The band originally formed in 1971/early 1972 with Peter Banks on keyboards, John Leach on bass and Ian Adamson on drums. The original group disbanded in December 1972. Peter went on to play keyboards for Narnia, playing alongside John Russell.
In 1974 Peter and Ian decided to breathe new life into ATF and started auditions for a guitar player. Andy Piercy approached the pair, and after a settling of opinions the Piercy/Banks partnership was formed. The early material took the form of Christian stories. In 1975 Robin Childs joined the band as a bass player.
In 1977 Robin left, replaced by Nick Battle and Ian left to be replaced by a "strange" drummer, Ivor Twidell. By late 1977 Nick had decided to leave but was persuaded to stay to record Signs of Change.
Signs of Change was released on a private label out of frustration with the Christian record labels who insisted that bands pay up-front. It was an outstanding album for it's time, well thought through and brilliantly executed. The six tracks are reminiscent of early Genesis and Yes, synth-lead with good-sized instrumental breaks. The album had a limited release of 4000 copies and with an even more limited number including a lyric sheet insert - printed white hand written lyrics on black. The album was distributed by mail order.
ATF moved on musically and with Nick leaving Andy switched to bass (not before various bass players had appeared with the band) and John Russell joined the band as the new guitarist, after seeing the band playing at a pub.
The band was eventually signed up by CBS in 1978 and started recording in the winter. During the production of the Laser Love album no less than 5 producers worked with the band (the band also produced 2 tracks), leaving the final release a little dis-jointed. Some of the tracks were recorded twice by different producers.
During August 1979 the band played the Greenbelt festival for the last time (having been regulars in the past few years) - everything about the bands appearance was electric, from the sound check in the early afternoon to the fireworks that finished the overrun evening performance. It gave the band a chance to air the new tracks before the release of the new album in October 1979.
Ivor left the band in October 1979 after ill health led to his collapse on stage, he was replaced by Nick Brotherwood. The band started work on a new album - 80-f. It was turned down by CBS and led to yet another change in drummer, however, the album contained some excellent tracks like Operator that never saw the light again. An acetate of the album is in existence. This delay cost the band a US tour.
Pete King, ex-Flys drummer, was recruited as the new drummer and quickly filled the role. His style matched the band and he settled in as the band started re-recording the album with Mack as the producer. The album was released with two singles, which again, never got the airplay they deserved. The album sold well in Germany and the band released Sternenflug - a German version of Starflight.
1981 saw the band touring extensively abroad, along with appearances on Old Grey Whistle Test and Rock Goes To College.
The album Batteries Not Included was the most polished release, and sadly the bands last release of new material. The singles did well in London, kept high in the Capital Radio phone votes, but the sales did not reflect this masterpiece.
Demos for a new album were being made.
In 1982 the band appeared on Swap Shop and toured with ELO (Pete King filled for Bev Bevan after he was taken ill), Queen and Van Halen on a fifty-one date tour of America in ninety-nine days. Half way through the tour CBS heard the demo tracks the band had recorded for a new album and requested they return to start in the recording studio. The band, funded by Harvey Goldsmith decided to stay on the tour - they returned in a lot of debt. The band was still not making the money nor had the public backing they needed.
The band announced the split in December 1982 at the Dominion Theatre - their last concert and one of the best. Without the ties of management and record companies the band flowed through the set, relaxed and backed by the crowd.
The band had been pulling in two directions with Andy and John wanting to move the music in a rock direction and the two Peter's wishing to go more pop.
The last single release by the band was Der Kommissar, a Falco hit. The single was a worldwide hit and CBS asked the band to reform but to no avail. Andy returned to the recording studio with John and various session musicians, a re-work of Dancing In The Shadows was released and a new single 8 Ball In The Top Pocket followed. The single never achieved airplay and was withdrawn shortly afterwards - the 12" slipped out without notice.
CBS released Der Kommissar - a greatest hits album, to cash in on the single and re-released it with reworked Dancing In The Shadows, One Rule For You and Starflight.
The bands revival was short lived and CBS finally laid the project to rest, abandoning the release of the album Free Heat.
John went on to form Press Any Key with his brother Rob, Andy started a solo career and went on to produce. Pete Banks and Pete King started working on a new project called Zipcodes and a tape was released after the death of Pete King in 1987.
The reworked Der Kommissar was released by Sony recently - the only album to make CD.
2004 and beyond
Although the band reunited for a couple of special events, things lay dormant until 2004 when Peter Banks and John Russell agreed to take part in a 'Friends' (the After The Fire fan club) reunion where, with John's son Matt on drums and bassist Ian Niblo, they played an informal Karaoke set for brave fans to perform their favourite tracks. Despite a gap of 'some' years it seemed that the fan-base for the band had never deserted them, they were just resting!
This spurred a flurry of activity, resulting in the recruitment of ex-Zipcodes cohort Keith Smith on vocals and a return to The Greenbelt Arts festival in 2004 for a full-on comeback gig some 25 years after the band last played there. A hot and sweaty venue was crammed to capacity where fans were treated to both a trip down memory lane and a band playing timeless classics.
The make-up of the band is different. The charts have moved on. But the band who played over 300 gigs, toured with ELO, Queen, Van Halen and shared a BBC In Concert stage with U2 are back and ready to start a new chapter in their history.
This new phase has seen the release of the bands back catalogue, a 'warts and all' official bootleg of the comeback at Greenbelt on DVD and the release of a single in support of Christian Aid's Trade Justice Campaign, part of the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY initiative.
Why can't we be friends
After the Fire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When it comes to hurting each other we learn to trip before we learn to walk
Words can be so detrimental, quick to hurt and slow to mend
So why can't we be friends?
Anyone can criticise things, anyone can break things down
It's not so easy to revive things, once it's dead it's hard to bring around
What about some words to build on, we all need them now and then
So why can't we be friends?
He can't help it cause he's ugly, she can't help the way she stares
Look at you, you're not so lovely, you look as though your face has been repaired
Let's start thinking of each other, we could start a whole new trend
So why can't we be friends?
People like to give me a hard time, put me up against the wall
I see them standing on the touchline waiting round to see me when I fall
Sorry if I disappoint you but that is not what I intend
So why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be friends?
Why can't we be...
The lyrics of After the Fire’s song “Why Can’t We Be Friends” explores the theme of human relations, specifically the importance of building and maintaining positive relationships. Through the use of metaphorical language, the song highlights the dangers of allowing our emotions to take control, and how we should be more mindful of what we say to one another. The first verse cautions listeners to be more thoughtful before they speak, pointing out that words can be hurtful and slow to heal. The next verse encourages us to be builders and not breakers, and to use our words to construct positive relationships. The third verse advocates for us to have a more empathetic view of others, to learn to appreciate their differences, and to reject prejudices that can create obstacles to building relationships. The chorus is a plea for peace and unity among people from the same community, ethnicity, or race.
“Why Can’t We Be Friends” was written and first recorded in 1975 by War, a funk band from California. Their version of the song became a hit in the US, reaching number 6 on the Billboard chart. The song is generally regarded as a classic of the funk and soul genre. After the Fire’s version, which was released in 1982, was an unexpected hit in Europe, where it reached the top 10 in several countries. They reworked the song, bringing in a more rock-oriented sound, with a guitar riff that replaced War’s distinctive horn section.
Line by Line Meaning
One thing leads to another, better think before you talk
It's important to consider the consequences of your words and actions before you act.
When it comes to hurting each other we learn to trip before we learn to walk
We tend to hurt others before we learn to empathize with them and communicate effectively.
Words can be so detrimental, quick to hurt and slow to mend
Words have the power to harm deeply and are often difficult to repair.
So why can't we be friends?
Why can't we put aside our differences and work towards a harmonious relationship?
Anyone can criticise things, anyone can break things down
It's easy to criticize or destroy things, but it takes effort to build them up.
It's not so easy to revive things, once it's dead it's hard to bring around
It's difficult to restore something that's been broken or destroyed, and it may require a lot of work.
What about some words to build on, we all need them now and then
What if we choose to use our words to uplift and inspire instead of tearing down? We all need encouragement at times.
He can't help it cause he's ugly, she can't help the way she stares
People should not be judged or criticized for things beyond their control, such as their physical appearance or quirks.
Look at you, you're not so lovely, you look as though your face has been repaired
This line is likely sarcastic and poking fun at someone. It suggests that the person being criticized has had plastic surgery or has otherwise altered their appearance.
Let's start thinking of each other, we could start a whole new trend
If we choose to focus on empathy and kindness towards others, it could lead to a positive shift in our relationships and society as a whole.
So why can't we be friends?
This line is a refrain and repetition of the main question posed by the song. Why can't we choose to get along and work together?
People like to give me a hard time, put me up against the wall
The artist is likely describing situations in which they are unfairly criticized or attacked by others.
I see them standing on the touchline waiting round to see me when I fall
The singer perceives others as waiting for them to fail, so they can criticize or tear them down even more.
Sorry if I disappoint you but that is not what I intend
The singer does not want to let others down or cause harm, but they are being unfairly judged regardless.
So why can't we be friends?
This line is repeated multiple times to emphasize the main message of the song - why can't we all simply get along and treat each other with kindness and respect?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@coolnegative
Yup......