Vocalist Eddie Argos (an ex-goth obsessed with Jonathan Richman and Vincent Van Gogh) had previously been in a band, The Art Goblins, in his hometown of Bournemouth. Their stage show would see him “playing a vacuum cleaner” and escaping from a sack. They sounded not unlike cult Glaswegians The Yummy Fur and had songs such as I Wanna Be Johnny Dean and Disco.
Another ‘project’ was The Welsh Elephant, who penned the should-be-classic Fuck The MSP (which contains the catchy refrain “Nicky Wire can suck my cock!”). Having moved to London and determined to be in another band, Argos found himself at a party in Mornington Crescent and set about hassling everyone there to join him. A webzine-editor and guitarist called Chris Chinchilla (a ska fanatic) thought this sounded like a good idea – after all, it was a good way to impress girls. Argos was more concerned about getting on ‘Top Of The Pops’. Chinchilla talked his German flatmate Freiderike Feedback (grunge fan) into playing bass, and thus they got a bass guitar for her off eBay. Argos had a friend from Bournemouth who’d also just moved to London. Ian Catskilkin (thinks he’s in Led Zeppelin, but with better hair) used to be in a heavy rock band called Orco and he agreed to join the new band. Another friend then overheard a German man (who NME would later say looks like “he should be in Interpol”) on a bus telling someone how he played drums and worked in Merc, the shop on Carnaby Street selling cut-price mod clothing. Determined to hunt him down, Argos and Chinchilla went to the shop. He wasn’t working that day, so they left him a note. Mikey Breyer (listens to nothing but Weezer) would then join the band, and that was it – May 2003, Art Brut was born.
Much like Bloc Party, Art Brut’s first gig was an independently promoted show at the Kentish Town Verge. Chinchilla had booked it before the band was ready, at which there was much complaining by his fellow bandmates. Mike’s drumkit had yet to be imported, so he played sitting down (he usually stands up to play). After a number of other gigs round London they recorded a demo named Brutlegs, containing early versions of Formed A Band, Modern Art and Moving To LA, and made it available on their website. Formed A Band first saw the light of day on the debut Angular Records compilation album. After a journalist came across this recording, he sent an MP3 to the label Rough Trade. Within an hour of getting it, the label’s A&R man was in touch offering to release Formed A Band as a single.
Suddenly the band were all over the music press, picking up fans and haters with ease. Many people expected it to be nothing more than a one-off novelty single. They played a triumphant Swedish festival where a guy interviewed them and got confused, thought they were from Manchester (and had all his questions based around the city), and compared them to The Sultans Of Ping. They were also offered the main tour support for Razorlight but had to turn it down due to lack of funds.
Formed A Band was released as a single at the end of March 2004. A gleeful call to arms of sorts, Argos shouts “formed a band! We formed a band! Look at us, we formed a band!” before going on to proclaim how he’s going to “write a song as universal as Happy Birthday” and “play it eight weeks in a row on ‘Top Of The Pops’”. It reached No. 52, selling 5,000 copies, and cropped up in many end-of-year polls as the one of the best singles of the year, including ‘Blender’ – the USA’s second biggest music mag after ‘Rolling Stone’ - who proclaimed them the best unsigned band in the UK.
The rest of 2004 saw them playing numerous gigs from Brighton to Manchester, as well as a first anniversary show at the Tate Modern where they were joined by a couple of a Argos’ heroes – The Vessel (David Devant and His Spirit Wife) and Les ‘Fruitbat’ Carter (Carter USM). As a stop-gap between singles, they offered the new, shaky Brutlegs 2004, this time containing versions of Good Weekend (the one that goes “got myself a brand new girlfriend… I’ve seen her naked TWICE!”), Bang Bang Rock And Roll and an acoustic version of Moving To LA.
The frenzied Top Of The Pops (not a Rezillos cover) was recorded with a number of bands guesting on vocals (including Ciccone, The Boyfriends, The Long Blondes, Abdoujaparov, Prozak, Rhesus and Luxembourg) for inclusion on the Angular Records compilation Rip Off Your Labels, while Moving To LA saw yet another recorded appearance, this time in live form from the Bath Moles on the compilation Bring Your Own Poison: The Rhythm Factory Sessions.
