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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Shades of Black
Ashbury Heights Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are hard to spot
Spit on me
Forget me not
Broken stars
Look good in print
Scandals taste
like springs of mint
You can't say no to a cellophane heart
You can't say no to a work of art
We all need that centerfold part of life
So come on roll the dice
Sometimes we lie
And I think we'd rather cry like crocodiles
Than look ourselves straight in the eye
Everybody's talking
Damned malicious make believe
Everybody's talking
Shades of black in magazines
Everybody's talking
'Bout the things you left behind
Everybody's talking
There's no way to ease your mind
Shades of black
Will take their toll
Misery
Like solid gold
Resting upon
Paper shoulders
Are camera
Obscura soldiers
You can't say no to a cellophane heart
You can't say no to a work of art
We all need that centerfold part of life
So come on roll the dice
Sometimes we lie
And I think we'd rather cry like crocodiles
Than look ourselves straight in the eye
Everybody's talking
Damned malicious make believe
Everybody's talking
Shades of black in magazines
Everybody's talking
'Bout the things you left behind
Everybody's talking
There's no way to ease your mind
The song "Shades of Black" by Ashbury Heights talks about how we perceive things superficially and how society has accepted this superficiality as normalcy. The opening lines "Shades of black are hard to spot, spit on me forget me not" suggests how people are always looking for the next big thing, the new and shiny commodity, and they forget about the things that were once important. The chorus "You can't say no to a cellophane heart, You can't say no to a work of art, We all need that centerfold part of life, So come on roll the dice" reveals how people crave materialistic things, treating them like they are necessities in life. The last verse, "Shades of black will take their toll, Misery like solid gold. Resting upon, paper shoulders, are camera obscura soldiers" talks about how the glossy images portrayed in magazines can take a toll on a person, making them feel miserable and insignificant, and how those images may be camera obscura soldiers, a tool that creates an illusion of what is there and what isn't.
The song exemplifies society's obsession with materialistic things, which we often blindly follow, without questioning the consequences of our actions. The artist is trying to evoke the message of not letting materialism consume and control us. It encourages us to not let go of things that are truly essential and to stop accepting artificial standards of beauty, behavior, and lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
Shades of black
The dark and negative aspects of life are pervasive and difficult to ignore.
Are hard to spot
It's often difficult to recognize darkness or negativity, as it can be easily disguised or hidden.
Spit on me
Others may treat the singer poorly or disrespectfully.
Forget me not
Despite the possibility of being mistreated, the artist doesn't want to be forgotten or ignored.
Broken stars
Even things that are perceived as beautiful or glamorous can have flaws or be damaged.
Look good in print
Scandals or negative events are often sensationalized in the media, making them appear more interesting than they really are.
Scandals taste
Negative events or gossip can be exciting and appealing, like a refreshing drink.
like springs of mint
Just as mint leaves provide a refreshing taste, scandals can provide a sense of excitement or novelty.
You can't say no to a cellophane heart
People may be drawn to superficial appearances or false fronts, even if they know deep down that they're not genuine.
You can't say no to a work of art
People may be captivated by beauty or artistry, even if it's not authentic or real.
We all need that centerfold part of life
Everyone wants to experience the glamorous or exciting aspects of life, even if they're not the whole picture.
So come on roll the dice
The artist encourages taking risks or chances, even if the outcome is uncertain.
Sometimes we lie
People may tell falsehoods or hide things from themselves or others to avoid difficult truths.
And I think we'd rather cry like crocodiles
It's easier to mask one's true feelings or pretend everything is alright than face painful emotions head-on.
Than look ourselves straight in the eye
Acknowledging flaws or painful truths about oneself can be challenging or uncomfortable.
Everybody's talking
Others are obsessed with gossip and negativity, creating a pervasive culture of criticism and judgment.
Damned malicious make believe
There's a sense of falseness or insincerity to the negative talk and rumors that circulate.
Shades of black in magazines
Media outlets focus on sensational or dark stories to grab attention and sell copies, perpetuating negativity.
Bout the things you left behind
Others may be fixated on one's past mistakes or failures rather than focusing on the present or future.
There's no way to ease your mind
The negative or critical culture can be overwhelming and inescapable, making it difficult to find peace or contentment.
Will take their toll
Negativity and darkness can have a cumulative impact on one's mental wellbeing or overall happiness.
Misery
Negative emotions or experiences, such as sadness or distress, can feel like valuable or precious commodities.
Like solid gold
The language suggests that even though misery is painful or negative, it can still be prized or valuable.
Resting upon
The valuable or prized nature of misery is supported by something flimsy or superficial.
Paper shoulders
The singer uses this metaphor to describe the fleeting or fragile nature of the support that misery rests on.
Are camera
The support for misery is likened to a camera, which captures what is superficial or fleeting rather than what is real or substantive.
Obscura soldiers
The metaphor here suggests that the fleeting or false nature of the support for misery is also a dark or negative force.
Contributed by Josiah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.