Originally, the duo consisted of Anders Hagström and Yasmine Uhlin. However, she announced her surprise departure from the band in Hamburg at the last concert of the Out Of line festival tour 2008.
Anders and Yazmine met in November 2005 and, upon discovering that they shared the same musical vision, decided to form a band. Their collaboration soon came to fruition with the release of a 9 track demo entitled "Angora Overdrive" after a very intensive month in the studio.
The second four track demo, "Parliament of Rooks", which was finished in February 2006, had a more refined sound compared to their first offering. They decided to send it to a few select labels because the reaction they got to the first demo was quite overwhelming. Having sent the demos on Monday, Ashbury Heights was contacted and contracted by German Out of Line records on Wednesday, only an hour after the label had received the CD. This probably makes Ashbury Heights one of the fastest signings in history. Several other labels expressed an interest in the band, but there was no bidding war as Out of Line moved so quickly.
Although having signed the famous German act "And One" at about the same time as Ashbury Heights, which ate a lot of the labels' resources, Out of Line wasted no time. The legendary producer John Fryer was brought on board to produce the promotional single "Cry Havoc" in April 2006, something quite unheard of in the world of the electronic underground. Very few bands in the synth-genre get to release promo-CDs (if any), and certainly no other band in modern synth-history has released a promo-CD produced by a celebrity of the likes of Fryer.
John Fryer would eventually mix their first album "Three cheers for the newlydeads". Released in october 2007, the debut album was recieved with overwhelming optimism from press and audience alike proving once and for all that Ashbury Heights truly is a force to be reckoned with.
In 2008 Ashbury Heights returned with the "Morningstar in a Black Car" EP, containing five new songs and four remixes. The EP received good reviews and helped keep up interest for the band. A video was made for the track "Spiders", a low budget affair which nevertheless managed to project some of the bands unique flair.
Ashbury Heights, with brand-new female vocalist Kari Berg, released their new album 'Take Cair paramour' on the 2nd of july 2010. In 2010, following a long running dispute between Hagström and the record label Out Of Line the band disbanded. This dispute was settled in 2011, whereupon Hagstöm and Out of Line renewed their collaboration. However, it took until 2013 for Hagström to find a new singer. The new singer is Tea F. Thimé, the first female to co-write lyrics for Ashbury Heights.
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Night Creature
Ashbury Heights Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
December must have been your cradle
My fair
Night Creature
November's never cold enough for such
Blonde hair
When I was underage
Now I am underpaid
And there is nothing else to do
Night creature
This city never was as dark as your soul
Night creature
Ten four a concrete heart
Beneath the manhole
When I was underage
Then I was way too strange for you
Now I am underpaid
And there is nothing else to do
The Ashbury Heights song "Night Creature" seems to be an ode to someone who is seen as a mysterious and dark figure. The lyrics describe this person as being born in December, perhaps suggesting that they were meant to be a bit colder and more detached than others. The singer acknowledges that they were once considered "too strange" to be accepted by this person, but now, with nothing else to do, they seem to be drawn to them once more. The lyrics also describe the city as never having been as dark as this person's soul, and notes that there is something "concrete" about their heart that is perhaps impenetrable.
Overall, the song paints a picture of someone who is both alluring and intimidating, who is perhaps difficult to understand but still draws others in with their aura of mystery. The singer seems to feel a certain fascination with this person, even as they acknowledge their own shortcomings and limitations.
Line by Line Meaning
Night creature
Referring to someone who is active during the nighttime and embodies an ethereal or supernatural presence.
December must have been your cradle
Implying that the night creature has existed since birth, and possibly indicating a lack of warmth or compassion in their upbringing.
My fair
A term of endearment or admiration, possibly indicating the singer's attraction to or fascination with the night creature.
November's never cold enough for such
Suggesting that the night creature only emerges during the darkest and coldest months, perhaps indicating a preference for isolation or a desire to avoid others.
Blonde hair
A physical description of the night creature, possibly hinting at their otherworldliness or uniqueness.
This city never was as dark as your soul
Comparing the darkness of the city to the perceived darkness of the night creature's soul, possibly suggesting that the singer sees the night creature as a kind of guiding force or inspiration.
Ten four a concrete heart
Using police radio code to signify a lack of emotion or empathy, and describing it as being as hard and impenetrable as concrete.
Beneath the manhole
Referring to a hidden, underground location, possibly indicating that the night creature is a secret or forbidden presence in society.
When I was underage
Recalling a time in the artist's past when they were younger and more rebellious, possibly indicating that the night creature represents a kind of freedom or escape from social norms and expectations.
Then I was way too strange for you
Implying that the artist was once an outsider or outcast who didn't fit in with the night creature's world, but now they share a connection.
Now I am underpaid
Suggesting that the singer is dissatisfied with their current situation and may find solace in the companionship or inspiration of the night creature.
And there is nothing else to do
Implying a sense of boredom or restlessness, and possibly indicating that the artist seeks adventure or excitement through the night creature's influence.
Contributed by Carson L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.