In December ’04, their second single finally saw the light. A double A-side of Modern Art and My Little Brother (with B-side These Animal Menswe@r), it was released on the Fierce Panda label and reached No. 49 – scoring the band a bigger hit than before and, perhaps surprisingly, the highest chart position Fierce Panda has ever had. All the sleeves of the 7” were hand-designed by the band and fans, including one messy session at a Queens Of Noize night at Camden Barfly which ended with the stage (and crowd) being covered in fluorescent pink paint.
The start of 2005 sees them having completed their debut album, pencilled in for release in March, and having picked up even more fans including Graham Coxon, British Sea Power, The Libertines, Hope Of The States and genius boy wizard Daniel Radcliffe. Even the Happy Mondays’ Bez has tried to get onstage at one point with them at the Barfly but was so wasted at the time he didn’t manage it, despite Catskilkin’s attempts at pulling him by his arm.
Sadly, they’ve yet to appear on ‘Top Of The Pops’. Perhaps ‘CD:UK’ will be more accommodating. It’s better, anyway.
In Late August 2005 Chris Chinchilla decided to leave the band for personal reasons and was replaced by former Art Goblin, Jasper Future.
Art Brut performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, on April 30, 2006, at Pitchfork Music Festival in June 2006, and at the Festival Internacional de Benicàssim and the Dour Festival in Belgium, in July 2006 and are due to headline the Two Thousand Trees Festival in July 2008. Art Brut also released a split 7" with We Are Scientists, which was only released in America. We Are Scientists returned the idea and covered Art Brut's song 'Bang Bang Rock & Roll' on the single. Their version of "Bang Bang Rock & Roll" is also available on their b-sides album Crap Attack.
The band released their second album, It's a Bit Complicated, on Mute Records produced by Dan Swift , who has also worked with artists such as Help She Can't Swim, Victorian English Gentlemens Club, Kasabian and Snow Patrol. The first single to be taken from the album, "Nag Nag Nag Nag", was released on 20 November 2006, featuring the b-side "I Found This Song in the Road" and 5 live tracks from the Eurockéennes de Belfort Festival 2006. The song made Single of the Week in The Guardian's "The Guide" section. In 2007 they played on the American NME Rock and Roll Riot tour with The Hold Steady. In the United States, the album reached #14 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and #32 on the Independent Albums chart.
On 1 March 2008 Argos revealed on his blog that Art Brut have amicably left EMI. In August 2008 Eddie Argos announced on his blog that the band have been recording songs for the third album. In late 2008 Art Brut returned to the studio to record their third LP Art Brut vs. Satan which was released on April 20th 2009. The album was produced by Frank Black formerly of the Pixies.
In September 2013 the band announced that long serving members Mikey Breyer and Jasper Future were retiring to be replaced with Toby Macfarlaine (guitar) and Stephen Gilchrist (drums).
2) Art Brut is a freejazz and improvisation group
Art Brut is:
Frank Wilke – trumpet
André D. – bass
Vasco Ribeiro Morais – percussions, voices
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Art_Brut/art_brut/
André D. on Souncloud: http://soundcloud.com/darius-improvise/tracks?format=html&page=1
Other review: http://dariusimprovise.blogspot.fr/2013/06/art-brut.html
I Will Survive
Art Brut Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So you don't need to lend me money
I'm out most of the day
And it's not long before I get paid
If you're cold, hungry
Put on a coat
I've bread (?)
You can't tell if it's toast
There's no key or lock for the door
I know what it looks like
And I can tell you're not impressed
I don't know what I'm doing
But it's feeling like success
A pile of clothes, just been laundered
Drying damp in a bag on the corner
I'd love some tea, but you won't find a cup
I've been using this saucepan to avoid washing up
You're cold and hungry
Put on a coat
I've bread
You can tell it's not toast
You're always welcome to crash on my floor
There's no key or lock for the door
I don't know what I'm doing
But it's feeling like success
Life is what you make it
And I've made mine a mess
Sunlight comes in a few hours a day
But only I see it, 'cause no one's awake
On the floor, strangers starting to surface
Ashtrays and coffee cups sharing a purpose
I'm young and nothing can harm me
I've sold all my records to pay for a party
I'm still drunk, but that's alright
I've been staying out every night
You're always welcome to crash on my floor
There's no key or lock for the door
I'm ignoring my grown-up problems as
I've got no idea how to solve them
I will survive
(I will survive)
I will survive
(I will survive)
I will survive
(I will survive)
I will survive
(I will survive)
I will survive
In Art Brut's song I Will Survive, the singer is describing their lifestyle and living situation to someone who seems unimpressed. They begin by stating that they can live without electricity and don't need to borrow money from anyone. They are out most of the day working and are paid regularly. They offer their hospitality to the person they are talking to, telling them they can crash on their floor anytime as there is no key or lock for the door. The singer seems to be living in poverty, with damp clothes drying in a bag and a lack of proper dishes for tea.
The second verse describes a group of people emerging after a night of partying. The singer seems to be young, carefree and unaware of any consequences of their actions. They have sold their records to pay for a party and are still drunk from the previous night. The singer is ignoring their grown-up problems as they don't know how to solve them. Despite their chaotic lifestyle, the singer declares that they will survive.
The song appears to be a celebration of the singer's unconventional life choices and is almost a statement of rebellion against societal norms. The singer is aware that their lifestyle seems messy and disorganised, but to them, it's a feeling of success. The song seems to be encouraging the listener to break free from societal constraints and live a less conventional life.
Line by Line Meaning
I can get by without electricity
I am self-sufficient and do not require assistance with basic needs.
So you don't need to lend me money
I do not need financial support from others.
I'm out most of the day
I am often away from home.
And it's not long before I get paid
I have a source of income that enables me to support myself.
If you're cold, hungry
In the event of being cold or hungry,
Put on a coat
wearing a coat could help you warm up
I've bread (?)
I have bread to offer,
You can't tell if it's toast
although it may resemble toast, it is not technically toast.
You're always welcome to crash on my floor
You are welcome to stay at my place overnight if necessary.
There's no key or lock for the door
There is no need for a key or lock to access my living space, indicating that I am not concerned about security.
I know what it looks like
I have an idea of how my living situation might appear to others.
And I can tell you're not impressed
It is clear to me that you are not pleased with what you see.
I don't know what I'm doing
I lack direction and purpose in my life.
But it's feeling like success
Despite this, I am content and fulfilled by my current situation.
A pile of clothes, just been laundered
Freshly washed clothes that have not been put away.
Drying damp in a bag on the corner
The clothes are currently drying in a bag.
I'd love some tea, but you won't find a cup
I desire tea but have no suitable container to drink it from.
I've been using this saucepan to avoid washing up
I am using a pot for tea to avoid washing a cup.
Sunlight comes in a few hours a day
My living space only gets sunlight for a short time each day.
But only I see it, 'cause no one's awake
I am the only one awake to see and appreciate the sun.
On the floor, strangers starting to surface
Visitors who stayed over are emerging from their sleeping areas on the floor.
Ashtrays and coffee cups sharing a purpose
Ashtrays and coffee cups are being used interchangeably for smoking and drinking as there are not enough of either.
I'm young and nothing can harm me
I feel invincible and unburdened by the concerns of age and experience.
I've sold all my records to pay for a party
I sacrificed something valuable to me (music records) to fund a celebratory event.
I'm still drunk, but that's alright
Despite still being under the influence of alcohol, I am not bothered by this.
I've been staying out every night
I have been active and social, going out every night.
I'm ignoring my grown-up problems as
I am avoiding dealing with adult responsibilities, currently.
I've got no idea how to solve them
I do not know how to tackle or solve my problems, leaving them to be disregarded.
I will survive
I am self-reliant and can overcome any hardship.
(I will survive)
I will survive
I am resilient and able to endure difficult situations.
(I will survive)
I will survive
I am confident in my ability to persevere through any challenges I may face.
(I will survive)
I will survive
I am strong and capable of overcoming adversity.
Lyrics © O/B/O CAPASSO, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: IAN WILSON, EDDIE ARGOS, MIKE BREYER, FREDERIKE SIEPE, JASPER FULCHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
turkatron
This whole album got me through my youth lol
Gavin Jackson
❤️🔥
Alaia D'Alessandro
JASPER FUTUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURE!!!!!!!