in a deep sleep
The lyrics to This Heat's song "Sleep" paint a picture of a seductive and alluring dream world that promises endless possibilities and a life of ease. The repetition of the phrase "Sleep, sleep, sleep, go to sleep" reinforces the idea of a hypnotic state, where the listener is lulled into a peaceful slumber. The subsequent lines describe a world where comfort, routine, and stimulus are readily available, and where promises of success and paradise abound. The refrain, "You are now in a deep sleep," suggests that the listener has succumbed to the allure and is now fully immersed in this dream world.
However, the lyrics also hint at a darker side to this dream world. The line "softness is a thing called comfort" suggests that comfort is an illusion, and that the listener is being lulled into complacency. The emphasis on the routine of food and stimulus and response suggests that the listener's independence and agency are being eroded. The repeated promises of success and paradise are never fulfilled, leading to a sense of futility and disillusionment.
Overall, the lyrics to "Sleep" can be interpreted as a cautionary tale about the seductive power of dreams and the dangers of complacency. The song urges the listener to stay awake, to resist the pull of easy solutions and empty promises, and to strive for something more meaningful and fulfilling.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleep,sleep,sleep,go to sleep
Repetitive call to sleep
Sleep go to sleep
Further emphasis on sleeping
You are now in a deep sleep
Confirmation of state of sleep
In store promises
Vague commitments or offers
Endless possibilities
Unlimited opportunities
A life of ease
A comfortable and effortless existence
A life cocooned in a routine of food
A life limited to basic necessities like food
Stimulus and response
Mechanical or automatic reactions
Softness is a thing called comfort
The softness of things bring comfort
Doesn't cost much to keep in touch
Maintaining communication is not expensive
We never forget you have a choice
The reminder that there is always a choice
Possibilities in store
Unspecified opportunities or prospects
A taste of paradise
A small taste of something blissful
Success on a plate for you
Achieving success easily and without effort
Endless promises
Abundant assurances/threats
Sleep, sleep, sleep, go to sleep
Recurring call for sleep
You are now in a deep sleep
Confirmation of state of sleep
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHARLES BULLEN, CHARLES HAYWARD, GARETH WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind